Questions Before First Busse Purchase

E

Evolute

Joined
Mar 19, 2001
Messages
4,769
Hi, Everyone,

I'm just about convinced to purchase either a Steel Heart E or a Battle Mistress E. However, I have a few questions, first. I appreciate any information or advice you can provide.

My biggest concern has to do with handle fit. I've never held one of these, and I don't know whether the handle will fit my unusual hand shape (very long palms, normal to slightly long fingers, very slender bone structure). I doubt that I will be making it to a knife show anytime soon to hold one. If I purchase one and it doesn't fit my hand, can I return it for a refund (still in brand new condition, of course; and I'd pay all postage)? Also, anyone care to guess how the handle shape would fit the hand shape I described? Are customized handle slabs, for a proper fit, an option?

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Secondly, I'm undecided between the Steel Heart and the Battle Mistress. I'm a nature photographer, and I will likely be using this in everything from tropical jungles to the arctic, sea level to high mountains, and everything in between. I'll be carrying this for many common chores and emergency purposes, such as chopping kindling, dressing and processing fresh road kill, emergency shelter building, chopping ice steps, preparing dinner, camera mount, etc. I also may need it for self defense against feral pigs, feral dogs, habituated bears, etc. (I would, of course, try to avoid the need for such defense; and I'd only use it as a last resort if a gun was somehow not an available option.)

I get the feeling that, in terms of usefulness, "the more, the better" would suit my needs best. However, I'm wondering whether the Battle Mistress might be too long or heavy to comfortably wear or carry. (I'm about 6'3", and I just measured my thigh length at 19.5".) I'd appreciate your advice and thoughts.

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Thirdly, how long is the waiting list to get my hands on one of these? How long should I expect it to take to receive my knife after I order it?

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Fourthly, just out of curiosity, how do you pronounce Busse?

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Lastly, Jerry, may I suggest putting Quicktime videos on your website, along with or instead of Real player? Jerry, I know that you strive to make the best. You can show that you appreciate and support that integrity in your software choices, too. (Not a big deal, but worth mentioning.)
 
Evolute,
Welcome to the Busse forum!! I'll try and answer some of
your questions. I can't help you with handle fit. I'm only
5'5" with small hands.

I would probably carry the Steel Heart.

Delivery should be 3 to 6 weeks, but you could call Busse
to be sure on a delivery date.

It is pronounced BUS E

Hope some of this helps.

Take care and good luck in your search!!!:D
 
Evolute,
Welcome to the Busse(rhymes with Fussy) forum. Glad you stopped by.

I don't have large hands, so I'm not sure about the fit either, however, I'm sure someone will come along who can handle it.
I do know though that Andrew Lynch has mentioned he had thicker Micarta scales put on one of his Busses to aid in the handle fit. Hopefully he will comment about this.

The Steel Heart is a great knife for Large or small chores. Great for utility and chopping, it would get my vote for best all purpose knife. However, with your size I don't think you would have any problem with the Battle Mistress either. I'm not as large as you, so I'd choose the SH.

The estimate for the Standard Combat Grade knives to ship is within the 3-6 week timeframe but recently they have been shipping sooner than this. It may be best to check with the Shop for a closer estimate 419-923-6471, they could also answer your questions regarding the handle, if someone here doesn't.

I hope this has been helpful.
 
Evolute,

welcome to the forum! I have hands much as you described only heavier bone structure i think. I am also 6' so not quite as tall and lean as it sounds like you are, but handle fit is always a concern of mine . I find that knife handles that are under 1.25" width spine-to-edge are generally to small for my hand and the handle will shift in my hand under use. Having said that, the E handles on my BA-E and NO-E are my favorite handles of any knife I own! They are great for my hand. Comfortable, hand filling and most importantly, secure! I even like the way it slopes down to the butt. This fits right in the crease of my hand at the base of my thumb, perfect.

I don't have the SH or the BM so can't advise on that choice, only on hand size and handle fit. But if you decide on the BM here is a link to one FS on KF for $300 http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthrea...=150754&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=

It's a BM-E CG. Good luck. Oh and if you'll take me along on all that world travel with you, I'll bring all the knives we'll need :D :p :D
 
Originally posted by Evolute
If I purchase one and it doesn't fit my hand, can I return it for a refund (still in brand new condition, of course; and I'd pay all postage)?
Click to expand...

I don't know. I'd call the Busse shop.


Originally posted by Evolute
Also, anyone care to guess how the handle shape would fit the hand shape I described? Are customized handle slabs, for a proper fit, an option?
Click to expand...


Frankly, it's hard to tell. I've got fairly large hands. Probably similar to yours, though maybe not quite as large. The thickness of the E-series handles was not quite optimal for me. However, some people with hands like mine do like the handles. I'd contact the shop about getting thicker handle slabs, but remember, this will cost some. I love the E handles now that I have thicker (and more contoured) handle slabs.



Originally posted by Evolute
I get the feeling that, in terms of usefulness, "the more, the better" would suit my needs best. However, I'm wondering whether the Battle Mistress might be too long or heavy to comfortably wear or carry. (I'm about 6'3", and I just measured my thigh length at 19.5".) I'd appreciate your advice and thoughts.

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Click to expand...

Since you're 6'3", I'd go with the Battle Mistress. Of course, I'd also take a small knife with me.


BTW, your job sounds great. Tell us what you choose!
 
Hi, Everyone,

Thank you for your answers, and for your warm welcome.

I want to clarify that my light bone structure is as much a reason for me to question the fit as is the length of my hands. Let me give you a graphic example of what I'm talking about:

A couple weeks ago, I was hanging out with my 5'4", 103 pound ex (she's still my best friend--you can see a picture of her, here: http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=421122&size=lg ). She and I were playing with a Slinky (you know: the spring-shaped toys that walk down stairs) which she won at a party, trying to figure out which kid we wanted to give it to. I was able to slide the slinky up over my hand, onto my wrist--like a bracelet--quite easily; she could barely do it.

Besides hearing how long-handed people like the fit, I'd also like to hear how narrow-handed people like the fit. (Or both, if anyone else has hands like this.)

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I also want to ask a question about the BM-E compared to the SH-E: It looks like the blade is basically the same on the BM-E, except longer. If this is true, does this mean that the BM-E is weaker in it's ability to handle lateral stress, because it is longer, with greater leverage, at the same thickness? Are they both so strong that this is just not a concern, or is a lateral strength advantage of the SH-E a significant factor in favor of the SH-E?

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I'd still like to hear more general opinions about Steel Heart vs. Battle Mistress, as well answers to my questions above.

P.S. Hey, Utah Mountains, maybe we can get together sometime when I'm photographing the La Sals, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Dead Horse Point, Behind The Rocks, San Rafael Swell, or Grand Staircase-Escalante.
 
Originally posted by Evolute
Are they both so strong that this is just not a concern
Click to expand...

Yes :D . Once you get the knife in your hands, I think you'll agree. Plus, the extra leverage of the BM is a good thing. Great pic, BTW!

I'd go with the BM, especially if you'll be using it like a machete at all.
 
Well, I'm with you with the fine bone structure and narrow hands. I'm 6'3" and could probably just do the slinky trick. I've found the current e-handles to be comfortable for my hand shape. Also, if you can find them, the Basic 7 or Basic 9 are also extremely comfortable and might be something else to consider, however they have been discontinued and supplies are running out quickly.

Plus, depending on where you are, there's a chance that some local Busse-holic is nearby, and since most are the friendly type who love to talk about knives, they might be willing to share some of their collection with you to try out.

I would guess that your best bet for a refund would be to buy a used one (check old posts to determine a fair price), and if you don't like it, resell it for the same price since they tend to not depreciate in value. (On a side note, that is exactly what happened with the Battle Mistress UTMS mentioned as being available elsewhere.)

As for preference, with my size and general feeling combined, I like the Steel Heart design and have found it to work just as well as the Battle Mistress for most uses, and lighter to lug around.

As for lateral stress, at 1/4" of some of the toughest steel out there, you'd be hard-pressed to do anything to EITHER blade.
 
Welcome aboard! Yo may be tall enough to fit a BM better, but I find the balance and handling of the SH to be just about ideal.
 
Thanks, again, for your responses. I've got a couple more questions, in addition to the ones above:

Are the BM-E and the SH-E ambidextrous? (I am.)

What is the diameter of the holes in front of and behind the handles? I'm asking because I will want to occasionally use the knife as a camera mount.
 
Evolute,
Yes the BM and SH are both Ambidextrous.

I don't have my knife handy so I can't easily measure the Talon holes, if someone doesn't jump in with the answer I'll go get one and measure for you. While on this, can you explain how you would use the knife as a camera mount?

Thanks
 
well mine is a NO but the talon holes on it, according to the calipers, are .225" I hope that helps. It just occured to me to measure the talon holes on my SJ-LE and on the BA might indicate if all Busse talon holes are the same size. Well I get the same .225" on the BA but for the SJ-LE I get .25" The SJ-LE is a satin finish so there is no krinkle coating on the metal in the talon hole of the SJ-LE so I wonder if that accounts for the slightly larger diameter hole. Kinda interesting, so if you needed to fit a 1/4" bolt thru the talon hole for your camera it might be worth the added expense of a Busse with a satin finish. You might want to take a closer look at the pics here http://www.badmojo.tv/ or here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=188478 and notice the Micarta scales come pretty close to that talon hole so I think you could get a nut tightened down but probably not with a washer and probably not a wing nut or other finger tightened type of nut.

And Evolute, since it sounds like you've already done the southern Utah swing, come on up to the Wasatch front or the Uintahs, there's a thing or two around here worthy of a nature photographer:cool: make sure you bring your MT. bike

Oh yeah, and most importantly, post some pics, that one with the rainbow arching over your friend is excellent!!! I read the comments below that and man you know a lot about where the rainbows are going to be. I thought you guys just shot rolls and rolls of film until you get lucky and one comes out good ;) :eek:
 
Again, let me express my sincere gratitude for your patience and generosity, answering my questions. Thank you.

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Eric,

I don't yet have all the specifics worked out for my plan to mount a camera to the knife. The basic idea that I have in mind is to (temporarily, only when I need it) put a bolt through one of the holes in the handle, and attach a (Really Right Stuff) quick-release camera mounting plate to the bolt. Then, in situations where I don't want to or can't carry my tripod, or in situations where a tripod can't be set up as desired, I'll be able to use the knife, instead. I'll chop or stab the knife firmly into a dead tree or dead piece of wood, or I'll drive the blade into the ground, then mount my camera to the quick release plate bolted to the handle.

It does, indeed appear that the micarta scales come quite close to the holes. I don't think it would present a problem for me to cut a washer to fit, or (blasphemy!) grind the handle to allow for a washer and bolt.

If this does present a problem, I have two alternate plans for attaching the camera:

1) Bolt a steel D-guard onto the handle, with the quick-release plate fastened to the D-guard. (On this subject, does Busse, or any third party knifemaker make a steel D-guard for bolting to the E-handles? If not, I imagine I could have one custom made.)

2) I also have a C-clamp with a camera mount on it. I can clamp this to the knife, and attach my camera to it.

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Thank you for the compliments about my picture of my ex. Those who want to see more can see my online portfolio, here:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=67986

I hope you enjoy

On this subject, I hope you can forgive me for sharing my excitement....

Woohoo! Yesterday, I got published for the first time! Up until now, I have been exclusively selling fine-art prints. I recently decided to change my business model to a publishing-oriented business. My very first submission got accepted for publication.

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Back to knife related stuff:

I'm leaning toward ordering the Battlle Mistress E and Paul's Hatchet, next week, then getting the SH-E and the NO-E, in a few months.

I have a few more questions.

I understand that the BM is better than the SH at chopping. Which is better at piercing-puncturing-penetrating?

I would like to get a much smaller companion knife for delicate work, and would be happy to stay in the Busse family, if I could find something along the lines of what I'm looking for. I don't see what I'm looking for in the current production line-up. Can you recommend an appropriate knife for me to look for in the used market?

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Thanks again.

P.S. I'd love to go to the Wasatch Range or the Uintas.
 
Congrats (on getting published and your Busse choices ;) )! That sounds like a great combo (PH and BM). As far as penetration, their points are identical I think, so it should be the same.

As far as small knives, Busse will be releasing some new knives (hopefully soon!). It is quite possible they will have some new small knives. On the secondary market, you might look for a Mean Street or Lean Mean Street, or perhaps a Badger Attack. You will have to pay collector prices for the MS's and LMS's, however. The Badger Attack (as long as it's E) shouldn't be too costly, as it was only recently discontinued.

Check out Badmojo.tv for pics of these.

Update us on your camera-mounting plan, I'm intrigued :D
 
Evolute
Congratulations on getting published, that is great to hear. :D

Regarding the knives, I think you have a good Busse Plan set up. :D The BM-E will serve you well and the PH will be an excellent addition. Once you receive the hatchet you may realize this will cover some of the things you would be needing a smaller knife for. It has an incredibly versatile handle and can easily be used for more delicate work if necessary.

I also agree with Andrew, you have several choices for smaller Busses. Some discontinued (LMS,MS,Basic 3, & 5) but don't overlook the current production Killer B. It may be just what you are looking for.

I say go with your original plan of the BM-E and PH and wait to see what new things might come from Busse in the next couple months.
 
Thanks, again. I've got two last questions before this thread fades into oblivion:

Firstly, as I mentioned above, I might be interested in bolting a steel D-guard to E handles, for reasons discussed above. Has anyone ever seen or heard of any? Please tell me what you can, or even just give me your conjectures about whether you foresee any difficulties.

Secondly, I'm wondering whether the extra length of the BM-E significantly slows down draw speed from the sheath. Does it? It seems as though more length would equal a slower draw. I guess this isn't likely to ever be a concern, but it's a small consideration (in case I ever need to rapidly deploy my knife in defense of a charging animal, or some such). So, how does the draw speed of the BM-E compare to the draw speed of the shorter SH-E? For that matter, how does the draw speed of either of these rather long fixed blade knives compare to the draw speed of a folder (like Cold Steel Voyager or Spyderco Delica) clipped to a pocket?

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Mike
 
I think I remember hearing that Busse made a few steel D-guards a long time ago. I may be wrong. I've though about trying to make one. I don't think it would be that hard. Let us know if it works!

On draw speed, I don't know. I don't think the BM's draw speed would be a problem. If you're worried, you might want to get a custom speed-draw sheath system (I've seen one for another Busse).
 
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