hotwriter
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2004
- Messages
- 156
A knife sheath is really no big deal, right? It's the knife that counts, especially if it's a Busse. If that's what you think, I sympathize. I used to think that way, too. Then I did business with a fellow named Brian Wagner.
Brian makes custom knife sheaths. He's one of several sheath makers recommended on Jerry Busse's website (www.bussecombat.com). I contacted Brian after purchasing a Busse Camo Badger. It's a gorgeous knife. It demands an equally good sheath. But my personal philosphy is that a combat knife ought not to be swaddled in a fancy sheath. Don't get me wrong. Brian makes fancy sheaths. But I was looking for something more basic: a plain black Kydex sheath with a Tek-Lok fastner. Nothing special.
I had to send my knife to Brian, who lives in Nowheresville, Washington, an hour from the nearest UPS depot, so that he could custom-fit a sheath to my knife. Some folks are leary of sending their precious Busses to a total stranger. That's no problem with Brian. He's such a straight shooter that you instinctively trust him. And, since he's on Jerry's website, it gives him added crediblity.
For a plain black Kydex sheath, Brian charges about $50. With shipping, handling, insurance, and such, the total price comes to $70 and change. Frankly, I thought that was a bit steep for a plain, black, no-frills Kydel sheath. But also I'm used to paying a premium for custom work, so I ate it. If the sheath was of commensurate quality to the knife, I wouldn't gripe.
Well, today, after a three-week wait, the sheath (and my knife) arrived. If you order a plain black Kydex sheath, you can't exactly burst into song. I mean, a sheath is a sheath, right?
Well, actually, no. When you hold a Busse knife, you can feel the quality. The same is true of a Brian Wagner sheath. It goes with a Busse knife like a hand fits into a fine-qualty leather glove.
For starters, like a Busse knife itself, a Brian Wagner sheath is built like a tank. The Kydex is good and thick, and of course it's molded to the knife. Holding the sheathed knife in your hand is like holding the unsheathed knife in your hand: either way, you feel the quality craftsmanship.
The Kydex Brian uses feels to me thicker than that used in off-the-shelf sheaths. The Tek-Lok screwed onto the sheath with Philips screws is designed to thread through a one-and-a-half-inch belt with no additional hardware. A few twists of a screwdriver and the Tek-Lok mount can be repositioned to position the knife in a canted position of about 45 degrees.
The sheath also contains seven eye holes for lashing upside down to military or backpack webbing.
But, heck, none of this justifies the overall $70 price. There is only one thing, ultimately, that does: This is a sheath that feels like it's good enough to hold a Busse knife. Even in plain black Kydex, it exudes quality craftsmanship.
On top of that, Brian is easy to work with. He communicates well. He is as honest as the day is long. When you send your precious knife to Brian, you don't lose a wink of sleep. You know it's in good hands.
Will Brian only sheath busse knives? Heck, no. Brian has a motto: "If you send it, I'll sheath it." Even so, it would be a pity to send a knife for a sheath of this quality if it didn't bear the name Busse, Strider, Mad Dog, or something of similar quality. Anything less would be overkill. But knives bearing such distinguished names--and high price tags--will find the home they deserve.
Brian has a website to give you an idea of the range of sheaths he can make. The address is www.okuden.net. If you just want a cheap sheath for your high-quality knife, look elsewhere. But if you seek a custom-fitted sheath that feels--and is--as good as the knife it contains, you've come to the right place.
Brian makes custom knife sheaths. He's one of several sheath makers recommended on Jerry Busse's website (www.bussecombat.com). I contacted Brian after purchasing a Busse Camo Badger. It's a gorgeous knife. It demands an equally good sheath. But my personal philosphy is that a combat knife ought not to be swaddled in a fancy sheath. Don't get me wrong. Brian makes fancy sheaths. But I was looking for something more basic: a plain black Kydex sheath with a Tek-Lok fastner. Nothing special.
I had to send my knife to Brian, who lives in Nowheresville, Washington, an hour from the nearest UPS depot, so that he could custom-fit a sheath to my knife. Some folks are leary of sending their precious Busses to a total stranger. That's no problem with Brian. He's such a straight shooter that you instinctively trust him. And, since he's on Jerry's website, it gives him added crediblity.
For a plain black Kydex sheath, Brian charges about $50. With shipping, handling, insurance, and such, the total price comes to $70 and change. Frankly, I thought that was a bit steep for a plain, black, no-frills Kydel sheath. But also I'm used to paying a premium for custom work, so I ate it. If the sheath was of commensurate quality to the knife, I wouldn't gripe.
Well, today, after a three-week wait, the sheath (and my knife) arrived. If you order a plain black Kydex sheath, you can't exactly burst into song. I mean, a sheath is a sheath, right?
Well, actually, no. When you hold a Busse knife, you can feel the quality. The same is true of a Brian Wagner sheath. It goes with a Busse knife like a hand fits into a fine-qualty leather glove.
For starters, like a Busse knife itself, a Brian Wagner sheath is built like a tank. The Kydex is good and thick, and of course it's molded to the knife. Holding the sheathed knife in your hand is like holding the unsheathed knife in your hand: either way, you feel the quality craftsmanship.
The Kydex Brian uses feels to me thicker than that used in off-the-shelf sheaths. The Tek-Lok screwed onto the sheath with Philips screws is designed to thread through a one-and-a-half-inch belt with no additional hardware. A few twists of a screwdriver and the Tek-Lok mount can be repositioned to position the knife in a canted position of about 45 degrees.
The sheath also contains seven eye holes for lashing upside down to military or backpack webbing.
But, heck, none of this justifies the overall $70 price. There is only one thing, ultimately, that does: This is a sheath that feels like it's good enough to hold a Busse knife. Even in plain black Kydex, it exudes quality craftsmanship.
On top of that, Brian is easy to work with. He communicates well. He is as honest as the day is long. When you send your precious knife to Brian, you don't lose a wink of sleep. You know it's in good hands.
Will Brian only sheath busse knives? Heck, no. Brian has a motto: "If you send it, I'll sheath it." Even so, it would be a pity to send a knife for a sheath of this quality if it didn't bear the name Busse, Strider, Mad Dog, or something of similar quality. Anything less would be overkill. But knives bearing such distinguished names--and high price tags--will find the home they deserve.
Brian has a website to give you an idea of the range of sheaths he can make. The address is www.okuden.net. If you just want a cheap sheath for your high-quality knife, look elsewhere. But if you seek a custom-fitted sheath that feels--and is--as good as the knife it contains, you've come to the right place.
