I live a few miles from a custom knife maker, so I went over to his shop today and brought a few of my recently stripped Busse-Kin blades (Battle Rat and 711). He hit the blades with a belt, put an "antique finish" on them, and convexed them. But, we just couldn't sit there and admire them........we had to take them out and give them an unrelenting beating of apocalyptic proportions.

I decided to solely use the "Battle Rat", so he and I switched back and forth smashing away at a decent size tree. We continued back and forth for a while, until the tree finally toppled over and crashed to the ground. Upon inspecting the Battle Rat, there was NOT one single ding, roll, or chip on the edge. The icing on the cake was taking the BR and slicing right through thin paper after downing the tree. I have to admit, this may not qualify as apocalyptic punishment (nor was it quite the size of RN's tree <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />), but it sure was one of the most fun days I've had in a very long time. Nothin' like Busse family blades to put a huge smile on your face.

After I stripped them:


After Bill Akers (Backwoods Custom Knives) performed his wizardry:





Bill thrashing a tree with the BR:








The BR slicing through thin paper after downing the tree: