Is a Busse Worth it?

$400 seems a bit steep for any knife. I can't afford Busse's but do have some Swamprat's ( the sister company ) and they are great knives. For a larger knife 7"ish blade the Chopweiler really takes some beating, it has awesome edge retention and is as tough as they get......

PC190016.jpg


For a slightly smaller blade ( 5"ish ) the Ratmandu is just about perfect as an all round survival blade, however it will cost at least double what you will pay for a similar sized knife from someone such as John of JK knives, here is mine next to my JK Hiker.....both knives are as tough as hell.......

P1100004.jpg


Nowdays I'd sooner have a more traditional looking blade such as these made by Matt of ML Knives ( these aren't mine unfortunately), these easily out cut any standard Busse-kin knife and are still super tough.......

groupcampsstags.jpg
 
First - great couple of posts by Old Physics and Mneedham! I think they capture my attitude well. Is a $400 Busse worth it? That is strictly a subjective and personal decision. Do you have $400 to blow on knives? If yes, then do you want to blow that all on one knife? If yes again, then do you favor looks (i.e. art knives), function (i.e. specialized tool & super sharp knives) or durability? If the answer is durability and you've gotten that far than you are solidly in Busse territory.

Do you need that durability? Anybodies guess....For wilderness survival, likely, very likely not. Is it nice to have? Sure. Is it great to have a blade made out of a super steel that no other company has access to? Yeah.

For the Busse knives that have held and played with I can say that their handle ergos are very good and solidly built. While most people seem to fawn over INFI (personally I couldn't give too whoops worth a darn on super steels), I do fawn over the Busse mircata handles. I think they are great. Blades are super thick as are the factory grinds. My experience is you can change all that with an hour of free time and some sand paper and your mousepad. Knives are heavy, which I think can be a major drawback.

Overall - if you love the idea of Busse and are convinced that it is the best knife that money can buy then sure it is worth it. While it might be hard to come by for some folks, its 2-d salary for others. It is still less then the price of an ipod, a decent bicycle, a crappy used car, treatment for a kidney infection of your 17 year old cat (Mneedham had me laughing 'cause its so true), less than a pair of prescription sunglasses, less than a dinner table, less then a weekend in Vegas, less than a golf membership......You catch my drift. For the rest of you knife nuts - its less than a Sebenza and there are sure a heck of a lot of those floating around!!!

Personally, I really wanted a Busse for a long time. I ended up with a couple of scrapyards which I'm happy with and they seem to fully satisfy my need for thick, crazy usage prybar type stuff. Since then, I've shifted my thoughts to higher end customs. Its taken me a long time to bust the $100-$150 category for expenditures and I'm thinking of jumping into the $200 - $350 on one or two knives. However, that money is going to a few hand picked and carefully selected makers that I've not only had the pleasure of handling their blades, but personally interacting with them and getting to know them. Supporting these folks, my friends, is worth it as are the excellent knives they produce.
 
You are right on there, These guys offer some great values, We are fortunate to have them so handy, even though it can be costly.:D

Not saying for a second that Busse knives are not very good knives, I have spent enough on knives to pay for many Busse's. It is however not a priority for me.
 
Everyone is different. Busses are expensive but are proven in my book. Every response is purely subjective.
Many thru-hikers or back country explorers carry just a simple Vic Farmer or a Mora and are fine. All depends on what your needs are on your trips.
There are excellent knives available in any price range. Keep within your means when you buy.
If my life had to depend on a set of blades in an emergency/disaster/ long excursion into the wild...... I'd grab a set of Busses first. Either set pictured at the bottom would do anything i need of it and i would feel confident in their abilities in any given situation.

Not sure where the thought that Busse doesn't have a thin kitchen duty knife came from but my Cultellus (.125) and Game Warden (.140) are perfect.

DSC00014-1.jpg


DSC00026-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
There are some very good posts here and — as many of them have pointed out — it comes down to whether or not it's worth it to you. I would have to ask myself: what makes a Busse worth the kind of money that they're asking? For me, the answer is nothing. I have no doubt that they're well made knives, with a very good steel, but they don't have any magical properties that I'm aware of. The most expensive Busse won't do anything that my $65 Becker BK-2 won't do. If given a Busse, I could sell it for another custom, a new pack, etc., and still have money left over for other things that I would rather have. If I had that kind of money I would rather use it to support some of our own custom makers. If, however, you have that much disposable income, and a Busse is what floats your boat, then go for it. Is it worth it to you?
 
not only are they durable knives but they come with a great warranty.

ive owned a few busses(cgfbm to BAD) and bussekin (SOD and M9le)....they are sharpened prybars. the swamp rat m9le is a very nice bowie and could be used as a do it all knife....does it slice like a scandi, no. can it slice, yes. can it out chop an axe, no. can it chop and baton wood, yes. i didnt pay $400 for it but it was a pretty penny.

so really like most said here, its up to you. personally i dont think the sar4 is worth $400 :) if you really want a "sharpened prybar" go with scrapyard knives (jerrys brother).
 
From one lady's point of view, I EDC a battered and beloved SH-E (Steel Heart Ergo) on my field pack with every outing. It has replaced all of my archeology tools and is worth its weight penalty to me. I literally can do anything I need a knife for (yup, including smaller tasks) and I NEVER worry about breaking it or ruining it or whatever. Guess I have to agree with a lot of other folks here, though. Depends upon what you want/need it for!

Is a Busse worth it? Well, it is to me. Right now I'm testing an old-school Straight Handled Badger Attack (SHBA) as it is smaller, but I will always carry a Busse. You have to decide for yourself!
 
Merost said:
My question is.....is a Busse, used as a surival knife, worth it? What is your opinion?
Click to expand...

Worth every penny, I think, especially depending on your idea of "survival."

I have a good collection of knives with everything from Moras and Opinels to Busses and customs. If I had to pick one knife as my "day after the end of the world" type survival knife, it would most certainly be a Busse.

For more normal use, there are Busses with thinner grinds that are very practical. I use my BAD and Cultellus often. The Skinny ASH and SARsquatch make excellent camp knives. Lots of Busse models have grinds that are to steep/thick for my kind of day-to-day use.

Those who say their _______ (insert brand/model here) is just as good for 1/* the price haven't seen enough of the knife destruction test videos that Noss puts out. :) In Noss' testing, NOTHING has proven to be as tough as a Busse in INFI steel so far. :eek: If that's the kind of survival knife you want, the Busse is worth the dough. If that's not important to you, there are lots of other more economical choices.

BusseCGFBM05_DSC1703.jpg


Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Last edited:
Being a Busse family knife owner I think it really depends on whether or not it is the right design or not for you. I can tell you right now that 75-80% of the stuff Busse comes out with is not exactly my cup of tea due to the talon hole and useless choils on the smaller knives. And like many have said their grinds leave a lot to be desired. But I can tell you with the right edge INFI is something to experience. And just so you know I group Busse, Swamp Rat and Scrap Yard all under the same Busse Kin name. In my eyes they are all coming from the same place just different steels.

I understand that the cost and designs turn a lot of people away. But when you look at it for what it is sometimes it is not all that expensive. Take the CGFBM I have that I spent about $450 to get. That might seem expensive because it is a lot to fork over for a knife that in reality doesn't get that much use. But to me when I pay $200-$250 for any 4"-5" knife why not fork over a couple hundred more for a knife that is 3 X the length. INFI stays shaving sharp for a long time if all you are chopping is wood. It takes 30 secs on a strop to bring it back to stupid sharp and always brings a smile to my face when I use it. You can even ask MtnFlk Mike....I know I have seen him smile while using it. My FBM's wont be making it on any backcountry bowhunts with me but it will go on short hikes, in the camping bin/truck or over to Bans for a chop fest. I know I am never going to break it and I know that it is going to stay sharper than hell even after chopping down a forest. That sort of piece of mind is a great thing to have.

Satin INFI from Jerry does cost a pretty penny but if you opt for the coated non satin version they arent too bad considering. Not all Bussekin knives are expensive either or hard to get either. I think that is a common misconception. Below is an example.

I am currently EDCing a Swamp Rat Vexillarus. It is D2 steel. The edge holding capabilities have been nothing short of amazing. It is an excellent little knife that only cost me $100. That to me is a deal. Lifetime warranty....Busse heat treat....holds its value even when used.....great little design...all for $100. Whats not to like. Jerry offered it online and it wasnt hard to get.

I also have a Swamp Rat Ratmandu in SR-101 that I love that only cost me $140. Thats alot less than most 5" knifes.

I have owned a few Gamewardens and feel that the choil and talon hole really take away from an otherwise great design. I am actually considering an Izulu and putting custom scales on it to cover my 3" needs.

In the end if you havent owned a Busse Kin knife all I can say is wait for a design that floats you boat and buy it. If you dont end up liking it you can sell it for equal or more than what you bought it for. You can find some great deals on Busses too in the Exchange Forum.

Oh and everyone needs a WAKI.....I am currently making mine satin under the tutelage of Brother Ban Tang.

Swamp Rat Vex D2
IMG_2685.jpg

IMG_2735.jpg

IMG_2740.jpg


Swamp Rat Ratmandu
IMG_2661.jpg


CGFBM
IMG_1617.jpg
 
Scrap Yard Knives, a company under the Busse umbrella is currently offering a 5" blade in INFI steel for about $200 shipped. IMO this is one of the best valued INFI offerings in a long time. As you mentioned, there are comparably sized INFI blades that go for $150+ more. If you wait for them to show up on the secondary market, I would bet money that they'll sell more more. The window is going to close on these in the next day or two.

http://shop.scrapyardknives.com/category.sc?categoryId=4
 
Kaizen1 said:
Scrap Yard Knives, a company under the Busse umbrella is currently offering a 5" blade in INFI steel for about $200 shipped. IMO this is one of the best valued INFI offerings in a long time. As you mentioned, there are comparably sized INFI blades that go for $150+ more. If you wait for them to show up on the secondary market, I would bet money that they'll sell more more. The window is going to close on these in the next day or two.

http://shop.scrapyardknives.com/category.sc?categoryId=4
Click to expand...


Merost,

That's a great deal... $189 for a 5" INFI blade. :thumbup:


Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
For me, yes, Busse knives are worth the money. I have a "few" kicking around here. Not as many as some, but I've put a good chunk of change into INFI. If I could, I'd have more. Busse's are high-end knives. They are for guys who want the best, and are willing to pay for it. A Timex watch will tell time almost as well as a Rolex- but plenty are willing to pay WAY more for a Rolex.

I don't think Busse's are for everyone, and certainly not every Busse is for everyone. There is a pretty broad range of different models and variants out there. If you do your homework, you can probably find a Busse that is perfect for what you need a knife to do.
 
Most of the guys that are most likely to need rugged 'tough as nails' knives (military infantry personnel) typically get by with k-bars and bayonets that range in the $30-$40 price range along with perhaps a folder or multi-tool.

So when you look at it from a purely utilitarian aspect, I think it would be difficult to argue that $400 knives are 'needed'. I mean, is anyone really going to break an Ontario Marine Raider bowie knife that retails for $50? That is 1095 steel that is 1/4" thick or greater and plenty tough. $400 can buy a lot of survival gear.
 
"Worth it" is in the eye of the check writer, so to speak.

If it's what you want, it's worth it.

The factory edges come obtuse and toothy. Not good for woodwork, not great for slicing transparent slices of vegetables, but great for cutting seatbelts, strapping, etc. Might have something to do with the "Combat" part of the name. They are aimed at a different audience than guys who only want to slice wood and spread peanut butter.

That being said, there's plenty pictures of guy slicing those transparent veggies. I've noticed that even if you keep the factory edge angle, but just polish the edge, they work quite well on wood, food, or peanut butter. ;)

Is INFI better at taking abuse than other steels? Yes.
Is it great at taking a very acute edge and holding it? No.

Like all things, the metal and the blade geometry are designed for certain things.
If you don't want those parameters, don't buy them.
If you don't like how they look, don't buy them.

But really, what does their price have to do with it?
If you carry more than a $10 mora, a $8 machete and a $6 hardware store hatchet, you're spending more than you "need".

Is $X worth it for "Y" knife?
Do you want the knife?
Can you buy it without losing your house or car?

Then buy it, and don't worry if anyone else thinks it's worth it.
 
I've heard it said that some folks have more dollars than sense. As I've said before, I don't believe a Busse will do anything a Becker won't. If you have that kind of money, and buy into the Busse mystique, then, by all means, go for it. Actually, I can understand wanting something just because it's neat or beautiful — and being willing to pay extra for it. I'd just as soon stake my life on a Becker though: it cuts, it pry's, it's tough ... and it comes with a sheath.
 
moonwilson said:
They are for guys who want the best, and are willing to pay for it. A Timex watch will tell time almost as well as a Rolex- but plenty are willing to pay WAY more for a Rolex.
Click to expand...

Overlooking your presupposition that Busse's are the best, your analogy doesn't even support your point. A watch's purpose is to tell time and a knife's purpose is to cut. Using this criterion a Busse is more like a Timex and just about any other blade that has decent geometry and the capability to support edges that make cutting easier would be the Rolex, though the pricing is often inverted.
 
dawsonbob said:
I've heard it said that some folks have more dollars than sense. As I've said before, I don't believe a Busse will do anything a Becker won't. If you have that kind of money, and buy into the Busse mystique, then, by all means, go for it. Actually, I can understand wanting something just because it's neat or beautiful — and being willing to pay extra for it. I'd just as soon stake my life on a Becker though: it cuts, it pry's, it's tough ... and it comes with a sheath.
Click to expand...

I have well over 100 knives--and test them all.(NO safe queens for me)

I have both Beckers and Busse's--Both excellent knives for the $$

-They are not the same class of knife however---

You do things with a Busse that would destroy a Becker knife...

You pay a lot more $ for that--and to some it's worth it.

To others--it's not.

But to claim your Becker can do whatever a Busse can do is not realistic.

Noss Proved that a Busse can withstand a lot of abuse(and no I do not agree with all his tests)--But if he has a hard time destroying a knife that tells me a lot.

I have several Beckers--and enjoy them very much....but they are not in the same class as the Busse's I own.

DSC09288.jpg

DSC09292.jpg

DSC09290.jpg
 
WILLIAM.M said:
I have well over 100 knives--and test them all.(NO safe queens for me)

I have both Beckers and Busse's--Both excellent knives for the $$

-They are not the same class of knife however---

You do things with a Busse that would destroy a Becker knife...

You pay a lot more $ for that--and to some it's worth it.

To others--it's not.

But to claim your Becker can do whatever a Busse can do is not realistic.

Noss Proved that a Busse can withstand a lot of abuse(and no I do not agree with all his tests)--But if he has a hard time destroying a knife that tells me a lot.

I have several Beckers--and enjoy them very much....but they are not in the same class as the Busse's I own.
Click to expand...

Sorry, William.M, but I think we may see things a little differently. Noss aside, I wouldn't be doing anything with a Busse that I wouldn't do with a Becker BK-2. I use a knife to do the things a knife is primarily designed to do. I use it to cut, baton and, occasionally, pry. To me, those are the things my knives were meant to do, and I don't see a Busse as being able to do those things any better than a Becker. Would I trust my life to a Becker? Yep, sure would. If, however, I am ever attacked by cinder blocks, then I might consider a Busse. Otherwise, they're just not for me. If others think that Busse's will perform the tasks I've outlined better than a Becker then, by all means, they should buy one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top