Overbuilt knives

Murman

Murman

Joined
Nov 11, 2015
Messages
2,374
So that's what Busse are? I saw someone mention this in another thread. That makes a lot of sense. Maybe why I don't fully appreciate all they are capable of. I don't use them that hard.
 
I'd say so--but that's not a bad thing in my book. Compare a Busse to a Kabar, an LT Wright, Fiddleback, etc... and it's pretty clear. There are many other makers out there doing the same. I personally love Lon Humphrey's knives--they are overbuilt, hand forged, and maintain a retro/ traditional aesthetic... so, overbuilt can vary greatly. But Busses are overbuilt in the best sense... even the "skinny" ones. They are combat knives, too... or primarily, more accurately.
 
Murman said:
So that's what Busse are? I saw someone mention this in another thread. That makes a lot of sense. Maybe why I don't fully appreciate all they are capable of. I don't use them that hard.
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I prefer the term 'bulletproof.' ;)
 
I would say most Busses are overbuilt, but if I found myself in a survival situation, I would be happy to have a knife that I could depend on 100%.

Edit: In an emergency situation, I don't view overbuilt as a negative. For example, if I had to pry with a Battle Mistress, I would not worry about the blade breaking.
 
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I take overbuilt to mean a knife with certain additional characteristics (whether a sabre grind, a thicker spine, a full tang in many instances, specialty steel or proprietary HT, etc.) that allow the user to really go to town and not have to worry about breaking or failing. There are some companies like Busse who execute this concept well and there are others who don't.

Busse was making overbuilt, reliable knives before it became a fad in the knife community.
 
His statement of what he's all about hasn't changed- "High quality, High Performance Fixed Blade knives" -Over-built used in this way could be viewed as a "micro-aggression" in sensitive circles :D
The rest of it is in the hands of those who agree and who don't - can't find fault with overbuilt considering the alternative eh?
 
Dr. Lecter said:
Overbuilt is an adjective, and a rather meaningless one at that. A knife has specifications, and either they're ones you want/need, or not. Nothing else to it.
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This guy nailed it y'all. I agree, excluding complete crap that is truly under built (flea market), quality knives like the ones we get from busse are just built. They're built with a set and/ or type of tasks in mind. Slicing blades are thinner and a little shorter, fighters tend to be pointer, choppers are thick stock with decent length and a bit weight forward and so on and so on. Knives and all their aspects are relative. If I busted rocks with a busse instead of a sledge hammer all day I'd probably call it under built, if I used a WTF to slice tuna I'd call it overbuilt.

P.S. let the record show most Hogs wouldn't call their Busses over built, they'd call them quality built..:cool: but to anyone who insists on calling them overbuilt... Ya DAYUUMN RIGHT! :D
 
Dr. Lecter said:
Overbuilt is an adjective, and a rather meaningless one at that. A knife has specifications, and either they're ones you want/need, or not. Nothing else to it.
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In that case the definition of an overbuilt knife is one where you determine the ideal dimensions to build a knife for a selected task, then build it beyond those necessary dimensions.

Survival type knives are often "overbuilt" cause if it breaks you don't survive.
 
Lapedog said:
In that case the definition of an overbuilt knife is one where you determine the ideal dimensions to build a knife for a selected task, then build it beyond those necessary dimensions.

Survival type knives are often "overbuilt" cause if it breaks you don't survive.
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But if you go beyond the ideal dimensions then the dimensions are no longer ideal. If you go beyond the "ideal dimensions" to ensure it doesn't break then the new set of dimensions are the ideal dimensions and you're back to being simply built with a certain set of dimensions for intended use.
 
That logic you just put into writing is the exact reason why I put the word overbuilt in quotation marks.
 
Lapedog said:
That logic you just put into writing is the exact reason why I put the word overbuilt in quotation marks.
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My bad brother :(didn't mean to talk down at ya...I guess we're all on the same page then of the term overbuilt being a dead horse kicking party :D but I bet OPs question has been thoroughly answered at this point :rolleyes:
 
I think 'over built' is rather subjective (relative?). For me, now, my Bussies (Bussi?) are probably over built as my life is close to home, with my disabled veteran wife of the 1st Gulf War.
Back in the day when we were battering about the backcountry of the Cascades for SAR missions; Busse was Perfectly Built...!
It was SO reassuring to have the knife-box checked without worry; no matter the task. An beat them we did :eek:.

.$02
8
 
Korean Hog said:
My bad brother :(didn't mean to talk down at ya...I guess we're all on the same page then of the term overbuilt being a dead horse kicking party :D but I bet OPs question has been thoroughly answered at this point :rolleyes:
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I didn't even realize you were talking down to me.

Come on you'll have to do better than that if you want to hurt my feelings.
 
Hey 8,

There's a thread a bit down titled "Can you wear out a Busse?" That could probably use an updated pic of your heavy heart. Just sayin.

:)

River-8 said:
I think 'over built' is rather subjective (relative?). For me, now, my Bussies (Bussi?) are probably over built as my life is close to home, with my disabled veteran wife of the 1st Gulf War.
Back in the day when we were battering about the backcountry of the Cascades for SAR missions; Busse was Perfectly Built...!
It was SO reassuring to have the knife-box checked without worry; no matter the task. An beat them we did :eek:.

.$02
8
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