Tops BOB

[Bobby3326]

I read many reviews on the Tops brothers of Bushcraft before I bought one and it seemed like it people either loved it or hated it. Now that I've owned one for awhile and have used it a good bit I'm wondering if most of the hate came from people who hadn't even used the knife or got a defective one.

I was unfortunate to have to return my original purchase, it had chips in the edge straight out of the bag, then it's replacement had a defective heat treat bc the edge kept chipping out with very very light use even after several sharpenings. I gave the knife a third chance and I'm glad I did, I absolutely love this knife.

It did need a lil work thou, the factory edge was horrible, it was sharp but wasn't very effective. After thinning the edge out a lil and making it a more gradual convex rather the abrupt micro convex it drastically changed it cutting performance. It takes and holds an incredibly sharp edge even with hard use like chopping and batoning.It is easily maintained by only stropping it. It's more than capable of heavy tasks but easily tackles the finer things. Great option for an all around camp knife.

How many of you guys actually own and have used the BOB? What are your thoughts on it and have you changed the factory edge? How have you been sharpening it?

 

[captain slicer]

hey good choice i own a strider, and an adamas 375 and i would need both to do the same jobs that this tops feildcraft knife by brothers of bushcraft, not only does it combine our brothers bushcraft knowledge from the north but its brings sum southern brothers from the swamps and wetlands for there input! i gotta say for an all around do anything you ask knife i think this owns the throne for number one in my books, and defaults in knives happen not every production knife is going to be perfact. Thank you very much for the post op i was looking for someone to comment on here before i purchased one and after the minor problems you had, i my self will still be purchasing one, if not a couple!!!

 

[Bobby3326]

hey good choice i own a strider, and an adamas 375 and i would need both to do the same jobs that this tops feildcraft knife by brothers of bushcraft, not only does it combine our brothers bushcraft knowledge from the north but its brings sum southern brothers from the swamps and wetlands for there input! i gotta say for an all around do anything you ask knife i think this owns the throne for number one in my books, and defaults in knives happen not every production knife is going to be perfact. Thank you very much for the post op i was looking for someone to comment on here before i purchased one and after the minor problems you had, i my self will still be purchasing one, if not a couple!!!

I would definitely recommend this knife, once I tweaked the edge it made a good knife an excellent knife. With the factory edge it was good for removing large amounts of material, but kinda lacked at finer tasks such as making paper thin feather sticks...which was just a result of the abrupt convex micro bevel...It would jam up on the transition...Once I thinned it out and made the convex more gradual it just glides thru wood, nothing to get hung up on.

If I found myself in a bad situation with just the Tops BOB I wouldn't feel under knifed. It can do pretty much anything you'd need it to do, obviously with its length it isn't going to chop like a larger knife or machete so it might take a lil longer if your trying to chop down a 8"tree lol. In it's size class thou I've only used 1 other knife that out chopped it, which was a bk2.

 

[Tenbeers]

Nice pics!
I traded for a BOB but ended up trading it soon afterwards. I love the overall design but it just didn't feel right in the hand to me. It felt too heavy for it's size. I'd probably lean towards something a lot lighter in that size range or go heavier in a larger knife. If they introduced a 5/32" thick version it would probably work better for me. The BOB is well built and a great design, just not for me.
Can't comment on using it as I traded it off soon after getting it. Right now I'm hung up on a completely different animal, the Gerber Strongarm.

I've owned 5 different TOPS knives and ended up trading or selling them. Nice knives just didn't connect with the feel or balance. That is just my quirks, no reflection on the knives.

 

[Firestrike]

I loved mine...it was an early model with the tan/brown handles...Carried and used it for awhile befor buying my 1st Busse/Kin knives. It was wicked sharp out of box.

I gave it to my Step-Father who was in need of a good knife, I will get it back someday as he has put it in his will to come back to me. I'm sure I will still love it then too.

 

[Bobby3326]

Nice pics!
I traded for a BOB but ended up trading it soon afterwards. I love the overall design but it just didn't feel right in the hand to me. It felt too heavy for it's size. I'd probably lean towards something a lot lighter in that size range or go heavier in a larger knife. If they introduced a 5/32" thick version it would probably work better for me. The BOB is well built and a great design, just not for me.
Can't comment on using it as I traded it off soon after getting it. Right now I'm hung up on a completely different animal, the Gerber Strongarm.

I've owned 5 different TOPS knives and ended up trading or selling them. Nice knives just didn't connect with the feel or balance. That is just my quirks, no reflection on the knives.

I have the strongarm too, it's a great knife as well. Good multi-purpose knife.

 

[johnme]

I just bought a BOB and right away went to the wood pile full of pieces of ash wood that was as hard as nails.
No problem with the blade chipping or curling. Good heat treat on mine. Love this knife because of the weight.
This BOB will be my hard working knife and let the mora do the finer work.
Good luck with yours.

 

[hiwa]

Good solid knife. A little bit thinner blade would be nice . Edge was poor from the factory , so I put a small secondary on it. I don't treat it like a scandi and sharpen that whole bevel or it would take too long taking that much steel off.
I also don't prefer screwed on handles as they can loosen over time, but this hasn't happened yet.

The sheath and the belt-ripping clip absolutely fails Imo ; the Spec-ops 4 1/2" fits it nicely.

 

[Bobby3326]

I just bought a BOB and right away went to the wood pile full of pieces of ash wood that was as hard as nails.
No problem with the blade chipping or curling. Good heat treat on mine. Love this knife because of the weight.
This BOB will be my hard working knife and let the mora do the finer work.
Good luck with yours.

The one I have now is perfectly fine, as soon as I got it home I reprofiled and I started beating it thru some pine full of knots and some black cherry. The edge held up just fine and was still able to make fine feathersticks easily. Was also still razor sharp, after that I knew I could trust it in the field.

 

[Bobby3326]

Good solid knife. A little bit thinner blade would be nice . Edge was poor from the factory , so I put a small secondary on it. I don't treat it like a scandi and sharpen that whole bevel or it would take too long taking that much steel off.
I also don't prefer screwed on handles as they can loosen over time, but this hasn't happened yet.

The sheath and the belt-ripping clip absolutely fails Imo ; the Spec-ops 4 1/2" fits it nicely.

I sharpen it on sand paper over a mouse pad..lay the whole bevel down like a traditional scandi, it gives me a nice strong gradual convex edge.

I like the sheath other than the belt clip, I plan on removing it in favor of the universal kydex extension made by a fellow forum member here.

 

[hunter55]

I am very satisfied with my BOB. It is one of my favorite knives. I know that I can trust it completely and rely on it, successfully, in every situation. It is a great "general utility tool". It can be used as a survival tool as well (definition: "The knife as a survival tool" = a cutting tool that has to be a tough one to handle in a need even the digging, prying, gouging, and splitting without breaking).
I agree with Bobby3326 that "... it seemed like it people either loved it or hated it". I have read a lot of views comparing the ESEE-4 with BOB and the votes going to ESEE-4. My opinion is that BOB is superior in comparison with TAK or ESEE-4 or Rodent-4 or the Strongarm or the HEFT-4.

 

[Bobby3326]

I am very satisfied with my BOB. It is one of my favorite knives. I know that I can trust it completely and rely on it, successfully, in every situation. It is a great "general utility tool". It can be used as a survival tool as well (definition: "The knife as a survival tool" = a cutting tool that has to be a tough one to handle in a need even the digging, prying, gouging, and splitting without breaking).
I agree with Bobby3326 that "... it seemed like it people either loved it or hated it". I have read a lot of views comparing the ESEE-4 with BOB and the votes going to ESEE-4. My opinion is that BOB is superior in comparison with TAK or ESEE-4 or Rodent-4 or the Strongarm or the HEFT-4.

I handled the esse 4 and didn't like it, it was to small for my hands and to use the finger choil you'd have to have tiny fingers otherwise part of your finger would rest on the edge... The strongarm doesn't come close in comparison to the BOB. The rest you mentioned I have no experience with but I highly doubt I'd give up my BOB for em.


I think allot of the hate stems from the traditional "Bushcraft" crowd, where knives must be like this, this, and that in order to be worthy of there time.

 

[hunter55]

I agree with you, Bobby3326, as far as your last comment is concerned: I think allot of the hate stems from the traditional "Bushcraft" crowd, where knives must be like this, this, and that in order to be worthy of their time.