Cliff:
Simonichs specs are thicker than on both BMs I have handled, and the edges more obtuse as were the primary grinds. You have also listed no edge specifics specifics for the other makers, and those that I have read were in fact in the same class as Busse Combat in the makers own words (Rinaldi for example has described the edge on his large knives as similar to the BM). I would bet specifically that most of them grind far thicker and more obtuse than the specifics you listed as your preference. Hossom specifically has stated he would never even consider grinding a tactical knife that thin (actually even thicker). By your reasoning in the above you can apply all the labels you attached to Busse to them, and the same to their users
I forgot to respond to this paragraph.
First, I think you are in error in your assumption that other makers are using thicker edges. I know that Rinaldi sues thinner edges on the Armageddon than Busse uses on the Battle Mistress, as I have owened and used them both. I don't own any Simonich knives.
The only people that I know off the top of my head that have knives in the same size class (the 9" class) by Busse (Battle Mistress), Rinaldi (Armageddon) and Simonich (Nordooh) are Ron Hood (Doc Ron) and Thayne Young (Tknife or Tyoung). Perhaps they can tell us who is running their edges the thinnest, as well as giving some indication of the primary grind.
Regardless, I am not only talking about the Battle Mistress, when I talk about the Busse line, I am talking about the whole line of knives. IN fact, much of this debate was started by people who were not satisfied with the edges on their Badger Attack III. The Rinaldi TTKK is in this exact size range, as are many others. I have a fairly small collection, but I do own at least a dozen knives in the 4.5-5.5" size range, including knives by Rinaldi, Allen Blade, John Greco, Marbles, Benchmade, Chris Reeve, Newt Livesay and several custom mkaers like Eric Chang. I can say, without hesitation, that the NIB cutting performance of the Busse Badger was FAR below that of other knives, particularly the Rinaldi, which I compared it to directly.
You would not expect a 4.5" knife to need a thick edge, after all a 3/16" thick knife with a 4.5" long blade is not going to be a dedicated chopper, nor is it likey to be used for prying.
Given the range of tasks that a 4.5" blade usually gets used for, I certainly would not rate the BAIII as "the undisputed leader in extreme performance knives."
Now after the BAIII was completely regound to give it a full convex grind from spine to edge, and the sloppy tang to scale fit was ground flush, things took a different turn all together. After being reground it is now in the same realm of performance as the TTKK and any other 4.5" blade, and for carving hardwood, it rocks.
THe unhappieness with Busse is not that they build a poor knife, just the opposite. Their knives have the potential to be great. IF you had left you Battle Mistress with NIB edge geometery, I am willing to bet that you would not be very pleased with its overall performance. A knife with a 1/4" inch thick, 10" long blade and a thick edge just has a very limited range of taks that it is going to be good at.
I think for example Ed Fowler could also claim to have the highest extreme performing knives without it being hype (in the misinformation sense) as he does very specific testing and defines what he means by performance very specifically and I have yet to see someone match the performance he describes.
Yes, although I have never used a Fowler, those who have are always impressed by its performance (which is cutting ability) and it still has a high level of durability.
There is no answer to that question except from the individual user. But as long as the maker is clear on what they are using to judge performance, there is no misinformation - but lots of area to debate the issue.
Exactly, so when a maker claims to be "the undisputed leader in extreme perfromance knives", it is hype.
Yes, if you read through thousands of posts, you may find Jerry Busse's definition of "extreme performance", but it was not until these line of threads that it was brought out. I read this from Jerry for the first time in this line of threads and no where else.
Extreme performance in a knife implies the ability to cut (which is what a knife is supposed to do) at a high level of performance. Since Busse knives are readiliy outperformed in many area of performance (outsliced by an opniel or out pushcut by a mora for example, not even getting into the knices in the same price range), it places dispute on their claims of being the leader in performance. Therefore, Busse's claim of being "the undisputed leader in extreme performance" is hype.
If Busse was to qualify that claim by writing "We are the undisputed leaders in knives intended for prying (which I think the MD safety bar or the tac-tool could lay a better claim to), or for thick edged knives that won't get damged easily, and can cut more rope than anyone else" well, that may not be as hyped.
But to simply advertise themselves as "the undisputed leader in extreme performance knives" is misleading (and thus hype) because the average person reading about extreme performance in a knife would think that knife performance means cutting and slicing, not prying.
