TOPS g-numbering and date-imprinting...?

[dennis75]

hi,

for those in the know, i have some specific questions about the G-codes and the date-imprints on TOPS knives:

I just received a Black Rhino, a Moccasin Ranger and a Border Crossing. my brother just got his Steel Eagle 107D.
I noticed my brother's SE 107D had a date-imprint on it, i believe something like 3-20-03. obviously, this is probably the date which this knife was finished, but my question is: is the date-imprinting on the blade something new or something old that TOPS does/did? (in other words: is my brother's Steel Eagle a more recent knife than my knives? mine doe not have dates on them)

another question, about the "G-xxx"-codes on the handle/blade: my black rhino says G-606, the border crossing says g-541 and the moccasin ranger says g-573. question about this i have is whether these numbers are model-numbers or serial-numbers?

thanks in advance for answering these questions. i'm curious to the answer to the mystery

dennis

 

[crossada]

i have an overlander that i bought when they first came out that does not have any blade markings except for the logo which is engraved in the micarta handle slabs.

you could probably find better help on the hoodlums forum which is survival.com as ron hood has tops make a couple of his designs and uses alot of their products.

out of curiosity is all of the knives you mentioned have hollow ground blades?

 

[dennis75]

thanks WH, i've posted the Q on hoodlums as well. as for your question about the grind.....beats me, i don't have a clue on how to identify blade-grinds

dennis