Tops BOB Fieldcraft mods w/pics

Joined
Aug 10, 2013
Messages
104
Hello everyone. I recently picked up a Tops BOB Fieldcraft knife with black micarta scales. I took it for a hike this weekend and put it through it's paces and was very very impressed with it. There were just two things I couldn't stand: 1) the overly aggressive jimping wore my thumb raw in about 3 seconds 2) the billboard plastered all over the side of the blade. Yesterdays Buckeye game was a blowout, so I decided to do some mods. I used a dremel to smooth the jimping down, stripped the coating on the blade, sanded it with 400/600/1200 (all I had on hand), and used a little green polishing compound. This is my first attempt ever at polishing something, I typically try to make things look old but figured I would try something different. I'm not sure how I feel about the shiny blade though; I am thinking about cutting up a bunch of red meat to try and get a purple/blue patina on it. Let me know what you think. This blade along with my Bahco Laplander and Victorinox SAK are going to be my go-to woods trio for the near future; the BOB replacing my BK9.

Just thought I would share some pics:

Stock image for reference courtesy of http://www.gpknives.com/images/tops/BROSBLM[large].jpg
BROSBLMlarge_zps7e4736fb.jpg


After mods
DSCN2479_zpsbf4fa0a7.jpg

DSCN2487_zpsa92b4677.jpg

DSCN2481_zpsb51564ba.jpg

DSCN2482_zps3fd48c6f.jpg
 
Wow that looks really great. You certainly did a nice job. I really like it.
 
Turned out great. I like your idea of letting it form a natural patina cutting meats. I'd add fruits and veggies to the list also. It would be a real work trip maintaining that level of shine with 1095 steel.
 
Looks better without the factory coating. Wish TOPS would stop "painting" all their knives.
 
Thanks for all the comments. I will definitely patina it; I don't like it all shiny and un-used looking.
 
I think it looks outstanding. Pretty much like an entirely new knife. Nice work. I have 2 high carbon knives but both are fully coated like yours was and all I do is clean them off and then give them a light wipe with some mineral oil. Is the process the same with a fully stripped blade like this or is the maintenance a bit more involved?
 
How does the kydex fit after the coating strip? Did you strip the coating under the scales? Sometimes that coating can be pretty thick. It sure is on ESEE.
 
I think it looks outstanding. Pretty much like an entirely new knife. Nice work. I have 2 high carbon knives but both are fully coated like yours was and all I do is clean them off and then give them a light wipe with some mineral oil. Is the process the same with a fully stripped blade like this or is the maintenance a bit more involved?

It is the same, except extra care must be taken to ensure the entire stripped area is coated.
 
How does the kydex fit after the coating strip? Did you strip the coating under the scales? Sometimes that coating can be pretty thick. It sure is on ESEE.

The kydex fit is slightly looser, but I believe that is due to grinding the jimping down. I left the coating on under the scales. I made the mistake of completely stripping a Becker Bk2 under the scales and it was a PIA to take the scales off and oil the tang, which did rust.
 
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