How does the cold steel trail master compare to the above knifes listed, namely the SWAMP RAT.

The Swamp Rat makes just about anything cold steel makes look cheap. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Busse got abusseve with an independant knifesmith for 'copying' his choil in the blade. Somehow the fact knives going back to the rennaisance had this feature was overlooked. The handle was touted as sealing the tang against moisture and rust, a direct poke at Fallkniven's hammer butt feature. Fallkniven has formal test results from a metallurgical lab on breaking points. Peter has a keen interest in his products and field reports and failures. Rats are good. Cold Steel is good, Fallkniven is good. Sometimes my Opinel is even better. Healthy market rivalry is good. Needless hype and competitor bashing is not.

Name another production knife maker that has a BUMPER TO BUMPER LIFETIME WARRANTY".

Busse and SRKW knives are simply unmatched.

Nuff said.

Opinel LMAO <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Flip

If you insist, Strider. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Having lifetime warranty does one little good if one's knife is damaged beyond usability during an survival situation.

I don't own one, so there's little I can say about them, but I can say why I was never interested.

3. I don't like coated blades. Protecting everything but the edge never made sense to me, and I don't like dark blades at all. I've had a bright, shiny blade pre-empt violence in the dark twice. In a history that doesn't contain that many violent incidents, that's statistically pretty impressive. Not having to use a knife as a weapon is a huge upside, at least for me.

2. Same reason I wouldn't buy a Harley. They may be the best bikes out there (I wouldn't know), but there's too much cultural baggage. If I want a motorcycle, I'll buy a motorcycle- I don't necessarily want to buy a religion to go with it.

1. Busse. Even his advocates will mostly agree he's pretty insufferably arrogant. I decline to support that sort of behavior with my bucks. Do as you like with yours.

All of that aside, they're probably very good knives... but I'm not putting all of that aside.

I'm sorry guys, except for bragging rights about who spent the most money for the newest steel, manufacturing process, or molecular bombardment of the blade, I don't get it.

If it holds an edge and does the neccessary task, I go with what I can afford at a sensible level. In my most active years (Which are long gone now.) I never considered a knife as a hammer and anvil to be taken into the woods.

Unless the T-Rex is being cloned back into existence and you plan to stick one with your knife and then pick up the T-Rex by the handle of your knife and flip the T-Rex away, it doesn't matter how tough your knife.

I like knives, guns, onyx eggs, crystal balls, marbles, scooters, motorcycles, tools, boats, outboards, sailboats, and a whole host of toys and "necessaties". If I were wealthy enough with my own warehouse, I would buy anything that strikes my fancy. I buy my knives to cut first and formost and if they do that, I do not try to impress people by the name of knife, but the efficiency with which it does its job. The size and type of the knife is determined by the anticipated use. I have already mentioned having an 11" bladed swiss bayonet that I would like to be able to mount and remove from a walking stick as a thrusting spear. It is hard to sharpen and very tough stainless steel, but you could probably dig a fox hole in rock with it. I may never use that bayonet, but my everyday walking around knife is sharp, small, not designer made, and still does what I need from it.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Presumed Lost:

I like my shiney stilettoes because they remind me of jewelery in their overall design. However in the matter of having to use a knife as a defensive weapon, most of everything I have read and practiced goes the other way with a strong preference for an overall dark knife. I have never been concerned for my physical safety because:

1) I stay away from bad areas and situations.

2) If I get into a bad situation, I don't want them to know I have a knife until it is too late for them to do anything about it.

3) I have been in a few fist fights and lost more than I won, but earned the respect to not be bothered, and even in losing I did not pull a knife. Of course the men I fought didn't try to kick me to death when I was down.

4) Despite the fact that I am a lovable teddy bear in nature, my overall appearance and size makes me look tougher than I am.

Bountyhunter

(PS: <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />Don't give me any crap about number 4. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />)





















<img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

My point is that there is no one knife for one application. I think Alain would agree l'Opinel and a corkscrew are tres superb for brie cheese, bread and a good burgandy, while a BattleMistress would have your haute culture dressed date remembering an appointment elsewhere.

I don't think a couple hundred for a blade I will bet my life on is unreasonble. Hell most peoples EDC folders or kits cost near that.

I have snapped a few well known blades while spitting and prying logs for dry wood and learned my lesson the hard way. You get what you pay for in most cases.

Bounty, steels have changed a lot in recent years and people demand quality steels more than ever. Sure you can get mediocre blade steels for less but why would you when the option is fairly resonably priced.
Buy the best you can afford.

Some women find cheese slicing with a battle rat sexy <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

FLip