tom brown jr... tracker blade...

B

big philly

Joined
Mar 7, 2005
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was lookin around on ebay for a kukri and found the tracker knfe.....they started the bid at 199.99 and then i was going threw and found the website about the mand and his knife.

my question is, is the knife worht the $300 bucks it priced at? i would love to own one ,but not for 300 bucks. thats me though. i already have a survival knife, the ontario sp8 machete. its done everything i asked of it, chop mostly. i used it a couple time to flip a hamberger when i was camping. but i have fallen in love with with this track and cant see spending 300 bucks on it.maybe a katana. i dont know. just would like to see every ones opinion,.
 
If you do a search here you can find plenty of reading to do on this version of the knife (assuming you're talking about the TOPS version). You can get it online other places for about $230. Dave Beck also made this knife called the WSK, but has stopped now. A maker on the forums also makes one of the same design, R Linger.

I think the general concenus is that it isn't a bad knife, but has so many "tools" put into one that it doesn't do one of those jobs better than a job specific tool would. Also, the 1095 steel isn't anything special and at those prices seems to be a little steep. Let others on here with the knife tell you how they like it or don't :)
 
A guy I spoke with echoes what powells85 said. Basically, it tries to be 27 or so different knives in one, and thus excells at none. Plus he said that it had an awkward balance. He liked Tops' more traditional knives though.

The inflated price might have something to do with the whole connection to "The Hunted".
 
Lots of hype but I think the general consensus is that it's more sizzle than steak. That god awful movie didn't exactly whet my appetite for one either.
 
thanks, for the info. i like the design but wont pay 300 dollars for it. maybe i can make one of my own.
 
Jack of all trades and master of none. Thats the Tom Brown Tracker by TOPS. Not a bad knife but it takes some getting used to.
 
My instructor called this "The Spork of Knives." That still cracks me up, heh heh....
 
The design is sound. You are right about one thing, it won't do any one task as good as a tool made for that specific task but it does a lot of things very well so if you want to travel light and have the most with you at the same time it's a good compromise. Now you have to remember a knife like this performing well will also depend on the skill of the user. The design is meant as an all around primitive skill tool. If your skills suck then you will most likely think the knife is no good.
Now, that being said I don't think the TOPs Tracker is worth the money they are asking. I would however, and did buy one from Dave Beck before he stopped making them and I have had the opportunity to use one of his older originals and they do the job it's designed to do very well. The TOPs is just not as refined as the WSK. Steeper bevels, saw tends to clog and so on but the WSK is a great knife and I know that Roger Linger's design is great too. So if you are looking for one of these I would spend a little more and get the custom rather then the TOPs. Hope this helps.

Ric
 
I will have 3 Tracker type knives after Linger gets my knife done in October. I already have both the TOPS TBT and Damascus Tracker. i love them both. I spend alot of time on our hunting property camping, and just messing aorund all day with both my TBT and Damascus Tracker. They both perform well, and I wouldn't be buying another from Linger if they didn't function well.
 
"I will have 3 Tracker type knives after Linger gets my knife done in October"
Wow, October he must really have a lot of orders.
 
There is another knife made in this style as well. It is the EVOlution by Jensen Elite Blades in Australia.

EVO.jpg


I have read that it is a pretty good knife.
 
tracker101 said:
Damascus blade, is that a tops verison and if possible can i see some pics
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera, but I will ask my friend to borrow his, and get pics for ya.
 
powells85 said:
If you do a search here you can find plenty of reading to do on this version of the knife (assuming you're talking about the TOPS version). You can get it online other places for about $230. Dave Beck also made this knife called the WSK, but has stopped now. A maker on the forums also makes one of the same design, R Linger.

I think the general concenus is that it isn't a bad knife, but has so many "tools" put into one that it doesn't do one of those jobs better than a job specific tool would. Also, the 1095 steel isn't anything special and at those prices seems to be a little steep. Let others on here with the knife tell you how they like it or don't :)
Click to expand...

R. Linger's Tracker review:
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/_jthy/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=10
 
Hillbillenigma said:
WelcometothePast.jpg
Click to expand...

Yup...:D

Insights into the past carry into the future varying and ever evolving knife tinkering, that help me gain an extremely important perspective for my upcoming TBT-01 geometry modification.:thumbup:

Previous SME forumite implemented initiatives are now being coupled with my 2 years of TBT practical application.

I have learned never to fall into a sense of false security that stems from ignorance in history, as a developing forumite I must develop my historical perspective to expand my options and mitigate the TBT disadvantages, by modifying the geometry...contrary to popular belief.:)

With Respect
 
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