TOPS knives?

[Lee D]

im curious what you guys/gals think of their products? ive been pleased with the Buck/TOPS knives ive been buying up, so i ordered the 3/8" thick Lil Roughneck to check out their products. anyone have experience with TOPS?

http://www.topsknives.com/product_info.php?products_id=349

[Kain]

I have a friend who has one, not sure which model. Alright knife in my opinion, though I didn't think its edge was that great from the factory, but other then that, cool knife. I think they can be a little high on some of their products personally, then again I suppose I shouldn't be trying to compare it to the SOG SEAL Pup I bought for $40 bucks last month.

[mikeith]

i have a tom brown scout.... good little knife, comfortable grip but hate the sheath.

i got it for like 35-40% off so i would say in THAT range it was decent but i wouldnt pay full price for any of their stuff!

[Kain]

i have a tom brown scout.... good little knife, comfortable grip but hate the sheath.

i got it for like 35-40% off so i would say in THAT range it was decent but i wouldnt pay full price for any of their stuff!

I'd buy a couple of their knifes at that price range to play with.

What about the sheath don't you like? My friends knife sheath his came with was a little wonky in my opinion as well.

[Lee D]

i usually carry a small fixed blade as well as a folder, and yes, the fixed blade is the one that tends to get abused. ive used my BK11 that i normally carry at work as a small prybar, screwdriver in a pinch (i know, i know), cut expansion, etc. a mason/concrete guy's knife is usually an ugly abused piece of steel, but it has to be able to perform tasks a utility knife wouldnt hold up to. while the little Becker has been holding up nicely, that "ugly" little TOPS just might be the sharpened prybar im looking for.

i figured id clarify my reasoning for buying this knife...i didnt fall for their marketing LOL

[HiVelocity]

I bought the "FireStarter" years ago and still have it. Great knife, rugged, great all around knife, easy to sharpen.

I just wish I could find a quality Kydex sheath for it. Any idea's?

Thanks,

HV

[xrayoneone]

I'm not a fan of any of their products. I've found the knives to be heavy and dull with poor edge retention once you get an edge on it. They are also extremely expensive. For the price look someplace else.

[mkmckinley]

They charge a lot for some mediocre steels. that and their designs and marketing are so ridiculous that I've never felt the need to own one.

[jonconsiglio]

I will not purchase any of their knives. The Tracker looks like a great field knife, but I wouldn't even consider most of the other stuff.

Not only do they use some mediocre steel, their heat treat seems less than optimal and they do some funny grinds that are less than ideal. To me, they're more for dress up than serious use.

In a review of a few knives on YouTube, the Tops knife bends and hangs up on a knot in a stump while the BK2 plows right through it. The Tops actually ahead a permanent torque to it and was out at that point. I believe it then snapped if I remember correctly, but I may be mistaken there.

I'll link the video in a few.

Ok, it's a review by Equip2Endure (sp?) and his reviews are pretty solid. He's not out trying to break knives, just showing how they perform mostly in the wilderness.

Go to the 1:20 mark to see the Tops in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl_UREYzRxQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'd recommend an ESEE Izula if you're looking for a quality knife that size under $100. I just traded for a Strider DB-L, and that's one hell of a knife. If you're looking at something the size in that link, the Strider SA is an awesome knife. They're expensive new, but I see them used for about $50 more than that Tops with a much better steel, heat treat and edge retention.

[Jellybean]

Here's another thread that helped a bit for me: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=94276

From what I've gathered it seems a case of, they make decent enough overall knives, but they're overpriced for the quality and features you get.

[J_Dub_503]

I don't care for their knives, they are impractical and strange designs, to say the least. As stated earlier, the metals they use combined with poor heat treating makes an expensive "Bud K" type knife. I'd rather put that money on a Ontario, Esee, Sog, or even Cold Steel. I love Kershaw but I haven't tried any of their fixed blades, I wish they'd do more bushcraft knives though.

[Campbell]

They always looked to me as if they were designed by someone who had never used a knife...overall just kinda' tacky. jmo

[Lee D]

i got the Lil Roughneck, and im very happy with it. stout as hell, and was hair popping sharp right outta the box. i didnt get to do any camping last weekend due to the weather, so i didnt get to really give it a proper workout. i was able to put it to use sharpening some marshmallow sticks for the firepit in the yard :D and to clean and chunk up some deer loins for a stew and it worked just fine for the job despite the blades thickness.


check out how thick this little guy is....


http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/4751/006grp.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/269/006grp.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)


http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/597/007qda.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/718/007qda.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6493/008ped.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/201/008ped.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[benthughes]

I've handled some TOPS knives but have never owned one and I've got to say they're kind of "meh". I'd look into ESEE knives or some Swamp Rat or Scrap Yard knives for a bit more. Swamp Rat and Busse knives are some of my personal raves but are kinda pricey.

[Amontgomery]

I was given a Tops Mohawk Hunter when I graduated from Parris Island in 2005 from a friend I've known since childhood. Due to the occasion and manner in which it was given, and who it came from, I will treasure it always. That said, I don't think I would buy one for myself.

I actually use the one I was given, and in that use I have found a few glaring issues. The first being the quality of the steel. I find it incredibly hard to get it to keep an edge and harder still to put one on it once it has been used for a few weeks. The second issue is with the sheath that came with the knife, it positions it too far off the belt to be able to use for everyday wear.

As far as good things, I love the shape and design of the knife as a whole. A nice simple drop point design, with a micarta handle that remains grippy even when wet or oily. The area of the handle near the hilt is also small enough that I can actually get a grip on it without fear of it slipping from my hand.

Were I to change anything it would be the lanyard hole and subsequent beak that it is machined into. I would like to see that portion of the grip removed entirely and maybe the handle shortened a bit. I would also like to see the knife made of a harder steel, or a softer steel so it would be either easier to sharpen or harder to dull out.

[EzGoingKev]

check out how thick this little guy is....

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/597/007qda.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/718/007qda.jpg/)

Monkey Edge has been doing runs of 3V DB's in .190" & .250" thick and they are pretty bullet proof -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPgSOQY4CDk

Obviously the thicker the steel the heavier the knife. Using a higher grade of steel not only allows you to go thinner but it will also retain an edge better.



Were I to change anything it would be the lanyard hole and subsequent beak that it is machined into. I would like to see that portion of the grip removed entirely and maybe the handle shortened a bit.
I do not know the name of it but I am almost positive they make another knife this is what you are describing, a Mohawk Hunter without the beak/lanyard section.

[SeriousStudent]

I've handled some TOPS knives but have never owned one and I've got to say they're kind of "meh". I'd look into ESEE knives or some Swamp Rat or Scrap Yard knives for a bit more. Swamp Rat and Busse knives are some of my personal raves but are kinda pricey.

Agreed. Scrap Yard is very difficult to beat for the money. The steels they use are very good, and the Busse families are some of the best folks around when it comes to heat treating steel. If the blade was not treated by Paul Bos, I'd like to see it come from Jerry or Jennifer's hands.

I own Rat, BK, ESEE, Scrap Yard, Swamp Rat and Busse knives, among many others. My favorite hard use fixed blade is a 4" Scrap Yard with INFI steel.

I have handled TOPS knives, and agree with the other posters. Expensive for what you get, inefficient blade geometries, and not the best grinds. Pass.