Sar 4

ridnovir

ridnovir

Joined
Mar 12, 2012
Messages
1,473
What is the general consensus on SAR 4? I think it is very will designed 4" blade, but do not have the opportunity to handle one. I have BRKT Bravo 1 and wander how does SAR 4 compare? Some comparison pics would be helpful too.
 
I don't have any comparison pics but the Sar-4 is a Tank of a knife. The way mine is ground It would seem that it doesn't slice as good as the Bravo 1 but is much tougher of a knife. You will also be able to chop way better with the SAR-4 because you have room on the handle to choke back. I also think there is a big difference in weight.
 
Beckerhead83 said:
I don't have any comparison pics but the Sar-4 is a Tank of a knife. The way mine is ground It would seem that it doesn't slice as good as the Bravo 1 but is much tougher of a knife. You will also be able to chop way better with the SAR-4 because you have room on the handle to choke back. I also think there is a big difference in weight.
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Which one is heavier? I assume SAR4
 
My thought is that the sar 4 feels, and behaves like a much larger knife. In a different weight class altogether. The sar 4 is nearly double the weight:thumbup::eek:

It is also convex which as Garth has stated is the strongest of the grinds and carries the most meat through entire blade.

specs brk-1
Overall Length: 9.065 in
Blade Length: 4.250 in
Blade Steel: A-2
Steel Thickness: .215 in
Weight: 7.375 oz
Hardness: 59RC

Sar4 specs:
Overall Length: 10 3/4 in
Blade Length: 4 7/8 in
Blade Steel: INFI
Steel Thickness: .220 in
Weight: 13.8 oz -weight of my LE. G10 should be even heavier
Hardness: 58-60RC
 
At the risk of being flamed, I am going to go out on a limb and say that I honestly don't like the SAR4. I love the way it looks, but the handle is so damn heavy that it makes using it feel awkward. I have only used mine once, and that was because it was my sole reason for leaving the house that day. I have thrown it in my pack several times and always ended up using the folder in my pocket because the SAR4 was perceived to be too clumsy for the task at hand. Is it a great knife? Yes! Is it my favorite Busse? Not by a long shot!
 
The SAR4 was my first Busse. I love the way it looks but it feels too heavy for me for its blade size. Specifically the handle is too heavy. I wish it would get the SARGE treatment like the SARGE7 to lighten it up. The SARGE7 has 3 more inches of blade but only ways less than an ounce more and is a more balanced knife (#s are from memory and are probably off). Here's a SAR4LE between a SARGE7LE and SAR3LE.
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I love my sar4 and would take it over the bk1 any day. Nothing against the bk1 I just prefer the sar better.
The sar cuts great and it has a very usable handle for multiple gripping options. Yeah it's big for its size but it is a tank and that's what I like about it.
If you lived in mass I would let you check it out and use it

Best of luck on your choice
 
As much as I like the SAR-4 its just to heavy for its size in my eyes. I would take a 3V Bravo-1 over a SAR4 anyday. I really wish they would do a SARGE4 now that is grail knife territory.

They are really very similar knives the two main differences is the Bravo has a skeletonized handle which the SAR needed from the get go imo, and the steel differences of 3V (also can get it in A2) for the Bravo and INFI for the SAR. If you are comparing the 3V and INFI models all you really need to as yourself is do you want balance or a very heavy handle.
 
I gave mine a hack treatment, chopped the handle and thinned the grind quite a bit.
Its a whole other knife now. I love it.

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I carry both of these knives when im out hunting. The sar is my harder use knife, and the bravo 1 3v is the ultimate skinner, cutting knife. The sar is quite a bit heavier. I love them both, they are my favorite out of all my knives. Just 3v edges out infi in skinning and quartering. I also rounded out the sharpening choil on the sar, it snags skin when im working an elk. Now it works a little better. For a one knife, "survival type knife" I would take the sar over everything else.
 
PatrickKnight said:
As much as I like the SAR-4 its just to heavy for its size in my eyes. I would take a 3V Bravo-1 over a SAR4 anyday. I really wish they would do a SARGE4 now that is grail knife territory.

They are really very similar knives the two main differences is the Bravo has a skeletonized handle which the SAR needed from the get go imo, and the steel differences of 3V (also can get it in A2) for the Bravo and INFI for the SAR. If you are comparing the 3V and INFI models all you really need to as yourself is do you want balance or a very heavy handle.
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THX I do have Bravo in 3V and Bravo in s35vn (rampless full height grind for both) from what I gather SAR 4 would not be the knife for me. I have S/M hands and prefer balanced blades not handle heavy. Although the knife looks awesome I shore hope for lighter SERGE4 version with jimping.

FTR-14c said:
I gave mine a hack treatment, chopped the handle and thinned the grind quite a bit.
Its a whole other knife now. I love it.

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it turned out great and would be perfect if the balance was on choil /first finger
 
No way of knowing the weight as I don't have a scale but I'm sure I removed at least several onces of metal and Micarta.

ridnovir,
It is perfect for me, with my index finger on the choil and middle finger just before it on the handle it feels very balanced and lively.

I'm tempted to do a pass around to share the joy.
 
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The SAR4 is a stout sub 5" blade. It's 0.220" thick IIRC and convex ground. It's not an ELMAX slicer. It's a full on, anything goes Busse for people who can't carry blades over 5 inches legally. It carries the search and rescue name. The handle is heavy, but you can ballance it out by using a lanyard which will null out the tendency to slide back in your hand. When you get back on the handle and start chopping, that extra weight starts to shine.

But, yeah, the SARGE4 is going to be a cool knife someday. ;)






 
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I love the feel in my hands when I got a opportunity to handle one. I also love the heft of the blade. I wish it had a full choil or not at all. That definitely is my next knife when one comes up. Does anyone know if any SAR came with the orange SOS G-10 or was it available? Or can you custom shop a sar4?
 
I would contact the custom shop and see iff they will do the sarge treatment on the handle. It seems to be the same size as the 7j so it might just be a matter of putting it in the right fixture and turning on a machine.
 
iamtoast said:
I would contact the custom shop and see iff they will do the sarge treatment on the handle. It seems to be the same size as the 7j so it might just be a matter of putting it in the right fixture and turning on a machine.
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I had asked about this earlier and I was told its not possible because the Sarge treatment is done when water jetting before it is heat treated.
 
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