- Joined
- Sep 17, 2009
- Messages
- 1,102
I received a TOPS Dragonfly 4.5 a couple weeks ago.
Specs:
O/A Length: 9 ¾
Blade Length: 4 1/2
Thickness: 1/8
Steel: 1095 High Carbon Steel
Handle: Black Canvas Micarta
Blade color: Beed Blast Finish
Sheath: Ballistic Nylon
Designer: Caleb Musgrave (OzaawaaMigiziNini on BCUSA)
The knife feels good in a number of grips. I have average sized hands (size large glove) and there was more than enough real estate on the handle. I don't know Caleb personally but he must have some enormous mitts! As you can see, in the hammer grip almost an inch of handle is still available on the back of the knife.
The knife has almost no guard although there is a slightly pronounced hump to let you know when you are getting close to the edge. I prefer knives with no guard as they allow almost an infinite number of comfortable grips, although for a less experienced user they can be dangerous. The front part of the handle is sloped downward to the edge to facilitate a pinch grip.
The grind of the knife is a bit unique. It appears to have a standard scandinavian grind but the edge has a micro-convexed bevel. The actual part of the bevel that is convexed is very small and so far appears to improve edge retention without effecting the wood carving performance. If you catch the light just right you can see how small the micro-convex bevel actually is.
I have carved a few feathersticks and done some work around the yard and so far I really like it. The knife came shaving sharp out of the box and the work I have done so far has had not diminished the cutting performance. The handle is thin giving the knife a compact footprint for its overall size but it does not seem to have decreased its comfort.
The only things that I do not care for are the bead blasted blade finish and the sheath. In my experience bead blasted finishes tend to rust easily, especially on uncoated 1095 steel. I applaud TOPS and Caleb for not coating the blade as it does improve cutting performance but I wish they had just given the blade a satin finish like the primary bevel. In addition, the printed TOPS and Dragonfly logo started to come off after light use (as you can see in the photos). I will give the blade a polish to smooth the bead blast and remove the logo anyway but it is still worth noting. Lastly, the sheath is the typical TOPS nylon flap tactical MOLLE rig. It is a secure package that may be good for storage or putting the knife on a pack but this knife begs for a slim leather sheath. I am going to have Skystorm Leatherworks make a slim pouch sheath with a simple belt loop.
As I get more use out of the knife I will update this review and also post some comparison shots with my primary bushcraft blade, the Fallkniven F1.
Enjoy!
Specs:
O/A Length: 9 ¾
Blade Length: 4 1/2
Thickness: 1/8
Steel: 1095 High Carbon Steel
Handle: Black Canvas Micarta
Blade color: Beed Blast Finish
Sheath: Ballistic Nylon
Designer: Caleb Musgrave (OzaawaaMigiziNini on BCUSA)
The knife feels good in a number of grips. I have average sized hands (size large glove) and there was more than enough real estate on the handle. I don't know Caleb personally but he must have some enormous mitts! As you can see, in the hammer grip almost an inch of handle is still available on the back of the knife.
The knife has almost no guard although there is a slightly pronounced hump to let you know when you are getting close to the edge. I prefer knives with no guard as they allow almost an infinite number of comfortable grips, although for a less experienced user they can be dangerous. The front part of the handle is sloped downward to the edge to facilitate a pinch grip.
The grind of the knife is a bit unique. It appears to have a standard scandinavian grind but the edge has a micro-convexed bevel. The actual part of the bevel that is convexed is very small and so far appears to improve edge retention without effecting the wood carving performance. If you catch the light just right you can see how small the micro-convex bevel actually is.
I have carved a few feathersticks and done some work around the yard and so far I really like it. The knife came shaving sharp out of the box and the work I have done so far has had not diminished the cutting performance. The handle is thin giving the knife a compact footprint for its overall size but it does not seem to have decreased its comfort.
The only things that I do not care for are the bead blasted blade finish and the sheath. In my experience bead blasted finishes tend to rust easily, especially on uncoated 1095 steel. I applaud TOPS and Caleb for not coating the blade as it does improve cutting performance but I wish they had just given the blade a satin finish like the primary bevel. In addition, the printed TOPS and Dragonfly logo started to come off after light use (as you can see in the photos). I will give the blade a polish to smooth the bead blast and remove the logo anyway but it is still worth noting. Lastly, the sheath is the typical TOPS nylon flap tactical MOLLE rig. It is a secure package that may be good for storage or putting the knife on a pack but this knife begs for a slim leather sheath. I am going to have Skystorm Leatherworks make a slim pouch sheath with a simple belt loop.
As I get more use out of the knife I will update this review and also post some comparison shots with my primary bushcraft blade, the Fallkniven F1.
Enjoy!
