Yarborough vs Busse

I read the Tactical Knives article and determined the GB Knife is really just a disquised CRK Project knife, with a new handle. Nothing new here!

In fact, the GB knife is missing many of the attributes a military knife should have such as a drop-point tip. The knife is really just a spearhead design with a Micarta handle.

Interesting, but hardly a Special Forces superstar knife!!

Just one members opinion.

Regards,

JB
 
There appears to be new consensus that the Y-Knife is essentially a fitting evolution of an existing CR design (Shadow) with - to my knowledge - an excellent steel being used which both Reeve and Harsey feel to be superb for this catagory of blade.

In addition, there wasn't any "100 Knives will test today, but only 1 wins the Green Beret" competition with this interesting but baseless story the likely result of poor facting finding.

The key here is to zero in on the Y-Knife having been a project to honor GEN Yarborough of Special Forces fame. The knife is available to both members of Special Forces in one format, and to the civilian market in another. Both designers/makers are well known in their field, and well respected. The knife, as are many custom / production specialty blades, is expensive. However, most SOF operators have the $$ and will purchase equipment outside of issue that runs in the price range of a Y-Knife if they believe they really truly need the gear in question. If it is issued it will be an issued item only as long as there is $$ in the pipeline for such things within the SOF budget.

The truly unique aspect of the Y-Knife is how carefully it is being controlled in terms of who gets what version. That makes it special and all involved are to be congratulated for this attention to detail.

Finally - I'm saving my ducats for one of the "Larry Thorn" commermorative knives featured in the same issue of TK (current). This is a fitting and remarkable tribute to a legendary SF hero and the price of the blade and what comes with it is appropriate as well as acceptable. Personally I'd like to see someone collaborate on a knife project with COL Aaron Bank, the founder/father of Special Forces. Now THAT would be "an SF knife!"

GW
KU
 
I want to see a definitive test between INFI and S30V. There are many people with the means to do it. However I don't think that anyone ever will for different reasons.
 
I could do a test between INFI and CPM3V if you like.
But the test would be in the woods,I would use the knives for chopping/cutting/cleaning game/prying etc.

I dont use my knives to chop metal or concrete,I use my blades when im in the sticks.If anyone is interested let me know if there are any specific things you would like to see.
 
What your describing is certainly testing, but complete testing would be to bring the knives to their maximum effort. In other words, until they break. A person would need several of each knife to do complete testing.

Regards,

JB


Originally posted by FEATHERSTONE
I could do a test between INFI and CPM3V if you like.
But the test would be in the woods,I would use the knives for chopping/cutting/cleaning game/prying etc.

I dont use my knives to chop metal or concrete,I use my blades when im in the sticks.If anyone is interested let me know if there are any specific things you would like to see.
Click to expand...
 
JackBoots

I never said a "complete" testing,I was describing what you would actually use a knife for in the woods,If you would like to donate a couple of Busse's and a couple of large choppers in CPM3V I'll be glad to break them for you in my garage,I dont know if you will learn anything,except that blade A cant chop through a chevy engine block.

I dont think anyone has broken a Busse Battle Mistress in the woods.
When I test a knife its a test of which blade held a better edge, which blade cleans game better, which blade chops better,The blades I was talking about testing are a Busse Battle Mistress and a Fehrman Final Judgement.

The only thing that I can see where a knife would fail in the woods is either prying or chopping bone,and with the two knives I mentioned ive pryed with both and neither would break,they would just flex.
There are probably other things in the woods that would break a blade but im hung over and my thought process isnt up to full speed:D
 
I bet you will never know the difference unless you do intentional damage to the edge to see how they react, or let them set up and corrode. I haven't used 3V, but I don't see a whole lot of difference between INFI, Mod-INFI, 1095, 0170-6, etc in normal use except for edge-holding (which isn't all that important to me in the bigger knives where toughness and impact strength are--realigning an edge is alot easier than regrinding one). Never had a problem with any of those steels when they're just used on stuff like I would normally do in the field (camping). It's when I do brush clearing work in a residential area, and am chopping roots, hitting buried or just unseen rock, bricks, pieces of cinder block, stuff like that, that accidental impacts cause damage, and I start to see the difference in the steels.
I sure would like to see how 3V stands up to that, not to mention 5160, which I haven't had the opportunity to try, but wouldn't intentionally abuse my knife to find out.
Well, maybe I would...just a little:)
 
Comparing the Green Beret and the Steel Heart, the Steel Heart has many advantages such as a much tougher and more flexible steel which is also significantly harder (3-5 RC points). The fact that the hardness of S30V had to be dropped as much as it did says a lot about the inherent lack of toughness of the steel.


You can therefore expect overall greater durability and thus functionality over a wider range of usage from the Steel Heart, or work with a thinner edge on any given task for greater cutting ability. The increased hardness will also lead to much greater edge holding on many materials, and the wear resistance of INFI is high so they should be comparable on abrasive materials. The full flat grind on the Busse is also of greater performance on deep cuts on binding material, for example on soft woods.


The fit and finish of Reeve is probably better than Busse, however if you use the knife, this will cease to matter after the first heavy session of use. The handle on the Green Beret also looks to have some security advantages assuming it fits your hand. Of course the Reeve is also stainless, so it would more suitable if you don't want to rinse and dry your knife, or live in a very corrosive enviroment.

-Cliff
 
The fact that the hardness of S30V had to be dropped as much as it did says a lot about the inherent lack of toughness of the steel.
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Cliff i remember when S30 came out you were not impressed, but it seems to have gained some market share, could you explain again why you didnt like it? (or direct me to a similar thread) Thanks

BTW if i could have any Reeve it would be the one designed with Al Mar.
 
S30V has basically better impact toughness than S90V, but with lower hardness and wear resistance. This doesn't hold much interest to me because I don't see it as being tough enough for heavy use knives and it would be directly inferior to S90V for light use knives. For makers it would be of interest as it should solve the problem of hyper fragility of S60V (~55 RC Spyderco), and get around the machinability problem of S90V so they can still offer a CPM stainless.

The testing I have seen since then strikes me as less than impressive considering the hype, it is no where near a "stainless 3V", which is how it has been promoted. Reeve, who has probably put the most money into it, had to significantly drop the RC to make it functionable compared to BG-42, which is rather telling. Crucibles own reports have its impact toughness ~ATS-34 and the like. Nothing to get excited over. Though it should offer better edge holding and corrosion resistance than such steels, so assuming the cost wasn't to high it would be a better buy in that regard.

I would put it as a solid steel for light use utility knives, skinners, hunters and fillet blades where you didn't want to pay extra for S90V. For heavier use blades and "tactical" knives, if you like ATS-34 you will probably be very impressed with S30V and considering the number of makers who do feel that way about ATS-34 it is of no surprise that S30V could develop a large following for those blades.

-Cliff
 
The Only experience i have with it is in my MT LCC, where i feel that it is a bit better than my 154cm LCC.
 
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