I really like my NMSFNO....having smoothed down the machine magnums a little with a sander I think I like the grips on this slightly better than my FSH with normal grips but that is a nuance of difference and they are both excellent. The standard machined magnums though can be a bit "hot" on your hands over extended chopping....I guess it depends on each pair of grips...some have a few sharper ridges than others.
For camp use if you want to have the oppertunity to use a ferro rod with the knife the rounded edges on the NMSFNO mean you really need a striker. The FSH with traditional edges on the spine enables a ferro rod to be used but you benefit from a little file work on the striking edge to get it just that bit better "bite".
On the NMSFNO you would need to do a fair bit of altering to get a strike point on the spine. You can easily take a bit of the coating off the finger choil near the back of the commencement of the edge...that enables some nice sparks to be thrown...but you are stiking towards the ground with the "edge" side and for me I don't like that as if you assemble your tinder on a stone with a view to putting it into the heart of your twig bundle once it catches...you can risk chipping the edge....but if you use a split piece of wood....no problem.
This is the only distinction as far as I can see between the NMSFNO for bushcraft type tasks and say a similar sized knife alternative such as the FSH.
As to "fine" work...it is a case of "how fine"? Most bushcraft tasks are easy enough to do such as notching for traps or whittling for scewers or using the point to ream for a fire drill hole...a choked grip is very comfortable on the rounded spine and finger choil...perhaps the most comfortable of all designs on the larger knives...the NMFBM being similar and my recent SAR4 also being close but the smaller choil on this last knife needs a variation to the standard grip. So all told I really rate the NMSFNO....my favourite knives from Busse are in size order....
NMFBM
FSH
NMSFNO
SFNO LE
SAR4
Of which the NMSFNO is the cheapest!! Which speaks volumes as to how good a bargain this is for such a large knife in Infi.
Definately get one!! Your buying the best bargain and one of the most useful Busse knives ever done. In future as people report back on true "user" favourites...it will be a "classic"....:thumbup:
I like the "sage" combat finish as it prevents glare but still lets you see if the blade has "tannin" stains on it which if used for food prep should be removed as they can cause a fair bit of gut rott depending on different tree saps.:barf:
I am toying with getting a second one myself as a back up before after market prices kick in....but having a lot of "back ups" is expensive.
If I could customise one feature it would be to put those file serrations on the upper thumb groove of the blade like on the SAR4 which would make for a great ferro rod strike option. I might send mine to a friend to see if this can be done. Then it would likely be my favourite of all.....
Here is mine with a cracking Rainwalker sheath with superb fitting accessories....this has had a fair bit of use and the coating just cleans up great with petroleum jelly...which is also flammable and if left on the blade can be rubbed off on tinder...it's also none toxic...and a good way to prevent rust if you strip the coating.
