Scrapper 5 LE -- The new Basic 5??

RokJok

RokJok

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2000
Messages
4,087
Got this sweetie from the post office this morning. I'm thinkin' we've got an instant classic on our hands.

The Scrapper 5 LE reminds me a lot of one of my favorite-of-all-time Busse knives, the old school Busse Basic 5. The BB5 doesn't show up on the exchange forums very often for good reason. Those who have them like them so much they are very hesitant to turn them loose. The S5 LE shares a lot with those old Basic 5's -- pretty much the same size, 5"ish INFI steel blade, and Resiprene-C handle. However, now the Res-C is improved with the Mudder traction texture. The S5 LE may well be the ultimate mid-size knife to ever come out of the Busse-kin shop.

The only downside is that I only ordered one as a user, instead of getting two of them as a-user-and-a-spare. ;)

S5_LE_4969a.jpg


S5_LE_4977a.jpg


And here's a shot with the Busse Basic 5 (top), Scrapyard Scrapper 5 LE (middle), and Swamp Rat Bog Dog D2 (bottom).
BB5_S5LE_BogDog_4981a.jpg
 
Last edited:
I am still waiting for mine. Also ordered it as a user. How does the stock thickness compare for the three knives you photographed?
 
Yes, I too only ordered one, after I thought about it a day and went back, they were gone, uuuggghhh!!

Steve
 
Mine came in yesterday. I'm very pleased. Love the way it feels in hand. It's going to be a user for sure. Wish I had ordered another one as well.
 
Good call Rok Jok :)

The B-5 is one of my favorites.
 
Can't wait to get her in the mail. I think this will be a great blade for camp activities!
 
Yes, the Basic 5 was one I thought I would definately need but the grip was a bit small for me....same as the Dumpster Mutt....this new mudder grip though looks like it is better for larger hands and I have great hopes for my S5 LE.

It is one of those knives where if you are wearing them on the belt the saved weight with the Res C grips really gives the knife an edge....I definately find the Basic 9 to be like that....if I want a compact light weight chopper to carry the Basic 9 can do what my FSH's do but it carries so much easier....

My S5 LE will probably replace my RMD's as my light weight belt knife....you cannot say more than that really....this type of knife is the one you will use the most!
 
It's no Basic 5. Similar in design - just as Dan Quayle was a politician like JFK.

that whole big ugly choil thing really gets in teh way of the knife. :( My main #1 reason for not getting one.
 
Well I have worked with a DFLE which has a similar choil and with the Basic 9....the choil on the Basic 9 is great for a ferro rod strike as the rod sits nicely in the small loop...but on a choked up grip using the choil...I prefer the DFLE....I admit though on a smaller knife I prefer no choil and the blade coming direct to the handle....that is why I still use my Woodlore a lot and prefer it to the SAR4 and it is a close thing with my RMD...I like the convex edge on my RMD compared to a Scandi grind edge which does'nt last as long...but the edge coming back to the handle on the Woodlore is a big benefit...that's the problem with registered trade mark talon holes...on small knives you don't need them.
 
I got mine today. I do wish it did not have the dumb thumb bump. (I have the same problem with my Bravo1). And the choil does seem to waste space. But I still really like this knife. I think it is a plot to keep getting me to look for the perfect knife.
 
Dennis in MA said:
It's no Basic 5. Similar in design - just as Dan Quayle was a politician like JFK.

that whole big ugly choil thing really gets in teh way of the knife. :( My main #1 reason for not getting one.
Click to expand...

I wish you could experience one of these in-hand, Dennis. You're right, it's no Basic 5. It's just a little leaner, lighter and significantly more ergonomic than a B5, with a finer point for better penetration and a better steel. To me, the choil is actually big enough to be useful in choking up on the blade, unlike the "pinky choil" on the smooth-coat B5.

The B5 is a great knife--one of my all-time favorite designs. The S5 takes the B5 platform and improves on it in every way, IMO, with the possible exception of the little peak on the spine above the plunge grind. But if that's a distraction, a couple of minutes with a grinder and it goes away no problem.

Different strokes for different folks, always--I know. But I think the S5LE is the best mid-size Resiprene-C/reduced tang knife ever to come out of the Busse family of companies, hands down. Further, I don't think you can improve on its performance in this size range by going to a full-tang/attached slab design. You can get heavier, but you can't get any better for the kind of general utility/hunter work this knife will excel at, IMO.
 
I think that it kinda looks like what ya might get if you mated an Active Duty with an SFNO... With a Res-C handle covered hidden tang. :thumbup: These really are dang sweet, light, SHARP knives! My favorite from the Yard so far. :thumbup:
 
PeterPHWS said:
Yes, the Basic 5 was one I thought I would definately need but the grip was a bit small for me....same as the Dumpster Mutt....this new mudder grip though looks like it is better for larger hands and I have great hopes for my S5 LE.
Click to expand...

I have smaller hands and the Basic 5 and Dumpster Mutt handles are just right. The S5LE still feels very good and is just slightly larger than my fist. You might find it is still too small, but if your hand does fit I guarantee you'll like the fit. Heck, if you don't let me know and I'll take that problem off your hands :D
 
Dennis in MA said:
It's no Basic 5. Similar in design - just as Dan Quayle was a politician like JFK.

that whole big ugly choil thing really gets in teh way of the knife. :( My main #1 reason for not getting one.
Click to expand...

I had a very similar response. The basic 5 was good because it had a small choil, it's handle was simple yet had 3 gripping surfaces that resulted in a noticably firm grip, but not so bussy that the patterns were overly noticable in use. The blade was simple, strong, but with it's full flat and a 21 degree edge you could use it for rough slicing as well as prying.

There in the same size catagory, but to me they are nothing alike. get rid of the choil on the bog dog and I'd say you have a reasonable comparison between it and the bb5
 
really wish I had jumped on this offering, in infi it looks like a real winner. I could have sold another to cover it.
 
My four got here yesterday. The finish on these is really amazing. Nicest edge on a piece of INFI I've ever seen. Also, I can't get over the blade finish -- I think it's nicer than any Busse LE I've ever owned. I've never owned a custom shop Busse so I can't speak to that. I think Dan went to great lengths to make these incredibly nice.
 
I could have done without the choil. But I never cared for the Basic 5 handle. Either it is too small or my hand is too big—and I know which is easier to adjust.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top