Why Busse over less expensive knives?

HERBIEDUKE

HERBIEDUKE

Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
1,108
Should I dare open Pandora's box. Sure what the hay!
What's the big hype over Busse's knives? Do I like them? Sure, there Ok, but nothing special to look at. A inflated price for what they are IMO. Is it an example if reputation, supply, and demand, and over pricing?
I'd go with a MMHW, or a few others for a lot less money IMO.
 
The world is full of suppliers of cheaper knives. There is only one best. Although you can get differences of opinion on what the best is, my opinion is Busse. I say that, having not handled or used many of the other great knives out there, but in reality, almost no one who will give you an opinion on this has used them all, so I go from my own experience.

If all you are interested in is price and how they look, then you are right, you don't need a Busse.

However, to someone who knows what they are looking at, a Busse is positively elegant. I look at knives through an engineer's eyes, and I look for elegant, bullet proof design. When I hold in my hand a well-balanced coming together of the best materials, design, heat treat, and ergonomics, it is beautiful. That is why I have more of them than I can possibly use in a lifetime, and not a one of them was overpriced, considering that I was willing to exchange the asking price for them. To you they are probably grossly overpriced. To each his own. I think that high end athletic shoes, high end watches, and profesional sports events are grossly overpriced, but a lot of people happily pay the price for these. I am willing to bet that it would not take long for me to find something that you have an affinity for that I would consider ridiculous.
 
I don't own a Busse, but I'd say to reserve judgment until you use one. The great thing is that in Knifedom there is a mix of custom makers, semi-custom and production giving you a variety of infinite possibilities. You can fill in anyone's name in this thread other than Busse and the question remains the same. When it boils down to it, a knife is a piece of steel and some other material. The maker transforms it into something useful, then chooses to sell it for XYZ amount. Some people pay that amount and are happy, other people say "What's the big deal?" Busse has a great following and it sounds like it's for the right reason. Enjoy!
 
HERBIEDUKE, welcome to the forums.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion(s).

Upon what factors do you base your opinions?

Do you or have you ever owned one? Used one?

Done a side-by-side test with other brands?

Found a company that will go into head-to-head testing in public?

Can you point us to a knife that will do what a Busse will, time after time after time?

Why do you feel that the price is inflated? Are you aware of the unit cost to make each one as well as the markup?

I am just curious, again, upon what factors you base your statements.

Have you gone out and wailed on trees, dug roots, chopped firewood, gutted deer, and seen the edge retention?

Have you used one to pry open car doors and elevator doors at Ground Zero? Used one to pop doors off their jams when raiding a drug house?

Have you used one to pry open crates and boxes repeatedly without failure, having watched other "high end" brands snap?

Please let us know these things so that we don't wrongly jump to a conclusion that your post is anything other that what it appears, especially since you posted the exactly same worded question here. Interesting.

We will await your answers.
 
It looks like Mike and Mike have said all I would have and done it with a lot more tact. There may be other brands that look prettier and seem much more collectible, but the love is really in the using. If you have not used one, then you can't fathom it IMO. I felt like that before I made the plunge. One field run with my SH-E blew my mind. If you haven't used one, you might find you opinion changing after you did use one.
 
Herbie,
Welcome to the Busse forum, I'm glad that you stopped by. I'm assuming that you honestly wanted an answer for this and you didn't just post it to get a flame war started, and because of this I'll honestly answer (ps if you are trying to get a flame war started you really don't understand Busse Combat or its customers because we don't act that way on this forum)

Here is a link to a thread I started on the Busse Combat forum several years ago, everything I stated there still stands. http://www.bussecombat.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000449#000000

Along with that I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have regarding Busse Combat Knives, I do have a few and I see that you are also located in KY. If you'd like to see some personally drop me a line at e.isaacson@insightbb.com and I'll be happy to meet with you sometime if you are in my area.

You might also want to read this thread on the Busse forum to understand why we appreciate the testing and performance of Busse combat vs anything else.
http://www.bussecombat.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001782

I hope that helps you understand why I spend my money on Busse Knives, and why I don't feel that they are at all "overpriced"

:D:D
 
Welcome HerbieDuke. I understand why you would ask the question. There are a lot of knives out there that will work and should handle the tasks you can think of just fine. I bought a Busse, then another, then another because I trust them to handle the tasks that I could never think of; indeed those tasks which one would never hope to have to ask of any knife if needed to save my a$$.

In my opinion if you feel you get all the cutting ability/utility out of a cheaper knife and you are not worried about a knife that could break then get cheap knives. If you don't use them much that is fine. My parents were in their 60's still using cheap grocery store cutlery until us kids intervened. They thought they were getting all the performance they needed...until their eyes were opened with by full block of Henkels. (perhaps not the best but the example holds).

I would ask why don't you believe you deserve such nice things? Would you ever want a Porsche or a Hummer? A Rolex or an Omega? A nice home on acreage with a view? Use your imagination. You have to pay for these things because they have value beyond their lowest and most utilitarian function.

To me, Busse provided everthing I was looking for when I was looking and then exceeded my expectations. I looked all over and not only did Busse sound the toughest from my research, but I found the most knowledgable and helpful people in this forum. If all these people who know so much about steel have somehow ended up collected in this small community, that is a pretty solid vote of confidence for me. Nobody stands behind their knives like Busse which is a sign of confidence in their product. I also thought they had the best designs. If you don't think much of the designs wait for one from Busse you like...new stuff all the time. Or look to another high end knife maker that has designs you like. But KNOW about the steel they are using and how they are heat treating it and how these things and the grind of the knife fit with your intended use. Do your homework and you will be getting a great knife ...one you can bet your life on :cool:
 
Why Busse over less expensive knives? I'll dredge up a response I made to a similar thread back in 2003:

There are lots of reasons. On the demand side of the equation:

Some people think it is realistic that a knife's reliability when used hard in extenuating circumstances may be a matter of life and death for them, some day. Some of these people think that Busse knives are the most reliable that they are aware of and have been able to find. And some of these people are willing to pay a premium for the most reliable knives, to have the best "life insurance" available. (I happen to be one of these people.)

Some people place a high value on an unconditional, transferable, lifetime warranty. Besides the obvious fact that it means you get replacements or repairs of damaged goods, it also can show that the maker trusts the product's ability to withstand as broad of a scope of use as the purchaser may choose to perform--trusts this enough to put his money where his mouth is. It can also show that the maker trusts the purchaser, and is willing to be honest in his dealings. (I happen to be one of these people, too.)

Some people consider it important to have a personal relationship with a maker who is trustworthy and accountable--someone who will personally discuss options with you and guide you through the process of getting what is right for you, someone who will call you up to make sure that the product meets your satisfaction, someone who will personally expedite making things right when issues arise--and someone whose product you can utterly trust because you trust him personally, because he's earned your friendship as well as your business. (I happen to be one of these people, as well.)

Some uncompromising people simply like to have the best, and are willing to pay a high premium for the privelege. Those who demand the best and think Busses are the best don't balk at the prices Busses fetch. (In some areas, this describes me, too.)

Some people enjoy collecting beautiful, rare--or even unique--collectibles, and are willing to pay for the privelege. For many, Busse knives are a satisfying area for collecting.

Some people like investing in a commodity which, historically, has held its value well, or even increased over time. Busse knives are such a commodity.

The Busse Combat Knives Team has the business know-how to drum up demand, even at moderately steep prices. (They're actually not that expensive, in comparison to their closest functional competitiors.) And, generally speaking, the cost is what the market will bear.

I'm sure there are plenty of other demand-side reasons, too, but I'm getting too tired to think about it.

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On the supply side of the price equation:

Designing and creating your own steel from scratch--the steel with the best combination of hardness, toughness, and strength on the market (for its intended use)--is a lengthy and expensive undertaking. It is reasonable to demand compensation for this.

Researching and performing the most extensive heat treatment and cryogenic treatment on the market isn't cheap, either.

Making every knife by hand in a shop (as opposed to entirely by machines, in a factory) costs, too.

Testing every knife is another significant expense.

Offering various associated services, such as free resharpenings, also adds to the purchase price.

And, yup, he probably makes a tidy profit. I don't begrudge him this; I hope he does. He's continually pushed the limits, innovated, in material design, blade design, functionality, textures, aesthetics, etc. He's made sure to stay personally accessible to his customers. He's donated huge numbers of blades to soldiers, and been a generous supporter of good causes. He's put in the time, effort, and money to make uncompromisingly the best product he can make, and the best product I can get. He deserves his fair share.

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Does all this mean that his knives are worth the price? Value is an individual thing, and I won't presume to make that determination for you. I'll just say that they're worth it to me.

--Mike
 
It took me about a year before I broke down to spend $300.00 on a Steel Heart Ergo. After beating the crap out of it for a month or so, I realized this is the toughest blade I have ever used. Before I bought the SH-E, I ruined 3 different, well known brands of blades (two on a single piece of osage orange wood that I was making a self bow from and one from chopping a 1 inch dia. oak branch. These were supposed to be tough, "survival/military" worthy blades but cheaper ($80-$100) priced, and two of them warped and one very, very, very well known brand broke on the oak branch within 5 minutes of my first use out of the box :eek: no kidding, I think it was like the third or fourth chop :mad: . Needless to say I finally bought my first Busse SH-E back in 2002 and have never looked back. No other blades have ever come close to the performance I got out of my Busses'. It was the best $300.00 I ever spent. Now my personal favorites are the AD, SH-E and BM-E :D and I'm waiting patiently for my HOFSH :D and oh yeah the FOLDER :confused: .
 
I don't know why your post reminds of what i over heard in a gun store one day.

This fellow buys the most expensive and finest 45 cal.that money could buy and tells the clerk he wants the best for self protection.

More talk and he says my wife wants a gun also!! Whats a good cheap gun i can get her.

I guess he valued his life and not hers.

"Tried the rest buy the best" ;) Busse Combat
 
You know why i bought my busse? Because after reading the differnt fourms and seeing what kind of person buys a busse,and they are happy with them,And welling to give you the info you need,and not judging you as a newbie that should not be heard! And as the saying goes,You Get What You Pay For! Take a look at some of the stider knives,I think some are cool looking,and way over priced,but they have there followings too! Do this,take a cold steel and a busse to a pawn shop,Tell me what one your going to get more money for? You will also see that no person on this fourm has "attack" you for your comments,Need i say more!
 
many if not most here on bf are searching for the perfect edc. i found mine in a busse public defender. i thought the price was fair when i bought it but when i got it i knew this was the knife i have been looking for since i started this never ending hunt. i would pay more than twice the amount for the pd now knowing that it is the best edc i could ever find. not that i didn't buy a meaner street just to be sure ;)

so i guess price means little for something you truly want
 
As someone at Bell Helmets once said...

"...if you have a $10 head, get a $10 helmet."

So if you have a $75 life, get a $75 knife :p
 
Because there are no other knives that have ever performed better than Busses in performance and/or destructive testing.
 
I think that this several year old post by Andrew sums it up pretty good.





Andrew Lynch
Atomic
Member # 21

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posted February 22, 2002 04:59 PM Greatly durable and high-performance designs.

INFI steel.

Best warranty in the business.

Great customer service.

It's also nice to know that there is someone with a huge amount of integrity, generosity, and honesty at the helm. Thanks for making knives Jerry, I don't know what we'd do without you
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. Posts: 1020 | From: Between two small Kentucky towns. | Registered: Jun 2001
 
They are better knives. Simple enough.


(Not knocking MMHW, by the way. Frizzell makes good cutlery, lotta bang for the buck...I got a couple. Good old fashioned carbon steel, done right, is nothing to sneer at...but infi is better & Busse is better. If youcan't afford Busse or you are looking for a design Busse doesn't offer, you could do lots worse.)
 
HD

Go with the MMHW if that's what suits you. They make some really cool blades and Ted is a no nonsense kind of guy. I know several INFIholics that also own MMHW.

What cracks me up is guys all over the forums (here too), talk about how, 'I own such and such custom or high end production, but carry xxx low end whatever.

The best knife (or whatever) in the world is what you have on you when you need it, not sitting in a safe at home. I carry the best I can afford, cause when I need it RIGHT NOW!, what's sitting in the safe is of no value to me.

You set your own values.

Rob
 
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