Is a Busse Worth it?

dawsonbob said:
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.
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Busse will stay sharp LONGER than a Becker--a lot longer.

They will take more abuse and Neglect as well.

never saw a busse with this type of failure

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51763975@N00/3564846866/

Here is the post

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=647925&highlight=becker+failure

I am not a HOG but the Busse Hype--is not hype.

How many models have you owned and tested???

I used to feel like you do now---But after owning several Busse's I understand that the Busse name lives up to the Reputation.

Better Steel-Better Heat Treat-Better Quality control

I would not stake my life on a Becker if a Busse or Siegle was available.

I think Becker is an EXCELLENT knife for the $

Like Chevy----but I'm not going to compare a Z28 to a Ferrari

Ethan Becker is a Great man and a leader in the field of making good quality knives at reasonable prices.

But they are not equal to a Busse
 
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Well, Ive got a SOD, and its SR77, which doesnt hold an edge as well as INFI, and it holds its edge as well or better than 1095.
 
Well, I've got a Ranger RD7, pre Ontario, in 5160 that holds an edge better than INFI and also supports thin edge bevels much better.
 
 
theonew said:
Well, I've got a Ranger RD7, pre Ontario, in 5160 that holds an edge better than INFI and also supports thin edge bevels much better.
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What model Busse are you comparing that to???

and 5160 is much tougher than the 1095 Becker uses
 
theonew said:
Well, I've got a Ranger RD7, pre Ontario, in 5160 that holds an edge better than INFI and also supports thin edge bevels much better.
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Not all Busses sport the same final edge. Some are convex from the factory and scary sharp. To say it holds a edge better, we would need to know what Busse your comparing it with.
1/4" up from the edge on my unused CG CBT FBM, which is the thinnest FBM made to date, measures just .102, 1/8" up from the edge is .073, 1/16" above the bevel it is just .049 and the start of the bevel is .039 and halfway up the bevel is just .017. This is the factory edge and that's thinner than some 5 inch blades i own.
This is a 15" long blade, 1/4" at the spine with very slim measurements at and just above the edge. To say INFI doesnt support a thin edge is incorrect. Edge rolls do happen on a rare occasion but i just swipe my EZE-Lap diamond rod down both sides about 10 times and it fixes it up right nice. I have beat the snot out of my user CG CBT FBM and never chipped it out. I chop very hard dead wood and at very bad angles and nothing bad happens ever.
I guess i disagree with your saying it wont support thin edge bevels as both of mine have very thin edge bevels and came that way from Busse.
 
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WILLIAM.M said:
Busse will stay sharp LONGER than a Becker--a lot longer.

They will take more abuse and Neglect as well.

never saw a busse with this type of failure

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51763975@N00/3564846866/

Here is the post

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=647925&highlight=becker+failure

I am not a HOG but the Busse Hype--is not hype.

How many models have you owned and tested???

I used to feel like you do now---But after owning several Busse's I understand that the Busse name lives up to the Reputation.

Better Steel-Better Heat Treat-Better Quality control

I would not stake my life on a Becker if a Busse or Siegle was available.

I think Becker is an EXCELLENT knife for the $

Like Chevy----but I'm not going to compare a Z28 to a Ferrari

Ethan Becker is a Great man and a leader in the field of making good quality knives and reasonable prices.

But they are not equal to a Busse
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Busse's probably will stay sharper longer than a Becker, but then again, a Becker is pretty easy to sharpen. My Becker is shaving sharp, but I know that it won't hold that edge as well as, say, D2. It's a lot easier to sharpen though.

I don't know how many Busse's have suffered that kind of damage. I have heard of edge rolling (easy to fix) and chipping though (haven't seen it personally). Oh, and by the way, Ka-Bar replaced that knife in the photo.

You're making my point exactly: I'm not going to buy a Ferrari when I know that my Chevy will get me to the supermarket just as well, and just as reliably. Sure, the Ferrari's a lot sexier, but I wouldn't pay an extra $100,000 for it.

I think you're missing my point though. I'm not denying that Busse's are good knives, I'm just saying that — for what I need a knife for — they don't perform any better than a Becker. To me, the Ferrari factor isn't worth it.

I went through a substantial portion of my life relying on a standard USMC Ka-Bar. You wouldn't believe the inventive ways Marines can find to abuse a knife, but trust me, they're myriad. The only failures I ever saw out of them involved the stick tang, a defect that Beckers don't suffer from. Would a Busse have held up better? Yes, it probably would have, but I seriously doubt that any of us would have carried one. I'm pretty sure that if I had of shown up with one my Gunny would have spit and asked me "what, you turning into some kinda fancy prima-donna now, Lieutenant?" He had the same attitude that I have: a knife is for cutting. To me, a Busse isn't worth the money.
 
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I understand your point and agree with it

But most Busse knives can be bought-used and then sold for MORE than they cost new-or at least the same amount most of the time.

You can make $ selling them after you use them....so are they worth it to me??

Let me get this straight--I can get one-use it-sell it--and actually make $

Yes---They are worth it to me.
 
WILLIAM.M said:
I understand your point and agree with it

But most Busse knives can be bought-used and then sold for MORE than they cost new-or at least the same amount most of the time.

You can make $ selling them after you use them....so are they worth it to me??

Let me get this straight--I can get one-use it-sell it--and actually make $

Yes---They are worth it to me.
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And that's the whole point of this thread: are they worth it to you? Obviously, they are. I'm not trying to take anything away from Busse owners at all. To a Busse owner they're worth the money, for whatever reason, and that's fine. They're just not worth it to me.

I might mention that, though I live on an embarrassingly small government pension, that's not the reason I wouldn't buy a Busse. They're just not for me.
 
aloha all,

yeah, these obtuse grinds really create drag when using.................lucky thing my 17" guns can push!:D

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is this practac?:confused:

so i cut my stuff up with a sar4.........................................no problem

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$275 worth of cutting machine :thumbup: didn't need to cut down a forest, but i bet it could (got plenty time?) nope. i'll stick to my crazy soft american ways! wassup bull? Time to drink!!!

plenty good brands out there, i got kiku, ranger, koster, emerson/neely/timb., crk, hattori, bla bla bla.......... all good brands


i work hard to buy what i like. it works for me. great warranty. oh yeah, it kicked butt in those "test"'s too.:eek: if you want a good knife, buy the one for you, but you'll never know untill you try em out. (applies to women, cars, watches, boots, etc......):D

peace, and cheers all

ps- dayum, a 3beer post! (no can type)
 
Busse's make great choppers, but for smaller taskes they arn't the best because of the thick blade.
 
To the original poster: I have two Busse knives. They are really well-made, good-looking, high-performance big blades. Totally.

But you are disregarding a RAT RC5 in the midst of your discussion? Heck, if I could only take one blade into the woods with me it would probably be that knife. Why would you want anything else? I assume you already own one? The RC5, to me, seems like a perfect woods and survival blade. Consider putting your money elsewhere.

Do you have a good backpack? Or tent? Or sleeping bag? Or boots? Don't forget good boots. Do you need any new firearms or even ammunition?
 
banana-clip said:
Busse's make great choppers, but for smaller taskes they arn't the best because of the thick blade.
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Again, a common misconception about Busse blades are that they are all .320 I-beam thick. The measurements given by Busse are taken at the spine. See my above post with specs on my CG CBT FBM. Check out Hogcult.com and click "chart view" for the long list of offerings with specs.
I have two SJLE'S which are mid sized carry knives, .220 and .190 with thin convex edges.
 
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Busse is like Maxpedition---

You can get a Walmart Backpack for $25--and it will carry all your gear.

But it's No where near as well made as a Maxpetition.
 
komondor said:
To the original poster: I have two Busse knives. They are really well-made, good-looking, high-performance big blades. Totally.
But you are disregarding a RAT RC5 in the midst of your discussion? Heck, if I could only take one blade into the woods with me it would probably be that knife. Why would you want anything else? I assume you already own one? The RC5, to me, seems like a perfect woods and survival blade. Consider putting your money elsewhere.
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I fought to mention RAT Cutlery as he made no mention of it in the OP. I have an RC3, RC5 and a couple Izula's and they are on the list for bugging out in an emergency.
RC10 coming out soon :D
RC-3 or Izula & RC-10 would be a great survival set capable of anything you throw at them! If I had to part with all my Busses, the RAT'S would take their place just fine. :thumbup:

I support Rat Cutlery because they have proven to be top notch in my book!
 
WILLIAM.M said:
Busse is like Maxpedition---

You can get a Walmart Backpack for $25--and it will carry all your gear.

But it's No where near as well made as a Maxpetition.
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I respectfully disagree with this description. There is no doubt that Busses are high quality knives with an amazing warranty, and they are definitely prestige items for collectors. But they are not to other knives what a Maxpedition is to a cheapo backpack. There are plenty of makers - both production and custom - who produce extremely durable, well-constructed knives for the outdoors market. I'm willing to concede that some Busse knives may outperform some of these blades in terms of sheer toughness under extreme circumstances. But I find the notion that a Busse necessarily represents an upgrade from the rest of the pack to be a bit questionable. And I have to say - the fact that Busse fans often make statements along these lines is one of the reasons you won't see me purchasing a Busse in the foreseeable future. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course. I just find it curious that this particular brand seems to generate so many categorical statements of qualitative superiority.

All the best,

- Mike
 
Dannyboy Leather said:
As one who teaches both primitive survival technologies (college and private) and wilderness survival skills; as I read through some of the replies here, I think the mechanism of successful survival is missed entirely. We often give the wrong impression to the unknowing casual reader! I love knives, love to talk about 'em. However, I fail to understand this obsession and preoccupation with THE knife as we view survival. 'Survival' is not about the knife as much as it is the users skills (emphasize!!). Take the skills out of the equation and all you have is a cold chunk of steel.

We have many students show up with the latest and greatest battle blades who have absolutely no chance of survival whatsoever (except by God's grace). Other students show up with a humble Mora or pocket folder and have many basic skills that will help sustain them through the worst of situations. BTW, we use just stone blades in the primitive classes, that we made, and do just dandy with 'em in the bush. :)

Over three and a half decades ago, I had my airplane shot out from under me in hostile territory. A few days in a nightmare jungle; not once did my knife come out of its sheath. Survival in this situation wasn't about the knife, it was about quenching my extreme thirst, dealing with the stress, and trying to navigate my way back to a more peaceful environment. The knife would have allowed me to stay longer in one location but, staying put would have been my demise. Gain or learn skills that allow you to have or make options without having to depend on a single tool!

Regarding the Busse: Someone asked me once what my favorite bird dog was worth. After watching the dog obey every command and perform with great enthusiasm, they wanted to purchase him from me...at many thousands of dollars. In the end, the dog stayed with me. Not for an instance did I think about selling him knowing that his worth went beyond dollars in my mind. A couple of friends thought I lost my mind and should sell. Specifically to your question: Only you can determine the worth and value of this knife to you!! If you keep asking, eventually you will get the answer you want to hear! Weigh the need. :)
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Very well said DL. It's not about the brand-name or money, it's about your skill with an edged tool. I have a few Busse knives; I like them for what they are...they typically are not my first choice for an outdoors blade or "survival knife", but they are quality knives. There's a lot of Busse hype, most of it is well deserved even if the cult-like following turns some away as much as the price. I think William made a valid argument that they are a good investment as you won't lose money on a Busse...if the initial investment is too much for you to justify, than I would look elsewhere. There are plenty of knives that will do the job and I'll be 99% of Busse owners never push (abuse?) their blades to their full potential...with the right skill, you shouldn't have to do that to any blade. I would say Busse knives are some of the best in their price range...however their are a lot of knives that will give you excellent performance at a fraction of the cost...as said most Busse knives are not you best blades for small tasks (at least not without some edge profile modifications). If you can justify the cost and the knife appeals to you, you'll be happy with a Busse; even though it's expensive, it's still just a knife like a Mora. A skilled user with a Mora can bushcraft circles around an unskilled user with a Busse.

ROCK6
 
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