Sodbuster...and lots of them!

I never cared for the sodbusters personally but don't hang me for it. Before my uncle passed he found one and took a liking to it. He was a hunting partner of mine and after taking a buck in Wyoming he pulled out that sodbuster. I couldn't believe it and don't remember the conversation but I was dumbfounded. He had a few nice Case hunting knives to choose from. Now I remember the handles being black and the blade saying something like angus or black angus. Does this knife ring a bell with anybody?
 
Black Angus soddies are made by Kissing Crane. I own a Kissing Crane Black Angus Sodbuster with plastic handles and it was made in Italy. My guess is that at some time they were made in Germany, though I've never seen one. Would love to know if there are German made versions out there. They are now made in China and have black wood handles. I recently received one of those and it has good fit and finish, for the price it's a decent deal.
 
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trevytrev said:
Black Angus soddies are made by Kissing Crane. I own a Kissing Crane Black Angus Sodbuster with plastic handles and it's made in Italy. Mu guess is that at some time they were made in Germany, though I've never seen one. Would love to know they there are German made versions out there. They are now made in China and have black wood handles. I recently received one of those and it has good fit and finish, for the price it's a decent deal.
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I got one a year ago or so ago, passed it on to another forum member for his brother-in-law Angus. Mine was made in Italy with stainless blades and plastic handles. With the help of Uncle Andi I enquired about obtaining one in carbon. It seems that these knives are commissioned by a US dealer, made in either China or Italy, stainless blades, and no longer have any connection to the original German manufacturer whatsoever, apart from the name on the blade, which it seemed from the correspondence, they are willing to give away to anyone who pays them a few bucks.
 
Sounds exactly like mine Jack. For a time they had an Italian manufacturer making their knives. I have a feeling that company was probably Antonini due to the nearly identical nature of their knife and the Kissing Crane Brown Mules made in Italy. Unfortunately your assessment seems correct, I believe Kissing Crane has sent production of many if not most of it's knives over to China. The Brown Mules were carbon blades when made in Germany, now they are cheap stainless.
 
A few of the farm hands by Bear & Sons that now come in G10 including the newer Blue G10, they call it their blue jeans series. Quick review is that for about $20 they are ok, the yellow and blue are actually pretty decent with no real issue and would be ready to go to work. The black on the other hand is a poor copy, massive blade play and hard pull. The lock back is of decent fit an finish with slight up and down blade play. More can be seen over at my original review of the yellow where I added the others.

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trevytrev said:
Sounds exactly like mine Jack. For a time they had an Italian manufacturer making their knives. I have a feeling that company was probably Antonini due to the nearly identical nature of their knife and the Kissing Crane Brown Mules made in Italy. Unfortunately your assessment seems correct, I believe Kissing Crane has sent production of many if not most of it's knives over to China. The Brown Mules were carbon blades when made in Germany, now they are cheap stainless.
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Yes Trev, the Antonini knives look identical don't they? The impression I got from Andi's correspondence with the company is that they really didn't care about their reputation or the knives carrying their name. A real shame to see a once great cutlery firm go that way.
 
Picked up a 2006 Moore Maker sodbuster in yellow bone. It came rusty and has been used but it cleaned up nicely! I do believe this one will get some pocket time, love the aged look. This is one of my favorite sodbusters renditions, the yellow bone is simply awesome. I own another 2006 version as well as a 2010 version and this is considerably different, the handle is slimmer, the bone is aged more and the pivot is very different, more of a protruding pivot rather than the standard birds eye pivot Queen uses. I didn't get a pic with the 2010 but it's even thicker than these two. Some pics.

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trevytrev said:
Picked up a 2006 Moore Maker sodbuster in yellow bone. It came rusty and has been used but it cleaned up nicely! I do believe this one will get some pocket time, love the aged look. This is one of my favorite sodbusters renditions, the yellow bone is simply awesome. I own another 2006 version as well as a 2010 version and this is considerably different, the handle is slimmer, the bone is aged more and the pivot is very different, more of a protruding pivot rather than the standard birds eye pivot Queen uses. I didn't get a pic with the 2010 but it's even thicker than these two. Some pics.

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Wow that Moore Maker is amazing. I really admire your collection. I have great respect for the sodbuster and all its incarnations across the globe. Thanks for sharing yours.
 
That Moore Maker is very nice, Trev. I just picked up this German Bull Dirt Buster shown here next to a Case Sodbuster. I haven't used it yet but my initial impression is that it has pretty nice stag scales on it for a forty dollar knife and a nice profile. Wishing it was carbon steel though.

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Brisket, the German Bull is a pretty good value for a stag handle knife, it is a shame they don't come in carbon steel. Yours has a some good stag on it, looks great. I have The German Bull in Cracked Ice(Acrylic I suppose), Buffalo Horn and Stag.

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Sent you email because I have a knife that you might want to add to your collection. It is a very large Carl Schlieper Display knife with tweezers and pick built in to the handles. It is like this one that is listed on ebay by another seller. They want much much more than I do.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HAM...025?pt=Collectible_Knives&hash=item2a3e018f39

Here is a picture of mine I just took. It is almost as long as my keyboard when open.
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If you don't want it that is ok. I just thought it would be something different and hard to find for your collection.
 
Been a while since I posted in here, figured I'd post a few of my recent scores! I browse though the big auction site frequently looking for rare or hard to find sodbuster that I don't already own. My collection has grown pretty big so most soddies I see posted I either own or are part of the large sodbuster group that I don't collect. Every now though, I run across a soddie I haven't seen before or even knew existed. That get's my blood pumping! This Queen in red jigged bone is one I've never knew even existed and I managed to score it. It has great walk and talk, good fit and finish and deep red color in the jigged bone, very nice!! The second is the Frank Buster Fightin Rooster in light brown acrylic. I see different versions of Frank Busters from time to time but they usually go outside by price range, this one was just right! This on is nice and thin, solid walk and talk and as well as decent fit and finish. all in all, a couple of good ones to add to the addiction..er..collection:D

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Trev, do you have a Bull Buster in route? I'm itching to pick one up, but there are too many irons in the fire right now.
 
Funny you mention that Jerry, mine arrived the other day. I prefer the smaller sodbusters, more in line with the size of a Bullnose or Case Sodbuster Jr but I knew I had to get at least one of these to add to the collection for comparison purposes. My impression when the Bullbuster arrived is that it's a BEAST! No joke, this is a big knife that dwarfs the Bullnose. Not something that I think most will carry every day in their jeans pocket, but maybe on a belt sheath. It has great walk and talk, centered blade, no gaps or blade wobble. This is a solid knife made to work for a price that can't be beat. I think this knife is perfect for the tool box, shed, barn or truck that will handle what's thrown it's way. Here are some pics with one of my Bullnoses

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Oh man, I need to get one of those. I love my full size sod busters. The Bullnose was my first small one. Now, just to decide on green Micarta or black.
 
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