I didn't get a SAR4, having just purchased the less practical but way cool HG55LE. How would you rate it against the Bark River Bravo-1 (if you have one of those)?

That SFNO LE looks great. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

the sar4 with that tigerhide is one of my favorite busse offering, just didn't have the money to pick one up.

That SFNO is SWEET! What a great design.

It's real nice.

I did have a Bravo-1 Vic but sold it because I found the spine ramp to get in the way when I wanted to use certain "grips" on the knife which involve me putting my thumb on the spine. What I should have done was ordered one without this feature....there were some on Knivesshipfree when I got my Bravo and I deliberated which way to go at the time....however they did'nt last that long and when I sold my original Bravo knife there were none left.

Aside from this issue I liked the Bravo 1 a lot and it is a Benchmark knife for EDC Woodcraft type use. The SAR4 is a different knife altogether in terms of weight and size. Much more a BATAC sized knife which I believe you have owned....but without the very thick and heavy handle I had on the BATAC LE which came with a .25 thick blade and handle. At .20 thickness though the SAR4 is very close to a BATAC CG. This size of knife dwarfs a Bravo 1 and even a RMD can make a Bravo 1 feel a "lite" option.

My RMD however was also part of the reason for selling the Bravo 1. I found the RMD to have just that extra little weight and ability on certain tasks and felt I would not carry the Bravo 1 if I could pick up my RMD.

The SAR4 though is really like the next level of knife up from the RMD weight without hitting that obvious level of weight which you would categorise as a "chopping" knife. Although that being said....if you hold the SAR4 by the end of the grip to give more leverage for chopping it is really quite suprising as to how well it can cope at this task.

Talking now with hindsight knowledge that an Infi S5 LE will be made and which I have ordered....I would now categorise this knife as the closest knife in Infi to a Bushcrafter knife....but prior to learning of this....the SAR4 was perhaps the nearest for me. I have not had the old models however such as a Basic 5 or an old Badger III....which might be a closer comparison... although I doubt they would eclipse a S5 LE for ability.

Yes...without wanting to seem like I am simply following a well worn path...if you could only own one Infi knife...able to have a go at everything but perhaps be master of nothing except the fact of "sheer versatility"...this is THE ONE.

It is a great design...it is like a small compact Battle Mistress...but excels the BM's in it's "likely to be with you" ability because it is light enough to be carried at all times.

If I could have only one Busse....this or the Zilla would be in the final cut. It would boil down to whether a Busse is best at being a big "Bergan" carry camp/fighting blade....or a Survival blade...and that is a hard choice. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I keep forgetting how big the SAR4 is. I don't know why I was comparing it to the Bravo-1. I have been asking for a 5" Bravo over on the BRkT forum, but folks over there think I'm nuts. They may be right.

i went with the 7" bravo 2... and its way big honestly when i got it , but when i started using it ... it was near perfect.... but thats me.... im looking at the s5le for my 1 knife... it seams to do about every thing i want it too... and its lighter then about any thing i own...

i honestly do like the thumb ramps.... with a chole i can get balancing grips i rarely cant with any other knife... changing the balance of the blade in my hand... the one person that complained about the thumb ramp on the ddf or the s5 also liked to point using there index finger on the spine... and that freaked me out.... but to each there own ... i have people tell me that a chole has no place on a bush knife.... of course they also told me to just buy a mora and carry it.

Have you tried the Smoke Jumper? I got one from BRKT as a replacement for the VP Bowie I broke. This is a really nice light field knife, slimmer and lighter than the Bravo-2. Blade is 6". Steel is 50100 B (Carbon V, 0170-6C, CroVan, etc). It has that nice handling like the S6. Of course, it isn't as tough, but a nice knife anyway.

The sheath is done by me but is copied style wise on the original sheath for the knife done by Alan Wood which came without a ferro rod loop so I made another sheath which took one.

i like the smoke jumper ....

oh i dig my bravo 2 ... ill have to wait a little on any more bark rivers though

I really like that Sar4!