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ka-bar heavy bowie or sk-5 trailmaster
- Thread starter gine
- Start date
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- May 26, 2008
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- 5,605
Ka-bar heavy bowie.
cold steel trailmaster
note: I don't care about price and company ethics.
thx gine.
Then look elsewhere.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=804
Try here.
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2007
- Messages
- 1,169
sorry tripton
I ment one of the two.Though I really like busse and fehrman they are out of my reach
for abuse and outdoor use.If I owned a busse or other fixed blades in that
class I would be scared to beat it through a log.They would be more of a safe queen.
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2007
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- 1,473
That would be a sin.sorry tripton
Though I really like busse and fehrman they are out of my reach
for abuse and outdoor use.If I owned a busse or other fixed blades in that
class I would be scared to beat it through a log.They would be more of a safe queen.
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2008
- Messages
- 59
I don't blame you for not wanting to beat a 400 dollar knife...I'm the same way...howerver if you are planning on bettin your life on that knife, I'll take the 400 dollar knife. You may want to check out Nutnfancy on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy?ob=1 He reviews the trailmaster and KaBar heavy bowie. He seems to be a huge fan of both. That should help you make your decision....if I were deciding between the two I'd go with the trailmaster.
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- Sep 19, 2007
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- 4,293
Ka bar
- Joined
- May 26, 2008
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- 5,605
sorry tripton
Though I really like busse and fehrman they are out of my reach
for abuse and outdoor use.If I owned a busse or other fixed blades in that
class I would be scared to beat it through a log.They would be more of a safe queen.
I see. I am in kind of the same boat I guess.
Dont have either of those knives though, so I cannot help you. Sorry.
Bigfattyt
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2007
- Messages
- 19,298
I owned and used a trailmaster (the san mai one with the full convex grind and convex edge). I used it for 7 years. It was a great knife.
I have 4 Busse's now (including the FBMLE). I sold the Trailmaster a while ago, passed it on to a good home.
Out of the two I would take the Trailmaster. One down side about the krayton handle, is that it is a bit too grippy for extended chopping. It can grab the hand too much, and give blisters. If your hands are tougher with more calluses it is not as big of a deal. It only really bothered me with extended chopping. Normally what ever job I was doing was over by that point.
That said, If I was you, I would search the exchange linked above (the busse exchange forum) for a Scrap Yard DogFather. They are a bit more than the CS tralimaster (the carbon steel one)
I have seen them for about $90 for the SK5 steel ones http://www.swordsswords.com/Cold-Steel-Trail-Master-Bowie-Knife.aspx. (I have never ordered from this site, just showing the price that you can find out there, do some research)
That is definitely worth the money. The sheath won't impress you too much, but it does the job.
at $150 for the CS trailmaster, I would definitely save up the extra 50 ish bucks for a Scrapyard dogfather, or a Swamprat Battlerat (less common to see up for grab). I would search the forum for one. They are a great value, and the steel is going to be stronger. The design also eliminates the heat treating stress riser points that are on the trailmaster (still a strong knife, but that is a design problem). The handles on the dogfathers and the battlerats have a resiprine C handle, which is a much much much tougher material than krayton. It is less likely to give you blisters, and does not retain fluids, and is much less heat sensitive.
The battlerat or scrapyards both have an unbeatable guarantee, if you unintentionally break the knife, they will replace it.
Of course you could save up 500 and buy a busse battlemistress, they are super sweet. They are fun to beat on. I never though I would drop that kind of money on a knife, but I have 4 now.
I have 4 Busse's now (including the FBMLE). I sold the Trailmaster a while ago, passed it on to a good home.
Out of the two I would take the Trailmaster. One down side about the krayton handle, is that it is a bit too grippy for extended chopping. It can grab the hand too much, and give blisters. If your hands are tougher with more calluses it is not as big of a deal. It only really bothered me with extended chopping. Normally what ever job I was doing was over by that point.
That said, If I was you, I would search the exchange linked above (the busse exchange forum) for a Scrap Yard DogFather. They are a bit more than the CS tralimaster (the carbon steel one)
I have seen them for about $90 for the SK5 steel ones http://www.swordsswords.com/Cold-Steel-Trail-Master-Bowie-Knife.aspx. (I have never ordered from this site, just showing the price that you can find out there, do some research)
That is definitely worth the money. The sheath won't impress you too much, but it does the job.
at $150 for the CS trailmaster, I would definitely save up the extra 50 ish bucks for a Scrapyard dogfather, or a Swamprat Battlerat (less common to see up for grab). I would search the forum for one. They are a great value, and the steel is going to be stronger. The design also eliminates the heat treating stress riser points that are on the trailmaster (still a strong knife, but that is a design problem). The handles on the dogfathers and the battlerats have a resiprine C handle, which is a much much much tougher material than krayton. It is less likely to give you blisters, and does not retain fluids, and is much less heat sensitive.
The battlerat or scrapyards both have an unbeatable guarantee, if you unintentionally break the knife, they will replace it.
Of course you could save up 500 and buy a busse battlemistress, they are super sweet. They are fun to beat on. I never though I would drop that kind of money on a knife, but I have 4 now.
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2007
- Messages
- 1,169
Thanks you guys for your kind comments.I will take your opinions into consideration:thumbup:.I think I'll go with the cold steel trail-master.I just noticed a spyderco's jerry hossom 9 1/4 '' forester.That may be on my list as well but will double or triple the price of the trailmaster.
thx gine.
thx gine.
- Joined
- May 19, 2008
- Messages
- 1,534
Why not one of the Rough Use Knives from Cheaper than Dirt?? It tested pretty dang well over at knifetests.com. Good beater for $10. Out of the two you mentioned I'd go with the Trailmaster.
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2001
- Messages
- 939
eknifeworks(smoky mountain knife) has the sk-5 TM on closeout price of $50. buy 2 and get free shipping.
gine - the SK5 Trailmaster that's being closed out at eknifeworks is made in China. (A year or so ago, CS moved production of the knife to China.)
It's not at the same level of quality as earlier CS Trailmasters IMO.
Now, in fact, Cold Steel is shifting production of the knife from China to Taiwan IIRC.
At this point, I'd personally go with the Ka Bar Heavy Bowie over the Trailmaster.
It's not at the same level of quality as earlier CS Trailmasters IMO.
Now, in fact, Cold Steel is shifting production of the knife from China to Taiwan IIRC.
At this point, I'd personally go with the Ka Bar Heavy Bowie over the Trailmaster.
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2006
- Messages
- 4,837
If your still looking,
KA-BAR Heavy Bowie is the only way to go. Its the only inexpensive large chopper i've found that didnt come with an edge like an axe. It slices pretty well for a 1/4" thick blade.
KA-BAR Heavy Bowie is the only way to go. Its the only inexpensive large chopper i've found that didnt come with an edge like an axe. It slices pretty well for a 1/4" thick blade.