Users vs non-users

[on_the_edge]

I have always been a user guy, really never content to have something just to look at. Not that there is anything wrong with just looking at something, but it is just not me. To that end, one of the best things I find about having a Busse knife--or a Swamp Rat knife for that matter--is the great feeling of being able to use them and see/feel them in action. And by use, I do not mean abuse, but simply what I would consider to be normal knife use, like cutting, chopping, battoning, etc. As I think about it, I in fact do not have a single Busse or Swamp Rat knife that is not a user. They scream to be used, and the Busse crew have always hung their hats on the fact that their knives can probably be used harder than most other knives and yet remain intact.

Yet, it seems that a lot of folks looking to buy a Busse are looking for unused knives. Why is that? Is it that they never intend to use them or is it that they worry something is wrong with a user? I myself prefer users, usually because they come at a lower cost without sacrificing anything that makes them...well, Busse and Swamp Rat knives. I don't care that someone has chopped through a branch or 300 with their knife. After all, the warranty does go with the knife for life.

So, long-winded as I am today, I am curious what percentage of your Busse knife family group knives is comprised of users vs non-user safe queens. All of mine are users, no exceptions. I am also curious what you prefer to buy (new or used) and what your personal reasons are for that choice.

 

[tinfoil hat timmy]

100% users. I modify a good portion of my blades also. I also prefer to sharpen my blades pretty quickly.

As far as new vs. User, it dies t really matter to me much. As long as the price reflects condition.

YMMV

 

[The Jer]

i got a few super nice unique damascus CRK's that i just look at. i couple others that i use though.

 

[ExtraBaconPlease]

All mine are users

I don't mind buying new or used, as long as the price is right and there is nothing wrong with the edge. Getting a factory edge is always nice because who knows how the other person(s) sharpened the blade and how skilled they are at doing so

 

[zmbhntr]

I have had a few safe queen Busse's along the way of my collecting, but at this point I'm pretty much at 100% users.

 

[Andy the Aussie]

I have far more safe queens than I do users, mostly because I could not use all the blades in own in a couple of life times. I WILL NOT however but a knife that I WOULD NOT use either. That is something so unique or pretty that use would diminish it nor do I want to fugg something over just because I can. So I have a whole bunch of great blades that I just have not gotten around to using, and that's OK as simply I LIKE KNIVES...

 

[nemesis]

My busses are users. All of them. If I can find a user that is in good shape for fair price that's what I prefer to buy.

 

[Adian]

I ran into this selling my Mojo. Had a few scratches on the satin from the Kydex sheath and it had never been used hard. So he offered $700 and change because there were a few scratches. I declined the offer.

I don't own any Busse's that I won't or don't intend to use. I think if you want a collection piece you are better off going straight through Busse or one of those auction site guys.

A knife is meant to be used and, to me, there is beauty in using a tool for the purpose in which it was constructed (yes I'm feeling philosophical today), a Busse even more so with the warranty that it comes with.

 

[duramax]

I have far more safe queens than I do users, mostly because I could not use all the blades in own in a couple of life times. I WILL NOT however but a knife that I WOULD NOT use either. That is something so unique or pretty that use would diminish it nor do I want to fugg something over just because I can. So I have a whole bunch of great blades that I just have not gotten around to using, and that's OK as simply I LIKE KNIVES...

I couldn't have said it better, guess I'm in same boat. With the exception to the fact that your treasure chest of knives is much larger. I probably have more of a suitcase lol. But here's to liking knives, cheers !!!!

 

[Ccc]

I like buying knives for the ideas of adventure I get when I have them. Kind of like how I buy my books for the idea of setting aside the time to actually read them all, ha. So, I definitely use all of my knives, if only because I buy them for the idea of using them. I have lost money on sales because I have used a knife once, decided it wasn't for me, and then only saw it as an embodiment of money that could be used to buy other knives.

If I don't use a knife, I sell it and buy other adventuring gear that I do use. I also sell off knives that I don't get the same enjoyment from anymore. I expect to take a financial beating when the mystery grab-bags come around because I can't trust myself to not beat on anything first and then deciding whether or not I like the design.

 

[CHEMMINS]

I have enough that I haven't gotten around to using all of them. At least not for the reason purchased. However I should thin the herd to one's that I will use more often. A waste for a blade to sit there and be bored.

 

[dogboye]

All of mine are users. They simply may not have been used yet.

I personally think it is sad to have a piece of equipment that does not get used. I ran across a Colt Python in a local gun shop a couple of days ago. Polished stainless, .357. Asking price was $5,500, because it had never been shot. So, someone bought one of the finest revolvers ever made, and kept it for about forty years and never fired it even once! Why?! I don't care if you did get a over 1000% ROI, how could you NOT fire it for that long?

Anyway, you won't find any non-used equipment in my home. I fire it once just to say I did. And I'll chop SOMETHING, just to say and edge has been used. If I want to buy something to keep and not use, I'll buy a painting.

 

[Mumbojumboo]

Too many. Can't use them all.

 

[Ladams19]

I have far more safe queens than I do users, mostly because I could not use all the blades in own in a couple of life times. I WILL NOT however but a knife that I WOULD NOT use either. That is something so unique or pretty that use would diminish it nor do I want to fugg something over just because I can. So I have a whole bunch of great blades that I just have not gotten around to using, and that's OK as simply I LIKE KNIVES...

I'm with you there. I keep my core knives I use all the time, the rest I pull them out of storage and fondle them on occasion. Just today I had to pull them out and do an "inspection" of the blades. I wrap the queens in the paper that they were shipped in, layer some paper in there and stack another on top. I make a nice thick bed between blades and stack them handle to blade as they get one on top of the other. Never letting steel touch steel, ever. 1" of paper or more between them and some in bubble wrap and then paper. I label the box on the outside whats in it so if I am looking for a specific blade it is easy to find. I tested this method by putting some older lesser name knives in the boxes and wrapped exactly the same. I then threw the box across the room and let it bounce around a bit. I then opened the boxes and looked for any marks, dings, etc. Nothing, safe as a babe in Mommas arms. My users I keep handy with pants ready to go when needed. The idea is I bought doubles of several of the knives. I want this to be passed on to my kids when they get older. Hopefully in 10 to 15 years I will be handing them a brand new and unused blade. Well, except saliva and finger prints from drooling over them on occasion lol.

 

[kingofdiamonds]

I came in on the evenly split here...
All of my Busse's have been carried, but only half of them used... One of them used REALLY hard too... and she still looks like new.
I love that INFI steel.

 

[China_Cat_Sunflower]

Since i have around 50 busse/kin, i keep most in pristine condition in case i ever need to liquidate them. But the ~10 busse users that i have are my favorites of the bunch specifically because they are used

 

[360joules]

I've had some some remarkable safe queens in the past. When I do, they just nag at me from the shelf. I can't explain it, but it just grows like a pit in my stomach. Maybe it's feeling that its wasted money or something. I end up selling those pretty quickly.

I get the same feeling when I have multiple knives that fill the same role. I end up making a tough choice and selling one of them off. I've sold many that I regret.

 

[zombieassassin]

I use every Busse Kin I own. When and if they make a trip to the safe....they normally are referred to by my guns as the Safe "Kings".....no Queens here.

 

[FloridaBlade]

I have far more safe queens than I do users, mostly because I could not use all the blades in own in a couple of life times. I WILL NOT however but a knife that I WOULD NOT use either. That is something so unique or pretty that use would diminish it nor do I want to fugg something over just because I can. So I have a whole bunch of great blades that I just have not gotten around to using, and that's OK as simply I LIKE KNIVES...

Nothing wrong with this.
Plus, as we have determined, if someone happens to damage an older, out-of-production classic blade, the warranty will not really replace it. Warranty will back you up with credit for another knife, but your classic is gone forever. So it's perfectly understandable if some folk choose to keep some blades aside as non-users and another pile for use.

 

[on_the_edge]

Nothing wrong with this.
Plus, as we have determined, if someone happens to damage an older, out-of-production classic blade, the warranty will not really replace it. Warranty will back you up with credit for another knife, but your classic is gone forever. So it's perfectly understandable if some folk choose to keep some blades aside as non-users and another pile for use.

Certainly nothing wrong with hedging your bets. If you think about how many knives Busse has sold over the years and then look for instances of failure, the percentage that have failed is astronomically low, and usually due to some extremely poor choices on the part of the user. I think it more likely that a knife is stolen or somehow lost. But as far as I know, the warranty won't cover those events, in which case use vs non-use is not an issue. Still, when knife A goes missing, at least you have knife B immediately available if you want/need it.