- Joined
- Feb 6, 2000
- Messages
- 3,021
First and foremost, I would like to say that I love Busse knives and think that they are some of the best, if not the best knives in the world. They are clearly the toughest knives in the world, bar none.
Toughness is THE most important thing about Busse...toughness is its "raison d'etre" of sorts. I feel the new improvements to the Busse line are nearly all absolutely great, and ARE improvements. The crinkle finish, the new handle scale fasteners etc. are really great, and are vast improvements. But, there is one suggestion I have, which I wouldn't say if I didn't believe a lot of people are thinking the same thing I am.
The knew models just aren't as sexy or appealing as the old models. This is due to the angled handles and the loss of that beautiful clip point on the Battle Mistress. Ok, I've said it...whew. Now before you guys bring out the flamethrowers and blowtorches, please listen to my argument.
First, I think I'm right in saying that the E handles are supposed to form a better chopping angle, as well as improving ergonomics, right? Well, I think that realistically, only the BM will see most of its use as a chopper. (Some people will probably argue that the SHII is also mostly a chopper. But if you guys want to really do some chopping, get a BM, a hatchet, a khukuri etc. The SHII is first and foremost a KNIFE for cutting etc.)
Now, will the angle change really help chopping much? I mean, machetes don't have a curved handle, and they are heavy choppers, and chop very well. If you feel a curved handle is absolutely necessary, why don't you atleast lessen the angle between the blade and the handle, or even make the blade just slightly bolo-ized (put a curve in the blade edge). But, in my opinion, making the handle just slightly angled from the blade, using the new handle features (industrial fasteners, quilted micarta, less "bird-beak" near your pinky for less abrasion), and bringing back the clip to the blade would make the perfect Battle Mistress. It would work just as well, and look a heck of a lot sexier and "badder". But, if one Busse blade had to have an angled handle, it should be the BM. Although it's not my choice.
The SHII and Natural Outlaw, in my opinion, are NOT choppers. Having a curved handle, therefore, doesn't really help them. It just makes them look arkward. I mean, I can't imagine a curved blade helping cutting performance or ergonomics at all, especially on such a small knife as the NO or the proposed BA-E. I think that the angled handles on these knives look arkward and serve no purpose. I mean, the older Busses in these models were awesome looking. They were unique, yet beautiful. I suggest a hybrid, as with the Battle Mistress. For these models, I suggest no angled handles, but that these models should keep the other new features (industrial fasteners, quilted micarta, less "bird-beak" near your pinky for less abrasion). I think the angled handles actually could make the knives in certain circumstances arkward to use, but I'm not sure, and that isn't my main argument at all.
From a production point of view, straight-handled knives take less steel to make, thus lowering production cost. That money could be used to improve some other part of Busse Combat Knives (though finding any other things that could be improved would be hard...).
Look, all I'm saying is that I think Busse knives were sexier and "badder" looking before the E handles, and they could look that way again (even better maybe) while still retaining all the improvements that the E handles have, except having straight handles. I've heard quite a few people on these forums say (even members who really know Busse knives) that they preferred the straight handled. For example, just recently I heard in the Knife Exchange a person who was selling a SH2E remark that he probably wouldn't be selling it if it wasn't an E model. That's a pretty strong statement in my opinion. Let me say again that I think Busse knives are great, and that I'll probably get a Busse sometime this year, but also that if the Busses had straight handles and the new features, I'd buy one much sooner. I think many other people would too. Note: this is not a criticism. It's a suggestion on how to improve an already great product. Jerry and company, all I'm asking is that you'll give it some thought.
Do you guys think I'm right, wrong, or what?
Toughness is THE most important thing about Busse...toughness is its "raison d'etre" of sorts. I feel the new improvements to the Busse line are nearly all absolutely great, and ARE improvements. The crinkle finish, the new handle scale fasteners etc. are really great, and are vast improvements. But, there is one suggestion I have, which I wouldn't say if I didn't believe a lot of people are thinking the same thing I am.
The knew models just aren't as sexy or appealing as the old models. This is due to the angled handles and the loss of that beautiful clip point on the Battle Mistress. Ok, I've said it...whew. Now before you guys bring out the flamethrowers and blowtorches, please listen to my argument.
First, I think I'm right in saying that the E handles are supposed to form a better chopping angle, as well as improving ergonomics, right? Well, I think that realistically, only the BM will see most of its use as a chopper. (Some people will probably argue that the SHII is also mostly a chopper. But if you guys want to really do some chopping, get a BM, a hatchet, a khukuri etc. The SHII is first and foremost a KNIFE for cutting etc.)
Now, will the angle change really help chopping much? I mean, machetes don't have a curved handle, and they are heavy choppers, and chop very well. If you feel a curved handle is absolutely necessary, why don't you atleast lessen the angle between the blade and the handle, or even make the blade just slightly bolo-ized (put a curve in the blade edge). But, in my opinion, making the handle just slightly angled from the blade, using the new handle features (industrial fasteners, quilted micarta, less "bird-beak" near your pinky for less abrasion), and bringing back the clip to the blade would make the perfect Battle Mistress. It would work just as well, and look a heck of a lot sexier and "badder". But, if one Busse blade had to have an angled handle, it should be the BM. Although it's not my choice.
The SHII and Natural Outlaw, in my opinion, are NOT choppers. Having a curved handle, therefore, doesn't really help them. It just makes them look arkward. I mean, I can't imagine a curved blade helping cutting performance or ergonomics at all, especially on such a small knife as the NO or the proposed BA-E. I think that the angled handles on these knives look arkward and serve no purpose. I mean, the older Busses in these models were awesome looking. They were unique, yet beautiful. I suggest a hybrid, as with the Battle Mistress. For these models, I suggest no angled handles, but that these models should keep the other new features (industrial fasteners, quilted micarta, less "bird-beak" near your pinky for less abrasion). I think the angled handles actually could make the knives in certain circumstances arkward to use, but I'm not sure, and that isn't my main argument at all.
From a production point of view, straight-handled knives take less steel to make, thus lowering production cost. That money could be used to improve some other part of Busse Combat Knives (though finding any other things that could be improved would be hard...).
Look, all I'm saying is that I think Busse knives were sexier and "badder" looking before the E handles, and they could look that way again (even better maybe) while still retaining all the improvements that the E handles have, except having straight handles. I've heard quite a few people on these forums say (even members who really know Busse knives) that they preferred the straight handled. For example, just recently I heard in the Knife Exchange a person who was selling a SH2E remark that he probably wouldn't be selling it if it wasn't an E model. That's a pretty strong statement in my opinion. Let me say again that I think Busse knives are great, and that I'll probably get a Busse sometime this year, but also that if the Busses had straight handles and the new features, I'd buy one much sooner. I think many other people would too. Note: this is not a criticism. It's a suggestion on how to improve an already great product. Jerry and company, all I'm asking is that you'll give it some thought.
Do you guys think I'm right, wrong, or what?
