# Just received my first Busse. Holy Schneike!!



## PoliceScannerMan (Jan 29, 2010)

I went to a USN meet and greet last Saturday. I never really heard much about Busse, I have heard of them, but never looked into one. Well, I saw a bunch last Saturday, and 6 days later, my ASH-1 showed up in my mail box. 

This knife has a serious set of testes. .32" thick. :rock:

I dunno, I had to post a thread, this thing is amazing, feels indestructable. I cant wait until my next camping trip to put it through its paces.

the ASH-1's blade is 6.5" long, about a foot total. A good all around knife that will laugh at anything you throw at it.

The INFI steel is supposed to be good for abuse. :twothumbs

Heres my new Toy:


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## Roger Sully (Jan 29, 2010)

Nice !:thumbsup:


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## TriChrome (Jan 29, 2010)

Busse is definitely the best out there, bar none. After my Chris Reeve Pacific kept on getting dinged and dulled after every single camping trip I decided to drop the cash on a Busse NMSFNO, and never regretted it. 

I've taken it on four trips so far, including a 5-day 50 mile kayak trip (cutting down 6+ hours of wood for every night) and I've touched it up once for a few minutes and it will still shave hair off my arm.... Nothing comes even close.

Good luck with yours!


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## loszabo (Jan 30, 2010)

Congratulations to the great score!

Next time I'm in AZ, I need to see the Busse collector & sheathmaker BuyBrown...


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## fiveform (Jan 30, 2010)

If you are in the least concerned about the "drop factor" in edged tools/weapons, meaning that you might spend $300-$500 on a stock removal blade and then drop and lose it, damage it, etc., then why not consider a Becker Knife & Tool for $100 or less?

Certainly, a Busse is about a good as you can get in a heavy stock, non-forged blade for rough use. However, if you are planning on rough use and possible unintended abuse, then I personally feel that unless you have a lot of expendable income you might be better off buying a decent handgun, tool, or other needed gear with the considerable amount one would spend on a Busse.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the collector mind set that we can enter when fondling fine steel and good workmanship, but having been deeply involved with knifes for well over 45 years I'm convinced that (for me) there is no special magic when it comes to a blade, so long as it is constructed of some good basic tool steel, properly hardened and sharpened (...and you know how to use it). All knives get dull with use, so you have to learn how to properly sharpen and get the edge geometry right. Most don't know how, 'cause they just want to buy a big boy's toy which seldom sees any real-world use. This is because most of us buy such things as collectibles with fantasies of using them in real situations, but when you use the heck out of a $500 knife and it ends up looking like its worth twenty bucks it just might be a bit disappointing. When you don't use it and it goes in the drawer, then all those special properties that the manufacturer builds into it and advertises with sexy photos and fantastic claims are never realized, so you might as well have purchased a $30 United Cutlery wall hanger which might look impressive, but is made from junk steel.

I only use the Becker as an example, since they are starting to use stainless, which is generally too brittle for hacking and hard use since you lose chunks out of the edge even in chopping hard woods. Essentially, if you put a Becker next to a Busse you will see that they're pretty much the same knife. Other cost effective options to consider are Tops knives, Cold Steel, and so on.

I feel that in spending up into the $500 price range for a hard use knife you might as well get something that is forged, since it is only then that steel begins to exhibit any real "magic." ...and in a forged knife you at least get some balance from a distal taper so it doesn't feel like a bar of steel with a handle. Also, some might abuse a knife and if that's going to be part of "survival" or camping or "combat" use, then get something not too cheap, but expendable. Save your hard earned bucks for pretty stuff, cars, trucks, power tools, a date with your wife or girlfriend, or anything of greater long term value and usefulness. If you already have an overpriced, overweight Mack truck of a blade, then why not enjoy every dollar's worth?

I offer these as alternative personal thoughts, and my apologies if I rained on anybody's parade...


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## PoliceScannerMan (Jan 30, 2010)

I understand what you are saying fiveform. :thinking:

But cant that be said for everything in life?

Why rolex? Timex keeps time.

Why Benz? Scion wil get ya there.

Why Surefire? Mag lights the way

Why Filson? Stearns will keep ya dry.

Etc, etc, etc.

You only live once, some of us like the finer things in life.


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## TriChrome (Jan 30, 2010)

Fiveform, I'm sure I don't have a tenth of the knowledge about knives you do, but I can say with utmost honesty that there is no better knife for somebody like me, and that the money spent on a Busse is more than justified (since from your post it seems like you don't think it is).

I've tried Buck, Spyderco, an early strider (and two versions of the Buck/Strider colaboration knives), benchmade, Chris Reeve, Ontario, Ka-Bar, Cold steel, and probably a handful of others I've forgotten about, made of steels like Sv30, CM154, 440, 440C, 420, Ats 34, AuS8 (if I messed up the steel numbers, forgive me I'm going from memory).

Every single one of them couldn't stand up to what I consider medium duty use (mainly cutting down multiple trees for firewood, cutting rope/twine, gutting fish that might be laid on a hard surface like a rock, and other camping/hiking/fishing/outdoorsy things like that). All of then had flattened areas of the blade, others larger dents/gouges, and the worst of them small (like almost microscopic) pieces of the sharpened edge missing. I really beat the crap out of my knives and use them for days on end without sharpening (since I only sharpen them on one of those fixed angle sharpeners, usually from 22-25 degrees, which is a time consuming chore when you're out in the woods). 

I even dropped the $300 on a Chris Reeve Pacific (a nearly identical model to what's issued to the Navy Seals), two of them actually (sent the first one back because I thought its edge holding capability had to be because of a bad heat treat... It wasn't). 

So what I'm getting at after this long post is I've tried most of the knives out there which the educated public is familiar with (but certainly nothing hand made, or by companies that only somebody really into knives like yourself would know of), beat the poop out of them, and not a single one held up to my beating, until I got a Busse. 

Yes, it sucks that collectors have driven Busse prices up (and really sucks for the soldiers who prefer these knives beyond most others), and how they're extremely hard to find a certain model without selling a kidney, but I do believe them to be still worth this money. I know that if my knife ever breaks (if it even ever will) that Busse will replace it for free no matter what, and that if I ever decide to sell it in the future that I'll mostly make money off it, or in a worse case scenario loose maybe ~10% (if something happens like a train ran over it). 

That's why people like me buy a Busse. It isn't to keep it in a case and wipe it with a diaper. It's to beat the crap out of it through honest work, have it retain an edge for the longest outdoor trip I could possibly take, and have the peace of mind that mo matter what happens I'm never out any money and will always have a diesel knife when I need it.

P.S. I've never lost a sheathed knife in the field (mine is currently in a Mashed Cat Kydex sheath), and Many Busse's start at under $300 (but of course sell out in a couple days).


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## loszabo (Jan 30, 2010)

"Take good care of your top-notch equipment and it will take even better care of you..."

Yes, there are some excellent "cheap" blades out there, like the Kershaw Junkyard Dog. Right now my prefered USD 100,- blade for cutting letters open, dismantling packages, and preparing food. Why? Because my high-end blades (Emerson, Mission, SureFire, etc.) are reserved for real action -- whatever that might be. Now, you could say the same about flashlights. There are a lot of great AA/AAA flashlights out there but if you take your gear on missions or into some serious situations, you don't want to check your AA cells first... or worry that the blade's joint might brake.

In addition I've spent a lot of money on cheap gear myself in recent years: sometimes it's aweful to look at details, it works the first few weeks only or it suddenly stopped without a warning (happend to the NiteCore and Fenix I gave away as presents.) My dad chipped a cheap blade my removing a tree mushroom. This never happend to me to the products I use and recommend! And if it should happen, it usually gets replaced from the manufacturer or producer w/o a comment. Better safe the money spent on three cheap blades and get one Emerson/Benchmande/Sypderco/etc. instead.


Last but not least I value innovation and companies producing the real stuff (in the US; or Germany, France, etc.). That's the reason I go for high-end watches, DBT/BattleLab and not BlackHawk!, or Emerson and not Cold Steel, etc.


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## PoliceScannerMan (Jan 30, 2010)

_The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of cheap price is forgotten..._


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## Bronco (Jan 30, 2010)

fiveform said:


> If you are in the least concerned about the "drop factor" in edged tools/weapons, meaning that you might spend $300-$500 on a stock removal blade and then drop and lose it, damage it, etc., then why not consider a Becker Knife & Tool for $100 or less?...if you are planning on rough use and possible unintended abuse, then I personally feel that unless you have a lot of expendable income you might be better off buying a decent handgun, tool, or other needed gear with the considerable amount one would spend on a Busse.



Those with a predilection for dropping, abusing and/or using their blade in a less than gentle manner are precisely the folks for whom a Busse blade is most appealing.  

If you want to know one of the primary reasons why PSM made such a wise selection in this regard, I would encourage you to sign up for a free basic membership at Bladeforums.com and then take a moment to peruse the following thread:


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641539


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## Bullzeyebill (Jan 30, 2010)

Cool bladeforums thread re Busse knives. The master himself condoned the brutal attack on that chain.

Bill


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## Illum (Jan 30, 2010)

PoliceScannerMan said:


> You only live once, some of us like the finer things in life.



there's a point when it gets too fine...then you don't use it


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## Bronco (Jan 30, 2010)

Bullzeyebill said:


> The master himself condoned the brutal attack on that chain.
> 
> Bill



He was almost rejoicing in it.


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## sledhead (Jan 30, 2010)

Enjoy your ASH 1! I sold my skinny ASH-1 to a forum member awhile ago. It is a great knife.
Busse's are habit forming though. Thought my SAR8 LE needed company and picked up a NMFBM last week- this week I have a NMFBM LE on the way! Can't keep them all- may have to let one of them go.

Enjoy your new habit!


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## fiveform (Jan 30, 2010)

Go for it, Trichrome! As I said, just fuel for a little friendly discourse and pondering - good to do a reality check every now and then...

In my own experience I have never ended up on that mountain top, alone and without food, shelter, wild animals all around, or on that battlefield with no rounds left in my weapon. BUT, some have, so who am I to doubt the value of the finer things for the rougher moments. BUT, in the real world where most of us live it never happens - not because we are soft and sheltered, but because we plan for it not to happen, unless we want it to; but that's another matter. Meanwhile, I've seen $10 axes fell huge trees, and scum bags maim and kill good guys, with $5 folders and box knives. Really, a Porsche 911, whale tail and all, is no better than a hollowed out canoe, in the jungles of the Amazon. If it's power you want, cultivate it, test it, then discriminate in where and when you use it.

Buy big? - Yes, Rolex, BMW, Mercedes - The ad guys tell us we need them, and can afford them on a middle class income. Then we go out and satisfy that lust because we've been enabled, even though the car payment might be late, or we're sweatin' out the tax bill, because in the new world order you don't have to be rich to get any of these things, you just need CREDIT...

My point is, spend your money as you will (because you will, anyway), but tell me that I can't get a good knife for under a hundred bucks, even if I have to make it myself. It takes steel, handle materials, a grinder, heat treatment, and above all the skill to make your own tools - now that's something our ancestors had that we've since lost...


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## fisk-king (Jan 30, 2010)

Hey PSM:wave:

thats a nice looking ASH-1 you got there. I myself have a Battle Mistress and 'she' gets used regularly along side my Becker BK-7. 


Now to reply to the question on why high dollar knives (or lights) are purchased over 'reasonably' priced ones, well, to each his own. As long as the knife is being used that is the only thing that really matters. They are tools. Period. Whether it was forged in ones backyard in a BBQ pit using techniques from yesterdays past or purchased by some famous knifemaker, it was meant to be used. IMHO, I applaud a man (or woman) who is able to find the means to enjoy the fruits of life but at the same time has the skill/knowledge to be able to survive if he was stuck in the proverbial 'jungles of the Amazon'. Come to think about it, being able to make a canoe is a special skill indeed

my .02. over and out.


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## tundratrader (Jan 31, 2010)

I just got my first BUS-E as well. The BWM rocks. I have given it a workout that would have destroyed any S30V knife or any of my other knives and it is chip free and still sharp. I am very convinced. You will not find another knife that will keep an edge and not break anywhere. Other knives will stay sharper longer(dozier, or Ingram or chris reeve) but these stay sharp and dont break. I mostly think the guy is a ******* for destroying knives but checkout knifetests.com

The knife was still sharp sharp after this cut. 
















Zach


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## ghost-57 (Jan 31, 2010)

I love the knifetests. Was very informative when I was researching on which knife I wanted in my bail out bag. Settled on a Swamp Rat Camp Tramp and a Scrap Yard Dumpster Mutt, the original with old busse basic handles. No freaking way they will fail me. All 3 Bussekin companies have virtually the same warranty and I didn't feel like spending 500 on a knife when I could have 2 indestructable blades for about the same price. That is one sweet Ash though and lately the collectors have been taking a hit as the market has become flooded. Just saw an Ash-1 sell for 250 on BF:mecry: went in about 30 seconds tho. Anything is worth what the person wants to pay for it. I mean 400 plus for a flashlight you are kidding right?! Those Haiku's do look pretty sweet though. Beat the hell out of the ash.


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## carrot (Jan 31, 2010)

I'm not really a Busse guy but I do have one, the same as you, an ASH-1 and if nothing else the thing is quite impressive. It is stupidly tough and holds a good edge. I keep it around to play with in the woods but when I'm hiking I like to carry something a little bit lighter...

Got to admit, the only thing preventing me from getting more is the high price and the inconvenience of having a sheath made.


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## fisk-king (Feb 7, 2010)

hey PSM:wave:

I got a leather sheath coming from Dwayne Puckett from www.armoralleather.com for my battle mistress. Dwayne does great work and is a frequent member at bladeforums. If u need a leather sheath he's tha man to talk to unless you want kydex then there are others.

Nick

edit: an older pic, the battle m. is nowhere that clean anymore


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## hatman (Feb 9, 2010)

Just the thing to EDC to the office!


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## MustardMan (Feb 16, 2010)

Glad to see some others enjoying Busse's over here - I am a big Busse nut and a regular poster on their board over at bladeforums, and have spent the GDP of a small country acquiring INFI blades over the last couple of years. I use the heck out of them too, no safe queens here


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## PoliceScannerMan (Feb 17, 2010)

MustardMan said:


> Glad to see some others enjoying Busse's over here - I am a big Busse nut and a regular poster on their board over at bladeforums, and have spent the GDP of a small country acquiring INFI blades over the last couple of years. I use the heck out of them too, no safe queens here



Youre the guy that likes that clay-mud finish right?!!! :twothumbs


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## Dioni (Feb 17, 2010)

Congrats! The Busse' are all amazing! :twothumbs


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## MustardMan (Feb 17, 2010)

PoliceScannerMan said:


> Youre the guy that likes that clay-mud finish right?!!! :twothumbs



That would be me... Bama Clay, baby!


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## PoliceScannerMan (Feb 17, 2010)

I dig it!!


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## shrapnelwound (Oct 21, 2012)

Nice blades guys, I dig those balma clay ones. I don't think I have seen a balma clay active duty before :twothumbs


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## Hamilton Felix (Oct 25, 2012)

Wow, cool knives. I still have my straight handled Steelheart II. Great knife. So has production caught up to demand? Is it possible to order a Busse Knife these days and get it in less than a year? Wasn't that way in 1999.... Gotta love that INFI.


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## flashy bazook (Oct 30, 2012)

Interesting thread!

I had one question and one comment/suggestion.

The question I guess is kind of simplistic, but are knives the right tool to chop wood? Wouldn't a small axe or maybe a saw be a better tool? If you used something like that for cutting wood, you could also then carry a smaller, more flexible knife, maybe even a much cheaper one that would still do the job, since the job would now be a lot easier and less stress on the knife.

The suggestion is also whether you tried Fallkniven knives. I think they are rated highly and may be also quite tough, even if not quite as tough as the Busse's. They are also of course cheaper. Instead of a 6.5" Busse, a 4" Fallkniven, maybe something like the F1, can work quite well.


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## Yoda4561 (Oct 30, 2012)

The last time I looked at falkniven prices, I found busse's of similar size class with the coated finish were actually less expensive. As far as knives vs hatchets, I prefer a large knife or machete, of course I'm not felling large trees or anything. Being a resident of florida for most of my life an 18" machete is a common yard cleanup tool, so a large knife is much surer in my hands than an axe or hatchet is, and also works better on the softer vegetation we deal with here. Certainly for felling a tree, an axe or large hatchet would be better if that's the tool you're used to. The saw option is certainly viable though, a good folding saw is quite the woodcutting tool.


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## flashy bazook (Oct 31, 2012)

Yoda4561 said:


> The last time I looked at falkniven prices, I found busse's of similar size class with the coated finish were actually less expensive. As far as knives vs hatchets, I prefer a large knife or machete, of course I'm not felling large trees or anything. Being a resident of florida for most of my life an 18" machete is a common yard cleanup tool, so a large knife is much surer in my hands than an axe or hatchet is, and also works better on the softer vegetation we deal with here. Certainly for felling a tree, an axe or large hatchet would be better if that's the tool you're used to. The saw option is certainly viable though, a good folding saw is quite the woodcutting tool.



Good points.

On the price of the Fallkniven, the F1 is quoted for just over $200 at the Fallkniven website, including a 25% tax, and translated into dollars from the Swedish currency.

The price also includes a sheath, which for a Busse you would have to buy separately.

If you bought it in the US, most of the tax would go away, but some additional costs would get added in (transportation costs from Sweden, etc.), you might even be able to get it cheaper here than in Sweden.

Maybe prices for Busse knives have fallen, but in my experience to get a Busse you have to go to various second-hand websites and pay collectors prices which are generally higher than the F1 price I quoted above. 

But it could be as some have posted in this thread that many collectors have suddenly tried to sell Busse knives, driving the price down.


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## Yoda4561 (Oct 31, 2012)

The cheapest way to get a busse is to wait for a model you like to show up at their website, and order direct. Street price for the smaller fallknivens is a bit lower than a busse equivalent, but for the larger knives like the A1 and A2 you can get an equivalent coated busse + an aftermarket sheath for about the same price. Their price for the satin finish models is higher than what I'd pay for on a user knife, I'd rather get a coated model and give it a nice beadblast once the coating has worn off a bit.


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