What am I missing?

Everyone, thanks for all your input.

I am sure I will find a Busse that I really like.

All it takes is, buying and trying, right!
 
I'm looking forward to the mods people do on the SAR4. I think we'll see some bobbed handles and some wicked Banned blades. You can always grind down a thick blade, but you can't add metal to a skinny model. I see the SAR4 as sort of a nuclear melt version of the Badger Attack and it's been slotted in the middle between the 0.186" and the 0.270 Badgers. A good place to be for a Search and Rescue knife. Rescue work implies some stout use. Ever notice how big a fireman's axe is ? It ain't no hatchet. A lot of people didn't like the TAC handle design on the Badgers and Satin Jack TACs. The long, sleek, handle on the SAR4 is similar to the Spyderco Military folder, very long compared to the blade length. That long handle has a way of shrinking on you after a week of carry though. Pretty soon your other knives' handles start to seem a bit crowded, esp if you're wearing gloves. Bottom line though, the SAR4 is a heavy duty use knife. It's like the Rat Cutlery 5, built like a tank compared to the RC-4.
 
MustardMan said:
GREEN LINEN Skinny SARS???? :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:


I'm in the skinny camp as well - I like any blade under 8 inches or so to be anorexic. Some of those ridiculously thick Active Duty models are just plain confusing.
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Green linen? Skinny SARS? I would expect those to pan out just like the folderdid. :grumpy: In time, they will achieve the notoriety of things like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Elvis sightings (well, maybe not Elvis sightings...:p)

And I know Jerry would agree with me on this point--the more scotch you drink, the more likely you'll see something like the ever-elusive folder.
 
mthiker,

In my mind, you are exactly right. Busse's with under 6-7 inch blades are handle-heavy because of the full tang, and don't have that "lively" feel that a tapered or reduced tang knife has. The theory is that the full tang adds strength, and I once believed it. But if you visit KnifeTests.com and review the destruction tests of many models with reduced tangs (including the Busse Basic 9), you'll see that the blade will fail in most cases before a reduced tang will fail, and in the case of a good, strong reduced tang such as on the Basic line, the blade will take a set or break before the tang even begins to bend.

In the testing shown on that website, the Res-C handles on both the Scrap Yard Scrapper 6 and the Busse Basic 9 functionally outlasted the handle slabs on the Busse FFBM model, because the hollow rivets used to mount the G-10 slabs failed fairly early in testing of the FFBM on wood, albeit under a 3 lb. steel hammer which did set up a tremendous amount of vibration. But the Basic 9 rubber handle was intact and actually still very comfortable even after the blade broke under heavy lateral hammer blows.

To me this suggests that the full tangs on Busse knives, especially models with blades shorter than 8", represent superfluous carry weight. Plus, a reduced tang offers the option of choosing more ergonomically comfortable handle materials, such as Res-C, which is grippier and less fatiguing than micarta/G10 slabs during prolonged use.

For these reasons, I wish Busse would make a line of INFI knives with Resiprene-C handles and reduced tangs.

Thank you for your post,
Will
 
mthiker said:
Everyone, thanks for all your input.

I am sure I will find a Busse that I really like.

All it takes is, buying and trying, right!
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you can always throw it up for trade, that is how I aquired mine to begin with. If you are looking for a 5 inch blade might I suggest a BATAC, I am sure you could work a descent trade for the SAR for a BATAC or BATAC LE. I have both, I like both but see what you are saying about the SAR, there is an aweful lot of handle there. Good luck and welcome
here is a pic of my BATAC, unfortunately I don't have a pic of it side by side with the SAR for comparison
P1010114.jpg
 
WILL YORK said:
To me this suggests that the full tangs on Busse knives, especially models with blades shorter than 8", represent superfluous carry weight. Plus, a reduced tang offers the option of choosing more ergonomically comfortable handle materials, such as Res-C, which is grippier and less fatiguing than micarta/G10 slabs during prolonged use.

For these reasons, I wish Busse would make a line of INFI knives with Resiprene-C handles and reduced tangs.
Click to expand...

All good points - another alternative I wouldn't mind seeing is skeletonized tangs, even if it's just a couple holes to cut out some weight. I've thought about pulling the slabs off one of my shorter full tang knives and doing it myself to see how much I can change the balance.
 
MustardMan said:
All good points - another alternative I wouldn't mind seeing is skeletonized tangs, even if it's just a couple holes to cut out some weight. I've thought about pulling the slabs off one of my shorter full tang knives and doing it myself to see how much I can change the balance.
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Nice idea. Another way to go would be a tapered tang.
 
I've held off on the SAR4 so far because it reminds me of the BATAC. I got one once, and it was too much handle or not enough blade. Either way, I didn't care for it and sold it. The TAC handle in general is not my favorite. The beauty of a Busse is in the eye of the beholder, get an INFI chopper and compare it to your other blades' performances and you'll probably be amazed. I know I was. The SFNOs and the FBMs are the best IMO.
 
i don't think busse will be getting into the resiprene-c market or tapered tangs any time soon. and heres why -

if you can damage or break any part of the knife by hand, it isn't strong enough.





there are ways around a handle heavy blade, mostly reconfiguring the handle size and blade ratio, but reducing the tang or putting a handle material that is easily cut and damaged (squirrels or dogs can destroy them, something they can't do with micarta) simply isn't in the idea, the very drive of what makes busse combat busse combat. I feel there is a good deal of wasted material in the handle area, but I don't want busse combat to use reciprene-c. I'd rather see scrap yard get pieces of infi here and there and put out custom models - busse combat is about being unbreakable by hand, and at best a balance can be struck between the perfect user for a given task and nearly the indestructible. I don't think that can include rubber handles or skeletonized tangs.
 
Well, each person is different.

For instance, to me, a handle heavy knife is "lively", others see it the opposite. A handle heavy knife will be easier to use for prolonged periods, such as skinning, carving, etc. Also it makes for a more nimble fighting/killing blade. Like the Hellrazor, it jumps in hand and feels like it wants to go kill something. Before anyone might wet their panties, think "feral hog hunting".

But each person has to find what works for them. You may hate what I love, or we may have the same tastes. I have to admit, most of the designs just don't "do it" for me.

If you have an idea of what you like, check out http://www.hogcult.com/chart for something close to the specs you're thinking of and check out how it looks. Then post a WTB, or hang out in the WTS area to see if you can snag one.
 
More good information. Thanks

silverbullets,

I like the picture of the BATAC, great looking knife!
 
I initially passed on the SAR 4. I knew it would be a lot of handle and I missed the choil. But when I saw the orange and black I bought it and it is a great knife. Perfect for its intended mission and sharp to boot. I am finding that the long handle and thumb grooves allow me to choke up on the grip and get control similar to using the choil. I think you'll get lots of power and accuracy with this knife. And isn't orange an appropriate color for a search and rescue blade?
 
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