Question about ASHBM

Idaho Jarhead

Idaho Jarhead

Joined
Nov 2, 2007
Messages
1,415
I hope my reputation here is good enough that everyone will read the intent of this post and not lead me straight to the gallows. I have a quick question about the handle on the current release of the Battle Mistress. Does it pinch the pinkie?

The reason I ask is that I unexpectedly have found myself in a position of needing a new Battle Mistress. My first response was to grab the current offering, but looking at that handle worries me a little. I have a few knives with similar style handles and my pinkie is destroyed after an hour or so of working that blade. It seems that I read somewhere that Jerry addressed pinkie pinch with the ASHBM, but I am looking for clarification on that.
 
Pinkie pinch has been eliminated Idaho.
I asked Garth the same question before ordering mine.
ASHBM has excellent balance & feel.
Do it!!
 
I'm not sure if we have had any user reports that involved long use sessions, but Garth did say that their own testing showed a great improvement.
 
And here's your answers sir:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1105139-SHBM-question

Will York said:
I gotta say I couldn’t be happier with the new ASHBMSE. It’s big, it’s thick, it’s long, it’s strong, it feels GREAT in hand and it swings like a semi -- with the control of a Corvette.

Compared with the original, it retains the great looks and handling characteristics I loved about the SHBM but the grip is a whole different animal, with fusion-inspired contours giving much improved security and comfort. The re-design of the rear talon including its deeper arc and angle coming off the bottom of the handle, its length, and how deep down the handle slabs support the finger on both sides to me eliminate the pinky bite issue and increase comfortable leverage significantly. Just feels GREAT to me.

Compared with the NMFBM, the ASHBM shows how fast a truly big knife can be. It doesn’t have the handle drop of a dedicated chopper like the NMFBM and so won’t develop quite the wallop, but the agility gained by keeping the handle in-line, the balance from the skeletonized tang, and the enhanced bite of the full flat grind on that super-thick spine give it the potential to keep as much of the NMFBM’s chopping power as possible while shedding weight and picking up welcome quickness.

Bottom line, IMHO this is a big blade for connoisseurs, and I’m finding it very savory. I think the time Jerry took with this project and the determination he obviously felt, to make the best big blade he could given all he has learned, has paid off in spades. I feel very lucky to be one of the beneficiaries.

So what say ye other seasoned hogs with El Gran Derecho (The Great Straight :)) now in hand? How do you like it in the flesh—so to speak? :D
Click to expand...

I have one and I love it! Haven't had a chance to do any chopping yet... :(
 
:thumbup:Sounds Great! My pinkie was really worried there for a while:p
 
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Countless hours and tweeking went into addressing the pinky pinch problem with the original design. By adding a bit of extra room in the handle and changing some angles we eliminated the problem. Every report I have received from the feild has been nothing but positive.

Garth
 
Garth, I'm not too sure I want to know why you and the boys were twerking in the shop...but it sounds like it accomplished the mission nonetheless.

Thanks for the awesome feedback fellas; that is exactly what I was hoping to hear. And Will York's review is actually the one I was trying to recall.

Now to choose a color scheme....
 
The handle was just too short for me on the ASHBM that I had. It may have been an earlier model but it just didn't work for me. BUT I love the Swamprat R9 and M9 handles.
 
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