Good survival knife (Tops FS 45)

I

ItalySurvival

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Aug 4, 2015
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Hi guys,i'm coming to buy a new Firestrike 45 (Tops).
I want a good survival knife,something that can do anything:chopping,batoning ecc ecc,all activities that an emergency situation requires.(Like use the knife for hang or as a step)

I would like to know if you think it is a good knife,if it is resistant tough and does not break.(And the steel quality of the tops)

You can also tell me in your opinion the best models for survival (unlimited budget)

Thank you all :)
 
With an unlimited budget many companies come to mind. My favorite in the 2-500 dollar range are Busse and Survive! Knives. Also, another blade thats been on my radar recently is the new mid-tech Camp Knife by fiddleback forge. I wish I could be more in depth with this post but im limited in my time here at work. Im sure others will chime in shortly with more awesome suggestions. Good luck with your search.
 
TOPS gets a bit of criticism for the "billboard" appearance and/or sort of silly blade shapes of some (maybe most) knives, but in terms of materials, the Firestrike and most other TOPS knives use industry standards like 1095 steel, G10 or micarta and a variety of sheaths that you may or may not care for depending on your needs. I have a couple of the Buck/TOPS collaborations, specifically the Nighthawk fixed blade and CSAR-T folder, but my only "real" TOPS is an Air Wolfe that I bought only a few days ago. I don't know how much influence TOPS had on the Buck knives, being that the Nighthawk was already an established Buck classic, but the sheaths are the typical TOPS nylon style with MOLLE webbing, just like on the Air Wolfe. I see that the Firestrike 45 has a kydex sheath, which I personally like on a small knife (for backpack strap carry, for instance) but not so much on something with a 7" blade. I'd be carrying a knife that size directly on my pack, at which point MOLLE trumps kydex with a belt clip.

I am not a fan of micarta, and I think that the Firestrike 45 is an awkward length, too long for a lot of mundane camp tasks but not really suited for machete use that would benefit from a longer but thinner blade. I personally would go with something an inch or two shorter, but still with the quarter-inch thickness. I do however like TOPS' optional "Rocky Mountain Tread" grips (the CSAR-T has this) and would spend the extra $30 if ordering straight from TOPS.
 
Budget unlimited?

This is what I just posted on the "taking just one thing" thread:

DSC01741_zpsd1ee0f7f.jpg


With the proper bevel worked into it (the thing comes horribly dull and open-edged, its one and only flaw) this significantly out-chops a San Mai III Trailmaster (or anything else the same size for that matter)...

Unlike what is usually said about hollow handle capacity, the handle capacity here is just huge, with over 4" of interior length, compared to 2.5-2.75" typically...

And it's also indestructible to an extent that would put many Busse to shame, particularly the point, sheath and handle (the machined tube handle is filetted and directly screwed on a threaded solid brass cylinder fitted around the annealed tang, with all tang corners radiused, to prevent any cracking from shock)... The small diameter cord wrap is almost smooth to the touch, and this makes the handle the best to chop with of about eight knives I compared it to, including the Trailmaster, BK-9, Randall Model 12, and a few others, in addition to the fact that it actually chops better than all of these to begin with... The San Mai III Trailmaster is usually seen out-chopping Busse Battle Mistresses at less than 2/3rds their weight...

The saw actually works very well with little effort, as long as the diameter/thickness stays under 2", beyond which it doesn't work at all... The blade probably can't be broken while batoning because the saw absorbs the baton impact, without damage to the teeths... 440C steel was demonstrated to be by far the best available knife steel in edge-holding in a 1998 Blade Magazine steel test, with purpose-made precision mule blades made for the test, against CPM 3V, INFI, 154CM, D2(!), ATS34 and a slew of others... Not bad, even if it has been superceeded since...

Anyway that's what I would choose. It looks like a First Blood, but it really is in another league completely...

Another contender is the RJ Martin Blackbird, but that is 30 ounces vs 20 here... There are not that many hollow handles that are first rate choppers, and the cord wrap usually makes the mistake of being too aggressive: It feels better, but is a disaster for a chopper: On that issue the Neeley SA9 here is the only choice...

Gaston
 
I used to own a Firestrike and it is a very serviceable knife. It wasn't perfect for me so I traded or sold it off but if it was the only knife available in a survival situation, I would feel more blessed than hindered :) All the TOPS knives I have owned have performed great. The only downsides I have really found are the edges can arrive a little on the thick side which can be fixed and sometimes the handles can be blocky on some models and again, that can be fixed with a little hand work. If the Firestrike is the model you like, I say go for it with confidence :)
 
Bill Siegle said:
I used to own a Firestrike and it is a very serviceable knife. It wasn't perfect for me so I traded or sold it off but if it was the only knife available in a survival situation, I would feel more blessed than hindered :) All the TOPS knives I have owned have performed great. The only downsides I have really found are the edges can arrive a little on the thick side which can be fixed and sometimes the handles can be blocky on some models and again, that can be fixed with a little hand work. If the Firestrike is the model you like, I say go for it with confidence :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Bill,now i'm safer for my purchase.
It's solid and resistante and flexible?

Do you think that there are better models?
for example with a little more money i can afford an ESEE 6.
Which is the best?
 
Last edited:
Gaston444 said:
Budget unlimited?

This is what I just posted on the "taking just one thing" thread:

DSC01741_zpsd1ee0f7f.jpg


With the proper bevel worked into it (the thing comes horribly dull and open-edged, its one and only flaw) this significantly out-chops a San Mai III Trailmaster (or anything else the same size for that matter)...

Unlike what is usually said about hollow handle capacity, the handle capacity here is just huge, with over 4" of interior length, compared to 2.5-2.75" typically...

And it's also indestructible to an extent that would put many Busse to shame, particularly the point, sheath and handle (the machined tube handle is filetted and directly screwed on a threaded solid brass cylinder fitted around the annealed tang, with all tang corners radiused, to prevent any cracking from shock)... The small diameter cord wrap is almost smooth to the touch, and this makes the handle the best to chop with of about eight knives I compared it to, including the Trailmaster, BK-9, Randall Model 12, and a few others, in addition to the fact that it actually chops better than all of these to begin with... The San Mai III Trailmaster is usually seen out-chopping Busse Battle Mistresses at less than 2/3rds their weight...

The saw actually works very well with little effort, as long as the diameter/thickness stays under 2", beyond which it doesn't work at all... The blade probably can't be broken while batoning because the saw absorbs the baton impact, without damage to the teeths... 440C steel was demonstrated to be by far the best available knife steel in edge-holding in a 1998 Blade Magazine steel test, with purpose-made precision mule blades made for the test, against CPM 3V, INFI, 154CM, D2(!), ATS34 and a slew of others... Not bad, even if it has been superceeded since...

Anyway that's what I would choose. It looks like a First Blood, but it really is in another league completely...

Another contender is the RJ Martin Blackbird, but that is 30 ounces vs 20 here... There are not that many hollow handles that are first rate choppers, and the cord wrap usually makes the mistake of being too aggressive: It feels better, but is a disaster for a chopper: On that issue the Neeley SA9 here is the only choice...

Gaston
Click to expand...

I have to take that back... I just tested it extensively on wood, and the thinned edge I put on it, (15° per side or so) crumbles on wood within 80 wacks: Did so twice in row, so no wire edge here (I know how to check for wire edges, nail grabbing trick, shining light etc, and do so every time obsessively)... Other knives I tested besides it on the same wood, including some also in 440, look nothing like the big chunks falling out of its edge... The heat treat on this thing is a complete failure in my book... My favourite knife design of all times, out-chopped a San Mai III Trailmaster easily, crumbling edge and all, and this is what it comes down to... Ironically, the Farid First Blood has impeccable edge holding in comparison...

Sorry about that...

Gaston
 
Bill Siegle said:
I used to own a Firestrike and it is a very serviceable knife. It wasn't perfect for me so I traded or sold it off but if it was the only knife available in a survival situation, I would feel more blessed than hindered :) All the TOPS knives I have owned have performed great. The only downsides I have really found are the edges can arrive a little on the thick side which can be fixed and sometimes the handles can be blocky on some models and again, that can be fixed with a little hand work. If the Firestrike is the model you like, I say go for it with confidence :)
Click to expand...

I too had a Firestrike, not a bad knife at all for the price, but I agree with your summary. ..

My Busse TGLB far exceeds the performance of the Firestrike as seen in a thread I started awhile ago with pics...the only part the Tops excelled in was penetration.
 
Here's my modified TGLB (stripped by me, clip point done by Busse)--it would have been my first choice for an all-arounder... until I picked up (and stripped) my Hell Razor:

2usig4g.jpg


6y3a7c.jpg
 
With a unlimited budget I think you should get yourself the Tops & a Bill. Siegle Bolo for me :thumbup:
 
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