opinions re the best 8-9" all-arounder?

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DowntownDM

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I'm curious to know what you guys think the best one all-arounder with a max blade length of 8-9" that's the right balance of "better than *good enough*" in three categories: food/game prep, all aspects of fire making, and shelter building/chopping). What's the best (for all tasks) - irrespective of the cost, and what's the best value out there... Those are my two curiosities, as I consider a knife for the bag I keep in my truck with my first aid kit and and space blanket and so on. This bag needs a knife that'll do anything I need in a pinch. And (pay attention... this is how it happens, right here...) since I don't own any in the 8-9" range I want to check them out, maybe get one...

The practical choices, I think, are:

* NMSFNO
* SAR8
* FSH
* Team Gemini
* Desert Storm Fighter
* ??

What would you choose (a) on a budget, and (b) if money were no object, and (c) why?

I've read how many think the NMSFNO is awesome, and I imagine it's the best chopper or at least tied for the best, but chopping is only part of it... Maybe the SAR8 'cause it's long and sharp enough to chop but is nice and slicey with its zero edge and satin finish, or the old stand-by - a FSH like maybe a HH, or the new pointy and slicey-looking Gemini? All nice knives.

Thanks.

;)
 
Keeping in mind that I haven't handled the TG much...mine aren't here yet...my vote goes to...

NMSFNO/NMSFNOLE for the "no object" category. 2nd. choice, FSH.
DSF for the "budget" category. 2nd choice, SAR8 (can't remember the price on these :confused:).

But... Colorado. I have no experience living there, so my opinion might not be worth sh...err, a plugged nickle. ;) Also, my opinion could change later this week when the TG's arrive. :D
 
I'm sayin FSH. Only because I own one and it's awesome. I love the fusion handle design. Nicely balanced for a large knife.
 
I like the SAR8...thin and light...Doesnt chop as well as the FSH or NMSFNO but if you need a chopper, then bring a bigger blade....
 
nmsfno hands down
Hand shaped worth the extra money too. The SAR8 is great too but for me it needs a d guard. The guard meltdown is mirror polished and it made me a little nervous before I tied it. The Gemini didn't excite me at all but I wouldn't say anything bad about it except the guard gets in the way. For value I'd get a SOD if you want to spend less.
 
I own them all. For me, it's the NMSFNO, but I am still waiting on my TG. But, every one you list is going to be outstanding, we are just talking degrees of excellence.
 
I have the NMSFNO and I think it's an great all-around blade. I'd say that if I had to keep just one, that would be the one. It chops better than it should, yet it's still quick in the hand and nimble enough to do light work with. It's big enough to get the big jobs done, but compact enough that it carries well.





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I can get everything but the Fossett if I can figure out how from my new phone
widow acting up at the moment
 
I do not owe or have ever handled a FSH- so can't speak to that one. Of the others listed:

I think the SFNMNO would be the one. SAR8 probably wins in the food/game prep, but can't hang in the fire making/shelter building and I like the handle better.

TG is a sleeper knife. I have not used/chopped yet, but think it will do well.

All seen pictures of that DSF bending through the log, so how can you say anything bad about it. Just not the one I would grab.

Great, now I have to get a FSH. Is there a support group for this infi addiction?
 
Buy the BWM now for its price. Then get some kind of Muk or a BirdDog LE for hip carry.
You dont hunt squirrels with a 300 Win Mag but you could in a pinch.
Throw the big knife in your pack, put the skinner on your hip. You will be set
when you leave your truck. Now if you go into Dragon or Ninja Country you may
have to keep it at the ready..!!! I dont really know the circumstances..HA HA!!!!!!!
I have a NMSFNO and the BWM. If iam going to tote something that heavy i tote
the BWM with a smaller skinner. Just my 02 scents.
 
I lost my user NMSFNO to one of my brother's adventures. If I dropped it in a lake or something I'd be distraught. Knowing it helped keep him warm in a new Hampshire blizzard changes everything. It died an honorable death. I don't feel that strongly about any of my other blades. He didn't have gloves and flung it out in the snow chopping wood.I should have put a lanyard on it before I let him run off with it. I've since been fortunate enough to replace it with that hand shaped one. All is well. Rock on Jerry! You are the man
 
Here is a group shot of the three I like the best .....

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If money is no object ( i.e.- $ 750-800 + duty ) the FSH Variant with spec's of .32 at the ricasso and tapering to .27 on the blade with a serrated clip wins on chopping ....food and fire prep. It wins on chopping for the extra weight which gives more power but also for the smooth hand shaped magnum grips which are THE ideal size for extended hard use chopping. On fire prep the clip enables marvellous use of a fire steel, strips bark without getting hung up by the sharp edge so it is fast ....on food prep it is satin so you can use it on wood and know resin/sap is fully cleaned off before using it on food/game, and the clip point does a marvelous job preserving the main edge on cuts like the Atlas Joint to remove the Deer's head and best of all cracking and splitting the sternum and spine to half a carcass. For a heavy blade it is superbly balanced and light in the hand .... great width in the spine for thumb purchase and control in a choked grip .... makes skinning and "rocking" the blade "easy" .... definately scores top in all categories you mention.

The stripped and fully convexed NMSFNO misses the benefits of the clip .... but still chops brilliantly .... I love the rounded spine and finger groove for comfort in a choked grip ..... it preserves a baton for those who feel this is important better than the clipped FSH but to me this point never makes sense ..... plenty of Batons in the woods and you're only going to burn them anyway .... so I don't give merit on this point but others might .... the grips are the hand shaped version but they are not as wide and full as the FSH grips .... for the money though it wins on "value" easily as it is half the price.
Putting a clip onto the NMSFNO would make it a much closer race but I cannot do a serrated clip which is a big advantage on performance ... otherwise I would have done it.

Next is the Basic 9 .... you don't have a category for belt carry and weight. It wins this hands down. It will do all the FSH and NMSFNO can do on chopping and batonning but just takes a few more strokes, but make no mistake .... only a few more, and it is half the weight of the FSH .... and the Res C make it very comfortable. The shallower depth of blade make for great control on wood carving/fuzz sticks for fire prep and it will baton the widest logs of the three. I have kept mine black for military use but if doing food prep a lot I would strip it down to satin. As it is, because mine is the smooth coated version, sap/resin stains show up very well and this is why the coating has stayed on. Great ASM edge for field sharpening and a nice wide .25 spine for thumb placement. The small choil seems tailor made for using a fire steel in it and secures this "tight" and despite being coated the right angle edges there are sharp and sparks "fly" off the rod. It is great for fire lighting .... easily up there with the FSH.

Weirdly it is cheaper than the NMSFNO without a sheath and the one I got with an original kydex sheath was just around the same price and both of mine were bought on the secondary market. Hard to find ..... but value wise and performance wise with weight in mind these are the best knives I have. I use these on my webbing gear now "exclusively" .... preferring them to the above options .... they can be carried in a rear cross draw which is so handy when lying prone .... and you can run with them on and never notice they are there .... infact if I had to just keep 5 knives from Busse it would be the Basic 5, Basic 9, BWMLE, NMFBM and my TTKZ. They really cover all bases.

Now that I am starting to feel certain about what works best for me I might infact move some knives on .... the hard thing is that all three above are excellent choices .... really when they get that good there is no "loser" .... just personal preference.:)
 
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For me personally in this size category, I am different from most everyone else. I would take the FSH in a .27 full flat grind (what I have), SAR 8 or a Mr Mojo before the NMSFNO. All three of them actually out perform my NMSFNO enough for me to be considering letting mine go which really surprised me with how much everyone else loves theirs. My favorite 8-9 incher for feel in hand and use is a toss up between my Bruiser SAR 8 and Snake Mr Mojo.

I have no experience with a team gemini or a DSF other than holding them, but of the two I would pick the DSF since it is so similar in feel to my SAR 8.
 
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