Newbie needs help picking a bomb-proof fixed blade

Busse will be at the Knob Creek machine gun shoot http://www.knobcreekrange.com/shootinfo.htm

Blade
http://www.blademag.com/bladeshow/

Then there is Thatmguy, he goes to gun shows in central Ohio and Indy. Check the Busse forum here on BFC for heads up on shows Thatmguy is attending.

You can get a quick INFI fix at the company store run by Skunk
http://www.bussecompanystore.com/
You can also watch for a Busse get together in your area. Usually lots of chopping and INFI to try. Again, watch the Busse forum for announcements as these are local affairs put together by Busse users.

You can also look at the For Sale forum for Busse/Swamprat/Scrapyard here on BFC. Ask on the Busse forum if any of the Hogs are in your area. They might help you out as well.
Oh, and RUN AWAY FROM THE INFI. Your wallet and credit cards will thank you.
Feel free to pm or email me if you have any questions.
Chuck
 
you can take a look at the rat cutlery forums here

you can absolutly trust
Derrick at knivesshipfree.com
chestnut ridge knife shop
& knifeworks

i never oil my carbon steel blade, can't tell you much
 
Yalskey, don't take this the wrong way, but the only folks who ever really complain about corrosion resistance in fixed blades are the newbies who post in general discussion. The fact of the matter is that if you are into fixed blades, then you are are always fiddling and cutting with them. If you are using them, then they don't need any maintenance. Knives rust on you when you put them in a draw wet or set them in a wet sheath.

If you plan on leaving your knife in your tackle box then you probably don't want tool steel. If you plan on using your knife regularly and sharpening it to keep an edge, the rust will never find an opportunity to take hold. 1095 sometimes gets a rap of being a cheap steal. Simple fact of the matter is that it is one of the best out there and when properly heat treated is as tough as they come. You can hammer this stuff to hell and it won't break on you. It dulls a bit faster than the supersteels, but as a bonus sharpens up real easy.

INFI is great stuff too. Many folks tout it as on of the all rounders - good corrosion resistance, good edge retention and ease of sharpening. INFI is also a proprietary product and can only be had by one source. There is a bit of a culture among the busse crowd - might as well have the best at any cost. Some folks buy into that and others don't. Busse makes a great product for their niche - but they do have a niche. A busse isn't good at everything no matter what folks try to say. There are plenty of tool steels out there and good makers that use 1095 O1, A2 etc. All of them, as well as INFI, make fantastic tough survival fixed blades.

Fallknives are also great knives - their laminates are legendary for their toughness and edge retention. The only thing that keeps me from fallknivens is their kraton handles which I abhor. Their mircata versions and northern light series are gorgeous, but high in price.

Okay - I sounded kind of negative in this post. The simple fact is that there are a huge variety of awesome knives that you can get that vary markedly in price, style and features that optimize them for a whole set of tasks. No matter how much cash you throw at it, there is no 1 knife for all problems. In the end your decision on your blade of choice will be a compromise between price, features, steel, handle material, style and aesthetics.

The companies I like include: bark river knife and tool, rat cutlery, Busse (& scrapyard & swamprat), kabar, and a pile of custom makers many of who frequent these forums. Check out the makers fixed blade for sale forum frequently. There are often super good deals to be had in a custom made knife. Good luck with your choice.
 
+ 2 on the Busse.

I have been a knife user for my whole life. I have owned decent knives, and knives I spent a bit more on.

I have yet to find anything better than ifni. It is a step up in price from a lot of good knives though. You might want to look at Scrapyard knives or Swamprat (both busse family knives). They are made of super tough steels. I believe the slight nod still has to go to INFI for toughness. Where it pulls ahead is stain resistance. It is not stainless, but I don't really do any maintenance on my infi, and have yet to have it rust or stain. I have heard in higher salt environments you have to do a tiny bit more care.

As pointed out above, there are lots of great knives, including customs on here that really are great priced. Ray Laconico, Dan Koster, Bill Siegle, Bailey, Mat Lamey, and many many more sell knives in the custom section and they are great values for the money. Using a very wide variety of steels. From "super" steels to cheaper (by that I simply mean less expensive as raw material, not any knock on quality.....there is a reason these are such common steels for mastersmiths, and journey smiths to take there tests with) ordinary (but tough as crap-- 5160, 1095, 10xx, A2) etc.


Lots of great choices.
With the more rust aggressive steels, you will have to either accept a patina (which I don't mind at all, and you can actually force a great patina on most with mustard, etc, and have less concern with rust) or you will have to take appropriate maintenance steps. Just don't put them away wet. I have a 5160 steel knife I made. with the regular sanded finish, look at it wrong, ,or touch it and put it away without a thorough wipe down, and you get rust and prints. I put a mustard patina on it, and have not had any rust problem so far. I still make sure that one is clean and dry before putting it away for the day.


With my INFI, I put it away wet, or dirty, or with fruit juice on it until later when I have time to clean the sticky off, and so far no rust. When you start getting into steels with the same toughness and ease of care and corrosion resistance, you start paying much more for the steels, and get into INFI prices anyway.
 
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yalskey said:
Hello everyone! I'm pretty new to this forum, however I frequent Candle Power Forums a lot. I get kind of annoyed with newbie over on CPF asking for recommendations like "what's the best flashlight," so I'll try my best not to do the equivalent over here.

I'm looking for a really tough / durable fixed blade knife that can take a lot of abuse and neglect. I ultimately want to use it for a survival / emergency / utility knife.

One that has caught my eye was the Gerber 06995 Silver Trident Sheath Knife with Double Serration Edge. I like the handle and the size of the blade.

I'm worried about the 154CM blade being too brittle for rough use like hammering and prying.

Should I look for something with SV30? Would that be more heavy-duty?

Maybe D2 would be better for crude primal abuse.

I also would like the blade to be low maintenance. Not needed sharpening very often and has high corrosion resistance, not needed upkeep.

I may be asking for the world here, but like I said, I'm a newb, so go easy on me guys.

Thanks so much in advance!
Click to expand...

I apologise in advance for the overuse of brackets (it just seemed to happen this way today). I hope my view helps you without being patronizing:

+1 on Fallkniven - it is stainless, so takes SOME neglect (eg left wet in its sheath), and it is made of three sheets of stainless steel welded together (laminated) with a VG10 core - so it has good cutting ability due to the centre VG10 layer and the outer laminations add to its stain resistance and prying ability.

Busse is expensive but has a great name and is much loved by those that can stretch for it, you will also need to buy a separate sheath. Both Fallkniven and Busse fare well on the previously mentioned knife tests (note - I dont necessarily endorse the methods used on that site and many members here have issues with that site). I also agree that RAT 4/5/6 have a great name and would require little upkeep. You could not lose with any of these!

Gerber make reasonable knives (to me it is like maglite) and the silver trident does look nice. However, for utility use I'm not a fan of the large guard on top and bottom (these guards are usually more of a feature of tactical/fighting knives used for stabbing).

Re serrated v plain edge - Please don't get me wrong on this , I have some much loved serrated knives, but in many cases I prefer a single plain edge. IMO a plain edge is easier to sharpen in the field (for me :D this is a plus), if desired you can baton with it (splitting wood by using the knife edge like a wide chisel/wedge and striking its spine with a small branch/baton) and combo blades with serrations near the guard IMO make it harder to do more controlled work such as shave wood. A serrated spine usually means no batoning and possibly an increased risk of injury to you (it happens... usually on insertion or withdrawal from the sheath or placing your hand on the spine for leverage...). On the other side of the equation, serrated will stay sharp longer than a plain edge.

154CM is a reasonable stainless steel, I have two blades in this steel and both have served well for 3 years, but most would agree that INFINI and s30v and CPM154 are superior to 154CM (less brittle than 154CM- but I may be about to get jumped on for saying that! ;)). VG10 is occasionally reported as slightly brittle, like 154CM, but Fallknivens are laminated and this helps. I've had minimal problems with chips in either 154CM or VG10.

Length... for utility use 3-4 inches is more than enough, chopping 5+ inches usually is better - but the heavier you go the more difficult it is to control during the majority of fine work. And you have to lug the sucker around.

In short, based on what I've used and am familiar with - fallkniven F1/S1/A1, chose one based on the length you are after - IMO they are placed between Fenix and Surefire (although I may ALSO get shot for saying that!). I have a couple of Fallkniven blades (fixed and folding) and feel they are a good fit for my use. Of course, I've not had the pleasure of Busse (yet, although a skinny ASH would be nice) so if you got yourself a Busse I would be pleased to hear all about it :thumbup:.

Now, what's the BEST torch to get??? :D:D
 
yalskey said:
Ok, I'm leaning towards a Busse with INFI, but where can I see a wide selection of Busse knives for sale?
Click to expand...


Your best bet is to go to the Busse forum on here and see if you can pick one up that you like there. If you don't like it you can always turn right around and sell it. The Busse shop sells only a few models at a time but they are cheaper when bought directly after they quit that model the price goes up based on availability and desire.
 
Take a look at Fehrman Knives.

Great stuff! I just picked up the 10" hoodhunter (discontinued) and can say without a doubt the CPM-3V steel is top notch. A Final Judgement/Peacemaker Combo is a good way to go.

I would also suggest the Fallkniven A1 or NL3. They both have 6" Laminated VG10 blades, and are both extraordinary knives. Though I favour the NL3 (love that stacked leather handle, though it is more $$$) as it just feels better. But YMMV.

A1:
55.jpg


NL3:
24.jpg


The_Guide :cool:
 
yalskey said:
Hello everyone! I'm pretty new to this forum, however I frequent Candle Power Forums a lot. I get kind of annoyed with newbie over on CPF asking for recommendations like "what's the best flashlight," so I'll try my best not to do the equivalent over here.

I'm looking for a really tough / durable fixed blade knife that can take a lot of abuse and neglect. I ultimately want to use it for a survival / emergency / utility knife.

One that has caught my eye was the Gerber 06995 Silver Trident Sheath Knife with Double Serration Edge. I like the handle and the size of the blade.

I'm worried about the 154CM blade being too brittle for rough use like hammering and prying.

Should I look for something with SV30? Would that be more heavy-duty?

Maybe D2 would be better for crude primal abuse.

I also would like the blade to be low maintenance. Not needed sharpening very often and has high corrosion resistance, not needed upkeep.

I may be asking for the world here, but like I said, I'm a newb, so go easy on me guys.

Thanks so much in advance!
Click to expand...

It seems that You need axe, machette, knife, saw, spear, multitool and folder. If You want all this in one knife i would say that must be Cold Steel " True flight trower " knife with a sheath. And i mean it.
 
properly heat treated, 1095 wont chip easily. (RAT Cutlery and KA BAR heat treats very well).

When do you need to put oil on the blade? after contact with water mostly, but i'd do it before any long term storage.

Go with Rat Cutlery or Becker knife and tool from KA BAR.. You wont be sorry.
 
This has all been VERY helpful guys. Edgyone, your post was really great too! You even put things in CPF terms for me... thank you!

Seems like Busse is like the cream of the crop brand around these parts. Kinda like Surefire but even more so because they are custom built and more rare.

So let me get this straight... D2 steel would be super tough and hold it's edge very well, but the downside is that it's hard to sharpen (especially out in the field). Also, what is the corrosion resistance of D2?

So far my experience on BladeForums has been such a joy... thanks everyone!

p.s. My credit card cries enough already with my flashlight collecting... now I may be getting into knives... my wife is gonna kill me. LOL
 
D2 is my favorite steel for an EDC, but I would not want it in a knife that will take a lot of abuse. I would rather go with a steel like A2 that has less edge holding ability but is more resistant to impacts. D2 will also not hold up to "neglect" well. It will hold up to the elements quite well if it is taken care of, but will rust if it isn't properly tended to.
 
Thought I might throw some Busse porn your way. None of these are mine but I do have a Hell Razor tan and tan with mag handles. As you can see the coating holds up rather well and if it wears off Busse will replace it for like 20 dollars.

IMG_1227.jpg


busse1.jpg


SFNOVariant6.jpg


NMSFNO_sage-tan_3665.jpg
 
Becker knives are excellent bang for the buck. I have Camillus BK7 and BK10 versions, but the Ka-bar versions are the equal.

The BK9 is a large, versatile blade for outdoor use. Micarta and wood handles will soon be an available upgrade.

Here's my BK10 stripped and with micarta slabs:

SANY0004-5.jpg
 
bussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebussebusse
seriously you wont break one, but it might break your wallet :)
 
yalskey said:
This has all been VERY helpful guys. Edgyone, your post was really great too! You even put things in CPF terms for me... thank you!

Seems like Busse is like the cream of the crop brand around these parts. Kinda like Surefire but even more so because they are custom built and more rare.

So let me get this straight... D2 steel would be super tough and hold it's edge very well, but the downside is that it's hard to sharpen (especially out in the field). Also, what is the corrosion resistance of D2?

So far my experience on BladeForums has been such a joy... thanks everyone!

p.s. My credit card cries enough already with my flashlight collecting... now I may be getting into knives... my wife is gonna kill me. LOL
Click to expand...

Busse's are more like a McGizmo, rare and expensive. I would say BRKT is more like surefire, designed for the user. D2 steel is very tuff but like others have stated it's not easy to sharpen, it has a slight corrosion resistance but it still is a carbon steel and can rust.

To narrow down your choices we need some more info, asking for a knife that is good for survival / emergency / utility is like asking for a light that will light up a target a 300m, be good for room clearing, 500+ lumens and have 8 hours of runtime on high. :D
What do you really plan to use it for?
What type of things are you going to be cutting?
What is your perferred blade length?
Perferred handle material?
How are your sharpening skills?
 
Another vote for the RC-5. Considering it was designed by an Air Force SERE (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape) Instructor and the guys at RAT, and manufactured by Rowen you know that you've got all the right factors to make a survival fixed blade that's nigh indestructible!

A lot of good posts about it in the RAT forum, and it's a great deal.
 
I own a Busse SAR5, but I also own a Fallkniven S1 and an Ontario RAT 5. I paid $260 for the Busse, $100 for the Fallkniven and $85 for the RAT. My personal opinion is that the I would be just as happy going into the woods with a Fallkniven F1 or S1 as I would with the Busse.

Don't get me wrong: I think my Busse is a great knife, but the difference in cost is probably greater than the difference in performance between a Busse and a knife like the S1. Unless you just really want to spend the extra money (and you find yourself in the most extreme of circumstances) then I'm not sure you really need a Busse. But I also know that need often has nothing to do with it:)
 
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