Help! - TOPS D.A.R.T. or Bushcrafter Kukuri

[Grey Falcon]

Hello All,

Looking for a new blade to try out, and am looking for a versatile blade that can get a lot of work done. Doesn't have to be the best at any one thing but versatile and capable. I don't really ever find the need to carry something with a 9 inch blade or longer based on my adventures, and have always liked that kukhri shape. I like bigger knives that handle like smaller knives, and that is my favorite thing about my Silent Hero but it's just a little shorter than I would like. 7 inches just seems about perfect for me in terms of blade length.

Was really hoping I could get some recommendations from others our there who own or have used these blades. There is so little out there about them so I just wanted to get a little more information. They aren't the cheapest blades I know but I like TOPS and want to make the most informed decision possible. Really looking for something to compliment my Tops B.O.B. which is my go to knife for woods use (so much versatility and performance in that thing).

Any help is appreciated as to your thoughts on the handling, performance and just general opinions on the TOPS dart and buschrafter kukuri.

I've attached pictures for reference (just what I found online) if anyone also just wants to chime in with their two cents:






Thanks!

 

[Grey Falcon]

bump for advice.

 

[MatthewSB]

Looking for a new blade to try out, and am looking for a versatile blade that can get a lot of work done.

If you want something to compliment your Bushcrafter, look at the 0.170 Machete. It's light, flat, versatile, and comes with an impressive nylon sheath with a hard insert. Not many coated, micarta handled, properly designed small machetes out there.

The Bushcrafter is one of the few TOPS knives that has a functional grind. I'd bet that the two knives you pictured are ground like hatchets and will probably be horrible cutters. The list of Tops knives that are actually good cutting tools is small - the Dragonfly, Bushcraft series, and the TOPS machetes are the only ones I've actually enjoyed. The rest might start out as great designs, but are ground so horribly that they just don't cut well.

If you want a high quality, "all around" large knife look at Bark River's Grasso Bolo I and II. They're very packable, great slicers (thanks to BRKT's convex edged tool steel) and chop as well as a similarly sized axe.