Multiple BOSS Jacks? Please don't laugh...

uyotg

uyotg

Joined
Sep 5, 2010
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... but I woke up at 3am today from a dream where I was on the phone ordering a BOSS Jack LE. I want another so badly even though I don't have my first one and I don't know why.

I have a CG on the way yet I already want to get more before the model's out of production, but--without getting into it too much--I'd rather not spend more cash. When I was contemplating over my first one with you guys in this forum, a few of you said you had several BOSS Jacks. Just wondering, why? all for collection? One user, one safe queen? Just want one of each finish/handle color? Backups?

And let's say I take that hypothetical dive and get another one :D any reason to get an LE over a CG? What are your personal reasons for picking one over the other?
 
I for one prefer the CG over the LE. I feel you're getting a better knife at a cheaper price. All my knives are users so collector value is never a concern. I think a full convex zero edge blade at .22" makes for a better all around user than the thinner saber ground LE. I stripped my CG to find it was a near satin finished beautiful knife underneath. So I paid less for a satin blade basically with slightly thicker stock than an LE. I don't care much for numbered knives. Or coatings... I strip every CG knife I've owned. If you're not a collector or in love with the saber grind on this particular LE, I'd say the CG is the better knife at better value. My $.02
 
adrock1978 said:
I for one prefer the CG over the LE. I feel you're getting a better knife at a cheaper price. All my knives are users so collector value is never a concern. I think a full convex zero edge blade at .22" makes for a better all around user than the thinner saber ground LE. I stripped my CG to find it was a near satin finished beautiful knife underneath. So I paid less for a satin blade basically with slightly thicker stock than an LE. I don't care much for numbered knives. Or coatings... I strip every CG knife I've owned. If you're not a collector or in love with the saber grind on this particular LE, I'd say the CG is the better knife at better value. My $.02
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Have you ever had a double-cut finish? I'm wondering how that compares to the stripped coat... I always thought the satin was nicest as I love seeing the metal.
How do you strip them? Do you have to remove the scales? If you do, I was wondering how you removed those handle fasteners... that was my original idea but those fasteners don't look removable without some special equipment.
 
uyotg said:
Have you ever had a double-cut finish? I'm wondering how that compares to the stripped coat... I always thought the satin was nicest as I love seeing the metal.
How do you strip them? Do you have to remove the scales? If you do, I was wondering how you removed those handle fasteners... that was my original idea but those fasteners don't look removable without some special equipment.
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Well, stripping is the easy part. No... you don't HAVE to remove the scales. On most knives I didn't. I used a product called Klean-strip in a spray can. You spray it on, it foams up and in a matter of minutes turns the coating to a pile of goo that wipes right off. It doesn't effect the scales and you'll never be able to tell there's still coating underneath. On my Boss Jack, I resolved I would make it a "project knife" and I would try things I'd never done with any other busse. I removed the scales by drilling the tubes out. If done carefully, its quite easy. I then bought my own micarta and G10 and I'm in the very long process of making my own. Its been a lot of fun and rewarding. Once I'm done with all 3 sets, I'll post pics. If you search threads I've started, you can see quite a bit of my boss jack work.

I have had double cut Busse knives. The one in my avatar was a DC Force One. Its smooth, but does have a bit more texture than Satin. Its created by bead blasting some kind of....? BBs.... sand.... I dont know, at the metal. I like that finish as well. Basically I like bare metal. I prefer Satin > Double Cut > Coated.
 
Double cut finish is bead blasted. In my experience with double cut it's scratches easily and they show up easier than the other two finish options, so my preference is satin- coated- DC. I haven't seen anyone strip a DC coating- but that doesn't mean it's not doable.

All mine are users too. I used to have multiples but sold them. A knife not used is a knife wasted.
 
Double cut can only be re-blasted or polished out. It cannot be stripped as it is already bare metal.
 
Demonic1 said:
Double cut finish is bead blasted. In my experience with double cut it's scratches easily and they show up easier than the other two finish options, so my preference is satin- coated- DC. I haven't seen anyone strip a DC coating- but that doesn't mean it's not doable.

All mine are users too. I used to have multiples but sold them. A knife not used is a knife wasted.
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Now now... don't make me regret changing my BOSS Jack order from black to double cut :barf:
I like the way DC looks more than the coats, and I just keep telling myself INFI is strong enough to survive even when double cutted.
 
uyotg said:
Now now... don't make me regret changing my BOSS Jack order from black to double cut :barf:
I like the way DC looks more than the coats, and I just keep telling myself INFI is strong enough to survive even when double cutted.
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the Infi is just fine, it's the image/finish that gets scratched up. satin finish is a series of shallow grooves on the surface of the metal that are all in line with each other. Bead blasting is a series of ultrafine pock mocks (depending on the size of the media used). Mirror finish is a series of scratches so shallow and fine that you can't see them with the naked eye, what you see is something so smooth it appears to reflect images like a mirror. The closer you get to being a mirror, the fewer crevices there are for water to hide in and create rust. In that way bead blasting can resist rust better than certain satin finishes.

but because it's a pock mark pattern, when you get a groove cut into the surface (scratch) it stands out because it's a completely different pattern. The only way to fix it is to either try to bring the surface to a mirror polish (which will just a higher grit form of a satin finish), or you can renew the pock mark pattern by re-beadblasting it. So you have two choices to fix a messed up bead blast and have it look new, bead blast it yourself or send it back to busse at the cost of shipping.

In no way will a scratched up bead blast effect performance, it will just look scratched up. If you don't care about finish, it's cheaper than the satin finish on the LE without you having to strip the coating off. Personally for users I either go with coated (and then eventually strip the blade if it's going to be a heavy user) or a satin that I can take 1000 grit sand paper to without it looking worse then when I started.
 
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Lot of good info here.

I got two BJs because they are just so usable and practical, possibly one of the most practical Busses out there - the length is enough for almost anything and the height isnt crazy, nor is the thickness... I carry it and use it more now than my SARsquatch, TMDSF or NMSFNO because it is smaller and lighter and just as capable - there are many times where I know the NMSFNO or SARQ is too much knife where the BJ is always a decent choice. Hard to explain. It just works. So much so I needed another.

It used to be that my ESEE-6 was the practical choice - the BJ has replaced it.

Its just a great design and the choil/choiless option is the icing on the cake and I own one of each.

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.
 
TrailWolf, you put me over the line. I'm gonna order another one tomorrow without a choil.
ARGH MY WALLET

I may go with a coat this time and possibly strip it myself later. However, it seems like the only flaw I can't control with the double cut finish is its weakness to scuffs and marks, which I don't mind... I like battle scars :)
 
uyotg said:
TrailWolf, you put me over the line. I'm gonna order another one tomorrow without a choil.
ARGH MY WALLET

I may go with a coat this time and possibly strip it myself later. However, it seems like the only flaw I can't control with the double cut finish is its weakness to scuffs and marks, which I don't mind... I like battle scars :)
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Glad to help (and collect my commission from Busse :D ;)) - you cant ask for a better choice and these will be classics in a year... you can quote me.

If Busse was ever to have a regular offering always available for order, this would be the one. Its a staple.

Combat grade is the way to go IMHO as I can never justify the added price an LE commands, unless you are collecting them...

Also, regarding the LEs - if you do ever need to sell I dont think you can make your money back, where you can most likely make a profit or break even on a CG easily.

Enjoy and now the hard part is picking a color/handle combo...

.
 
I ordered my BJLE with black canvas and then a few weeks down the track caved in and order another BJLE in orange and black G10. Why you might ask?

...well, why not?
 
I've been thinking I need a second BJ myself.....But I have yet to see a busse chopper I can't pass up (and actually use).
But I hate to get a second BJ only to have the new SHLB mistress be "the one".
I hopefully I'm not calling Amy at midnight before the new SHLB Mistress is released begging for a CG choiless BJ.
 
My second order has been placed. Now I have these in Busse's production queue:
Choil, double-cut, black paper
No choil, tanker gray, black G10

Of all the other choices, I only like tanker gray. Reminds me of a battleship :cool: but I got it with the expectation of eventually stripping it anyway.
I still like the plain old simple solid black handles the most but wanted to see how G10 felt in case I ever change my mind.

My first Busses! I can hardly wait.
 
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