- Joined
- Feb 5, 2010
- Messages
- 2,504
One of my best friends serves on the Pittsburgh SWAT team, and has always been a sensible knife guy - not much brand loyalty, but will use anything that works, and appreciates good designs and workmanship. So when he needed a good fixed blade for the job and was telling me he is thinking of strapping a Mora* to his gear, I wanted him to have something nicer, and more dependable to use. I gave him my only RMD (at the time) on semi-permanent loan, with the guise** of "I need this torture tested." He fashioned a sheath (I didn't have one then), and strapped it to his gear. This is the regular SR-101 Combat Grade Ratmandu with saber grind, available at the shop.
He visited us this past weekend, and I asked if he could bring it up for me to see the condition of the blade (because I was curious!). He said after hearing his SWAT buddies talk about how expensive Busse knives were, and was ogling over his knife, saying how "those Busses are like $500 knives!" and commenting on how he's bashing an expensive knife, he wanted to give it back. Even though I insisted that he keep torturing it, he decided it needed to come home. He said he used it for everything, but especially as his entry tool. He said he never babied this knife, pried and jammed this thing into whatever he needed to for his job, broken more than his share of locks and doors and barricades, and did a proper torture test for whatever his duties would have thrown at a knife (without purposefully doing more than he needed, just for the sake of breaking a knife).
So here are some pics:
The knife (Desert Sage with Tan Micarta, which now looks more like my new-condition Maroon Micarta handles! Maybe even a tad darker than Maroon.)
RMD after 2 years SWAT duty
Edge and Coating wear:
No "Safe Queen" here! I don't believe he did much to sharpen it, since he wasn't using it as a slicing tool most of the time. Some rolls and minor dings on the edge, but not much damage at all. He said he was surprised how well this steel stood up to a beating, especially since he is somewhat familiar with 52100 stock and had previous broken a 52100 blade before.
Not bad for a couple years of continual service! It looks like it has sustained less injuries than he did!
* Disclaimer: No knock against Mora knives... They're great little knives for the money and I think one of the very best bang for buck knives out there. I have a bunch of them, and use them for a variety of things. Just not a Busse.... very different design philosophy and purpose.
** I had considered just giving the knife to him, but us Chinese believe gifting of weapons to be bad luck for the relationship, and especially a sharp knife/sword - as it may "sever" a relationship. (Historical context: gifting of weapons usually went with necessity for going into armed conflicts - battle or war where most people wouldn't make it back or would risk severe/grave injuries - not good for prolonging relationships.)
*** Third Disclaimer: not trying to show-off with someone else's service. Just wanted to share and exchange opinions about this knife and its use/history. Any thanks and complements to his service will be forwarded back to my buddy. I can also get answers from him if anyone has any questions you'd like me to forward to him.
He visited us this past weekend, and I asked if he could bring it up for me to see the condition of the blade (because I was curious!). He said after hearing his SWAT buddies talk about how expensive Busse knives were, and was ogling over his knife, saying how "those Busses are like $500 knives!" and commenting on how he's bashing an expensive knife, he wanted to give it back. Even though I insisted that he keep torturing it, he decided it needed to come home. He said he used it for everything, but especially as his entry tool. He said he never babied this knife, pried and jammed this thing into whatever he needed to for his job, broken more than his share of locks and doors and barricades, and did a proper torture test for whatever his duties would have thrown at a knife (without purposefully doing more than he needed, just for the sake of breaking a knife).
So here are some pics:
The knife (Desert Sage with Tan Micarta, which now looks more like my new-condition Maroon Micarta handles! Maybe even a tad darker than Maroon.)
RMD after 2 years SWAT dutyEdge and Coating wear:
No "Safe Queen" here! I don't believe he did much to sharpen it, since he wasn't using it as a slicing tool most of the time. Some rolls and minor dings on the edge, but not much damage at all. He said he was surprised how well this steel stood up to a beating, especially since he is somewhat familiar with 52100 stock and had previous broken a 52100 blade before.
Not bad for a couple years of continual service! It looks like it has sustained less injuries than he did!
* Disclaimer: No knock against Mora knives... They're great little knives for the money and I think one of the very best bang for buck knives out there. I have a bunch of them, and use them for a variety of things. Just not a Busse.... very different design philosophy and purpose.
** I had considered just giving the knife to him, but us Chinese believe gifting of weapons to be bad luck for the relationship, and especially a sharp knife/sword - as it may "sever" a relationship. (Historical context: gifting of weapons usually went with necessity for going into armed conflicts - battle or war where most people wouldn't make it back or would risk severe/grave injuries - not good for prolonging relationships.)
*** Third Disclaimer: not trying to show-off with someone else's service. Just wanted to share and exchange opinions about this knife and its use/history. Any thanks and complements to his service will be forwarded back to my buddy. I can also get answers from him if anyone has any questions you'd like me to forward to him.
There's a good legacy in that knife now. At least you know you can trust it, because if it was going to fail it probably would have done it by now. 
Would love to hear some of your friend's stories about using that RMD.
. Thanks for the great review!
