holy snikies
thats great


looking forward to the chop-off

Thanks, Ban. It is .21" or so, about the same as the BR Golok, but heavier and more forward weighted. This is the best large convex edge I have ever done. The curve made each pass on the sander a natural fluid motion. I did it with cheap 80 grit woodworking belts until I got a wire edge, then 150 grit aluminum oxide, 80 micron, and 20 micron. I was out of intermediate grits. I went through 3 of those cheap 80 grit belts. They would load up fast. I have ordered some 80 grit sharpening belts from Lee Valley and some 180, and fine grits and finishing belts. It took me quite a while. I lost track of time. It was a Zen kind of groove I was in. I was so into it, the rest of the world just disappeared. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

That groove describes how I get when I sharpen or polish a blade.
It sounds a bit flaky I know but I feel connected to all my ancestors who did the same thing with their blades. Vic you are the MAN with that 30$ grinder!


Ban I love the idea of a 2x4 chop ringer blade. Like a 2 handed comp bowie.

I have had one of your modded Busses on my desktop as inspiration for my SH-E.
This is beautiful.


I am not sure if this is yours but it is a showstopper.

I don't usually like guthooks but this one is unbelievable!

Just imagine the balls it took to carve up a 500$ knife?

I hear ya about the zen thing. I once stood there for 6-7 hours straight grinding on my very first FBM mod. I was using cheap belts at the time so I had to be careful of the heat buildup and had to dip my blade into water every every 2-3 seconds. It was a long a slow process removing all of the CBTs on a FBM.

Now I only use premium belts to reduce heat build-up at the same time increase my speed. Give those premium ceramic belts a try and you won't want to go back. They are spendy but worth every penny for me.

That 2 handed chopper would resemble something like a chinese Dao with 4inch wide blade at the belly and .210 thick A2 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

That guthook FBM (banned cutter) was the toughest FBM mod I ever did. I don't even want to remember the amount of hours I spent working on that thing. That hook is actually also a bottle opener <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Wow that Banned Cutter FBM is incredible. So I take it you won't be making me one then?

I can barely bring myself to remove the coating when there is a logo so the idea of taking a huge bite off an FBM is unfathomable. You have to have a lot of confidence in your abilities.

I think an INFI Busse with that kind of Banned finish are some of the best knives ever made. They have it all. The best materials ,the best heat treat ,the best geometry ,the best edge s and the best finishes.

Here is another modded knife I love ,this one a Rat Daddy.


Another incredible SH-E



Here is some nice work from British Blades.

Here is a photo where that FBM is only partially finished (but still awesome)and the Scrofa is still stock. I can't wait to see what he is doing to that ASH in the first photo.


Big Rats make good options for mods because they are one of the only production knives with a hamon. Here is one with a wood handle.


I have a user Desert Jack on the way soon. I think users make the best mod fodder because you definitly make the knife worth more not less and I like bringing an old user back to better than new?

I plan to smooth the micarta and maybe even cut some of the handle off.


I have always loved the PBF so this "Grand Piano chop" makes me mad with lust. I still like the banned FBM better though.

I think that Ratdaddy belongs to Eli (Xaman on the the Busse Forums)

Those British Blades use to belong to Soupmonger. He does awesome work. I call him the human belt sander <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

That bigger brother of the piano key was done by Thourot and is pretty darn awesome. I got to see that knife that Blade.

Yeah those Swamprats do turn out really nice with those hamon. I did a few of them a while back and the hamon stands out pretty nicely.

That RatDaddy is a sexy knife. I love shiny black handles and a nicely polished blade.
Soupmonger is the guy i was thinking about ,he seems like a really nice guy and he does a great job of turning the brits on to INFI.
He has amazing patience to do all that by hand.

I would love to get any photos possible of modded Busses? I am really getting interested and I have tried to find all the photos I can.

I touched up the edge on my SS4 with a EZ lap free hand with a 10X magnifier and it is even sharper.

FYI,

You can easily find all of mine and Soupy's mods by clicking on the profiles page and viewing statistics on BF. Click on the link that says
"find all threads start by username"

well I am jealous

Today's project was to make a new Ont camp machete cut like a BRKT machete. All he did was reprofile and cut down an 18" Ontario to 14" and add some pretty handles and a nice sheath. But the main thing was his convex edge. I am not messing with the handles or the sheath, but I bet I can make my camp machete cut as well has his custom. Same steel. Normally I am reluctant to go too thin, but having used the thinned out BRKT, I was confident this steel could take it.
And this machete was only $19.95! I found a stash of 100 grit belts in the laundry room. Let the sparks fly!



Done, and close enough for a fat old man on the back porch.


It chops.


It slices. It dices.

It crawls on it belly like a reptile!

Now how much would you pay? Don't answer. You also get this. Only $19.95!

I just cleaned the sap off the blade and and inspected the edge. It is still very sharp and undamaged. I even took a few whacks at some hard maple. It is amazing how much more efficiently a convex edge cuts and chops. It doesn't quite have the feel and balance of the BR, but it cuts just as well.
[img]http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/rivershaman/machetes/ONT12026.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/rivershaman/machetes/ONT12025.jpg[/img]

Looks pretty sharp too me. LOL