Your picks for hard-use "Military Combat" fixed blades

Unless price is an object, I would also vote for the Busse. The Combat Series knives are indestructible and very useful utility tools. The Steel Heart is the one knife to have if you are having just one and the Natural Outlaw, my most often carried heavy fixed blade is slightly lighter, shorter yet just about as capable. If the Basic Series were still being made, I would definately go with the Basic #7.
 
Randall had its day, and its still a fine knife. The rest are pretenders. Busses, and particularly the Steelheart and Battle Mistress, are the best hard use knives in the world, bar none.

When it comes to hard use it comes down to three things: Steel, Geometry and Heat Treat. Do some research and you will find that Busses knives have the best of the "trinity".

They (Busse) also have one of the best guarantees in the business.

They might be a little more expensive than some others, but when your life is on the line - does it really matter??!
 
Another vote for the Busse Steel Heart-E.

Of course there are things a $300 knife can do that a $30-$50 knife can't. :rolleyes:
 
I think that if dispatching an enemy, digging/building a shelter, hammering, slicing, chopping, and any other common functions of a "combat" blade, I'd have to vote for the Busse Straight-Handled Steel Heart.

Mine has punched right through a deer chest cavity and broke two ribs. This was done with a two-handed over-head stab on a road kill, but it gave me the answer I needed. The K-bar my brother had deflected off the ribs, and twisted, going in almost parallel to the ribs.

I know it could handle other "field" functions, but this gave me the right answer...

Mike
 
I have a few knives that I feel would be suited to military use. These include a Strider AD and a Busse Battle Mistress. The AD is on the smaller side, yet it is incredibly tough. The BM is large, and can handle chopping tasks. If I had to choose one, it would be the BM. I figure I can do everything with a big knife I can do with a small knife (even if it is a bit less wieldy), but a small knife lacks the chopping ability and "stand-off" H2H factor of a big knife. Where length limits/ease-of-carry are an important factor, the AD again takes the lead.
 
When I was in the Army I carried a 5" pilots survival knife.
(k-bar) I would break it on a regular basis.
Every time we got back from the feild I would have to fix it.
My main knife now is a Busse Satin Jack.
Haven't broken it yet.
Easy to sharpen, throws nice, prys well, chops, feels good in your hand, and it's a superior metal.
I have the edge sharp and ready to go in minutes after hard use instead of hours I used to spend fixing the edge and tip on my old knifes.

So to anwser your question....I would take a Busse into combat with me over all others.
(and I own all the others,Randall, K-Bar, Strider, Brend, Cold Steel, etc, etc...)
 
The Busse Basic 9 is perfect for me. Tough enough to chop 2x4's, dig like a madman, pry like a crowbar, stab without twitching, and cut hairs in half even after long hard use. Still... its lighter than the Battle Mistress, just as big and perfect with a Kydex sheath. I plan on taking it in the Army with me when I join the Rangers!
 
The new BK&T Combat model 7 looks like great value for money.

SOG has some great fixed blades. I just love my 6" Tsunami and I wouldn't mind adding the Seal 2000 or the Government Agent to my collection as well.

The plain old Ka Bar USMC is still a good buy for the money and Ka Bar has come out with some good designs lately.

My choices are based on lower cost models. If you have a better budget you can upgrade to TOPS or Busse or go custom.
 
Let's not forget the many fine Cold Steel fixed blades or the Benchmade Nimravus either. In the Cold Steel line-up I'd think about the Recon Scout or Recon Tanto. A definite is the CS Vietnam Tomahawk, which should be carried in addition to the knife.
 
Robert Parrish Survivor. One tough spear point, Aggressive saw teeth on the back designed (alledgedly by mistake) to cut through helicopter aircraft skin. Well balanced, hollow handle storage. Comes with a sheath with a pocket that just fits a leatherman supertool and a large firesteel. Expensive and hard to find... but a proven design and, again, IMHO, well worth the money and wait.

:cool:
 
I'm going to go against common opinion here, because I think that a stout folder will be more than adequate for 99.99% of a typical soldier's use. Plus, it would be much more comfortable to carry, something that a soldier in the field is probably going to take into pretty serious consideration. So ... my vote goes to the Al Mar SERE 2000. It's very, very sturdy and the price is reasonable enough that losing and replacing the knife won't destroy your budget.

I'd throw in a multitool or an SAK, too, for all those piddly little tasks that we never really think about until we're out in some god - forsaken place without having proper tools along.
 
As the signature line of Andrew, above, has it:
The quest for the perfect knife is long & financially hazardous: Better bring a Busse...

If you have ACTUALLY compared, in forest tasks,
there's NO comparison...
Busse Rocks!
After having gone the gamut of knifedom, & finding what Busse Combat Knives can do, & do it better than others, i felt like i "came home": Pure Contentment... :cool:

As far as "Combat" well, it IS their middle name...:p

INFI Powered,
Climber Clif

Inside:
No
Frills
Indeed!

The INFI Acronymer Strikes Again!
 
CRK Project I or II. I carry the PII because I like the clipped-point better. While the spear point is stronger, the clip point gives me a more practical fine point.

So...when I'm in the field, I carry a:

- CRK P-II (in SOE custom sheath on belt) w/ a Leatherman Wave (in utility pouch of my P-II's sheath)
- CRK Lg. Sebenza (in TAD horz. belt sheath)
- Emerson Mini-comm. (right front pocket)
 
There is a South African maker named Peter Beauchop.His knives were the carry choice of The Rhodesian SAS and Selous Scouts.I carried one
in the Corps and in more than one instance owe my life to it.For the
toughest utility use The Recce model and for hand to hand The Alley
Cat.
 
Gang,

Have a Chris Reeve one piece, hollow handled knife with 6.5" of cutting blade, and a false edge sharpened 3" from the tip. Picked it up at a NYC show > 10 years ago, when Chris still lived in South Africa.

Think I could use it to dig, stab, slash and pry. The hollow handle is useful to store for survival items. Comments, please.


Alan
 
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