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I linked 2 tests of the knife. My thoughts don't differ from the tests.
TOPS knives, How good are they?
- Thread starter Space_Monkey
- Start date
I linked 2 tests of the knife. My thoughts don't differ from the tests.
My experience.
Their differential heat treat of 1095 is spot on, takes an edge easily and holds it well.
I have a Prather War Howie which I have conceded the edge on. It cuts fantastic! However that is due to an inherently good blade geometry. It is one of the few knives I plan on purchasing another of.
I also have one of their BOB knives. While I love the way their modified scand I grind cuts. This knife remains an in the bag knife due to the sheath. It rattles and does not retain the knife well enough to trust it.
I recently purchased one of their Brakimo's. I like it far better than the BOB. It's blade profile is far better. The sheath on the Brakimo is fantastic! It fit and carries securely in any position. I even find myself liking the metal clip. I find it far more useful than I thought I would.
Some of their designs are flat out weird.
But they do make some great performers as well!
Their differential heat treat of 1095 is spot on, takes an edge easily and holds it well.
I have a Prather War Howie which I have conceded the edge on. It cuts fantastic! However that is due to an inherently good blade geometry. It is one of the few knives I plan on purchasing another of.
I also have one of their BOB knives. While I love the way their modified scand I grind cuts. This knife remains an in the bag knife due to the sheath. It rattles and does not retain the knife well enough to trust it.
I recently purchased one of their Brakimo's. I like it far better than the BOB. It's blade profile is far better. The sheath on the Brakimo is fantastic! It fit and carries securely in any position. I even find myself liking the metal clip. I find it far more useful than I thought I would.
Some of their designs are flat out weird.
But they do make some great performers as well!
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2016
- Messages
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That War Bowie is really nice! I think it is sort of Strideresque though.
I have the BOB too and am surprised how well it cuts consider it is so widely ground with a fat inclusive edge angle.
Can you compare the BOB to the Brakimo for me? Is the Brakimo also a scandi convex grind? Is the edge ground thinner than the BOB.
Lapedog, the Brakimo is thinner behind the edge than the BOB that I have. However that may just be due to whoever did the final sharpening of the knife. TOPS may also have just evolved that grind over time as my BOB is several years old.
Both cut fantastic, but the Brakimo edges out the BOB.
I'm thinking of picking up one of their Tanimboca Puukko's next.
Both cut fantastic, but the Brakimo edges out the BOB.
I'm thinking of picking up one of their Tanimboca Puukko's next.
I own a TOPS BOB (or 'Fieldcraft by Brothers of Bushcraft') in 154CM:
It a great bombproof knife. It's indeed more than a prybar than a knife. That's ok though, because that was what I was looking for. (a knife for scenario's where I know I would abuse it a little and won't have time to maintain it). It's pretty sharp for a prybar, actually.
The ergonomics are really great, especially for such a big knife. It's heavy though.
I'm left handed, so I had to ghetto-rig my own sheath.
I don't much like the convex grind. If you are processing wood that contains sap, it wil leave a line of hard to clean gunk. The shape of the blade/grind causes this to accumulate in a straight line or ridge, and after a while it builds up and hampers your cutting. It was also a little on the expensive side.
I don't regret buying this knife. However, TOPS other designs don't interest me much, so I don't think I'll be buying a lot more TOPS knives.
P.S. It must be close to halloween as the spooky thread necromancer is on the loose!
It a great bombproof knife. It's indeed more than a prybar than a knife. That's ok though, because that was what I was looking for. (a knife for scenario's where I know I would abuse it a little and won't have time to maintain it). It's pretty sharp for a prybar, actually.
The ergonomics are really great, especially for such a big knife. It's heavy though.
I'm left handed, so I had to ghetto-rig my own sheath.
I don't much like the convex grind. If you are processing wood that contains sap, it wil leave a line of hard to clean gunk. The shape of the blade/grind causes this to accumulate in a straight line or ridge, and after a while it builds up and hampers your cutting. It was also a little on the expensive side.
I don't regret buying this knife. However, TOPS other designs don't interest me much, so I don't think I'll be buying a lot more TOPS knives.
P.S. It must be close to halloween as the spooky thread necromancer is on the loose!
