NMFBM as a competition/cutting knife !!

Brendan

Brendan

Joined
Feb 13, 2002
Messages
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What are your thoughts on the nmfbm as a competition knife. Did a search on google and came across the browning/barker comp and got me wondering !!
 
plus, I believe the NMFBM would be larger than the size limits allow.
 
Another thing is I think comp knives have to be custom made. They cant be production.

I think..
 
There is a overall length limit, and I believe a blade height/ or weight limit.

For the sanctioned competitions, I believe the knife has to be hand made, ie a custom, and not a production model as has already been stated. I think with the standard FBMLE, you would have to take out a bit of the handle length.


If Busse was to make one specifically for cutting competition, he could shorten the handle, and make one with out a choil to give it more usable blade length without increasing the overall length.
 
Before I came over to the Busse forum I was and still am into custom forged stuff. From what I know it used to be only makers could compete with knives that they made then they opened up to anyone could compete as long as they are useing a custom that fell in the size restrictions .. Now I hear that there is a prouduction class for knives like the Barker / Croweell Browning type. Again I am not sure of these rules exactly but there is one thing I am sure off I would LOVE to see a Busse Comp knife
 
In the year 2000 John Fitch won the ABS cutting competition by cutting a 2 x 4 in 3.6 seconds. He used an Arkansas Sumo Bowie knife which appears to be the size of a battle mistress.No specs. on the knife, but here's a link to a cple photos,,,,,,, http://www.knifeart.com/20abscutcom.html
 
You don't have to be a knife maker to compete. There is a pic and a brief mention of the event at Blade West in the current issue of Blade mag

Here is a list of the current "rules" regarding competition knives.


* Not more than 15" overall
* Not more than 2" wide
* Not more than 10" cutting edge (measured from plunge cut or choil as applicable
* No holes allowed forward of the handle
* Must have sturdy sheath
* Must have a lanyard
* Must have at least one visible pin that passes through scales and tang
* From plunge cut to tip of knife, no swells or bulges

This last bit here is why I didn't try to pick up/borrow a FFSH as a backup knife at West...

There are some other requirements for production blades (more than 20 and sold to the public). They want some blanks and a finished blade submitted for testing....I was thinking that a FFSH might just be "the ticket".

The trick to making a good competition knife is to strike a "balance" between a great chopper and a large knife that can do "fine" work. Wood chopper that can slice hanging paper and cut hanging rope? Not easy. One knife I made was ideal for water bottles, rope, paper, golf balls, straw etc., but didn't have the mass or quite the handle I wanted for the 2x4. The other was a great chopper, but has a slight recurve that isn't great for cutting things sitting on a flat surface (this at BWest it was just a 4"x1/4" piece of cardboard tubing, but I was told to expect water bottles needing to be totally divided in 2.) The handle is also super for chopping, but I found that I had a bit less control for "fine work".
 
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turning out to be a very interesting thread - thanks for sharing your knowledge gentlemen !!
 
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