Tom Brown Tracker

With no disrespect to mr. Tom Brown, when I first saw that particular knife, and the pricetag, I actually laughed out loud. I'm sorry, but I just found the whole consept to be... so "Rambo". And I don't mean the knife resembles the one on "First Blood", but the idea of an Ultimate Survival Knife with a movie to go with it...

I try to keep an open mind, and I honestly think that if someone finds that knife usefull and convenient in the woods, more power to them. Even though I agree with "El Toro" here: "keep it simple", it doesn't mean that someone else can't enjoy these more complex designs.
 
To my mind the Tom Brown Tracker is just an update of the 1980s pin-secured hollow handle, sawback POS ie. its just a gimmick designed to sell to those who are impressed by all the "features" but don't actually know what constitutes quality and/or what's needed in the wilderness.

The saddest thing about it is that this guy Tom Brown, whoever he is, has substantially destroyed his credibility amonst serious wilderness enthusiasts by associating himself with such a poor product. He may well be a good guy, but personally I could never think much of someone whose way of conducting business involves flogging crap products to the gullible.
 
I bought one after my friend took some courses at the Tracker school. We used it to make a bow drill and had some fun putzing around with it chopping wood. It is very heavy and doesn't sharpen easily. I sold mine on ebay, my buddy shelved his and bought the smaller version.

My suggestion would be to look through some of the threads here, pick a knife from a picture, and then ask about it from people here. You will get an earful of advice and your addiction to blades will begin. You'll save yourself a lot of money (did I actually say that??) and get a tool (or several) that is functional outdoors, for a variety of uses!

The SBT is a good knife, I have one and it performs excellently!
 
jh205,

Just to be clear, the knife is handcrafted by TOPS and is extremely well-made. It's just the design that is no good IMHO.
 
The whole Tracker knife history is mired in complexity and controversy. Whose is it, to begin with? Tom Brown got his name on it, and contracted it out to TOPS, who made their typical brute force knife.

But others have made Tracker-style knives with much more grace and balance, from Dave Beck on. In fact, Dave may be the one who actually made the Tracker design what it is today. And it was one of Dave's Trackers that was used in "The Hunted" - the TOPS version wasn't available yet.

"The Hunted" itself distorted the value and primary use of the design. It is supposed to be an all-purpose survival knife: a knife, hatchet, and bush tool. But the movie made a murder weapon out of it.

It's hard to compare the variants because, expensive as the TOPS version may seem, the customs are more expensive yet. Which leads me to fear the design's popularity lies in its collectability.
 
Brian Jones said:
... the knife is handcrafted by TOPS and is extremely well-made. It's just the design that is no good IMHO.
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Exactly. If Tom Brown had gone to them with a slimmer, lighter version, they would have made a fortune on it. As it is, it gets in its own way, being too much to handle for any fine work, which is what survival is all about - understanding and finesse, not smashing things.
 
Just to be clear, the knife is handcrafted by TOPS and is extremely well-made. It's just the design that is no good IMHO.
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I didn't mean to suggest that it would break like the ubiquitous hollow-handle, just that the design principle for the two are the same ie. full of 'features', none of which are functional. And in the end, a non-functional tool is just that, whether it is because it breaks easily or because its a 1/4 inch thick with grind angles steeper than the north face of mount everest.
 
jh205 said:
I didn't mean to suggest that it would break like the ubiquitous hollow-handle, just that the design principle for the two are the same ie. full of 'features', none of which are functional.
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Not true. It makes an excellent paperweight.Get your facts straight, Mister! :D
 
my opinion FWIW is that the Tracker might be a good solid knife if three things were changed.

1: Take that rediculously stupid saw off the spine please!

2: narrow the overly heay blade some

3. gave it a reasonable price!
 
Not true. It makes an excellent paperweight.Get your facts straight, Mister!
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Good point. Can't have our papers blowing all over the place. Put me down for one! lol.
 
I've handled quite a few of the TOPS versions from people who have sent them to me to either strip and thin down the edge or just thin down and convex the edge. Most who have sent them are using them and are happy. As far as the design, first IMO, sawbacks on knives are useless. Especially 1/4" stock. A saw is a different tool then a knife. The grind looks too complicated to use, for me anyway. I could get more done with a straight grind and edge. Like Brian said, opinions on this knife will vary. You'll never know if it's for you unless you try it out.
Scott
 
El_Toro said:
I don't have much more to add to this, other than it is a heavy knife. If you carry a tracker with one of those "scout style" (horizontal/small of back carry) sheaths, be sure to wear a sturdy belt and maybe some suspenders, because your pants will start to fall in no time!:p While it was a cool movie, I really wondered about this in the movie "The Hunted", lol. As Dannyboy Leather said, it tries to be too many things and does none of them very well. Keep it simple!:thumbup:
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I can see everyone is on the Tracker BAsh Patrol...El Toro..I see you have never worn a knife in the "Scout" position...I don't care what knife it is...if its in a sheath..its hanging from your belt.......the Scout position is actually very comfortable..I prefer it, and usually get around to making sheaths that work for any of my knives.
Look...The Tracker isn't a movie knife...it came out years before the movie....I would say that "The Hunted" is a KNIFE MOVIE..as it seems to have been made just for the knife. The knife as it was originally designed, works...does it work for everyone...no. But the idea that you are a MALL NINJA if you like TOM BROWN or HIS KNIFE..seems like snobery..
I can accept that people don't like it ( the design) but to say it doesnt work? I own one...(heavily modded) and it works great. It does actually fill a position in my collection...as the knife I reach for when I want to head out without anything else..just grab a knife and go..
I admit, the TOPS version sucks..but I think the concept is sound...but then again..I like storage in my knife handle to:D

If anyone makes fun of me....look out...1-2-3-4-5-6!!! (hunted knife fighting in front of the mirror right now):D
 
I'd buy it, if it has a SHREDDR saw and more than just one heat treatment. Without at least three heat treatments, I might as well grind a knife out of butter! Don't you guys know anything??! :mad:

:D


Seriously, this knife looks like fun to use. If I had the money, I'd check it out. But I'm on a very tight budget at the moment, so I'll have to concentrate on actually practising with all the tools I have already lying around. (need to get rid of the NIB condition of my stuff) It's not the tool, it's the skills that matter the most. If an exotic knife design works for you and you like it so much that you actually carry it, I'm sure you'll be fine with it.
 
There are better options, and most of the people who like the knife have modified it in some way. I have one, but bought a similar sized conventional knife ( SRKW "Camp Tramp") which I can do everything I could with the Tracker, except break wire as easily. The Tracker sits in a box.
 
Its a bit strange but the character playing Tom Brown (sort of) was actually armed with a flint knife :) If I remember correctly.

As for the knife itself, when I was younger it would have appealed to me and I did own a big survival knife with sawback blade, but nowadays I would prefer a Mora and a SAK with saw.

Dan Koster also does a similar looking knife, no affiliation and I don't own one but from the reviews I have read of the tracker I would think it is worth looking at as an alternative if its the style of knife you like.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=513388
 
Liam Ryan said:
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... borrowed mine to a Klingon for some weekend space battle thingy he had coming up and haven't seen it since. :D
 
now you mention it one of these would be great for survival.

CD-1703.jpg


can use as a draw knife, machete, nice point for leatherwork, blunt top to choke up the blade for fine work. everything you could possibly want. Well ..... maybe :)
 
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