SR-77 and INFI are about the two "Toughest" knife steels you can buy.
..... If your goal is for ultimate in toughness.
But, I personally feel that based on how I use a knife SR-101 is MORE than sufficiently tough enough.
Swamp Rat released Battle Rats, Rat Mastiff and the Rat Daddy which is longer than the DF a long time ago. All of these knives are EXCELLENT choppers and I have never seen one posted as significantly damaged on Swamp Rat's forum or even heard of one damaged over many years of reading forums.
There have been some very impressive torture testing done to Swamp Rat SR-101 over the years inlcuding cinder block chopping and bending with a long pipe.
If you are stressing you knife near this limit, I would argue you need a different tool for the job.
SR-101 has slightly better edge retention and sharpness ability and when I feel the blade is tough enough, then other factors start becoming more important.
To each his own.
Personally, I wish Swamp Rat was still allowed to use Res-C. I have said this a few times and I still contend that there is now a hole in the Busse kin market by not allowing SR-101 combined with Res-C. It was a GREAT combo IMO.
SR-77 and INFI are the two ultimate "abuse" steels. But, do you need this much toughness? If using SR-77, do you prefer ultimate toughness at the expense of some edge quality?
Or do you want some improved edge quality and are plenty good with a knife steel that has proven to be plenty tough enough as a beater and chopper?
Oh, by the way, Swamp Rat still has the same incredible Lifetime warranty....
INFI is about as good a steel across the board that I know of, but WAY expensive IMO. If I could justify and affored INFI, it is the ultimate knife steel across the board unless you want Res-C handles. I like Res-C handles on choppers. To me, they feel quite nice for chopping. So, the DF and DFLE are quite nice as choppers. Although, there is a sort of giddy feeling you get when "holding" a big ole' FFFBM or Heavy Heart or similar. They are very impressive to hold and they have immense power in chopping - although a good axe will still out chop and a good machete will out machete work. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> - But, still Big Busse knives have a coolness factor. They are bad to the bone even if hard to pay for and justify. (IMO .......)
Since SR-77 is rediculously tough and at a way better price than INFI, it is a VERY good choice for a "large" beater / abuse the heck out of knife.
SR-101 is more than sufficiently tough and has great edge qualities!
My honest opinion, (sorry if offensive) for my purposes, I think SR-101 just has a lot more going for it as "knife" steel and over-all package when I feel a knife is primarily to be used as a "cutting" tool instead of a bludgeoning tool.
Honesty hurts sometimes.... Even if just "My Opinion", .... But, there it is.
On the other hand, now SR-101 can only be had with micarta and Busse charges a LOT for micarta. A typical comparable SR-101 Swamp Rat with micarta compared to a comparable Scrap Yard with Res-C has a price difference of about $50+ dollars. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Personally, I feel this is pretty steep for micarta. But, it is what it is.
...... unless things change. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
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