TOPS Wilderness Guide

Great review. I kind of like the idea of a finger notch and large choil in the absence of any guard. That knife is one I'm putting on my short list. The sheath looks like a definite improvement over Tops sheaths that I've seen before. Tops knives is coming out with some good stuff lately. I'd like to see a review on their new .230 machete.
 
Thanks for a very well thought out and photographed review! I own a few TOPS blades myself and have yet to be disappointed. I particularly like my MIL- SPIE 3 and use it in much the same way you do the Wilderness Guide.

Thanks for the compliments Bama Joe, I'm glad you enjoyed the post! Yep, I have a Mil Spie 3 also, one of my oldest TOPS knives. I love the size and blade geometry. The only issue I've ever had with it is the shadow-boxed tang in long term use in making tools and utensils. I took the scales off and wrapped mine after a bit. It was the knife that let me know I liked TOPS' heat treat in CPM154 just as well as their 1095 and 5160, and later their S30V...and it was one of the reasons I was really looking forward to the Shadow Tracker 2 I just got in.

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I agree it's not the most comfortable of the TOPS grips. I really like their micarta handles and though I'm not too good at wrapping paracord at least that option is there on many of their knives.

Looks like you got the "breakfast of champions" going on there. Dang, I'm getting hungry!!
 
Great Review my friend. :thumbup: :cool: :thumbup:


Can't say the knife calls to ME though.


I'll stick with my Dozier Wilderness Guide.





Big Mike
 
Hey Mist.

Nice review. I really respect that you are willing to try new models and post your experiences without forum input first. That is an interesting model. If it was a full flat grind I would give it a try. The Pasayten Lite looks good too. have you tried that one? Also, have you tried the SOG Force yet?

I got a Pasayten a few weeks ago and I'm very happy with it.

I bought a decent butchers steel and have been thinning the edge. I was a little worried that I would find the 154cm steel hard to sharpen but it's been absolutely fine.
 
I bought a decent butchers steel and have been thinning the edge.



You do realize that a Butcher's Steel is for re-aligning the edge.


It is not a sharpening device per se, as it will not remove metal.


Steeling a knife is a technique used to keep a "soft" edge in line,

...thus improving it's slicing ability without sharpening.


You will need a something designed to remove hardened steel to thin the edge.





Big Mike
 
That looks like it cuts a LOT better than my one Tops knife (A Cheetah), which is way too thick at the edge for good fuzz sticks or the like.

What about the spine jimping? It looks like it'd be painful to put any pressure on it (Another complaint with my Cheetah, and, from the pictures, almost all their knives.)
 
You do realize that a Butcher's Steel is for re-aligning the edge.


It is not a sharpening device per se, as it will not remove metal.


Steeling a knife is a technique used to keep a "soft" edge in line,

...thus improving it's slicing ability without sharpening.


You will need a something designed to remove hardened steel to thin the edge.




Big Mike


Running the steel over the shoulders of the bevel has removed the paint and smoothed/polished the transition into the edge.
Doing this has made the knife slice much easier.
 
I agree it's not the most comfortable of the TOPS grips. I really like their micarta handles and though I'm not too good at wrapping paracord at least that option is there on many of their knives.

Looks like you got the "breakfast of champions" going on there. Dang, I'm getting hungry!!

Wrapping is something I have to play with until I'm happy with it myself...seems I never nail it the first time. It was a few years ago on a camping trip, but yeah, it was pretty good :)


Great Review my friend. :thumbup: :cool: :thumbup:


Can't say the knife calls to ME though.


I'll stick with my Dozier Wilderness Guide.





Big Mike


Thanks Mike, I like sharp points so this one didn't speak to me too loudly either...but since a lot of the knives I like most don't speak to some people I thought I'd do something different for a change and play with this one. It's definitely one heck of a slicer, and has a very positive grip.


That looks like it cuts a LOT better than my one Tops knife (A Cheetah), which is way too thick at the edge for good fuzz sticks or the like.

What about the spine jimping? It looks like it'd be painful to put any pressure on it (Another complaint with my Cheetah, and, from the pictures, almost all their knives.)

The Cheetah and the Cochise are a couple of the ones that I'd love to see them re-do the grind on the way they just did the new Shadow Tracker. I'd love to have a Cochise with a higher grind!

I hear that from a lot of people but I really don't put a lot of pressure on the jimping with my thumb so they don't bother me at all. When I am using a lot of force close to the handle then my hand, and thumb, is wrapped tight around the handle. The only time I use a lot of pressure on a thumb is when I am doing thumb pushes with the tip of the knife and using the thumb of my weak hand when I am carving.
 
As always a great and practical review Mistwalker. I think you do some of the best reviews that have been posted on BF and I have been here closing on a decade. btw on a side note, still enjoying your H.E.S.T? Your review has made me really desire one but I can't decide if I want to get one the new DPX gear ones.
 
As always a great and practical review Mistwalker. I think you do some of the best reviews that have been posted on BF and I have been here closing on a decade. btw on a side note, still enjoying your H.E.S.T? Your review has made me really desire one but I can't decide if I want to get one the new DPX gear ones.

Thank you for the compliment, I'm glad you enjoy the posts. Yes, I like it very much. I have no problems with any RAT/ESEE knife I've tried, but I do plan to pick up one of the new DPx HESTs. I can't speak to the new steel yet, but I like the new design of the pommel and thicker scales much better than the first gen.
 
Nice seeing more knives around 1/8". I had a couple of my Koyotes out last night and really like that thickness. Plenty tough for me.
 
Great review of an interesting general purpose knife. Bravo!

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. It is a good all-around-er and good camp knife. Slices like a laser.


Nice seeing more knives around 1/8". I had a couple of my Koyotes out last night and really like that thickness. Plenty tough for me.

I actually like 1/8 just fine when it's full thickness 1/8 and on blades 4 inches or less. I also like it on machetes...just not so much on medium to large belt knives of 5 inches or more blade length.
 
Mist:

First, I am new to the forum and what intersted me was your review on the Mil SPIE 3. This review is awesome as well! Thanks!

Second a couple of questions:

1. If you had one knife to choose to take on a survival/bug out situation which would it be? Second which would it be between the MilSPIE 3 and this knife?

2. If you have had to sharpen the 154 CM of the Mil Spie 3 how was it it to sharpen?

Thanks again and great review!
 
Mist:

First, I am new to the forum and what intersted me was your review on the Mil SPIE 3. This review is awesome as well! Thanks!

Second a couple of questions:

1. If you had one knife to choose to take on a survival/bug out situation which would it be? Second which would it be between the MilSPIE 3 and this knife?

2. If you have had to sharpen the 154 CM of the Mil Spie 3 how was it it to sharpen?

Thanks again and great review!

Welcome to the forum, and thank you I'm glad you enjoyed the review.

To answer part a of your first question would be difficult for me, I have several I trust to choose from. Between these two is would be the Mil SPIE because it is thicker and a tough little knife.

Actually the 154 isn't bad at all on sharpening.
 
Great review, interesting to read and good pictures. It IS nice to see TOPS produce a knife from thinner stock (and one which doesn't have a tactical name etched on the blade). I like the look of lots of TOPS knives, but the only model I have currently (a present from a friend) is the Hawk recon, and it's a real beast :)
 
Man this is an awesome review. I really like the blade shape. Wider blades really appeal to me. That handle looks great as well. The tan and brass eyelets with that black blade looks killer.
Thanks for the review mist.
 
Thanks Mist!

You're quite welcome :)


Great review, interesting to read and good pictures. It IS nice to see TOPS produce a knife from thinner stock (and one which doesn't have a tactical name etched on the blade). I like the look of lots of TOPS knives, but the only model I have currently (a present from a friend) is the Hawk recon, and it's a real beast :)

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. TOPS has made a few knives here and there out of 1/8" stock, just not as many as they make out of thicker stock. I tend to like thicker steels with high grinds for strength plus some decent cutting ability for field use and survival knives, but for camp use and food prep lighter knives are definitely appreciated by the wrist. I thought since my brother is always telling me that "none of your knives are thin enough to slice bacon good" that I would give this one a go, though he has yet to produce the unsliced bacon for the tests. I like how the Wilderness Guide handles and has a good grip. Apparently my brother does too as he has yet to return it.


Man this is an awesome review. I really like the blade shape. Wider blades really appeal to me. That handle looks great as well. The tan and brass eyelets with that black blade looks killer.
Thanks for the review mist.

Thanks man, glad you liked it. The knife really does quite well in all around camp chores and should be great for those who want a tough knife but complain about thicker steels feeling like a boat anchor. I like the tan and black too, and wish TOPS did that more often.
 
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