INFI vs A2

abchopper said:
I don't have anything in A2 yet but I like the sound of it. Those BRKT Bravo 1's look very tempting (in A2).
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Another A2 blade you might want to look at while looking at BRKT is the Blackjack HALO Attack, which is made for Blackjack Knives by Mike at BRKT. I have a few and carry them frequently for specific purposes but not as a frequent-use camp knife. The convex edge on them as received is excellent and incredibly sharp. BRKT has some beautiful and useful knives.

I own quite a few Busse & Scrap Yard knives and have a few Swamp Rat and Scrap Yard knives on order. I love my HG55s and am wondering how many more I might need. I'd love to see Busse make a skinny HG55 (3/16") with a double guard or maybe a '''HG75''' (7.5" blade at 3/16" thick) with a double guard or double blade catch.

The HG55 is not that much more expensive than the BRKT Bravo 1, so you might consider ordering one while still available on the Busse website. The blade/handle color choices are quite extensive.

http://bussecombat.com/gallery/index.shtml
 
MustardMan said:
I've definitely noticed the gumminess of INFI - it lends its own bits of trickiness to reprofiling and sharpening edges. On the other hand, if you keep your abrasive clear, it's pretty easy to remove material - sometimes too easy, as it's not at all uncommon for my clumsy hands to go to the strop and round off the nice edge I just put on. Infi can take a bit of tinkering to figure out how to get it sharpened well, at least in my limited experience with it. I haven't experienced the same learning curve on any other new steel since I first learned to convex an edge.
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INFI is strange in some ways. It sharpens easily but finishing it is difficult for me. It took me forever to get a satin finish on my FFBM. It does seem to be quite corrosion resistant once it's polished, almost like a stainless. As far as performance, I haven't even pushed A2 to its limits yet. I guess I really don't need INFI, but I want it!:D
 
No one has mentioned one of the most interesting properties of INFI, mainly to increase in value once it leaves the shop...
 
Where is Cobalt when we need him? These metallurgy discussions are right up his alley.
 
Thanks BJBJ for your suggestion. The Halo is a great looking knife. I was thinking about a smaller edition to complement my larger edge.
 
Jerry Busse said:
These HOGs pretty much hit it on the head with their comparisons.

However, A-2 is killer cool steel!!!!. . . If we weren't using INFI, we'd still be using A-2.

Horton and Okuden make some sick blades out of the stuff and you can't go wrong with either of these makers. . . . Unless you decide to drink with Horton, in which case you'd better pack an extra liver!!!! :eek: :thumbup:

Jerry :D


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If you'd be using A2, absent INFI, then why aren't the yard and swamp using A2?

Edit: found this thread through a link, and didn't realize it was SOOOO old; apologies :o
 
Yes it's an old thread, but still a great question.
I can't speak for Jerry, but I can apply a little logic to try and answer the question... I may well be wrong, but I am pretty sure it's close to the right answer.
My guess is that INFI is primarily a high end and very superior yet expensive Busse steel, while the cheaper yet very impressive SR101 was designed for the middle and lower product lines.
I believe there has not been an SR101 Busse blade since I am under the impression that the SR part stands for SwampRat101, so you wouldn't put midgrade steel in your high end product line.
Both steels, and also SR77 for that matter, have been created/designed/released after A2 was last being used, which logically implies there was the idea something better could be made available.
So just knowing that and my user experience with the newer steels tells me that they have been and are still the current steels of choice out of Wauseon, while SR77 and/or A2 would be ranked in the two positions behind them.
From a business perspective, it would not make sense to knowingly choose a slightly inferior steel over better products resulted from time/money you have invested research & development costs on, especially with the lifetime warranty.
I'm not knocking A2 at all, just looking at the chain of events to deduce these ideas.
From how people describe their experience with A2, it sounds a lot like SR101 in overall performance (especially since they both will rust much more than INFI), so either SR101 provided superior performance or lower cost than A2, maybe a little of both in order to be chosen over A2?
 
Busse did indeed make a knife from SR-101, the Talliwacker.

This was, IIRC just before SRKW came into existance.

Over 10 years ago and my memory is foggy.

BTW, SR-101 is a most excellent steel. I love it and have since 2002.

Wet
 
That's right, I forgot about that one. Thanks for reminding me, and yes SR101 is some sweet steel. I love that the yard is getting so much of it lately. :D
 
Old post but ill share my experience with Infi VS A2 (both heat treated by Busse)

The test started by chopping at green branches, 250 or so whacks each. At the end of the test both knives were still slicing computer paper with no hitches at all. Infi was able to shave but was pulling the hairs. A2 was not catching on the hair. Another 150 or so whacks each still no problems slicing computer paper. Infi had however lost its shaving edge. Moved on to coconuts (tough stuff). Only difference noticed here is that A2 showed micro chipping while Infi did not. After a coconut each they were both having trouble slicing paper but stil made it through. They maintained the same edge through another coconut each. At the end both still had great working edges.

Ill say Infi held a fine edge a bit longer than A2 and was also a bit tougher. No huge difference though.

There was some difference in sharpening but again not by a lot. A2 sharpened slightly quicker.

The one place Infi blows A2 out of the water is in corrosion resistance. I did not test it against Busse A2 however I have seen A2 rust under conditions that my Infi did not. Heck I have seem some stainless steels like 154 cm rust under conditions that my satin infi did not.
 
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