How did you get started?

Eric Isaacson

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Dec 19, 1999
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We've done this topic before, but with all the new guys that have been checking in I thought it would be fun to post it again.

How did you find out about Busse AND where did you get your first one(If BF exchange who did you buy it from)?

I first found out about Busse right here on BF sometime in the year 2000, bought my first, a Basic 9, from 1SKS, it was one of the one's that 1SKS had used for testing. Later sold it and I've regretted that move ;)

So how about you?
 
I saw a SHBM in some other forum and was awe-struck, did some googling and found this place, lurked for a year or two, and ultimately bought an ASH when they were offered direct - unlurking sometime around that time.

Once I had the ASH in-hand and was able to use it, I just *knew*... and ever since I've stayed around here, bought and sold and used and handled several others, and eventually grown my collection of users to a fairly robust set that serves my needs.

Now I have a BWM LE, a Big-Choil BOSS Jack, a CABS LE (on order), a DSF, a Culti, and a Thin NICK - all keepers and all users, as well as a second BOSS Jack, another BWM, and the ASH which I intend to sell in the near future (no PMs please).

I, like many others, was frustrated with the whole "how do you buy one" topic - which was much more of a pain back then, and I, too, used to have a bad attitude about it. I don't remember when or why that changed, but I'm glad it finally did.

Good times. ;)
 
I think Cliff Stamps old website was how I found out about Busse. My first was a Sage FFBM from Lil' Foo...
 
for me it was back in '07, I have always been into collecting guns, decided I needed a good knife so did a bunch of research on it. My first Busse was the SwampRat M6 baught from the company store. At the time I couldn't believe I spent 178.00 on a knife, I told my wife not to worry, I wasn't going to be buying a lot of them.... oh how times have changed :D :eek:
 
Cool topic indeed.
It was in 2002 or 2003 when I was working in Boston I was looking for the ultimate Hunting/Camping knife on the net and I saw the Camp Tramp and the Howling rat. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the Camp Tramp, it was the perfect knife for what I needed. Somehow I managed to find the Busse forum and the exchange and picked up a sterile Camp Tramp. My first Busse was a NMSFNO from their website, I will never sell it. It has been an uphill battle ever since buying and selling to the point now that I have what I feel are the perfect blades for what I do. Looking back I have owned about 30 or more Busse/Swamp and Scrap blades but now only have 9.
What a fun ride it has been........
 
I was searching survival knives and scrapyard, busse and swamp rat kept coming up in different discussions. Found my way to Swamp Rat first, saw the video for the waki and placed an order right away from the site. I found the Yard a little later and made that my online home.
 
Lookin' online for something a little cooler/better than Cold Steel (I still own some and have no problems with them) and came across Swamp Rat. I believe I bought my first (Howling Rat which my wife still has) from 360joules and my first piece of INFI (SJT) from the Company Store shortly after.
 
I recently bought a SAR 3 from steeldragon here on the exchange. Knife is excellent and I am currently awaiting a leather sheath I had made for it.
 
.

I was collecting Randall Made Knives and I decided to sell a few. I was offered a SHE and a Tanker A in trade and made the deal. That was back in 2003, I sold all the Randalls and started collecting Busse knives. I heard everyone talk about the Satin Jack, so I put a "Wanted" ad in the Exchange and got the coolest Satin Jack variant for cheap, that was the first one I actually bought. This one:





Now, if only Jerry would make a FOLDER!!!


.
:D
 
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An article in the "American Survival Guide" magazine. :)

Same here, except it was two articles. The first was a 1996 review of a bunch of knives that picked the Steel Heart II (in A2, I think) as the best fixed-blade survival knife (Benchmade ACFK was dubbed the best folder), and the second, from 1998, was when Busse introduced the Battle Mistress and INFI.

After the second article came out, I ordered a Steel Heart II, Badger Attack, and Battle Mistress. It was then that I learned that a week is as a year to the Bossman. :D
 
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I first ran upon Busse at Knob Creek. I would have passed by if a trusted friend had not told me to take a closer look at their stuff. Until then I was only aware of mainstream knives. That was back in 04, Swamp rat had not been around for long. I called Eric up and ordered a ratweiler. Took it over the pond, came back and sold it. Stupid, I know. I just now was able to get another one on here. I have owned a handfull, traded some, bought others. The little lady says its an addiction, she may be on to something.
 
I have collected knives since I was a youngster, wished I had all of them back now, my grandfather and great-grandfather made knives in a blacksmith shop in SC before I was thought about. So a strong interest is there. I started collecting custom knives about five years ago, mainly Mike Norris knives, Randall's and other nice attention to detail knives from custom makers. I was purchasing knives on e-bay and was introduced to this forum by demtek9 out of Colorado. While perusing the forum, subforums I came across the Busse subform and was introduced to the knife by dobywon, gatman and jaxx.

The rest is chalked up in history now, some odd 9 Busse and Bussekin later, my first knives being a custom shop satin jack and the hg-55.
 
I found Swamp Rat in 2004 after wanting something better, and thought I was in heaven.

I had broken a couple of knives (Western Bowie and something else) and was not happy with the performance of several others. I bought my first Busse, a SJTac from Skunk at the BCS, in 2005 I think. I've never looked back. :D
 
heard of busse first in 2005.....bought my first GW blacktie version from ironballs but can't recall the year.... my second was a satin and tiger GW from Morimotom.

Now I'm all about sfnos! :cool:
 
i was at northern knifes in anchorage in 2004. someone had one on consignment. it was a public defender the owners son said it was indestuctable i said right so he showed me be stickin it in the floor. i was sold i have been hooked ever since.
 
I first heard of them when, on another forum, someone mentioned the Swamp Rat Battle Rat. So I went to the SR site, looked at it, noticed they said it was a version of the Battle Mistress, so I searched for the Battle Mistress. When I found Busse Combat, the CGFBM was the offering, and I about had a heart attack at the price. Thought "Man, would I love to have one of those, but no way can I afford it."

Years go by, and I'm laid up after foot surgery with nothing to do but surf the web. For some reason I was going through the for sale forum here (because I had read every other forum that day and was bored), and saw a Hellrazor. It was love at first sight, and I HAD to have three! That was my first Busse. Then I saw the CGFBM again, and rekindled my love for it, and a forum member parted with his very beautiful one with the shadow camo and blue/black G10 -- what the hell, I'm making more than twice what I did when I choked at the price on the site, so, screw it. No regrets!

I never did get that Battle Rat.
 
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