Still trying to decide on best EDC.....

[d.weglarz13]

Hey guys.....I know I have been down this road before, but I still can't decide on what to make my next little edc blade for pretty much everything.. At first, my heart was set on the Active Duty. THen, I was going to order a Boss Street, but didn't have the funds at the time....shortly after and now, the Culti is really starting to grow on me. I know what most of you are going to say, and yes, in time i will own all three of them, but for now i need to get one perfect edc that will be used for everything from rope cutting to batonning....maybe. But really, its pretty much down to these 3, as I am not a big fan of the small Sars, or too much else really(other than any of the thinner original mean streets of course), but I really like different things about these small but different knives.
So, i figured it wouldn't hurt to get some more opinions on the matter from you guys, whom i trust.........um, except when busse blades are up for grabs! lol...but really get some more ideas on which of the three is better right now for my new toy. The AD, BS, or Culti.(i know there are different versions of these knives, so any helpful hints on what to go or not to go for would be greatly appreciated.) Thanks of course, and feel free to just spit out whatever comes to mind about any of these or all of them. Thanks again.
Dave

 

[AZTimT]

Of the choices mentioned BAD or Culti, can't go wrong. BOSS Street just doesn't do much for me in hand.

Just wondering if you have had a chance to hold a SAR 3 or not or if it is just the look of it you don't care for? I edc my SAR 3 since it is almost as short as a game warden yet has the handle big enough for the same grip as the AD or Culti AND the pommel is rounded so that nothing catches on it. I have carried/held the rest, but for edc I carry the SAR 3. I wouldn't want you to sell yourself short, just sayin.

 

[RussMo]

Of the choices mentioned BAD or Culti, can't go wrong. BOSS Street just doesn't do much for me in hand.

Just wondering if you have had a chance to hold a SAR 3 or not or if it is just the look of it you don't care for? I edc my SAR 3 since it is almost as short as a game warden yet has the handle big enough for the same grip as the AD or Culti AND the pommel is rounded so that nothing catches on it. I have carried/held the rest, but for edc I carry the SAR 3. I wouldn't want you to sell yourself short, just sayin.

I agree w/Tim on the SAR3 just need to get a sheath!!! Just got mine in the mail Tuesday night and I love the little joker.

Other than the SAR3 I would say, AS, GW, BAD, AD are all good. Culti to me is a steak knife, but that's just me. I question the need to baton such a small knife but whatever I guess. Better go with the ones that are around .160" and up for that.

Good luck in your choice!!!

 

[Jaxx]

Are you stuck on just Busse knives for an EDC?

The reason I ask is that the Swamp Rat HRLM is a pretty handy blade for what you mentioned. Just a thought...

I am, and always will be a fan of the AD style Busse... AD/BAD/HD/OD. But with that said, lately I've been carrying the SAR3. As stated, it's a small blade on a nice handle, with nothing to catch on anything thanxx to the meltdown treatment. After taking a piece of sandpaper to the grips to sand down the sharp ridges & pointy areas a bit, it carries quite comfortably in a Mashed Cat sheath. :thumbup: Fairly "sheeple" friendly too, which is a plus in my neck of Penn's woods.

Next to that, a Culti is a handy small knife, but I'm not sure that I would be using it with a baton...not that it couldn't take it, but it's blade profile is darn small & narrow while although the SAR3's blade isn't much bigger, it's got more "belly".

 

[silverdragon33]

i honestly can't think of a better small knife than the HRLM. it's not much bigger than the boss street. wish they'd make one in INFI.

 

[LMT66]

You really can't go wrong with a Culti. It is light, has a generous handle length and carries nice. You forget it is on your belt or in your pocket. Great steak knife also!

 

[Last Visible Canary]

You really can't go wrong with a Culti. It is light, has a generous handle length and carries nice. You forget it is on your belt or in your pocket. Great steak knife also!

way thinner handle, but the rat tail does have more edge, less overal length and a tighter more compact overall design.

so, ad, bs and culti...

The ad has 2 things going against it, a big choil and a really round handle. If you grip it hard that big round palm swell will bite into your hand pretty bad, and it's thrown way back, like not anatomically correct at all if your holding it in a normal grip. It's designed specifically to be held with your thumb against the end of the scales, not over the blade. Thats great if you use the knife like that a lot, I never did. I hated the choil on the active duty. It's got such a short edge that it was a problem even on stuff where it shouldn't have been a problem. That is definitely a problem I tend to have more than other people though . The meaner streets help get away from that crazy palm swell a little bit by tapering the drop off at the end a little less severely, but the positioning is still thrown way back compared to where the hand actually rests during normal cutting tasks.

The boss street is crazy thick compared to the other two. It's built to beat on, not to be an excellent cutter. Just how thick is it? this is the boss street next to an unmodified sus scrofa:

(notice the correct palm swell to finger swell positioning on the tac handles vs. the crazy thrown back palm swell on the sus scrofa)

It's over twice as thick at every point of the blade. and it's edge is thick from tip to ricasso. It does have a smallish choil, but it's still definitely there. I love the boss street handles, they are big enough for a good grip and the ergonomics aren't severe enough to make it feel akward in the normal fist grip or thumb on the back of the blade at the ricasso.


The culti is a great knife, but that choil. oooh that choil. way to small of a blade for that to be on there. I was okay with the choil on the rat tail, but I still didn't like it. any deeper, any wider and I consider it a deal breaker on a knife that small. it's a really thin knife with an acute edge, something you won't find on may other busse's.



If I had to choose a knife in that category that had a choil, I'd choose the rat tail hands down. it's got the smallest choil while being way thinner than the boss street, and it's got a more multi-grip freindly handle than the ad. It's really compact and can be pocketed as easily as the cultellus, but with more edge and less wasted space.

If I had to choose between a culti, ad and bs, I'd probably go with the boss street. Even though it's crazy thick it's got the longest edge with a small(ish) choil and the handle is the largest without having extreme ergo's. With a 21 degree edge it'll cut it for most tasks and still be plenty thick enough to take a severe beating. If your willing to either modify it yourself or wait until garth is accepting them for modification, it would make for an awesome thinning project (grind the flats down so it was 3/32" thick).

 

[banana-clip]

The Game Warden (.140" thickness), Boney Active Duty, and Leaner Meaner Street. I'll have to agree that the HRLM is a sweet little EDC knife. It fits well in the hand and the blade is about ther perfect size and thickness.

 

[M67]

SAR 3 isn't bad, it's a tad big though if you're just gonna have it in your pocket, but I manage with it. The Culti is thin, enough room for all your fingers, and a nice blade design for an EDC.

 

[Soulrack223]

I like the Sabre Groud Active Duties. I have both a Millie and a Heavy Duty I carry and use. I also have a clip point variant and a BAD that I use. ADs are the best EDC Busse has ever made IMO.

 

[GregS]

Rat Tail or Skeleton Warden (Swamp Warden too). I dont like EDCing anything with handle slabs, too bulky. I EDC a Swamp Warden as a necker, sometimes I mix in my Skeleton Warden for IWB carry. However, I prefer folders for EDC nowadays.

 

[knucklestick]

Right now, my EDC is an SAR 3 in a mashed cat set up the left of my belt buckle for a cross draw.

I'm happy with it, but I think in the future I'd like to step up to something a tad bigger.

 

[Liu Kang]

Go with what is avil from Busse now and save, Boss Street. I think it's a good design, I personally like the protos better because they are in a double cut and satin finish but I'm sure the coated ones are just as good and cheaper.
But it's still a tough choice, the SAR3 and the AD is nice. Or if you can get your hands on a nice GW.
If you are going to have it with you everyday, you might as well like the looks of it too, find something you feel pleasing to the eye...

 

[suttond]

I have a SAR3, culti, BAD, AD, and Boss Street. In my opinion the BAD is the best of the bunch, the size is right, and the handles are comfortable.

 

[resinguy]

If your willing to either modify it yourself or wait until garth is accepting them for modification, it would make for an awesome thinning project (grind the flats down so it was 3/32" thick).

Has Garth ever done such a mod, thinning an entire blade? I would be surprised.

 

[d.weglarz13]

Oh wow, thanks guys for all the great replies. I am really starting to think more about having or not having a choil now. And now i might have to check out the Sar3 a little more. But, I love the fact that i can get a BS for a good price, but i like the look of the Protos DC version so much better. Wow, i can't believe its THAT thick, though. I also love the look of the AD but im not sure if those palm swells will be in the wrong place for me, and with a choil that gets caught on something all the time, i am thinking differently now. I like the culti too, but steak knife is all i can think of when i look at it, not that thats a bad thing though. I don't know. I am going to look at the sar3 more, but im not crazy about the look of the knife. I would really love to thin out a BS, but that choil is still there. Is there NO way I can get one of these without a choil, right? i don't remember any such versions of these. oh well, needs some more thought, but you guys definitely gave me some more things to think about. Thank you. Keep throwin out ideas if you want!!Or in-hand pics!!!
Dave

 

[din]

why not a meaner? if you don't like the funky pommel then I'd suggest a BAD. perfect slicing machine, and the extra little bit of hardness means you won't have to sharpen it as often.

 

[eslam98]

Out of the models you mentioned and what you're listing as possible uses, the BOSS Street is the one to go with. :thumbup:

 

[d.weglarz13]

Yea, its still really down to my original picks......either the BS or AD. I love the look of both, and they both really do it for me, so I will buy both eventually. But for now, its between these 2. I just don't know if I can get over my BS being thicker than my 3/16" thick SJ....I like the AD, but now some of you are saying that its not the most comfortable handle, so I will have to try one i guess...I still wish I could get one of these without the choil though. What about real world use??? Does the choils get caught up on things with a blade this size? I don't really have any, so i don't know. But it seems as if it would get caught on a lot. oh well, i will keep thinking about it i guess....Thats half the fun, right?
Dave

 

[Jaxx]

Yea, its still really down to my original picks......either the BS or AD. I love the look of both, and they both really do it for me, so I will buy both eventually. But for now, its between these 2. I just don't know if I can get over my BS being thicker than my 3/16" thick SJ....I like the AD, but now some of you are saying that its not the most comfortable handle, so I will have to try one i guess...I still wish I could get one of these without the choil though. What about real world use??? Does the choils get caught up on things with a blade this size? I don't really have any, so i don't know. But it seems as if it would get caught on a lot. oh well, i will keep thinking about it i guess....Thats half the fun, right?
Dave

Not to say that I can't happen, but I've never had a problem with the AD choil. With that said, my favorite user AD has a large choil.

Photo credit: jdunks

Keep in kind that there are PLENTY of AD variants out there that might suit your needs better... I don't have them all!! Here's a bunch of examples:

...And I don't know why I haven't mentioned it before now, but the High Street is another great EDC choice.

You might look for a Busse ARK... most have 'teeth", but there's a few variants out there... These would be somewhat tougher to find.

It's not INFI (154cm Hairy Carry ) but it's another nice small knife from the Swamp...

Then, there's the lightweight but still very tough Street Scrapper 4 (INFI)

Also, the HACK variants of Busse knives are very cool for EDC knives

I hope that I haven't added to your confusion, but there are lots of choices for the 'perfect' EDC in the Busse family of knives!