Beware Tops Knives

J

johnjukebox

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Nov 18, 2010
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I had a problem with a Tops knife. Bought it from TNT wholesale AKA Discount Cutlery. Knife was not exactly what was pictured on the Tops site, dull as a butter knife and had damage to the handle screws. Tops gave me an attitude when I called so I returned it to the vendor. Then Tops told me there was not a problem with the knife and allowed TNT to sell it again without seeing it for themselves. Their bad! :barf: :thumbdn:

Tops told me the web page is not current so the knives may not be the same as the pictures. (BEWARE)

Then I bought two Ontario Knives from TNT, my bad. I over paid and the sheathes stink. I ordered a Chestnut Ridge sheath for the Ranger RD-4.

Thanks to the people that posted the Chestnut Ridge info here I was able to turn a bad week into having a useful sheath for my overly expensive blade.

I will check here first before I buy anything else.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

Yes, definitely check before buying. I moved this to our FEEDBACK forum, where you can find evaluations of who to buy and not to buy from.

Also check out our entire Exchange, with knives and gear For Sale by Dealers and For Sale by Individuals. Our sellers need to have a paid membership to sell here, and generally protect that investment and their reputation carefully.
 
Need some pictures on this one.

Kind of tough to believe as TOPS just sent me a set of Micarta grips for my Screaming Eagle after the paracord finally died....


FOR NOTHING.

TOPS IS A OK IN MY BOOK.
 
I've got a TOPS Skinat. I'm on the fence about it right now.

Love how it feels and handles.

I make better kydex sheaths than the one it came with.

Stripped the coating off of it, it had too much texture for my liking.

I generally love 1095 steel. The TOPS is supposed to be 58RC at the edge with a differential temper. It will take a nice, polished edge that is scary sharp. It doesn't seem to hold it very well though. I used it to dig a small hole for the feet of my chair in my hunting blind and it was butter knife dull on the front half of the edge afterwards. It only took four plunges of the blade to loosen the dirt. I was a bit disappointed. Yes, I know that digging dulls a knife fast, but I did the same thing with my carbon Mora Clipper (1095 at 58-59RC) and while it wouldn't easily shave afterwards, it still scrapped hair and I could have easily processed a deer with it afterwards. That's a $12 knife offering better performance than a $140 knife in this situation.

I've got other knives in 1095 and 1095 CroVan and they take and hold a better edge than the TOPS does, and they were cheaper knives too.

I picked it up in a trade, so I don't have full retail cost invested in it. IMO, the knife doesn't offer value anywhere close to the $140 that TOPS charges on their site. Most on-line retailers offer it for just over $100. I still think it's over priced at $100.

I love the looks of their stuff. Basic steel, micarta handles, simple designs for many of the blades, and some racy stuff for those who are into that. Tons of good reviews on the web and several on here as well. Maybe I just got one with a stinky heat treat?

I won't stop checking out their stuff because of this knife. Just kind of disappointed in it so far, really. I will give it this much, it will work wood with the best of them. It'll carve an awesome fuzz stick and other bushcraft stuff, even being 3/16" thick with a slim blade.
 
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ZZ, I'm with you. I had an issue with one of their knives a few years back, called them, told them the problem (chipped blade if I recall), & they said to send it back. I told them the knife was already over a year old, used, & they said to send it back anyway. Eight days later, a knife arrived, & it was a brand new model of the one I sent in to them. Can't be much better than that (oops, my bad, except for ESEE's, my apologies to Jeff & Mike) for a used knife. Maybe this is just an isolated case the first poster ran into.
Be safe.
 
Thread title seems a bit misleading.

Aside from
Tops gave me an attitude when I called
Click to expand...
sounds like your issue/warning is more about TNT than TOPS.

Then Tops told me there was not a problem with the knife and allowed TNT to sell it again without seeing it for themselves.
Click to expand...

:confused: How could TOPS tell you there was no problem if they never saw the knife and what do they have to do with TNT selling it again?
Are you saying there is a connection between TOPS and TNT?
 
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