Mr. Rawles,
I feel compelled to comment on Pat’s latest review for the Cold Steel “Bushman” line of knives. I have been a Cold Steel fan for years and like Pat, am completely sold on their products, and I have owned/own a lot of their line. I have owned approximately 15 Bushman knives over the years, some I gave away to friends and family and some I still own…and some I’ve broke. Yes, it broke.
Towards the end of Pat’s review, he talks about attaching the hollow handle of the Bushman to a good wood shaft. I wanted to try this, and already knowing I needed more than a broomhandle to make myself a spear, I went ahead and ordered three spare shafts that usually are made for Cold Steels’ assegai spears. I know that the spear shafts are excellent shafts since I’ve owned several over the years and have used and abused them and only ever managed to break one…but that was more my fault than the product failure. Anyway, I attached two of my Bushman knives to these new spear shafts and began to throw. On the second throw of the first spear I made, it stuck into the target just fine, but the weight of the shaft pulling downward was to much for the Bushman and broke the blade completely in half. I was more than a little upset. The second spear I had made broke on the first throw! Once again, the weight of the shaft pulling down was too much, and broke about 3/4″ off the tip.
Now, is this product failure? I don’t think so. I highly doubt I would have broken them if I had used a shorter spear shaft. BTW, I had ordered the longer shafts that are about 6′ long. I was simply using these knives in the way they are not meant to be used. The Bushman knives do have a hollow handle to make a spear, but it doesn’t mean you should do it. In my opinion, if you make a long shaft Bushman spear, it should be made for thrusting only (not throwing), or to keep distance between yourself and a predator.
All this being said, I love my Bushman knives. They are solid products that are worth way more than you will pay for them. Just thought I’d share. – Joseph J.