thanks flux and now.... i'm REALLY bloody confused hehe.... your nmsfno is longer than the tglb... westfork's sfno [non-nm] is actually slightly shorter... i don't understand why a nuclear meltdown finish would make the sfno longer, in both blade and handle lengths.... something important to keep in mind when i'll be shopping for a sfno , whether finished as nm or noot... apparently there are different sized sfno's produced, just like bm's....
also, your tglb's spine edge actually looks much more crisper/sharper than westfork's tg.... almost edgy enough to use with a firesteel with very little 'keening' required if any.... since your sf natural outlaw is finished in nm, its spine is of course rounded off along with any other edges so very 2 different comparisons of nearly the same knife models hehe... but that's why it's so helpful to read threads like this, with semi-custom blades one doesn't always get the same specs/features on any particular model i suppose....
i'm wondering what the edge of spine will be like on my tglb in cf... it's not a huge deal, even if it's rounded off/dull as i can always ask someone good on sander/grinder to edge up a small section of its spine for me so it'll throw strong, molten sparks out of my oversized misch firesteel....
hehe, everytime i type 'my big [fire] rod', etc. i feel uncomfortable suddenly.... i bought a couple of 5" long fire rods with 3/8" diameter and a drilled hole from ksf and i dig their extra length/diameter size but it sounds weird typing it up... actually they have even larger - 5" x 1/2" - rods but those won't fit into even the largest standard firesteel loops on most sheaths so i went with the next to lrgest size....
aye, i've been watching the reviews on the bm variations, bwm and the basic series... most of those who test these big blades out seem to feel that the basic series of blades outpeform the full-infi, full tang mistresses.... also, i recently found a thread by l2lku2 here, who did an excellent comparison series of short yt clips early this year, chopping the same piece of a thick branch with various 'choppers' and he also prefers his basic c-res blades for chopping.... arrrrrrggghh, the choices...... but i gotta say, it was an original, straight handled bm with a slight clip point [i think that the clip point on that paricular bm was more pronounced and bowie-like than the 'regular' models] i've seen a few years back, which was the very first busse blade i've seen and it still remains to me as one of the perfect big blade designs and just seems plain badass to me and my aesthetic sense.... i still would love to have that old school' bm in my possession and the fusion handle just doesn't do it for me, purely in aesthetic factor, despite it likely being a superior handle design for real chopping.... if i'll get a basic 11/10, i'll still be pining for a bm or bwm... if i'll get the latter, i'll feel like i'm missing a better performing chopper.... someone stab me in my head....but only with a bm....
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For starters, the TG LBS does have the rounded spine and other corners; however, it is is not completely rounded off like Westfork's gorgeous satin TG that I am drooling over, or the NMSFNO. With a CF finish, you COULD potentially use the spine to strike a fire starter. That being said, I think you can definitely use the choil area, or like others have said, use a dedicated striker -- that's what I do. If you were to somehow lose the dedicated starter, which may be a reason why you don't want to use one, you could always use the edge in a pinch. I'll post some pics of the difference between the TG & NMSFNO at an angle so you can see the differences that I had a hard time explaining at 6 AM.
The SFNO is about an inch shorter than the NMSFNO. I can see why it is confusing. The SFNO was an earlier model based on the original NOs. The NM treatment wasn't an option at the time of purchase for the SFNO. The NMSFNO is a completely different model, based on the SFNO that was released at a later date. When Busse introduces a variation of a model, often times the blade will have different dimensions, handles or other features, yet still be based on the design of the other variations. This is the case with the NMSFNO/SFNO, NMFBM/FBM, and many others.
As far as the BMs go, I would say that I am in the minority here. The pros of Res-C for me are the comfort & size of the handle and the overall weight of the blade. I have pretty small hands compared to a lot of HOGS I know, so the Fusion and BWM grips were too big for me, which made it impossible for me to grip it right. This led to a lot of blisters, as you can imagine. Also, my primary need for my blades is for taking them into the woods far from home, sometimes carrying them long distances. An NMFBM/FBM did not fit into that equation. Carrying a B-11, which gets the job done very well is a lot more feasible than carrying an NMFBM that will get the job done quicker. I would take the slower chopper that carries and feels well over the faster one that weighs me down and leaves me with bloody blisters any day.
MANY people absolutely love the BMs and wouldn't trade them for anything. Also, I think what you heard elsewhere about the Basics being better choppers might have been misinterpreted. An NMFBM, CG FBM, SHBM, and even probably the BWM will get the job done faster than the Basic-11. To me and some other hogs, speed isn't what makes the B-11 & others better, it is the comfort and usability.
It really comes down to you and what you like and are comfortable with. I would say wait for the NMSHBM, especially since it was the SHBM that drew you in. The blade that drew me into Scrap Yard and inevitably Busse was the DF LE. I think that I would still keep mine even if I hated it now. If you can't wait, get an NMFBM, FBM, or BWM. If you don't like your choice, I am sure another HOG would gladly take it off your hands so that you can try a B-11/other res-c chopper or another BM with a different handle.
It's early and I haven't had my coffee yet, so please let me know if I missed anything or if I just typed a bunch of gibberish.
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