What do you think of the new Busse Sword?

darkaether said:
yeah I think I was at the end of a page when I posted and didn't notice there was another page. What did you think about the fuller? handle too small for balance or leverage? I'm thinking about asking Garth if he can doublecut or just beadblast mine, or just polishing the primary myself. I like little projects but that might end up being more than I feel like doing
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When I cut with a sword I cut with my back. I pull with my bottom arm and I guess you would say I push with my top. but it is a full body motion right down to my legs

I draw thru the target. It's not like swinging a bat or an axe .

The blade was to long for my taste and the handle ratio to short.

The handle is not hour glass shaped and even if you bead blasted it I do not think it would provide the kind of grip I wold be pleased with.

The blade had a lot of flex to it . Before anyone goes on about how it's supposed to I understand this, I have handled some very high performance blades but again the Busse Katana had just to much for my taste. I am sure that if the blade where not as long some of this would be reduced

As for over all balance.....because the length of blade to handle ratio the sword imho would change direction poorly. A lot of this is purely my opinion and others might have a different opinion.

I prefer a 26 to 28 inch blade with a 13 inch Tsuka

Again not knocking just my observations

I am a Busse fan, just not a fan of there swords they are more machete like......none that I have felt have that live blade feel that a quality sword has


I have no problem with non traditional Katana and in fact I believe the greatest performance blades out there to be non traditional in some cases . They just have to be done right.

In my opinion Busse should have found some modern practioners of swordsmanship to help design this blade not back yard hackers
 
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no labelling here.

That draw cut sounds mechanically similar to a right muay thai elbow. I always end up sore in my back when we do a lot of elbow work.
 
darkaether said:
no labelling here.
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darkaether said:
You guys talk about how useless a traditional sword is in the modern world, then bash modern designs that actually have some non-combat utility.
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I don't mean to quote anything out of context or question your own appraisal of those participating in this thread but maybe you could quantify and qualify "You guys" :)

I use traditional swords in the modern world and don't particularly find the need for the modern takes on them. Is that bashing? Do I qualify as one of the guys? Has this community at large been bashing Busse and modern designs at all? Or, have those responding expressed their own need not to give Busse money and point out there are alternatives (some of them modern designs).

Cheers

GC
 
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darkaether said:
no labelling here.

That draw cut sounds mechanically similar to a right muay thai elbow. I always end up sore in my back when we do a lot of elbow work.
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In my mind a draw cut would be the cut that would follow the act of unsheathing the sword and then going right into a cut with one seamless motion.

But I know what you mean in that you are drawing thru the target , actually pulling / slicing thru the target vs a chop or batting motion. I can see how a good elbow strike would focus your whole body :)

I do not understand the labeling comment ?
 
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I don't think anyone has actually "bashed" Busse products in this thread. If anything many of us have gone out of our way to specify in our posts that we AREN'T Busse bashing. Rather debating the assessments that some individuals have made regarding the supposed "superiority" of the products in question. "Superior" is a vague term unless quantified. And, as with any product line with a devoted fan base, the hype tends to get laid on a bit over-thick, even when the product is of high quality. It is best to call a spade a spade, and the highest quality spade in the world is not a Caterpillar excavator, if you catch my drift. That doesn't mean it's a bad tool. It just is what it is--nothing more nor less.
 
JParanee said:
I prefer a 26 to 28 inch blade with a 13 inch Tsuka

[snip]

I have no problem with non traditional Katana and in fact I believe the greatest performance blades out there to be non traditional in some cases . They just have to be done right.
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Any recommendations? I ordered one of the Busse katanas; but I'd also like one with the dimensions that you described!
 
will_1400 said:
Can't say I like those riveted grips in case the grip material breaks. This just smacks of "modernizing" and "fixing" what doesn't need to be fixed. I could be wrong, though.
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Just drill them out.
Plenty of folks rehandle their Busses and other flared tube fastened knives.:)
 
BlackKnight86 said:
Any recommendations? I ordered one of the Busse katanas; but I'd also like one with the dimensions that you described!
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BlackNight

Well over 20 years ago when I really got into Japanese swords a proper differentially heat treated Katana was big money.

I used to search around for Nihonto by going into NY and Baltimore to name a few cities looking for blades that were not to tired.

I found a few but alas it was hard to find a decent blade that would be suitable for actual cutting. At the time just getting them polished and remounted was a small fortune.

There where a handful of truly talented makers back then in this country but good swords cost big money.

Well the bad news is that great swords still cost big money but the good news is there are some decent blades that won't cost the price of a car :)

So to answer your question it really comes down to what you want to spend and if you want a traditionally mounted piece.

On the high end for US makers (and I'm a bit out of the loop) you can go to someone like Michael Bell and for around 20 Grand have a masterpiece.

Paul Champagne made a wicked performer and before he died was featured on I believe the discovery channel

Howard Clark can forge you one of his L 6 Bainite blades that I hear are tremendous performers, but again these can be expensive.

For all out high performance in a not traditional Katana IMHO you can not beat what the late great Phill Hartsfield made. Of any sword I have used none could cut on the same level.

But again even when he was alive his swords commanded close to 10 grand

MS Wally Hayes makes great non traditional and traditional blades and when I was out to dinner with him at blade said he just delivered a very nice piece to Axle Rose

There are many other guys in the US today producing high end swords that will make you what ever you want

. Times have certainly changed

In modest price stuff the Paul Chen stuff on the higher end pieces such as there L 6 Bainite blades perform well and at a down right deal for what you get the Raptor series designed by James Williams are very good performers

Hope this helps :)

Some pics

Paul Chen

ONI L 6 Bainite Katana

SH6018KLG.jpg


My favorite piece from the Raptor line a Shobu Zukuri Blade
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If I actually had to take a sword into battle I would take a Katana's from PH

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Paul Champagne

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Bell

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Thanks, Joe! Wow, those swords are beautiful!

I'd go for an L6 sword! I'm probably non-traditional; most of my long blades are full tang, slab side (LOL...think "tactical"; but not with the accompanying baggage!) I read somewhere that the more traditional handles absorb shock better; so I wouldn't be averse to a traditional...not too decorative, though...very simple, very military in flavor.

I'd also be fine with 5160...I've got an Apokatana, from Zombie Tools. Seems very nice; haven't had a chance to really put it through it's paces.
 
Blackknight

It's my pleasure

The Cheness SGC's that I have played with have been good Matt cutters and are very affordable. But i still think the Raptor series is a much nicer piece

One more set of pics :)

This sword is one of my favorites it was forged by Louis Mills and then Rick Barrett did an art polish and fittings

Swords033.jpg


Swords032.jpg


Swords035.jpg
 
i REALLY like that one... i have very little interest in traditional katanas but that one speaks to me
 
I would take one of those. And one of each of the things in the background :D

Do you have a full katana collection pic, by any chance? Just curious. Some day...
 
Thanks Beprepared

The steel on this sword is fantastic and I have a vial of the iron ore sand it came from :)

Swords031.jpg
 
crimsonfalcon07 said:
I would take one of those. And one of each of the things in the background :D

Do you have a full katana collection pic, by any chance? Just curious. Some day...
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Crimson I don't but I am tryingo catalog them for my kids

At last count I had about 18 live blades

This pic is as close as it gets

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Thanks for the kind words I love swords :)
 
Beautiful. I need to get one of those giant sword racks... Seems you have more than a few wakis also, unless my eyes deceive me? I've got what I should probably dub a "wakichete" ready for heat treat.
 
Crimson post it up I would love to see it :)

Here is a shot of the iron ore sand the Mills/Barrett piece was forged from

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I am in awe of your collection Joe! :eek:

Used to have a sword dealer come through San Antonio on occasion. Your right about those upper level Chen swords, not bad at all.

One of these days I do want to get my hands on a good one, right now the best I have is a Practical Plus :o Well at least it has real handle pins (mekugi?)
 
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