Tell me what you think of this knife......

[teddy12b]

Tops Steel Eagle 107C

TOPS Knives.com

I don't know why I keep thinking that buying this knife would be the best knife I ever had. I don't need it in the least since I already have 3 good fixed blade knives that I never use and a couple crappy other ones sitting in a drawer.

But, I like the way these are built. They are thick meaty knives and I like the idea of the saw on the back for notching and light duty work. You know, all the things I'd probably never get out and do anyway.

They just look indestructable and if they weren't $150 or more I'd probably already have one.

Anyone here have a tops knife?

 

[MarkM]

I have a TOPS ALRT. its a tiny little fixed blade in a kydex sheath. And i love it, it stands for anywhere last resort tool.

 

[Jack Ryan]

You've said yourself you have three knives of lesser quality already and you haven't worn them out.

 

[iamaclone45]

Looks dangerous.. and dangerous things are cool!

 

[darinb]

TOPS makes a nice knife. There is a mention in the newest issue of knives illustrated on the unique heat treat of all Carbon TOPS knives. I have a TSK that is just awesome I am thinking about a Hellion or Anaconda next. If you like it get it.

 

[6birds]

I bought a few of the Trackers when we did the school a few years ago, 3 are still in the box, one goes out west with me a few times a year, it looks rough, but is a sweet blade.

It became an "Always take with me" knife the year my brother broke his leg in the rockies, we spent two days in a shelter made with the knife, riding out a serious snow squall. We limped out a few days later, well fed, warm, and dry. I have a few of the version Browning made too, also still in the box.

Get the knife, take the school, live to tell the stories.

 

[cubby]

tops makes pretty decent knives.

$150 puts you in the range of most custom fixed blades from reputable, yet not huge named makers. so, if you have reservations about a certian design aspect or need something to YOUR specs you can get it custom made. yes, i am biased, but its the truth. you can also get the materials you want.

tops knives are tough and get the job done. most are 1095 (ie: "special heat treat" isn't so "special" just a hard edge and soft spine) and 1095 is known as a very good steel. tough and proven.

 

[Bradsknives]

tops knives are tough and get the job done. most are 1095 (ie: "special heat treat" isn't so "special" just a hard edge and soft spine) and 1095 is known as a very good steel. tough and proven.

The heat treating method/process they use is called differentiated heat treating. It allows the maker to obtain different rockwell hardness ratings on different areas of the blade. Like Cubby stated: "hard edge and softer spine".

You can't go wrong with a TOPS knife...they are excellent.

Just a note: I have not been able to prove this, but TOPS is located in the same city as Rowen who makes ESSE (Rat Cutlery) knives. Both companies use 1095 steel for most of their knives. I'm betting TOPS makes the blades using the differentiated heat treating process for Rowen. Or it could be the other way around.... Rowen making the blades for TOPS.

 

[johncarbaugh]

Get rid of the saw back and it would be a good blade. I would never buy a saw back knife.

 

[cubby]

The heat treating method/process they use is called differentiated heat treating. It allows the maker to obtain different rockwell hardness ratings on different areas of the blade. Like Cubby stated: "hard edge and softer spine".

You can't go wrong with a TOPS knife...they are excellent.

Just a note: I have not been able to prove this, but TOPS is located in the same city as Rowen who makes ESSE (Rat Cutlery) knives. Both companies use 1095 steel for most of their knives. I'm betting TOPS makes the blades using the differentiated heat treating process for Rowen. Or it could be the other way around.... Rowen making the blades for TOPS.

sounds pretty similiar, aye?

and if i hadn't spelled "differential" wrong six times when posting before... i would have said it.... bwhahahaha!!! i can't be this good looking and spell correctly.

 

[Bradsknives]

sounds pretty similiar, aye?

and if i hadn't spelled "differential" wrong six times when posting before... i would have said it.... bwhahahaha!!! i can't be this good looking and spell correctly.

I didn't know how to spell it either...so I cheated and looked it up in the dictionary.

 

[Zoub]

Get rid of the saw back and it would be a good blade. I would never buy a saw back knife.

+1 Cluster F*** of giant proportions. Snags on everything. If you need a saw, use a saw. Easy enough to carry one in your gear. Even just a wire saw in a pouch if you feel you need one on you.

 

[teddy12b]

The model does come without a saw, but for te same price, why not have it?

I'd rather have some serrations instead of the saw, but oh well.

 

[Zoub]

Because if you have to use it to defend yourself it could end up a "single shot"

You stick it in and it may not come back out as the teeth grab on flesh, bone and fabric. Cutting any large heavy fabric same issue. Ropes, belts, anything with a lot of mesh or fiber. Those teeth are more of a hinderance then a help.

I figured it out the hard way and it only took once to see it.

 

[6birds]

Because if you have to use it to defend yourself it could end up a "single shot"

You stick it in and it may not come back out as the teeth grab on flesh, bone and fabric. Cutting any large heavy fabric same issue. Ropes, belts, anything with a lot of mesh or fiber. Those teeth are more of a hinderance then a help.

I figured it out the hard way and it only took once to see it.

The spine on the tracker is 0.160" thick, and clearly not designed for "stick it in" type bar fighting. My intent is for survival, and the saw can cut limbs for shelter very quickly, and theat heavy spine can be pounded right thru some pretty tough product, and the can also be used to snap wire or old fencing (again, for a shelter).

I think the Yes/No in this a is your intent for the knife.

I'd never use it as EDC, or for caping and skinning (that saw would ruin a clean gutting job in a hurry!), but for survival, it rules the roost making camp.

 

[Zoub]

Not the same knife, but I found the saw back feature just does not cut that fast due to the thickness. No where near as fast as a collabsible saw like the cheap Fiskars or my new favorite the Pocketboy.

That wide kerf being cut makes you work hard.

The next lesson learned, and this was survival oriented too, not defensive, was just how much those saw teeth will hang up when cutting anything heavy and fiberous or brushy. They can just hang up something fierce to the point in some situations the knife could be pulled from your hand or even lost.

Just me I guess, but with so much weight invested in a large blade, I won't be carrying tons of blades. It may have to do a lot of things but I always have saws with me.

Nothing builds a shelter quicker than a saw, but there is no saw slower than a wide blade sawback. They grab more then they cut and on skinny wood almost non functional.

As for my new love, the pocketboy, that suggestion came from a member here. Holy Mother of Pearl! Went straight to line 1 gear and use around the property too.

 

[johncarbaugh]

The spine on the tracker is 0.160" thick, and clearly not designed for "stick it in" type bar fighting. My intent is for survival, and the saw can cut limbs for shelter very quickly, and theat heavy spine can be pounded right thru some pretty tough product, and the can also be used to snap wire or old fencing (again, for a shelter).

I think the Yes/No in this a is your intent for the knife.

I'd never use it as EDC, or for caping and skinning (that saw would ruin a clean gutting job in a hurry!), but for survival, it rules the roost making camp.

You can chop through wood just as fast as that will saw. Once you get very deep at all it will start sticking. There is no kerf on the teeth to make room for the blade. If you try batoning the knife to split wood you get your batoning log stuck in the saw teeth. When you are using the saw back you have a sharp blade sticking toward you supported by the wood you are cutting. Sounds like an accident waiting to happen. I also like to choke up on the blade to do smaller work and you cant do that with saw back. Those are just a few reasons why I would never buy a saw back. This is all just my . If you want it and think it will work for you by all means buy it. Just telling you what I think like the title asked for.