The miltary excuse always pops up when they have shortages. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> If your business runs well you expand capacities, no big deal. Will see if the swamp survives but even if it does, if there is no love behind what they produce what's the point.

They have relegated the swamp for occasional runs, doubt that with all the knives that they sold in 08 that the they could've paid a single employee. Frankly the margins are higher on Busse and you have the Yard on the entry level to start the addiction. I'm afraid there is no need for Rats. We will see if & what happens with the rodent line. The forum has been kept alive by the fans, seriously no input from the company, I think Eric posted maybe 7 or 8 times in a year. Compare this with his continuous stream of postings on the Busse forum.

The idea that Rats may in the future represent the stainless steel business of the Busse group is actually quite good. It would not be the same Swamp from years ago but it would differentiate itself from the more upmarket blades and at the same time give it a unique character.

What annoys me is the complete lack of communication to their customers. In a sense the Busse group lives of word of mouth in the internet (in this case it might be word of keyboard <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ). They take pride in being close to their fans and suddenly the Swamp goes silent.