Max The Mini Axe by TOPS Knives

Great Review

Appreciate the time and effort it took to post those photos and write up the results
 
great review, really good pics too. I might look into getting one seems to be decent at a range of different things
 
Mist I just stumbled on this review. Great job by the way.

I have always found the small hatchets worked better fro splitting and chopping when used with a baton. Seems to be the same with this little guy.

Having it serve knife chores as well is a good idea in the design. Probably would handle better if that hump for hammering had been a little less pronounced. Looks like it would make it easier to choke up on.
 
wildmike said:
Mist I just stumbled on this review. Great job by the way.

I have always found the small hatchets worked better fro splitting and chopping when used with a baton. Seems to be the same with this little guy.

Having it serve knife chores as well is a good idea in the design. Probably would handle better if that hump for hammering had been a little less pronounced. Looks like it would make it easier to choke up on.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, yeah I tend to baton when splitting even using my hawk, it's just more controllable to me.

A good point but the protrusion serves as a guard in thrusts as well.
 
Mistwalker,

Once again awesome review, I might have to add one of these to my personal survival kit one day in the future. Also, not to hijack, but as an aspiring fellow photographer, what do you typical shoot with. I have Rebel XSi myself that I love.

Lagarto.
 
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the review. Most of my earlier threads were shot with a Canon A590IS P&S, lately a lot of the time they are done with a mix of pics with that canon (which is easier to deal with on hikes) and a Nikon D3000.
 
Yeah Mist I think this little items best point is its compactness and ability to be hidden away in an urban environment. In that respect the added weapon capability may be worthwhile.
 
Mistwalker,

Thanks for the info. Sort of an odd question, but how well do you think it would do as a bread cutter? I know that sounds odd, but I hiked through the swiss alps with my family last summer, (lugging that Xsi, which as you might expect is a bear on the trail) carrying just a Gerber Metolius, which we used for bread and such. Several huts had ready wood, but we had no way to cut it. Seems like MAX would have been perfect for both, if it would work on bread as well as meat.

Lagarto
 
That would depend on the crust I think, it comes with a very sharp edge, but serrations...which it doesn't have...work better on hard crusty breads.
 
Mistwalker--

I just wanted to say that i really enjoy your reviews. They always prove to be realistic and no non-sense, one of the things that i dislike about alot of the knife reviews i read (andi read alot) is that most people dont actually test anything, even for their so called testing, they cut something with the knife and call it a review. For a folding pocket knife, this is appropriate, for a backwoods or urban survival knife it is not. You never shy away from using your knives hard and at the same time you dont follow the opposite trend wherby someone beats the knife with a hammer and judges it based on that aspect. You just use the knives hard as TOOLS and then pronounce judgement. It makes your reviews a pleasure to read.

I particurarily like your articles on urban survival. Since i live more near the city than the woods, if theres an all out emergency it is directly applicable to me.

Also thanks for all the pictures, i like the way you use your firesteel by stepping on the knife/hatchet, i would have never thought of that on my own.

In summation thanks for the great service you provide for this forum, and keep up the good work.
 
razorsdescent said:
Mistwalker--

I just wanted to say that i really enjoy your reviews. They always prove to be realistic and no non-sense, one of the things that i dislike about alot of the knife reviews i read (andi read alot) is that most people dont actually test anything, even for their so called testing, they cut something with the knife and call it a review. For a folding pocket knife, this is appropriate, for a backwoods or urban survival knife it is not. You never shy away from using your knives hard and at the same time you dont follow the opposite trend wherby someone beats the knife with a hammer and judges it based on that aspect. You just use the knives hard as TOOLS and then pronounce judgement. It makes your reviews a pleasure to read.

I particurarily like your articles on urban survival. Since i live more near the city than the woods, if theres an all out emergency it is directly applicable to me.

Also thanks for all the pictures, i like the way you use your firesteel by stepping on the knife/hatchet, i would have never thought of that on my own.

In summation thanks for the great service you provide for this forum, and keep up the good work.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I try to keep the testing as realistic as possible, testing the tools in applications I would/could actually use them.

Spending a lot of time in an urban environment I am inspired to study various aspects of it on pretty much a continual basis. Considering the number of views the first urban threads got I was pretty sure I wasn't the only one interested in the subject. I spend a lot of time compiling data that I study and then I turn it into a post when I have enough material to do so. I am working on another one at the moment.

Thank you for your compliments. The study is a passion of mine that I do on my own regardless, but it's posts like this that make it worth the time it takes to post the threads.
 
Nice review. It's clear you put a lot of thought an preparation into your work.
2 questions.
First, do you think that urban authorities would consider that a double edged weapon?
Daggers and double edges are usually frowned upon with a bigger frown... :)

While the Tops is nice, I already have a GB mini to fill that niche.

Second question:
Which Maxped pack is that?
It looks nice and small.
Could be a good commuter (read: subway) pack for me.
A step up from my daughter's grade school Jansport smallish pack...
I tend to fill packs when there is room... then they get heavy lol
 
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