SwampRat "BushRat" knife

messer454

messer454

Joined
Oct 2, 2006
Messages
2,122
The recent Busse thread on bushcraft knives has made me realize how much I want the following knife reintroduced by one of the Busse Family. Here is what I posted on the Busse thread.

I would really like a flat ground Bog Dog shaped blade made out of INFI (or SR101) with a Howling Rat Little Mischief shaped handle. This is my ideal bushcraft blade, I really like thin bladed drop points.

Anyone else?
 
I think that Swamp Rat already has a bush blade, the Camp Tramp. But I would love to see any drawings, CADD etc.
 
Don't know if I would consider it a bush"craft" knife, but I feel pretty comfortable in the bush with my RMD. Big enough to baton. Yet, allows you to choke up on the blade for finer work, with its very usable choil.
 
silenthunter-we are talking about two different kind of knives. Bog Dog was about 4 1/2inch, thin, and light. Camp Tramp is big and thick. No problem just two different schools of thought on bushcraft. Many would call the Camp Tramp a "camp knife" not a 'bushcraft Knife" but I am not arguing with you. I have a Scrapper 6 and Dogfather that I love but they don't clean fish, peel apples, or field dress squirrels very well. And I would say they/we "had" a Camp Tramp just like they "had" a Bog Dog, they are not making either anymore :)

JohnnyO- Ratmandu is closer but still has thicker grind and spine than I would like and of course I like the drop point better.
 
messer454 said:
silenthunter-we are talking about two different kind of knives. Bog Dog was about 4 1/2inch, thin, and light. Camp Tramp is big and thick. No problem just two different schools of thought on bushcraft. Many would call the Camp Tramp a "camp knife" not a 'bushcraft Knife" but I am not arguing with you. I have a Scrapper 6 and Dogfather that I love but they don't clean fish, peel apples, or field dress squirrels very well. And I would say they/we "had" a Camp Tramp just like they "had" a Bog Dog, they are not making either anymore :)

JohnnyO- Ratmandu is closer but still has thicker grind and spine than I would like and of course I like the drop point better.
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I don't know that I'd bust out a Camp Tramp to do some whittlin'

Unless you're whittling a cabin or canoe . . .
 
Maybe my definition of bushcraft is off, please explain in your words, or if you have a link.

I will say that I have carried just my Bog Dog sometimes, and it is a great little knife for camping/hiking etc. I really like my HR, but the BD takes it as far as I am concerned.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Maybe my definition of bushcraft is off, please explain in your words, or if you have a link.

I will say that I have carried just my Bog Dog sometimes, and it is a great little knife for camping/hiking etc. I really like my HR, but the BD takes it as far as I am concerned.
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For me, a bushcraft knife is the knife that you always find on your hip when you are in the woods; It's light enough that you don't know it's there, stout enough to do whatever you need to do (whittle, clean game, etc . . .), small enough to not get in your way (while using OR carrying) and stout enough for you to be able to depend on it at all times.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Maybe my definition of bushcraft is off, please explain in your words, or if you have a link.

I will say that I have carried just my Bog Dog sometimes, and it is a great little knife for camping/hiking etc. I really like my HR, but the BD takes it as far as I am concerned.
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Sorry if I made you feel like your definition is off, I did not mean to offend. It is just not the same definition as mine. Many of the Busse family feel the same as you and want a very thick and stout knife for "survival." I think of things from more of a hunting standpoint and I prefer a thinner knife if it is under 6 inches.

Kraz is right this has been and will be debated forever but I think the origional Busse thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=493984 was looking for insight into a thinner under 5 inch knife not a chopper.

Strobengh-good definition. Works for me.
 
I think the RatManDu is a good step in the right direction for bushcraft, but I think it could be downsized and be even better. What we need is the MouseManDu:D
 
I love my Bog Dog and I would tend to agree that it has certain Bushcraft advantages in that it is VERY light-weight at about 5.5 ounces.

It falls right between the Ratmandu and HRLM in size.

The RMD is about twice the weight of the Bog Dog, but still an awesome knife. Similarly, the HRLM is noticeably heavier than the Bog Dog, but also still a great knife.

It is tough for me to choose a favorite from these three knives as I would rank these exact three blades as all being my top three favorite Swamp Rat knives of all time! :thumbup: :thumbup:

I do like the drop point on the Bog Dog a lot, but also like the full height grind, mudder grips and choil design as well.

The HRLM has a semi-drop point and awesome designed handle!! I would have a hard time suggesting many improvements on the HRLM, but one would be to improve the choil... that's about all I can think of and I can fix the choil.

The RMD is the largest of the three and is a sweet knife. I like everything about it. Personally, I also still prefer the drop point, but this clip design is nice.

Unfortunately, it appears Swamp Rat won't be using the Mudder grips any more...

I would love to see the following:

1) RMD exact handle with SJTAC shaped blade! - INCLUDING Full height convexed blade and HRLM style thumb ramp! - bring the choil and blade edge just a tad closer to the handle.
The M6 has a similar blade size to the SJTAC and a similar edge profile, but I feel the handle is too big and too heavy on the M6 and I prefer the blade shape of the SJTAC.

2) Bog Dog SR-101 blade (or D2 or both!) (full height grind with drop point) with HRLM handle and thumb ramp!!

Basically, 1 & 2 are two different sizes of the same knife! ;)

*** Oh, and SATIN versions of BOTH!!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :D


I am also looking forward to the Bandicoot LM, Baby Bandicoot LM, new Hunter.

I am very good with the handle proportions of the HRLM for the HRLM, but I hope these slightly smaller knives also have slightly more slender handles than the HRLM to keep proportions.

.
 
DWRW said:
I would love to see the following:

1) RMD exact handle with SJTAC shaped blade! - INCLUDING Full height convexed blade and HRLM style thumb ramp! - bring the choil and blade edge just a tad closer to the handle.
The M6 has a similar blade size to the SJTAC and a similar edge profile, but I feel the handle is too big and too heavy on the M6 and I prefer the blade shape of the SJTAC.

2) Bog Dog SR-101 blade (or D2 or both!) (full height grind with drop point) with HRLM handle and thumb ramp!!


.
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Witness!!! Witness, brother!! :thumbup::thumbup::D

I like it!
 
Messer, you didn't offend me at all. For the past few years, I have been fed by the big machine that is the knife industry what a survival knife should be. I have never been in a real bad survival situation. I have spent good amounts of time in the woods, camping etc. Never really familiar with bushcraft etc, I always tossed a knife in my truck, and away I went. I posted this same question on Jerzeedevil, and the answer I got was that the best knife may not be the best knife for someone else. I found out on here and on JD that bushcraft means different things. This is a great thread BTW.
 
DWRW said:
Glad you like the idea!:thumbup:

Now we just need to convince Bully and Boss Hog!!! :confused: :(

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I don't think Bully would need much arm twistin', and Boss Hog is already askin' about our idea of Bushcraft on the Busse forum. So I think we will probably see one in about............ 2 weeks. Well, I can dream can't I?
 
Paddler and Messer,

I finally took some time to put together my two Rat concepts. I will start a new thread in a few minutes.
 
make a camp tramp size knife .025 thick but with a spearpoint instead of a clippoint ... top false edge and definitely a bumpy resin handle like the Bog Dog !:thumbup:

Build it Bully!

rat.gif


:D
 
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