I like big Blades and I cannot lie

[Cobalt]

Cobalt
The knife that Cliff has is the prototype of my models called the silverback 1.5
it has a 14 inch blade and 7 inch handle it is 2.5 inches wide. It is made out of CPM 3V that is .290 inches thick.

Dan

That just slightly big, lol. Beautiful. So which knife was half an inch?

 

[Dan Keffeler]

That just slightly big, lol. Beautiful. So which knife was half an inch?

The half-inch is the monster.
I've only made a handful of those

 

[Dan Keffeler]

Hey Dan, how do I go about ordering one of your knives? Do you have a price guide? What about lead times? Sorry to post it on this thread. I can't email you through this site and tried leaving you a visitor message (it also looks like someone else did awhile ago too). I thought I was strictly a Busse guy but that Sasquatch is very sexy. Please email me at kbrower23@gmail.com so I don't derail this thread any further. Thank you sir.

I got it I will get back to you tomorrow
Dan

 

[Cobalt]

The half-inch is the monster.
I've only made a handful of those

Beast of a chopper for sure.

 

[zmbhntr]

Today's Setup

I came up with a much better setup for chopping today, at least in terms of stability for the 2x4 under test. I attached a 2x6 to an old shed in my back yard (screwed it into the studs of my shed), and then attached another 2x6 to the outside of the 2x6, only raised up about 3". This created a channel to hold the 2x4 under test. It was a big improvement over the plastic saw horses I used yesterday. It has become very clear to me that the stability of the 2x4 makes a big difference when chopping. A lot of chopping energy is wasted if there is flex in the board under test. I noticed a sizable difference when chopping near the far, and unsupported, end of the 2x6 vs chopping closer to the shed where the 2x6 is firmly anchored.



Top Two

The MOAB I have is referred to as the "skinny" MOAB. It is 0.35" thick as opposed to the typical 0.4" thick MOAB. It has a 14" blade and weighs in at 2 lb 8 oz. The Sasquatch is 0.292" according to my calipers. It has a 13" blade and weighs 2 lb 4 oz. Both handles are quite thick; the MOAB has a fusion handle with magnum G10 scales that measure 1.06" at the thickest part of the palm swell, and the Sasquatch has TeroTuf scales that measure 1.05" at the thickest part of the palm swell. I like the Busse fusion handles a lot, but I prefer the the ergonomics of the Sasquatch in hand, the handle is phenomenal. Also, I much prefer the TeroTuf scale material to G10. For a hard use chopper I prefer hand shaped micarta over textured micarta, and textured micarta over G10, but I prefer TeroTuf above all of them. I really wish that Busse would offer TeroTuf as a handle material option.

I chopped through a few 8' lengths of 2x4's today with just the MOAB and Sasquatch. In my hands, the chopping performance is extremely close. It took me on average 4-6 chops to get through the 2x4's with the Sasquatch and MOAB. Bear in mind, Dan Keffeler posted a video today where he chops through a 2x4 with a Sasquatch in 2 chops (I think the 2x4 in his video had a preexising crack though, at least that's what I'm telling myself to not feel quite as much shame in my ability). I never once chopped through a 2x4 in 2 swings unless I swung near the last 4" or so of the 2x4, which enabled the chips to launch away and me to get the extra penetration needed per swing.

This one is honestly too close for me to call so I'm declaring it a draw. I will be doing other tests with these knives, including more real world use, so I may revisit that decision going forward. Both are absolutely epic large knives; I recommend you go out and buy yourselves one of each!

I brought my GoPro outside and set it on a stump in front of my chopping station so that I could take some videos. Unfortunately, my son who just turned 3, did not cooperate with my video taking. Instead you get a couple pics of him chopping with his plastic knife. I will be taking videos of these knives in use going forward, and I promise I will post them at that time.

 

[trevitrace]

One whack from Dan himself.

 

[Azula Gun Holsters]

Had a feeling it was going to be a draw.

Great write, thank you

 

[dieseldog]

Cool !!! thanks for taking the time to posting these comparisons. Sasqatch vs moab turned in to a real battle of the titan's for sure.

 

[zmbhntr]

One whack from Dan himself.

He took a heck of a whack with that swing, but he did not get all of the way through. At that point he would need to either take another swing in the same plane and hope to extend the original cut, or take a swing to clear the wood out of the notch. If I tried to take another swing on the exact path I would likely miss and end up needing another two swings. Of course, he would probably just twist the knife to remove the material before swinging again, but I didn't always do that like I should have. Also, I never got that deep in a single swing with either knife.

 

[rcb2000]

Awesome work, it's a pleasure to read.
I mentioned a while back wishing Busse would offer Terotuf, maybe in 2017

 

[trevitrace]

He took a heck of a whack with that swing, but he did not get all of the way through. At that point he would need to either take another swing in the same plane and hope to extend the original cut, or take a swing to clear the wood out of the notch. If I tried to take another swing on the exact path I would likely miss and end up needing another two swings. Of course, he would probably just twist the knife to remove the material before swinging again, but I didn't always do that like I should have. Also, I never got that deep in a single swing with either knife.

I was more impressed/surprised at how well that knife, or likely any comparable blade, bit into that board when in the hands of a seasoned chopper like Dan.

Thanks again for taking the time and enduring the forearm punishment to do the comparisons.

 

[David Brown]

Thank you for this thread

 

[boring]

cool pic of your son. had to bring a smile to your face. thanks for the chop off.

 

[zmbhntr]

Thank you for the knid words everybody. I'm glad that many of you enjoyed the little review and observations. :thumbup:

Zmbhntr, thanks for the detailed review. Would you rate the order any differently if say you had 15-20 min with each as opposed to on a per swing kind of basis? For example would the lighter weight and comfort of a 1311 move up the list because in that time frame you would get in additional swings. Very subjective of course.

Welcome to BF Ibeholden! It would be a much different test if I were spending ~20 minutes continuously chopping with each knife. In most real world usage situations a smaller more nimble knife would certainly be better suited to most tasks, and for chopping large wood a saw would be used. Likewise, if I had a long hike to get to camp I would not want to hike a Sasquatch or a MOAB. Much of the time I spend in the woods is at my 50 acres of mountain land in WV that I can drive to; and when I'm there I get the most enjoyment out of using my large knives.

 

[Tom Kanik]

So a Condor Moonshiner arrived today and the girlfriend told me a I had a problem. I agreed wholeheartedly and though... why not celebrate it! Cheers!
1) WTF Combat Grade
2) WTF Battle Grade
3 & 4) SHBM
5) Eese Junglas
6) The above mentioned Condor Moonshiner
7) Fallkniven Thor
8) Bark River / Dark Timber Grizzly
9) Cold Steel Trail Master San Mai
10) Condor Kondoru
11) Busse Chop House Thick Cut
12) Bark River Teddy II
13) Steel Heart Ergo
14) Team Gemini Battle Grade
15) Condor Hudson Bay
16) Bark River Rouge Bowie
17) Bark River Custon 7" Bowie
18) Tops Silent Hero
19) Fallkniven A1 Pro
20) Cold Steel SRK Sam Mai
21) Busse AK 47 battle grade and the Condon and Ontario kurkis

Now I'm hunting for a Gossman bowie and a Dan Keffeler chopper as I wait for the rest of operation 2 weeks to come in the mail and the Survive Knives production schedule to roll on.

I REALLY like the looks of that "Dark Timber Grizzly"!!!:thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Ibeholden]

Thanks! I've been thinking my first Busse in hand would be a mistress, so soaking up most of the reviews and videos. Was leaning toward the NMFBM, so love seeing all of these in action. The MOABOLO to me is probably the most aesthetically appealing. NMFBM, CGFBM or FBM all are tempting...hard choice.

 

[zmbhntr]

Thanks! I've been thinking my first Busse in hand would be a mistress, so soaking up most of the reviews and videos. Was leaning toward the NMFBM, so love seeing all of these in action. The MOABOLO to me is probably the most aesthetically appealing. NMFBM, CGFBM or FBM all are tempting...hard choice.

Those are all awesome choices. Moabolo's do look great, especially if you find one with a full flat grind like the one in these pics.

 

[Ibeholden]

Wow, that is a sweet one.

 

[lostdog]

zmbhntr you are like the Norman Rockwell of big a$$ blades!

 

[Ironic]

...In most real world usage situations a smaller more nimble knife would certainly be better suited to most tasks, and for chopping large wood a saw would be used. Likewise, if I had a long hike to get to camp I would not want to hike a Sasquatch or a MOAB...

Zmbhntr-- That's such an honest answer, and I agree. In fact, for me, a knife too big to comfortably hike/carry long distance is probably going to stay in camp or in my truck, which means it's not significantly more portable than a chainsaw--just real world fact.

All that said, I've really enjoyed the analysis and photos you've provided in this thread. You have some awesome blades--truly inspiring, even if their size puts them in a "supernatural" context. Thanks for sharing!