SHBA question...

hookahhabib

hookahhabib

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What different thicknesses did INFI SHBAs come in? Do you SHBA users have any opinions or preferences on the ideal thickness for a user? Are there any other variables (besides INFI vs A2) worth considering when lookin for one of these old school badgers? Would love to hear you veteran Hogs' thoughts :cool:


I found myself a reasonable deal on a .31 INFI fattie and if all goes well it'll be in my hands within a few weeks :D I'm beyond pumped to have worked out a deal on this grail of mine and can't wait to check it out!

I thought some insider info might help make the wait a little easier ;)
 
I'm also curious about the different plunge lines...do the different lines signify any notable differences from badger to badger? I've seen people refer to an "INFI plunge line" but have also seen varying plunge lines on both INFI and A2 knives.

Are the different lines a year to year difference? Or just dependent upon how jerry was feeling from knife to knife?

Forgive me for my poor search-fu, I haven't had much luck finding meaningful answers myself.
 
I don't think all the info you seek is out there to find.

You need a piglet... like... say... Mulder to guide you.
 
I never had as many as Mulder, but I did have 7 or 8 over the years. This is what I've noticed.

Plunge lines: The straight up and down is almost always A2. There were a few INFI with this straight up and down line, but not many. Jerry mentioned years ago that the INFI was tearing up the grind wheels and the curved plunge line quickly appeared with new equipment/grinders.

I've never owned a smooth bolt that was INFI. I DO have a slotted bolt in INFI that was made just before the tube fasteners. Not very many of them. It is ~.23" thick. This was to be my *to the grave SHBA*, but taxes might change that. I'd rather sell my C.Sharps 1875 than that knife.

The most comfortable in the hand were the fatty A2's by a long shot, but they weren't worth squat cutting wise. The least comfortable IMO, were the tube fasteners. Thinner steel and thinner slabs. I only had one for a short time and never bought another.

That is why the slotted bolt INFI is so dear to me. It's INFI foremost, comfortable in the hand and slices waaaay better than the fat A2 I carried for over 2 years. LOL That fattie really was a 'sharpened prybar', but its main purpose was to get me out of my truck if I went into a canal. A very real concern where I drove.

Wet
 
I have a few and have handled a few dozen.
The SHBA is junk, please send any and all of them to me for disposal.

OK back to reality.
My thoughts are pretty close to those of wetdog.
The fatty A2 & INFI models in the .28 - .29 range feel the best in hand.
The super fatty .30+ A2 & INFI models feel more blocky.
The A2 smooth bolt ones in the .25 thickness to me are the best compromise in feel and cutting performance.
The thinner INFI .23 - .24 slotted bolts and or tube fasteners are the best slicers but the worst feeling in hand (still very nice but not AS NICE).
Hope this helps but remember this is just an opinion.
 
Thanks for the input guys!

This one I've found is a straight plunge line, tube fastener, .31 thick INFI model, delivered to the original buyer some months after Jerry had his accident and hurt his hand in the early 90's - at least that's what the seller tells me.

I am a little concerned about cutting performance with how fat it is but I figure if I like the ergos as much as I think I'm going to, then I'll just try to talk Ban into doing some reprofiling work for me since he's pretty local (maybe get lucky...).
 
hookahhabib said:
Thanks for the input guys!

This one I've found is a straight plunge line, tube fastener, .31 thick INFI model, delivered to the original buyer some months after Jerry had his accident and hurt his hand in the early 90's - at least that's what the seller tells me.

I am a little concerned about cutting performance with how fat it is but I figure if I like the ergos as much as I think I'm going to, then I'll just try to talk Ban into doing some reprofiling work for me since he's pretty local (maybe get lucky...).
Click to expand...


INFI made it's debut in the late 90's from all that I have heard & read.
I'm sure Jerry was experimenting way earlier but officially????
 
hookahhabib said:
Thanks for the input guys!

This one I've found is a straight plunge line, tube fastener, .31 thick INFI model, delivered to the original buyer some months after Jerry had his accident and hurt his hand in the early 90's - at least that's what the seller tells me. ...
Click to expand...
The tube fasteners would tend to indicate INFI (although an A2 model potentially could have been re-handled), but the straight plunge line seems to point toward A2. They can test it at the Busse shop to find out for sure.

There is an SHBA on an auction site with slotted screws, straight plunge line, .30" thick, and said to be INFI - maybe it is, but I wonder if that really is accurate.

I'm pretty sure INFI came out in the late 90's.

Gene
 
On January 3rd through 5th 1999, I ordered several Badger Attacks, I was Told at that time that I could "Special Order" all of them, as well as the Steel hearts and Mean Streets in INFI, when at the time, only Battle Mistresses were listed as available as INFI Knives From The Busse Combat Knife Company.

In October 1999 at the Las Vegas Y-2K Prep Show, the First Badger Attack with the Hole Type Fasteners was Sold by the Company to the Public (My Then 18 year old Son Bought it, and He still Has it)

Hole Type Fasteners did not become Common until about half way Through 2000 and are still Much Tougher to Find than the Slotted Bolt type.

All this was at Full Retail and Before my becoming associated with the Company, it was there at that show that the subject first came up and we agreed to talk about it further on the Strength of me as a Non-Dealer ordering 10+ knives.(my Order took place in the first few days of January 1999, Paying Up Front then Waiting for my First Delivery in October.
And that I then Drove to Las Vegas to pick up the last half of my Order.

You Folks today have it So Easy.
 
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Mulder said:
INFI made it's debut in the late 90's from all that I have heard & read.
I'm sure Jerry was experimenting way earlier but officially????
Click to expand...

That had me curious as well. The seller says he had ordered it in INFI and ended up waiting 22 months to receive it since Jerry had hurt his hand at some point after placing the order. I did find him off of that auction site -- he has 100% positive feedback there and also seems to know his knives based on other items he's selling so I'd like to trust that it is INFI.

The seller is local to me so assuming we do the transaction in person, I could test it out with a bluing pen before exchanging cash, right?
 
Jerry didn't hurt his hand till 98. This fellas time line is off. I asked him if I could return it if it was not infi. He skirted the question and affirmed it was infi. Saying he ordered it in infi in early
90s. Not saying it isn't. Stranger blades have been identified as infi. Bbshsh :eek::eek:








:D
 
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Hmmmm....thanks for that extra information :thumbup:

What I had in mind was bringing a bluing pen and asking if I could hit the edge with it...I figure if it's A2, I should be able to take a couple hundred off the price. He did say I could meet him in person so that at least gives me a chance to somehow ID it as INFI myself (assuming the bluing pen idea is a reliable way to test it). Do you think I can trust those results?

Jerry are you out there? If so, how early were people able to order blades in INFI? do you remember making many (or any?) SHBA's using tube fasteners?
 
SHBA Tube style Fasteners, INFI, a true 5/16ths including the Coating, 6 were made, three at least did not get Top Ground.

Knives were over runs from the Tool Test for Helicopters(used to un-jam a mini gun, I think Strider Got the contract), Jerry Mentioned the knives for Helicopters, said nothing about how it was used, I remember a Fella who did some Tests talking about the Striders getting the Contract and now assume that this is what those particular Busse BA's were made for.

I Sold three of these knives and Kept one that was Triple Ground, the Fella with That Knife is also posting on this thread.

Perhaps the Fella with the Fat Badger that is not Top Ground is Not correctly remembering the Time line?

If it was ordered in late 1998 and was 22 months before Delivery then mid to late 2000 would fit as to Possible Production with the Hole type Fasteners and the Fat INFI Badgers I am Talking about.

Other than the Time line, I would Suggest it was one of those Six Knives.
 
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