Mistwalker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2007
- Messages
- 18,962
I picked up another TOPS knife a couple of months ago. I wanted it for a project I was working on, but thought I should go ahead and do a review on it too.
It’s the new USMC Combat Knife.
The specs: (from the TOPS website)
Overall Length:………………13 3/4"
Blade Length:…………………7 1/2"
Thickness:…………………….1/4"
Steel:………………………….1095 High Carbon Steel RC 56-58
Handle:……………………….Black Linen Micarta
Blade Color:………………….Tac Black
Serrated Blade:……………….1 1/2"
Weight:……………………….17.5oz
Sheath:………………………..Nylon
Designer:……………………...Laci Szabo
The sheath is the standard TOPS ballistic nylon sheath. It has a large utility pouch on the front that is great for carrying along some extra gear, and it has a molle back for attaching to tactical vests and drop leg systems. It also has metal eyelets that work well for both attaching the knife to the shoulder strap of a pack and one set even works as an improvised retention strap.
It’s definitely not a small knife.
Being one who likes having a bow drill option to fall back on for fire starting I like that the knife has bow drill divots on both sides of the handle to suit both left and right-handed people. It also gives both people the ability to safely use the other hand should their strong hand become injured.
The double guard gives the user a good leverage point for twisting the blade when boring, or to create more trauma in a wound. It also gives a good purchase for a forefinger to extricate the knife should it get hung up in bone or cartilage.
Because the handle is bisymmetrical I like that they included notches in the front of the handle for easy indexing in the dark.
The knife has a feature I happen to like a lot and that is a tang extension that is flat and perpendicular to the point of the knife. This one is designed to serve well as a glass breaker/skull crusher and to baton the knife in chisel fashion when the need arises.
The handle has grooves that give it a similar look and feel to the original USMC combat knife of old, but having a full tang and being made of 0.25” steel stock it feels a lot sturdier and has taken some of the same abuse I’ve seen break a few of the stick tang models.
As I said earlier, I am a fan of the bow drill, and like having a dedicated bearing block in micarta along because they are smoother and produce a good bit less friction than wooden ones made in the field even without a lubricant. So putting it to the test starting a fire was first on the list. The heavy steel and sharp edge made quick work of splitting, chopping and whittling the parts I needed.
I tend to prefer my divots in the center of the handle on smaller knives, but with this one being large enough to chop with that may well have caused a hot spot on the tip of one of the “strong” fingers in the grip while chopping. In any case the divot still worked really well.
……
It’s the new USMC Combat Knife.
The specs: (from the TOPS website)
Overall Length:………………13 3/4"
Blade Length:…………………7 1/2"
Thickness:…………………….1/4"
Steel:………………………….1095 High Carbon Steel RC 56-58
Handle:……………………….Black Linen Micarta
Blade Color:………………….Tac Black
Serrated Blade:……………….1 1/2"
Weight:……………………….17.5oz
Sheath:………………………..Nylon
Designer:……………………...Laci Szabo
The sheath is the standard TOPS ballistic nylon sheath. It has a large utility pouch on the front that is great for carrying along some extra gear, and it has a molle back for attaching to tactical vests and drop leg systems. It also has metal eyelets that work well for both attaching the knife to the shoulder strap of a pack and one set even works as an improvised retention strap.
It’s definitely not a small knife.
Being one who likes having a bow drill option to fall back on for fire starting I like that the knife has bow drill divots on both sides of the handle to suit both left and right-handed people. It also gives both people the ability to safely use the other hand should their strong hand become injured.
The double guard gives the user a good leverage point for twisting the blade when boring, or to create more trauma in a wound. It also gives a good purchase for a forefinger to extricate the knife should it get hung up in bone or cartilage.
Because the handle is bisymmetrical I like that they included notches in the front of the handle for easy indexing in the dark.
The knife has a feature I happen to like a lot and that is a tang extension that is flat and perpendicular to the point of the knife. This one is designed to serve well as a glass breaker/skull crusher and to baton the knife in chisel fashion when the need arises.
The handle has grooves that give it a similar look and feel to the original USMC combat knife of old, but having a full tang and being made of 0.25” steel stock it feels a lot sturdier and has taken some of the same abuse I’ve seen break a few of the stick tang models.
As I said earlier, I am a fan of the bow drill, and like having a dedicated bearing block in micarta along because they are smoother and produce a good bit less friction than wooden ones made in the field even without a lubricant. So putting it to the test starting a fire was first on the list. The heavy steel and sharp edge made quick work of splitting, chopping and whittling the parts I needed.
I tend to prefer my divots in the center of the handle on smaller knives, but with this one being large enough to chop with that may well have caused a hot spot on the tip of one of the “strong” fingers in the grip while chopping. In any case the divot still worked really well.
……
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