One Stick Fire, TOPS Pathfinder Knife

[Mistwalker]

Since Autumn is nearly hear the temps are cooling off and I can get back to enjoying one of my favorite pass-times, firecraft. Plus I needed some coals for more burning on the spoon I am working on. Seemed like a good time to try out a knife i got a couple of weeks ago that I had looked at down at Blade. When I was there I checked out Dave's new knives and liked the blade shape of his TOPS knife best.

I decided I would use one of the sections of Poplar I chopped a while back to make a "one stick fire". The first thing was to pry off a section of bark for a base for the fire and a place to whittle my shavings into.

Next...knowing what I was about to do I thought I'd go ahead and test out the tip. So... I repeatedly stabbed it into the limb and levered the blade sideways. Now...I do have to say that the Rough texture of the scales are a little rough on bare hands for repeated stabbing into seasoned hardwood, but this is not a normal activity just a test of the tip and the tip held up fine.

Ok, time to start batoning, and yes not only did I baton, I did it while having 2 pounds of sLR around my neck...

Part-1 of 3

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[Mistwalker]

It was the diameter of this limb that inspired the tip test because that was the only place the baton would be striking. It handled the batoning just as well.

Next I started making shavings for tinder, some smaller pieces for kindling, and then a little larger and so on. I used a baton for some of it and sometimes just the palm of my hand.

Part-2 of 3

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[Mistwalker]

Ok...the edge on this knife whittles some fine tight curls and thin fuzzies so I am sure I could have done this with a fire steel if I tried. And even though I practice a lot with a firesteel my main method for starting a fire when I actually need one...and conditions allow...is to use a lighter and that's what I did here. Besides we don't want any of the newer younger guys getting it into their heads that the only proper way to start a fire in a survival situation is by using a firesteel, right?

Just igniting a couple of slivers, which lit quickly, was enough to get the mass of shavings burning.

Then after that caught I started adding the smaller pieces.

Then transferred the base to the ground to finish making the fire.

Then at this point sustaining the fire would have been simple...but I didn't need that many coals

 

[Fiddleback]

Neato. We used to have a contest in the Scouts. We'd get a 1' piece of 2x4 and one match. We had to reduce the board and start a fire with it that would burn a string that was 2' off the ground.

 

[Mistwalker]

Neato. We used to have a contest in the Scouts. We'd get a 1' piece of 2x4 and one match. We had to reduce the board and start a fire with it that would burn a string that was 2' off the ground.

Thanks Andy.

Yeah, my bother was in the scouts and told me about the different things they did. I didn't get to be, but have always wished I could have.

 

[Moosez45]

Nice fire Mist. Thanks for leaving the Fiddlebacks out of the pics this time, my ego can't take too many more machete pics. That TOPS is interesting, it looks more akin to a fighter than a woods knife. I know thats not the case, obviously, but interesting none the less. I been looking at that xCest, not too much into the gear that comes with it, but for some reason the knife really holds my attention. Did you set your cam to just take pics constantly? If not, you must have a nice articulated tail, lol. Thanks Mist. Moose

 

[kzooglock23]

Very cool. Nice pictures too.

 

[Mistwalker]

Nice fire Mist. Thanks for leaving the Fiddlebacks out of the pics this time, my ego can't take too many more machete pics. That TOPS is interesting, it looks more akin to a fighter than a woods knife. I know thats not the case, obviously, but interesting none the less. I been looking at that xCest, not too much into the gear that comes with it, but for some reason the knife really holds my attention. Did you set your cam to just take pics constantly? If not, you must have a nice articulated tail, lol. Thanks Mist. Moose

Thanks Moose, Oh, I'd say this knife was definitely heavily influenced by Dave's military and tactical side but it still functions really well. I looked at both the TOPS and BHK knives but was just more drawn to this blade shape and I have a good bit of experience with TOPS knives so I was sure it would be sturdy. No I had the camera handy and just snapped the pics I wanted.

I like the concept of the xcest, but historically prefer more pointy blades. However the recent spoon making has me re-thinking my concepts on back-up blades.

Lol, if you get to feeling like you haven't seen enough pics let me know, I can email you some to use for desk tops

 

[Mistwalker]

Very cool. Nice pictures too.

Thanks man, glad you enjoyed the photos.

I have no idea what's up with the picture sizes...I just spent more time re-sizing them than I did uploading them but they're still the same size...

 

[Don Rearic]

That TOPS is interesting, it looks more akin to a fighter than a woods knife. I know thats not the case, obviously, but interesting none the less.

I was thinking the same thing this morning. The knife is reminiscent of a very tamed down Ed Parker knife or perhaps the old Peter Bauchop Alley Kat or Kitten. It slopes and bends in the right places for that.

I am not a big fan of TOPS. I think the little ALRT, the Hoffman Harpoon and the Flowers designed Shango are really cool knives but this is the first one I have seen that is designed by a survival "name" that actually looks practical instead of spending too much time on a drill press or something. I like it, actually.

Good camera, too! Photographer isn't too shabby, as usual.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention this...I am a big fan of ESEE Knives and one of the reasons why is because all of them can be used for defensive purposes if need be. So, I really don't think it is a negative that this Pathfinder is sort of pointing in that direction, pardon the pun.

 

[Mistwalker]

I was thinking the same thing this morning. The knife is reminiscent of a very tamed down Ed Parker knife or perhaps the old Peter Bauchop Alley Kat or Kitten. It slopes and bends in the right places for that.

I am not a big fan of TOPS. I think the little ALRT, the Hoffman Harpoon and the Flowers designed Shango are really cool knives but this is the first one I have seen that is designed by a survival "name" that actually looks practical instead of spending too much time on a drill press or something. I like it, actually.

Good camera, too! Photographer isn't too shabby, as usual.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention this...I am a big fan of ESEE Knives and one of the reasons why is because all of them can be used for defensive purposes if need be. So, I really don't think it is a negative that this Pathfinder is sort of pointing in that direction, pardon the pun.

Thanks Don, glad you enjoyed the the photos, it definitely has some fighter built in and like you I do not see that as a bad thing, I rather like that myself.

I don't mind extras that work well, and can see a benefit to having them...but I really don't plan on using any more energy in a survival situation than I have to or need to. For the most part these days I tend to subscribe to a "less is more" philosophy.

 

[mtnfolk mike]

great stuff as always Brian..:thumbup: that is an intersting knife design, not sure what i think of it... it definitely looks more like a fighting than a woods knife and oubviously, as you have shown, it works well in the woods.. i think it's kind of a wild trasnition from the BHK "pathfinder", which i thought was a well designed user...

 

[Zombie Zeke]

Great pictures, I like TOPS stuff none of the knives I have had have been of poor quality. Rowens 1095 is as good as anyones.

The design of that knife like alot of Ron Hoods stuff or the Shango is practical without alot of flash...

how are the hotspots on the knife though, I noticed you made mention of it briefly?

 

[kurodrago]

I'm a TOPS fan, but this knife look ugly.
mistwalker handsome review test:thumbup::yawn:

 

[ChapmanPreferred]

Nice thread, thanks for taking the time and sharing the pictures and story!

 

[Mistwalker]

great stuff as always Brian..:thumbup: that is an intersting knife design, not sure what i think of it... it definitely looks more like a fighting than a woods knife and oubviously, as you have shown, it works well in the woods.. i think it's kind of a wild trasnition from the BHK "pathfinder", which i thought was a well designed user...

It definitely has some fighter in it's blood line, but I cut my survival-skills-with-knives-teeth using knives designed for military purposes so it's fine by me.

I do like the over-all shape of the BHK design, and the handle is really comfortable...I just didn't like the edge geometry they chose to go with on that style of blade. If it had the usual BHK grind I'd like it just fine for bushcraft... but I still have a thing for pointy tips

Great pictures, I like TOPS stuff none of the knives I have had have been of poor quality. Rowens 1095 is as good as anyones.

The design of that knife like alot of Ron Hoods stuff or the Shango is practical without alot of flash...

how are the hotspots on the knife though, I noticed you made mention of it briefly?

Thanks man, glad you enjoyed the pictures.

It did get uncomfortable after several of the sudden stops that came with repeatedly driving the tip into seasoned hardwood over and over again....but that's not a normal activity, and the Rocky Mountain Tread is aggressively textured for a more secure grip in less than perfect conditions. I haven't experienced any hot spots with it in whittling fuzz sticks and stuff, and I bet the knife can be ordered with regular scales. I just happen to like the RMT after having it on a couple of other TOPS knives.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Great pictures, I like TOPS stuff none of the knives I have had have been of poor quality. Rowens 1095 is as good as anyones.

The design of that knife like alot of Ron Hoods stuff or the Shango is practical without alot of flash...

how are the hotspots on the knife though, I noticed you made mention of it briefly?

Rowen is now exclusively doing the ESEE stuff now. TOPS has found someone else to manufacture their fixed blades.

 

[pitdog]

Thanks Moose, Oh, I'd say this knife was definitely heavily influenced by Dave's military and tactical side

Awesome post as usual buddy but I'm not sure that Dave actually influenced the knife at all, to me it appears very like the smaller brother of the Apache Falcon which they have had in their line-up for a long time !

By pitdog2010 at 2010-09-20

 

[Mistwalker]

Rowen is now exclusively doing the ESEE stuff now. TOPS has found someone else to manufacture their fixed blades.

I think Paul Bos does their stainless, at least I know he does some of it. I have no idea who's doing their carbon steel now but so far all of the TOPS knives I've worked with have had a great heat treat.

 

[Mistwalker]

Awesome post as usual buddy but I'm not sure that Dave actually influenced the knife at all, to me it appears very like the smaller brother of the Apache Falcon which they have had in their line-up for a long time !

By pitdog2010 at 2010-09-20

Hmmm, maybe Dave liked that design but wanted something smaller and collaborated with TOPS on the smaller design?

We know the BHK knife was a collaboration, for one BHK had it up for collaboration of the year at Blade, and secondly it looks much like many BHK knives.

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