I would love to get a big bladed knife. I have a Ka-bar Next Generation with 7" blade but would like to get a 9-10" knife to have to carry and use. Is a Busse Battle Mistress worth the money? If not what knife of that size would be. Is a Basic #9 any good? Would like to get your opinions. Thanks. Geoff.
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Is a Busse Worth the money?
- Thread starter Gunner
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 6, 1998
- Messages
- 2,269
IMHO, the Battle Mistress is definitely worth the money. I've owned 6 different versions since December of '98. I've tested the BM during winter camping trips in sub-freezing temperatures and it performed well above expectations. INFI is really easy to sharpen and resharpen, even in the field. Here are some links:
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000219.html
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000206.html
-Greg
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000219.html
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000206.html
-Greg
- Joined
- Jul 9, 1999
- Messages
- 3,316
I've been very impressed with my #5 Basic.
I'm beginning to wonder if it'll ever go dull so I can resharpen it.
I love everything about the knife.
I convinced myself before I bought a Busse Basic that it couldn't be as good as many have said, but that fell by the wayside after using it.
The Busse Basics are among the very best factory fixed blades money can buy, IMHO, of course.
Now, I have to find a way to acquire the rest of the series. Hmmm... maybe the #7 will be next.
Maybe I'll get the money for'em by getting rid of all my other knives. Hmmm....
------------------
If a man says something in the woods and there are no women there to correct him, is he still wrong?
I'm beginning to wonder if it'll ever go dull so I can resharpen it.
I love everything about the knife.
I convinced myself before I bought a Busse Basic that it couldn't be as good as many have said, but that fell by the wayside after using it.
The Busse Basics are among the very best factory fixed blades money can buy, IMHO, of course.
Now, I have to find a way to acquire the rest of the series. Hmmm... maybe the #7 will be next.
Maybe I'll get the money for'em by getting rid of all my other knives. Hmmm....
------------------
If a man says something in the woods and there are no women there to correct him, is he still wrong?
NO WAY!!!
Awful waits. Atrocious customer service--Had to threaten Busse to finally get my Battle Mistress. hard to clean--sap and stuff wouldn't come off the black coating and I didn't want to use an abrasive for fear that I would remove the coating. Sharpens well and holds an edge well but don't believe the hype. Some friends of mine at Cold Steel broke two Battle Mistresses with no trouble at all and the Trail master didn't!!!
Pro's--edge retention, easy to sharpen
Con's--ugly, hard to clean, not as "bendable" as they say it is, rotten customer service
That's my 2 cents worth. I sold it off soon after I got it.
Turambar
Awful waits. Atrocious customer service--Had to threaten Busse to finally get my Battle Mistress. hard to clean--sap and stuff wouldn't come off the black coating and I didn't want to use an abrasive for fear that I would remove the coating. Sharpens well and holds an edge well but don't believe the hype. Some friends of mine at Cold Steel broke two Battle Mistresses with no trouble at all and the Trail master didn't!!!
Pro's--edge retention, easy to sharpen
Con's--ugly, hard to clean, not as "bendable" as they say it is, rotten customer service
That's my 2 cents worth. I sold it off soon after I got it.
Turambar
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 355
Well, I haven't had the chance to really handle a #9 very much, but I did get my hands on a #5 for a day or two before I passed it along to the customer who bought if from me. Over all it was a nice knife. Very sharp, nice sheat and overall good workmanship. The edge looked really weird though, but thats how it is supposed to be.
I think the best advise your going to get is wait a bit until the #9 tests have been posted. That way you'll see a Busse compare directly against a Trailmaster.
Turambar: LOL
Threating to get a knife, hehehehehe. You too much.
Sincerely,
Adam
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Self improvement is a hobby of mine
.
I think the best advise your going to get is wait a bit until the #9 tests have been posted. That way you'll see a Busse compare directly against a Trailmaster.
Turambar: LOL
Sincerely,
Adam
------------------
Self improvement is a hobby of mine
.Running Wolf
BANNED
- Joined
- Nov 15, 1999
- Messages
- 23
Absolutely. Busse Battle Mistress is the BEST big bowie knife out there - no doubt about it. I also have a Steel Heart II, and will soon get another. These two are the absolute best blades I have ever had. I had my doubts, until I got mine. Now I'm hooked on Busse's INFI blades. Ain't none better.
I disagree with Turambar. Battle Mistress is definitely much better than a CS Trailmaster - I had one of those and sold it. The Battle Mistress has a better handle, is made of better steel, and looks better. Trailmaster is a good blade, no doubt. Battle Mistress and Steel Heart II, are GREAT blades, though.
Busse Combat has greatly improved their customer service, also.
I disagree with Turambar. Battle Mistress is definitely much better than a CS Trailmaster - I had one of those and sold it. The Battle Mistress has a better handle, is made of better steel, and looks better. Trailmaster is a good blade, no doubt. Battle Mistress and Steel Heart II, are GREAT blades, though.
Busse Combat has greatly improved their customer service, also.
- Joined
- Jul 9, 1999
- Messages
- 3,316
Wow Turambar,
Sorry to hear about your experience with Busse.
Will we be seeing these two broken Busse's in a Cold Steel Special Projects Catalog or on their website? Were they Basic's or BM's?
I'm sure Lynn Thompson won't pass this oppurtunity up to flame Busse knives a little. Should make for a raucus good time here on the Forums.
The coating on my #5 is scuffed up from thrusting the knife into hard pine and chopping same. Not any better or worse wear than what I get from CS's epoxy powder coated SRK. They both got scuffed and scraped. I'm not too worried as I didn't buy them for their looks, rather the emphasis was and is on performance of the knife as a tool.
In that regard, I find the #5 more comfortable to use than the Cold Steel coounterpart (SRK), and as you've mentioned, the edge holding is good. (IMO it's REAL good!). So far, IMO anyway, the #5 beats out the CS SRK. Guess now I'll have to clamp it into a vise and try to break it. NOT!
I'll leave that one to the guys with too much money and time on their hands.
---------------
Best Regards,
Mike
------------------
Why do they sterilize needles used for lethal injections?
Sorry to hear about your experience with Busse.
Will we be seeing these two broken Busse's in a Cold Steel Special Projects Catalog or on their website? Were they Basic's or BM's?
I'm sure Lynn Thompson won't pass this oppurtunity up to flame Busse knives a little. Should make for a raucus good time here on the Forums.
The coating on my #5 is scuffed up from thrusting the knife into hard pine and chopping same. Not any better or worse wear than what I get from CS's epoxy powder coated SRK. They both got scuffed and scraped. I'm not too worried as I didn't buy them for their looks, rather the emphasis was and is on performance of the knife as a tool.
In that regard, I find the #5 more comfortable to use than the Cold Steel coounterpart (SRK), and as you've mentioned, the edge holding is good. (IMO it's REAL good!). So far, IMO anyway, the #5 beats out the CS SRK. Guess now I'll have to clamp it into a vise and try to break it. NOT!
I'll leave that one to the guys with too much money and time on their hands.
---------------
Best Regards,
Mike
------------------
Why do they sterilize needles used for lethal injections?
J
Jim Beam
all i got to say is that i would like to see a broken busse used under any condition other than intentional breaking.... even if you break it who cares, you get a new one.
the edge holding is amazing and the
"pry-ability" is awesome and the weight is good... i am talk about the basic 9 and it kicks .... get one and use it until you are dead tired and it will say "is that all you got?"
the edge holding is amazing and the
"pry-ability" is awesome and the weight is good... i am talk about the basic 9 and it kicks .... get one and use it until you are dead tired and it will say "is that all you got?"
Thw knives are great, I own a Steel Heart II. Their customer service really sucks. I ordered a Badger Attack early this summer, and was given a ship date of October or sooner. I still have no knife. I call them just about every day, and when Jerry's voice mail isn't full (it quite often is) I leave a message and my number. I never receive a responce from them. They took my credit card order and took payment on order. The least they could do is treat me as fair as I did them by letting them take my money up front. Got to stop writing as I get more pissed when I think about it.
Cliff Stamp
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Turambar, I would be interested to know what was done to break the Busse and how and where it broke. Both the tip and the handle (tang as well as grip) on the Trailmaster are much weaker than on the BM. The full body strength of the Trailmaster might be greater as the blade is a little thicker but I would not bet on it.
For reference the tip on my Basic is stronger than the tip on the Trailmaster (Carbon V) I had which was very easy to break a piece off of (about 7-8 cm long). I would assume the BM is even stronger, but I have not stressed it heavily yet.
As for the coating, assuming the coating on the BM is as durable as the coating on the Basics (it is probably much better), you can scrub it with a Scotchbrite pad without removing it.
-Cliff
For reference the tip on my Basic is stronger than the tip on the Trailmaster (Carbon V) I had which was very easy to break a piece off of (about 7-8 cm long). I would assume the BM is even stronger, but I have not stressed it heavily yet.
As for the coating, assuming the coating on the BM is as durable as the coating on the Basics (it is probably much better), you can scrub it with a Scotchbrite pad without removing it.
-Cliff
I have a Basic #3 and like it. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a Battle Mistress that was supposed to have been shipped 16 November "no matter what". Not only have I not received the knife but I cannot even get a response to an e-mail that I sent almost a week ago (politely asking for an update). I don't like waiting any more than anyone else but I can live with it.
What really annoys me is the inability of Busse to provide his customers with a straight answer. I would be able to adjust my plans if I only knew what to expect (in terms of delivery date). Unreliable information denies me the ability to make informed choices.
What really annoys me is the inability of Busse to provide his customers with a straight answer. I would be able to adjust my plans if I only knew what to expect (in terms of delivery date). Unreliable information denies me the ability to make informed choices.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 1999
- Messages
- 738
B. Miller,
I know it is hard to wait, I ordered my Battle Mistress last year, and got it in October, but it was worth it. The reason I addressed this to you is that I got a Badger Attack from Andy Prisco and it is a great knife. I loved the shape ever since I saw it on one of Ron Hood's tapes, and having one has just reinforced this opinion.
It is probably heavier duty than necessary, but perhaps this is why it inspires confidence. I can not imagine this knife failing under any semi-normal use. It would be nice to make sure they have not lost your order, but once you have that confirmed, I would just forget about it (yeah...right) for a while and be ecstatic when it comes. Another good thing about it, it fits in my desk drawer at home,
, for ready reference.
I emailed busse@bright.net and got a helpful response from Susan. Hope this helps.
You won't be dissapointed with the knife.
Donald.
I know it is hard to wait, I ordered my Battle Mistress last year, and got it in October, but it was worth it. The reason I addressed this to you is that I got a Badger Attack from Andy Prisco and it is a great knife. I loved the shape ever since I saw it on one of Ron Hood's tapes, and having one has just reinforced this opinion.
It is probably heavier duty than necessary, but perhaps this is why it inspires confidence. I can not imagine this knife failing under any semi-normal use. It would be nice to make sure they have not lost your order, but once you have that confirmed, I would just forget about it (yeah...right) for a while and be ecstatic when it comes. Another good thing about it, it fits in my desk drawer at home,
I emailed busse@bright.net and got a helpful response from Susan. Hope this helps.
You won't be dissapointed with the knife.
Donald.
Well boys, I knew my reply would be like throwing a match into a can of gasoline. FYI I like Cold Steel products but I DON'T own any, and see it as fruitless to throw my weight around trying to get people to agree with my OPINIONS. However, speaking about Opinions, Running Wolf, your reply was just that. The handle of the Busse is better in one way because the hawk bill pommell holds the knife in your hand during prolonged chopping (although the full tang should be rounded on the pommell as it causes blisters--I put on some old weider work out gloves).
The Cold Steel stag handled model fit my hand like a glove and was infinitely more ergonomic. There are those who opine that micarta is more durable than stag. I have yet to break a stag handled knife. But I generally go easy on them and don't use them for anything tactical. Still if you go for durability only Maddog's glass epoxy handles are better IMHO. Better steel--you read what I said in the previous post. I can sharpen any knife razor sharp--the TM doesn't take much longer than the Busse and who is counting time anyway? The BM looks better--just one's opinion vs. another. Customer service?--I'm still waiting for the left handed sheath I paid $50 for several months ago when I actually had the Busse. I just gave up. Luck to you B. Miller.
Cliff, maybe you guys can talk me into letting out the secret but Cold Steel made an agreement with Busse that they would not use their damaging test results pubicly, and I don't want to be blamed for the leak!
By the way, do any of you guys actually chop down trees with your big knives? Branches are one thing, but anything more substantial is really much simpler with an axe, even a small one. I now carry a McGowan Belt Axe which chops as well as the Busse and is easier to sharpen (4 inches instead of 9 1/2). It chops a little better than the Busse for few minutes, then when I would normally tire with the Busse, with the McGowan the heftier weight just allows me to keep on going. The CS trail master didn't chop as well for me for 1 reason I feel--it weight more than 5 oz. less than the Busse. I let go of my ego (must admit it does feel good to wield a large bowie) and sold off my big knives. With my axe (large cutting chores, chopping) and my old but trusty Randall #5-5" (all other cutting chores, even inch thick branches, hunting, you name it) I get along quite well.
Turambar
The Cold Steel stag handled model fit my hand like a glove and was infinitely more ergonomic. There are those who opine that micarta is more durable than stag. I have yet to break a stag handled knife. But I generally go easy on them and don't use them for anything tactical. Still if you go for durability only Maddog's glass epoxy handles are better IMHO. Better steel--you read what I said in the previous post. I can sharpen any knife razor sharp--the TM doesn't take much longer than the Busse and who is counting time anyway? The BM looks better--just one's opinion vs. another. Customer service?--I'm still waiting for the left handed sheath I paid $50 for several months ago when I actually had the Busse. I just gave up. Luck to you B. Miller.
Cliff, maybe you guys can talk me into letting out the secret but Cold Steel made an agreement with Busse that they would not use their damaging test results pubicly, and I don't want to be blamed for the leak!
By the way, do any of you guys actually chop down trees with your big knives? Branches are one thing, but anything more substantial is really much simpler with an axe, even a small one. I now carry a McGowan Belt Axe which chops as well as the Busse and is easier to sharpen (4 inches instead of 9 1/2). It chops a little better than the Busse for few minutes, then when I would normally tire with the Busse, with the McGowan the heftier weight just allows me to keep on going. The CS trail master didn't chop as well for me for 1 reason I feel--it weight more than 5 oz. less than the Busse. I let go of my ego (must admit it does feel good to wield a large bowie) and sold off my big knives. With my axe (large cutting chores, chopping) and my old but trusty Randall #5-5" (all other cutting chores, even inch thick branches, hunting, you name it) I get along quite well.
Turambar
Literature says that the Basics uses a 2nd generation epoxy powder coat. Before INFI was being used, the coating on the A2 series were of metallic ceramic coating which is said to withstand more than 5000 hours of accelerated salt spray tests!
Questions: what was the "first" generation epoxy powder coat?
Are the current INFI coated with the same metallic ceramic as the A2 series? Inquiring owners want to know.
L8r,
Nakano
Questions: what was the "first" generation epoxy powder coat?
Are the current INFI coated with the same metallic ceramic as the A2 series? Inquiring owners want to know.
L8r,
Nakano
- Joined
- Mar 18, 1999
- Messages
- 9,966
Definitely worth it. I've owned 3 different Busse's and loved them all, still have the Battle Mistress which is my favorite and I will never give it up. To my knowledge, the customer service issue has been rectified and delivery dates are shorter. You won't be disapointed in the Mistress.
Kin, the coating looks the same to me. I have the A2 Mean Street (thanks Thayne
Donald, Thayne, or anyone who has a Badger Attack post a review please?
I'm starting to be a Busse addict, I'm actually starting to want a BA and a Steel Heart. Incidentally, the Steel Heart reminds me of a shorter Moro Barong.
grnamin says I'm gonna start wanting a Battle Mistress. Greg, I'm gonna resist. I will not on a Mistress.
Donald, Thayne, or anyone who has a Badger Attack post a review please?
I'm starting to be a Busse addict, I'm actually starting to want a BA and a Steel Heart. Incidentally, the Steel Heart reminds me of a shorter Moro Barong.
grnamin says I'm gonna start wanting a Battle Mistress. Greg, I'm gonna resist. I will not on a Mistress.
Cliff Stamp
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 17,562
Turambar :
So Cold Steel has repeatable data showing that the Trailmaster is stronger/tougher than the Battle Mistress but they don't want to release it as it might hurt the reputation of Busse Combat. Yeah, do you actually realize how that sounds.
This is a very troll-like statement. There is no useful data just vague claims that cannot be checked for validity as the specifics are not explained.
That then indicates your problem. If you are fatiguing that fast with the BM then it probably is not the tool for you.
Yes. Yesterday, I took down a small Birch (around 6" base) with my BM as it is nice wood for x-mas decorations and the branches had suffered extensive wind damage.
-Cliff
[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 02 December 1999).]
So Cold Steel has repeatable data showing that the Trailmaster is stronger/tougher than the Battle Mistress but they don't want to release it as it might hurt the reputation of Busse Combat. Yeah, do you actually realize how that sounds.
This is a very troll-like statement. There is no useful data just vague claims that cannot be checked for validity as the specifics are not explained.
That then indicates your problem. If you are fatiguing that fast with the BM then it probably is not the tool for you.
Yes. Yesterday, I took down a small Birch (around 6" base) with my BM as it is nice wood for x-mas decorations and the branches had suffered extensive wind damage.
-Cliff
[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 02 December 1999).]