Any info on the TOPS scandi trekker?

[J1427]

Hey everybody, so like the title suggests I am looking for some review or opinions on the TOPS scandi trekker. It is the one in between their BOB and MSK in size. I have looked everywhere, and have only really been able to find reviews of its specs and people saying ti is a good knife. No specifics or comparisons to other knives.

How does it stack up to the izula II or BK14 (with the aded on scales)? I am torn between these three and any info you would give me would be helpful. They would be used as camping/hiking knives so mostly cutting rope and woodwork. I am most interested in the scandi trekker as it is a nice size, has micarta handles which look superior to the Izula's and it has a scandi grind. Is it true that a scandi grind is way better for woodwork than a FFG?

 

[J1427]

bump?

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

Hi,
I have owned the izula 1(which has the same blade length as the 2) and the other two. I usually did chores around the house and in the kitchen with them; for hiking I used longer knives. For what I used them for, I found the izula comfortable as a neck knife to carry, but a little too small of a blade, especially if dealing with wood, or large pieces of food (like cutting up large fruits and vegetables); it ended up being given away. The BK14 was a nice knife but that plastic sheath wasn't really a quality piece, and it was bulky as a neck knife/sheath; it ended up as a truck knife. I also have the TOPS Baja 3; very nice size blade with a good belly and good handle size for me, and carried well as a neck or belt knife. Still have it and prefer it to the above two. Just got the TOPS Scandi trekker recently and haven't had time to work with it in a variety of chores, but with the little I have done with it, I do like it above the izula 1 and BK, also. (It's only a belt carry for me.) I also have used some Battle Horse knives as well for similar jobs; their Comanche and Large Work Horse (both best as belt knives); take a look at both of those as well.

As for blade care, coated blades don't work with fire steels unless one uses the uncoated blade edge (which means you should carry something to resharpen the blade afterwards), but the coating does cut down on care and rusting. 1095 is easy to sharpen, but you should keep exposed blades waxed. 01 and A2 are probably a little harder, but again, keep waxed. D2 is possibly even harder, but I've had some fine chipping problems with my scandi ground ones; it is more stain resistant than the above steels if that matters.

As for blade grinds, for my chores, I've come to appreciate a full flat grind and high saber grind (which isn't so much a grind as a style of grind; think of it as a half flat). I've read scandi is suppose to be real good for wood working, but as a lot of my chores don't entail wood working, it's been the least useful to me; it doesn't slice anywhere near as nicely as the other two grinds. I have used convex and full flat grind knives for wood processing with very good results for both, but those were both MUCH larger knives (think 'bowies'!).

BTW, the TOPS Scandi actually appears to have a secondary bevel/grind, so it's not a 'true scandi', which does not have secondary grind.