Well, now youve done it, you went and poked fun of my little knife. Feel better?
In regards to the knife, it simply works. It has a true zero edge grind, meaning that it has a single, flat ground bevel that is sharpened all the way to the cutting edge. This explains the poor grinds which are really the sharpening marks that are inevitable in maintaining the knifes performance. Trust me, the knife is perfectly executed as far as grinds and finish work. Use and sharpening are responsible for its ragged appearance, that and my damn poor picture. Granted, the knife does have a very thin edge but it cuts extremely well (i.e. effortlessly) and has held up to being pounded through kiln dried oak (against the grain) with no edge problems. Wouldnt want to chop rocks with it but I really couldnt ask for much more in a knife this size. As far as being a survival knife? It could very well be but I prefer to refer to it as a ready companion, you know, the type of knife you actually have on you should something unexpected happen. Remember the guy who was forced to amputate his own arm? He survived because he had a knife on him when it was needed. Period.
Survival situations are a funny thing, as they never can be predicted as to when or where they will happen. It could be during a hike, a family camping trip, a leisurely day of fishing at the lake or hunting in the woods in early December. In the mountains, valleys, desert or plains. Spring, summer, winter or fall. During hot, warm or cold weather, rain or shine. The fact that you rule out a knife as a survival knife based on size alone just doesnt cut it. If you can actually say you carry and use your big Busse blades during all the above scenarios, kudos to you. If you dont, what good are they if they are home?
Before someone knocks me as not having owned or used a Busse, I have. Swamp Rat included. These include BMs, SHs, BaIIIs, Satin Jacks, Basic 3, Basic 9 and a Battle Rat. You know what they all have in common? They were used and evaluated and then modified to suit my needs or the needs of the owner. This involved handle mods (some full replacements), regrinds, sheaths and various cosmetic touches. This is in no way saying they are a bad knife, it is just that they may be altered to become better working tools. Shelf sitters need not apply. To say that Busse makes the best blades going cant be true if they can be improved by the owners to fit their needs. Make sense? The knives performance was improved in every measurable, real world parameter with the exception of ultimate edge durability (i.e. striking a rock for example). But answer me this, is this last criteria more valuable to you than handle comfort and pure cutting and chopping performance day in and day out? Definitely not worth it to me. Ill gladly sharpen or steel out an occasional ding for the added performance gained when things are done to my liking.
For those that want some facts to back this up. I have a Battle Rat that experienced some slight edge chipping when clearing an access road of small saplings and brush. This was from chopping the trees as low to the ground as possible at which point contact with the soil and gravel was inevitable. I reground the Rat to a much thinner convex grind which made the process much more efficient. The blade still experienced some damage but not a whole lot more than what was suffered when the knife was stock. How much performance was gained? Cutting brush and saplings was not even comparable. It also nearly doubled when chopping well seasoned Cherry 6 x 6s. The stock blade was able to penetrate approx. ¼ when chopping across the full 6 width, whereas the reground blade was able to obtain nearly ½. This was very hard lumber and no edge damage was suffered at all. Which is the better knife?
My first Busse was the BaIII when they first came out. They were supposed to be have a thin blade and I saw where some Forum members here were stating that this blade would be their hunting knife of choice for the upcoming season. I wouldnt have anymore used this blade for hunting than I would a kitchen knife. The knife had a seriously thick edge and was very clumsy when compared to what I was used to. I can't even imagine it in the chest cavity. Not necessarily the fault of the knife as much as the fault of the forumites who apparently didnt have a frickin clue as to what a good hunting knife design was. This and many other experiences have shown me the importance of taking what you read on the forums with a grain of salt. I refer you to the recent thread looking for some pics of Busse users. WHEW!, never saw so many beaters in my life
Seriously, I stayed clear of the thread on OSF for the simple reason that I felt there was nothing to be gained by it. The guys on the OSF like the knives they like not because of the materials they are made of, what it cost or who makes it. They like the knives because they have found them to work better in the real world than just about anything else they have tried. The Busse guys like their knives for their own set of reasons. Everyone has their own preferences and should try as many knives as they can before they decide. If you buy and back just one brand because of what you have heard or read, you might never know what you really expect a knife to do. Of course if you dont ever use them, it doesnt matter. We just all have to agree to disagree. And try to learn something in the process. I have.
