TOPS Tom Brown Tracker knife

[MBJ]

I'm currently trying to decide on a main knife for my bug out bag to go along with my Mora companion. What do people think of the TOPS Tracker?



Some specs:
Blade Length: 6 1/4"
O/A Length: 11 7/8"
Draw Knife: 2 1/8"
Saw: 2 1/2"
Thickness: 1/4"
Weight: 793g
Blade Steel: 1095 High Carbon Alloy RC-58
Blade Color: Black Traction Coating
Handle Material: Black Linen Micarta®
Sheath: Kydex With Two Rotating Steel Spring Clips
Mfg. Handcrafted in the USA

From what I've read and seen, you can use the draw knife located near the handle for carving and whittling, the back saw for making notches in branches and the longer cutting edge for chopping, batoning and other serious cutting tasks, not to mention it looks pretty damn indestructible.

Oh, and there there is the price £249.95

Would you use it? What other good knives are out there? As always comments and suggestions are welcome.

Of course, when I first saw it I couldn't help but think of this.


Thing's not a knife, it's a bloody sword!

[shocker]

There is a British Army small kuhkri knife available from surplus stores. The blade has less of a kink than usual and is around just six inches but has the weight and forward balance to chop into things. I have used one for ad-hoc butchery in the past and it worked well there too. And its about 30 quid !

First thought on the TOM is that I would like something to physically stop ones hand sliding forward onto the blade

[sethorly]

jack of all trades, master of none?

[Plymtom]

Oh, and there there is the price £249.95

****ing how much!!!!!!! Very hopeful of them, I need not look beyond the price, stick with the Mora, keep it simple applies, want a blade get a blade, want an axe, get one and a saw, what is this thing anyway some sort of Klingon ass scratcher ?

No I don't like it almost as much as I don't like the price, it looks like it could compete with the infamous chocolate teapot for usefulness, if it were an animal it'd be a Platypus.

[whenfires]

Not keen either. As shocker said, I'd like at least a small something to stop my hand slipping forward on to the blade. The design seems a bit 'gimicky' for want of a better word like its trying too hard to be different.

oh. and the price

[Jamesey1981]

I'm not a fan of that style of knife either, they're designed not to be useful, but to sell, think about where your hands are going to be if you want to use that draw knife section as a draw knife, that saw back will ruin your hand, I wouldn't recommend it for chopping either, it's too short and you'll muller your knuckles.
Look at the last cut on the saw back, it goes right to the grind line, that's cut far too deep and means the tip will likely snap off, all to make it look tacticool.

If you want a big knife, the Ka-Bar Becker is very well regarded and comes in various sizes, there are many other options too, from kukris to parangs.

If you already have a Mora this thing is a total waste of your cash, it's designed to be a one tool option for people that have it and nothing else, (although I think they've made a hash of it) the mora makes one part of it redundant, and the other part you'd be better off using a hand axe, 250 quid buys a lot of hand axe.

Everyone likes a big badass knife, but I don't think that one is a good one.

Here's my big badass knife next to a standard Swiss army for scale

I don't use it for carving much, I don't use it for chopping, whenever I use it I would probably be better off with one of my Moras, but I bought it because I like it, admit to yourself why you want a big knife and you'll have a lot more choice

[MBJ]

I suppose I don't actually know why I want a big knife and why I've been struggling to find one I like for awhile.

I do like my Mora, but I also want something stronger and tougher which will last for a long time. I guess it comes down to durability then. It would be used in partnership with my axe and saw so I wouldn't need to use it for chopping or batoning.

[Plymtom]

Everyone likes a big badass knife, but I don't think that one is a good one.

Agreed here's mine


The spec is here https://www.heinnie.com/down-under-outback-bowie

I also hate serrated back knives, I have a couple but they are a bloody liability , the thing with "gimicky" stuff with multiple uses is they are so damn dangerous, something like Lofty Wiseman's https://www.heinnie.com/catalogsearch/r ... y+wisemans now that's designed for the series outdoorsman, even so you need to practice with them, or what you save on space with a catch all tool, you'll loose on needing a First aid kit three times the size.

[MBJ]

I'm not a fan of that style of knife either, they're designed not to be useful, but to sell, think about where your hands are going to be if you want to use that draw knife section as a draw knife, that saw back will ruin your hand, I wouldn't recommend it for chopping either, it's too short and you'll muller your knuckles.
Look at the last cut on the saw back, it goes right to the grind line, that's cut far too deep and means the tip will likely snap off, all to make it look tacticool.

If you want a big knife, the Ka-Bar Becker is very well regarded and comes in various sizes, there are many other options too, from kukris to parangs.

If you already have a Mora this thing is a total waste of your cash, it's designed to be a one tool option for people that have it and nothing else, (although I think they've made a hash of it) the mora makes one part of it redundant, and the other part you'd be better off using a hand axe, 250 quid buys a lot of hand axe.

Everyone likes a big badass knife, but I don't think that one is a good one.

Here's my big badass knife next to a standard Swiss army for scale
I don't use it for carving much, I don't use it for chopping, whenever I use it I would probably be better off with one of my Moras, but I bought it because I like it, admit to yourself why you want a big knife and you'll have a lot more choice

I do like the look of your kinfe. Is it the KA-BAR USMC Utility knife?

I found one online for £99.95

[shocker]

Stick to your regular knife and look at something like the Fiskars Brush Hook - with its hollow handle theres a place for a folding saw to be packed. Short of carrying a real, regular handaxe its a good bet... At reasonable sensible money with no gimmicks...

...my opinion at least.