Steel Heart I A2 ?

Solstice · Dec 30, 2005

Need a little help from you Heavy Hogs, if you would? Just a couple questions on the Steel Heart I.

1) Did it only come in A2?
2) Where there fatties made, 5/16" ?
3) Does only the Steel Heart I have the bird's beak?

Yeah ok that's three questions, but I threw in the last one because on Bad Mojo the picture SH41 states that it's Progunner's Steel Heart II and I'd swear that it has a bird's beak. My understanding was that only the Steel Heart I had the bird's beak. Thanks for any help you guys can give me, I'm thinking about adding to my A2 collection.

MikeH · Dec 30, 2005

The original Steel Heart was made in ATS 34 steel. Being the first, it was named simply the Steel Heart. The Steel Heart I terminology came later, to distinguish it from the later versions of Steel Heart.

When this original version was lengthened somewhat and made of A2, it was referred to as the Steel Heart II. It retained the Bird's Beak. I still have a Tactical Knives Magazine with this A2 Bird's Beaked Knife on the cover, clearly labeled Steel Heart II.

When the straight-handled Steel Heart without the Bird's Beak was introduced, it came over time to be referred to in popular useage as the Steel Heart II. I believe that some early versions of this were made in A2, then the transition was made to INFI. However, there is absolutely no doubt that the knife originally called Steel Heart II was of A2 steel and had a Bird's Beak pommel.

My personal terminology is this:

Original ATS 34 Steel Heart - Steel Heart I
Later, longer bird's beaked A2 Steel Heart - Steel Heart II
third version, straight handled Steel Heart without bird's beak - Straight Handled Steel Heart.

Then came the Steel Heart Ergo and the Fusion Steel Heart.

I do not know if there were any Steel Heart I fatties.

MikeH · Dec 30, 2005

Someone, (Eric, perhaps?) once posted a picture of that Tactical Knives Magazine cover here. Maybe they will re-post it.

Cobalt · Dec 30, 2005

What Mike said seems right.

The SH I was ATS34 birds beak pommel and had a 6.5 inch blade roughly.

Then the transition stage between SHI and SHII was still an SHI but seemed a little longer and was made of A2 I think. There were Fatties in this stage. But it was an SHI of A2. The difference between the SHI and SHII is not just the pommel or steel, but if you look at the blade you'll notice that the spine is curved from the scales to the tip. The SHII's are straight spine. You could tell there was a transition, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were A2 models popping up looking exactly like an SHI but fattie and longer.

Where are all those ATS34 and A2 SH's anyway. There had to be a ton made during that time as it was the main Busse knife. Wish I had gotten one back then. My interest in Busse knives was just starting back in 95 so I missed the boat on those. Man IT's MY TEN YEAR BUSSE COLLECTING ANNIVERSARY, I THINK I NEED a 10th ANNIVERSARY KNIFE

Walking Man · Dec 30, 2005

Cobalt said:
IT's MY TEN YEAR BUSSE COLLECTING ANNIVERSARY, I THINK I NEED a 10th ANNIVERSARY KNIFE

Hmmm, maybe you need a 10 anniv. Airgonne assault. I think it might be a little tough to find a willing seller, though.

Paradiggum · Dec 30, 2005

MikeH said:
The original Steel Heart was made in ATS 34 steel. Being the first, it was named simply the Steel Heart. The Steel Heart I terminology came later, to distinguish it from the later versions of Steel Heart.

When this original version was lengthened somewhat and made of A2, it was referred to as the Steel Heart II. It retained the Bird's Beak. I still have a Tactical Knives Magazine with this A2 Bird's Beaked Knife on the cover, clearly labeled Steel Heart II.

When the straight-handled Steel Heart without the Bird's Beak was introduced, it came over time to be referred to in popular useage as the Steel Heart II. I believe that some early versions of this were made in A2, then the transition was made to INFI. However, there is absolutely no doubt that the knife originally called Steel Heart II was of A2 steel and had a Bird's Beak pommel.

My personal terminology is this:

Original ATS 34 Steel Heart - Steel Heart I
Later, longer bird's beaked A2 Steel Heart - Steel Heart II
third version, straight handled Steel Heart without bird's beak - Straight Handled Steel Heart.

Then came the Steel Heart Ergo and the Fusion Steel Heart.

I do not know if there were any Steel Heart I fatties.

Well put my hoggy friend.

Here's the visual for the list above. Minus the FSH.

Silas · Dec 30, 2005

That's a sweet picture Paradiggum. Thanks for posting it.

Solstice · Dec 30, 2005

Hey thanks a lot guys. Great info and pic to go along with it, very cool!

So if I'm getting this right, the SHI is strictly A2, with a bird's beak and there were some fatties made. The SHII can be found in A2 and INFI, with or without the bird's beak and there weren't any fatties made in A2. Just on a side note, I take the SHII came either with slotted or hollow tube fasteners and only the SHI came with the smooth fasteners.

BTW, nice collection Paradiggum. That DC SHII looks like the one that sold on the exchange a while back, can't rember the guys name wears a cowboy hat in his avatar. Great Busse, wish I'd had the dough to pick it up.

Thanks again for the info.

gk4ever · Dec 30, 2005

Solstice said:
Hey thanks a lot guys. Great info and pic to go along with it, very cool!

So if I'm getting this right, the SHI is strictly A2, with a bird's beak and there were some fatties made. The SHII can be found in A2 and INFI, with or without the bird's beak and there weren't any fatties made in A2. Just on a side note, I take the SHII came either with slotted or hollow tube fasteners and only the SHI came with the smooth fasteners.

BTW, nice collection Paradiggum. That DC SHII looks like the one that sold on the exchange a while back, can't rember the guys name wears a cowboy hat in his avatar. Great Busse, wish I'd had the dough to pick it up.

Thanks again for the info.

Here are a couple of corrections:
- I'm pretty sure the SH I was only made with ATS-34.
- There were SH II's made with 5/16" A2 (I believe both BB and rounded pommel versions).
- Regarding smooth vs. slotted fasteners on the SH II, I have a SH II with a smooth fastener in the middle and the other two are slotted, so I'm guessing some early A2 versions probably came with smooth fasteners (I'm referring to ones with rounded pommels, not the BB ones).

Talking about SH II variations can be both interesting and confusing!

They are great knives, and I like both the SH II and SHBM because of the comfortable handle style.

Gene

Optanotu · Dec 31, 2005

I guess what's great about the evolution of the Steel Heart is that each generation feels just a little different. I like the early birds beak handles. I haven't gotten any new steel in a while.
Waiting for the SFNO to come back around. Looks like it's right between the SH1 and SH2.