thoughts on John Brown Tracker

RescueRiley said:
and another thing that fries my onions...Doesn't it seem like tops knives are a bit over priced??? I don't own one so I shouldn't cast stones but are they really that super duper???
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Yeah I would have to agree with that, after all they are only 1095.
Their smaller blade are better value than their larger ones though !!!:thumbup:
 
What? You're going to argue with the man? He's said so in an interview! :p

Press: Was the story line in the film close to your life?

Tom Brown, Jr.: The story line is fabricated, but parts happened in my life. A guy I trained went bad and I had to track him down and that is the toughest because when you are tracking someone who knows your skills you start playing a deadly chess game.

Press: Did you find the guy?

Tom Brown, Jr.: Yeah, he found me. I got shot in the back. I realized the mistake at the last minute, but it was nice because the bullet neatly passed through me without doing much damage. He shot me and I hit him hard. He was a military guy and then CIA and then he hired out to other countries. They blamed me, so they said go find him.

....but where he says most people who he killed didn’t know he was in the same room as him -- that’s what I do. ​

It's a little known fact that Tom Brown personally trained Mick Strider in survival and silent killing during the latter's time in the Rangers. ;)
 
Best of all, after just one week of Tom Brown's class, you can too!

In the basic class, after a week I can teach you to survive with nothing. I will teach you to be more aware than you have ever been in your life and to be able to track a mouse across a gravel driveway.​
 
I just bought one off ebay for $200 and haven't had a chance to get out and use it but I all ready love it. I can definetly see where liking it can be an aquired taste. I did a decent amount of research on the subject and came up with this. There are really 4 major choices:

1. The Tops Tracker. (the one I own)
2. Search and Buy a Dave Beck handmade version which will cost you around $2000
3. Buy a Predator WSK from Red Scorpion Six which is around the price of the TOPS version. It has a different saw edge and handle and is made out of 440c steel and I have heard of it chipping.
4. The Paratraxx which from what I have read is a cheap version that doesn't hold up all that well. It is a lot cheaper aroudn 70 bucks if I remeber right.

I hope this helps you out some.
 
Yeah, dont forget about the Browing version, or is it remmington, cant remeber but one of them make a version of the wsk.
 
The knife was made FAR before the movie. I think it is on its third manufacturer at this point. Also it seems the majority of you that hate them have never handled one or used one. You don't like the looks or think it is over priced.

If looks mattered we certainly would not be advocating the Mora 2000 or Swamp Rat knives. They were meant to be used not collected.

It may be over priced - or might be difficult to manufacture.

With that said - I have never used one and thus cannot say either way if they are decent. I am just worry about criticisms from non-users. I also worry about people that criticize others integrity without knowing them or knowing their story.

I am not a Tom Brown nut rider or have I been to his course. I have enjoyed some of his books - but I dislike the long range hating that goes on on the internet.

TF
 
Please...all those who want to rip on Tom Brown, do it somewhere else. I started this thread because I wanted to hear from peole who have handled the KNIFE, not people who want to review the movie it was in or give their uninformed opinion of TB's integrity or that of his school. I humbly request that you only post a reply if you have an informed opinion on the knife (i.e. have handled or owned one) Thank you.
 
The TOPS Tom Brown Tracker knife design is generally catagorized as a WSK or Wilderness Survival Knife. The concept of the knife is to facilitate the user to accomplish a variety of tasks with one single tool. Think of it as a one-piece multitool. I have never heard of any WSK manufacturer stating that their knife will replace all other edged tools, or that it is the most awesome tool for anything needing to be done in the woods.

A WSK-type knife isn't going to chop as well as a hatchet, but it will chop. It won't carve as nicely as my Mora, but it will carve. It won't saw as well as my Fiskars retractable saw, but it isn't supposed to. The saw feature is intended for notching, not making lumber. And they'll take a baton about as well as anything else out there. And no, the saw teeth 'chewing up' the baton isn't a concern.

Yes, it is an unconventional design. It looks flat-out weird and goofy. But there is funtion to the form. How much function is debatable, and opinions amongst users vary greatly from 'this tool is awesome,' to 'this knife is a POS.' But, you'll get a variety of opinions regarding most anything out there, right? To each his own.

If you don't like the way a WSK looks, and you think the concept of it being able to do a variety of things is dumb, that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I have a RS6-Blades Scorpion WSK. I bought it last fall, and have only had a chance to take it on one trip where it saw limited use. I did attempt a variety of tasks with the tool, and it performed fine, as I expected. I carved and notched tarp stakes, and chopped and split (with baton) some wood for the fire. It didn't carve as easily as my CS Master Hunter nor did I have the control I have with my Grohmann #1. Notching was easier and faster than with my Sawvivor take-down saw. It didn't chop as well as my 14" Gerber hatcher or my Becker BK1, but it chopped better than my SOG Seal 2000, my Becker BK2, and my Camillus Marine Combat. The RS6 won't replace any or all of my other knives, but I would like to get to the point where I would be comfortable taking only the WSK on a trip. In order to do that, I will need to practice and play with it a lot more.

In other news, I really don't know much about Tom Brown Jr. other than what I have read in books and online. If I had the time and money at my disposal, sure, I'd look into taking his classes, and a lot of other classes. I've enjoyed a few of his books, but rather than taking them as gospel, I have filed them in the bookcase with my other outdoor books as references. And the movie The Hunted was an interesting concept that I think could have been executed better. As with the WSK, you can get out of the movie what you want. I wanted to be entertained by the movie, and I was. But impressed by acting, writing, and continuity - not so much.

Edit- Additional thoughts: And before acquiring the RS6, I had planned on getting TOPS Tracker. I would still like to get on someday, along with a few other variations of the WSK. Moosemaster here on BF made a nice Jensen Elite Blades-style piece a while ago that was very nice.

Benny, do your research on the WSK design. If the tool will fit into your current/future needs, then go for it. If you want the knife because it looks cool, that's perfectly fine, too. Just think about what you intend to do with the piece. Be advised that a WSK will not make anyone a master backwoodsman, nor does a master backwoodsman necessarily need such a tool. Your knowledge, skills, and attitude will far outweigh the capabilities of any edged tool.
 
Talfuchre said:
The knife was made FAR before the movie. I think it is on its third manufacturer at this point. Also it seems the majority of you that hate them have never handled one or used one. You don't like the looks or think it is over priced.

If looks mattered we certainly would not be advocating the Mora 2000 or Swamp Rat knives. They were meant to be used not collected.

It may be over priced - or might be difficult to manufacture.

With that said - I have never used one and thus cannot say either way if they are decent.

TF
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I do not have to hold it, see it in person or chip one out of flint to know it would not suit my purposes for what I do in the woods. After 30+ years hunting, fishing and woods bumming I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't, and that knife falls into the doesn't category. I mean come on, take one look at it and tell me it would be good for peeling spuds, cleaning a rabbit or a 8 inch brookie, or digging a splinter out of your finger, or would chop better than a hatchet or my machete. That knife is touted as being an all around wilderness knife, I think it is an all around knife to get money out of newbies pockets.

A 14" tramontina $6.95, a mora for $10.00, and an opinel # 7 $ 10.00, for a grand total of $26.95. With those three you would be much more ready to face the wilderness, and if you weigh them all up they probably weigh less too.

If you want to own a cool looking custom or semi custom knife that has some wow factor, fine, but don't come to a place with experienced woodsman and try to sell it as the ultimate woods knife. Chris
 
bennyjenkins, I have 2 of them. One is display and one I use.
I have the blade reground on the one I use so it is sharp and useful. I like the weight especially for chopping.
The sawback does notch stakes okay but will never be handy for dropping limbs. The black coating is real soft and scratches easy. I removed it from the one I carry.
The Kydex sheath is okay but also scratches the knife's coating and rubs a little of the handle.
All in all the knife is whatever you make it to be. If you use it like a tool it will serve you well.
 
As I recall one guy on the Hoodlums site had his TBT reprofiled and another guy inquired of the reprofiler to have his TBT done. HERE's the thread. Another thread regarding the design in general.
 
Talfuchre said:
The knife was made FAR before the movie. I think it is on its third manufacturer at this point. Also it seems the majority of you that hate them have never handled one or used one. You don't like the looks or think it is over priced.
Your right I haven't But I only have to look at the knife to know what its worth. Not only is it not worth the price, but like RB said, at a much smaller price tag, get the right tools for the job. Its a knowen fact that when a bunch of tools are throwen into a product, unless some changes are made, it doesn't work very well.

If looks mattered we certainly would not be advocating the Mora 2000 or Swamp Rat knives. They were meant to be used not collected.
No your right, if looks mattered we wouldn't, but they dont. Moras have a prooven ability, same as swamprat. It means nothing what they look like, they work, as the TBT has things bundled up together, its not worth it.

It may be over priced - or might be difficult to manufacture.
Couldn't agree more.

With that said - I have never used one and thus cannot say either way if they are decent. I am just worry about criticisms from non-users. I also worry about people that criticize others integrity without knowing them or knowing their story.
I personally know nothing about tom brown, or tb Jr. but that makes no diffrence on what the knife can do, which is alot of stuff, but nothing well, again, get the right tools for the job, not a mix of products.

I am not a Tom Brown nut rider or have I been to his course. I have enjoyed some of his books - but I dislike the long range hating that goes on on the internet.
Again, couldn't agree more.

TF
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Plain and simple, the knife does manything yes, but none of them well enough to recomend the knife. No, I haven't used the knife, But thats because I know what its like, RB takes a mora, machete, and an opinel, Thats the best thing, take the products that were made for your area, get the specialized tools.
 
I bought a Tracker thinking it would be the "Beck" version. I was very dissapointed and that might be why I don't think much of it. Later, I bought a Swamp Rat Knife Works Camp Tramp and found it did everything I wanted the Tracker to do and was much more comfortable and had the added advantage of not overly exciting sheeple OR Klingons.
 
I appreciate your replies. I think that observation might be able to garner you an educated reply. Maybe I am naive or maybe I am an optimist. I always wonder if this is one of those instances when a funky design would actually do what it says it can do and that people discount it because it is unorthodox.

I would probably be dissapointed though if I tried one.

I guess this goes for Tom Brown's school... again... call me naive - but I am looking for a person who does care, can do what he says he can do, can teach me a new trade and does give a shit. I wonder if I would be dissapointed in this too.

I guess I am Rousseauian at heart but the world keep showing me its Hobbsian side.

TF
 
Talfuchre said:
The knife was made FAR before the movie. I think it is on its third manufacturer at this point. Also it seems the majority of you that hate them have never handled one or used one. You don't like the looks or think it is over priced.

If looks mattered we certainly would not be advocating the Mora 2000 or Swamp Rat knives. They were meant to be used not collected.

It may be over priced - or might be difficult to manufacture.

With that said - I have never used one and thus cannot say either way if they are decent. I am just worry about criticisms from non-users. I also worry about people that criticize others integrity without knowing them or knowing their story.

I am not a Tom Brown nut rider or have I been to his course. I have enjoyed some of his books - but I dislike the long range hating that goes on on the internet.

TF
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I have not held many of the crazy products from Coldsteel but I still know them to be gimmiks !
With the WSK from TOPS there is far too much smoke for there not to be any fire !!!
As for Tom Brown I enjoy his books and if he can do only half of what he says, then he is still amazing,and the main thing is that he makes you want to actually get out there and do stuff !!!!!!!!!:thumbup:
 
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