Hunting question

Bronco · Jun 20, 2000

I've been invited to go elk hunting this fall, but have no real experience bagging anything of this size. Obviously I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself here, but I'm curious which Busse offering you guys think would do the best job of dressing out a large mulie or an elk. I already own a Badger Attack so I may already have my answer, but if there's something else in the line which is better suited for the job, please let me know (I'd really hate to be able to justify purchasing another Busse

).

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Semper Fi

Strabs · Jun 20, 2000

NO, NO, NO, you can't use your Badger for elk

You need to go out and buy the 6" model right now! Then when you get lost your going to need a Mean Street to whittle a whistle or you could use the reflection off your Battle Mistress (with finish removed of course) to signal to someone above.

With all this in mind, I think you'll have to stay home and work so you can budget all these blades while I take your place on the elk hunt.

-Being that I don't have a BA or a 6" yet(hurry up Jerry!) I would say the Badger should be about all you need...except a case of Guinness and some Macanudos would really be a benefit

Wulf · Jun 21, 2000

Quite frankly, for dressing and skinning large game, I would think that a hollow ground blade with a thinner edge profile would be more appropriate. Use the badger to hack through bone and gut, but if you intend to do any skinning or slicing, bring along a loveless straight hunter type blade. It's quite versatile in that it's got some decent strength at the spine but also posesses an edge more suited for precision and cleanliness. I can't deny the fact that Busse knives are extremely versatile and "user-friendly," but for more specific tasks, like dressing game, perhaps a specialized blade would better fit your needs.

Then again, if you carry only one knife, you MUST carry a Busse.

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. (o)(o)
.__ Y

WTF · Jun 21, 2000

Hey Bronco,
This year when I go deer hunting, I am going to skin, cape and quarter with my Busse #3. Its a little thick and is no Loveless, but its sharp and I think it will do the job. I am also going to bring a Mean Street, but hope tobe doing all my work with the #3. Hope this helps somewhat.

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"KEEP IT SIMPLE"

"Lead, follow, or get out of the way"

Jun 22, 2000

I would say a Basic 3 would be a good skinner. But those Elk are big critters. Of the Busse's I've seen the new 3.5 ergo model looks like it would be one hell of a skinner and cleaner. Maybe Andy could get you a loaner. But otherwise I think a Badger would do great. Wouldn't go hunting without mine.

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Everything is negotiable!
http://albums.com/j/AlbumList?u=879893

Bronco · Jun 21, 2000

Thanks for all the good advice guys (especially you strabs

, I like the way you think).

It appears from the photos that the blade on the new 3.5" E model might have a little more belly that a BA, but if Andy, or anyone who saw the 3.5" in person at the Show could confirm or deny, it would be appreciated.

Also, do any of the experienced field dressers out there feel that reprofiling the edge to a symetrical bevel would improve the performance of a Busse in this specific task.

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Semper Fi

Dr.V · Jun 21, 2000

Bronco,
I've been dressing game with a Randall #23 for years and the #23 and BA are very close in blade design. This year I bought a BA and after cutting a few beef roasts and dressing some fish it was clear that the asymmetric edge had to go. I reprofiled the edge to a 15-20 degree primary bevel with a 40-45 degree secondary micro-bevel. It's very aggressive and still holds an edge when abused. I did the same to my Mean Street. I have not done any hard field testing but my first impression is that the steel is tough enough to handle this acute bevel and still work hard. I sharpen it by simply trailing the edge across a 1000 grit ceramic rod at about 45 degrees two or three times. A smooth steel might work as well but, I want the micro serrations left by the rod.

Good luck,
Rich

Bronco · Jun 21, 2000

Thanks Rich,
That's good info indeed. Boy, a primary bevel at an included angle of 15 to 20 degrees is aggressive indeed. But it's good to know that INFI can handle it for a majority of chores. If you get a chance to do any testing with this edge profile that would simulate something a little more harsh, such as splitting a pelvis or sternum for example, please let us know it turns out.

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Semper Fi

Dr.V · Jun 21, 2000

The included angle would be twice my quoted measurements. I was measuring from the center plane of the blade. I should have been more clear.

[This message has been edited by Dr.V (edited 06-21-2000).]

Bronco · Jun 22, 2000

Okay doc, that makes a little more sense. I was thinking that at an included angle of 15 degrees, the primary bevel would go halfway up the blade. Still, an included angle of 30 is pretty thin and I imagine will cut very efficiently.

I wonder if a dedicated skinning/field dressing knife might need to be included into Andy's schedule of AP Limited Project knives (after the fighter, of course). Maybe we could name it after that genius a couple of years ago who soaked himself in doe urine and proceeded to get his a*s*s kicked to within an inch of his life by that buck while his wife stood there with her one tooth flapping in the breeze recording the whole incident on a camcorder. Priceless.

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Semper Fi

-Bill

Cliff Stamp · Jun 23, 2000

The Basic #7 I had was reprofiled down to an edge bevel of less than 20 degrees included. I used it for an extended period of time on hard woods chopping and slicing with no problems. I gave it to by brother some time ago to see how it would hold up. No problem so far.

A full INFI blade would be even more durable. How durable, well far ahead of an ATS-34 blade anyway, so you should easily be able to get the same performance.

There is nothing stopping you from only profiling a part of the blade either. You could leave an 1" at the front at the NIB angle for cutting harder materials.

-Cliff

straightblastpfs · Jun 23, 2000

Bronco:

That California heat must be making you dizzy. Goodness man, what Busse do you need??? Well, let me tell you:

Since this hunt involves going deep into the wilds, where many a strong man has perished [okay, okay, but this is what you tell the wife] you must plan for anything. Since you rifle may fail you, a Busse Variant Battle Mistress with sharpened top edge will be necessary to kill the bear which will be attracted to the dead elk you are attempting to skin. So, you *need* one of those.

Should some trail bandit / bad guy attempt to steal from you the bear that you have killed in defending yourself and your prize elk, you will need a good Busse fighter [hey, I gotta get interest up in these so Jerry will make them]. So, you *need* one of those. A Badger Attack in an ankle sheath will of course help should the fight go to the ground...or if he shows up with help. So, take your BA.

Now, you have a dead elk and dead bear on your hands, bad guys are gone, but it will be late. So, you need fire and shelter. Enter the matriarch of this fine family...the new E handled Battle Mistress [the one with sharpened top edge will be resting at this point], to chop what you need to stay alive [again, how can the wife argue with this logic?].

Since no man hunts without a Mean Street on his hip, with a spare in his ruck, you will *need* 2 of those. Since there is no finer present for a friend...you will need another one to give to the man that allows you to hunt his land.

So, you *need* your badger attack; 2 Battle Mistress', the Busse Blood [my name for the fighter], 3 Mean Streets, and, PLEASE do not enter the woods without a pair of Apache Throwers!

If you can't have all of the above, I would take a Mean Street with non-asymetrical edge, and a small sharpener. Along with the knife you already have, you will be fine.

Bruce

Bronco · Jun 23, 2000

Cliff,
Thanks for the additional edge durability data. I'm now even more confident that INFI, or even m-INFI for that matter, will support just about any edge profile that I would ever require. I also like the idea of maintaining multiple edge profiles on the same blade. Even for a hunter, one section could excel at powering through bone, while another would specialize in the caping, skinning chores. In fact, I was considering a variation of the same on my Kit Carson large Mod 4 folder in 420V. I was kicking around the idea of sharpening the front portion of the blade all the way down to a fine polish with my 3000 grit tape (for push cuts), while leaving the remainder of the blade at maybe a toothier 320 grit finish (for slicing type cuts).

Bruce,
I think you and strabs are definitely birds of a feather. But, I personally don't have a problem in the world with heading off into the mountains carrying an assortment of knives that outweighs my rifle.

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Semper Fi

-Bill

Cliff Stamp · Jun 24, 2000

The dual grit edge is a very functional one and I used it for awhile. Joe Talmadge has been promoting it on the forums for a few years which is where I got the idea from.

I don't use it any more now as I just carry multiple knives. It gives me an excuse, if you will, to have more than one blade. Not that I actually need one, but sometimes it is nice to have a responce that makes you look half normal to non-knife users.

-Cliff

[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 06-24-2000).]