TOPS Knives

[noviomagus]

I had a MAK-7 and a Screaming Eagle(they looked 'cool',that's for sure).
but if you want a dagger as a soldier for example ,I would advise anyone to take some other dagger.
for example the Sog Daggert I or II.
the Cold Steel Taipan or peace keepers(or what about that wide Warhead),and others.but not that way too thick MAK-7.and the but is annoying too.
that chisellike thing sticking out stabs into the bottom of your handpalm.

and that screaming eagle cuts like :jerkit:
that aint no knife.
that is a chisel.

 

[Jos]

Damn. Another zombie thread...

Kind regards,

Jos

 

[Alnamvet68]

For a factory knife out of 1095 that doesnt even get smoothed all the way (not that that makes it poorly made, but I think its a poor design decision for a tactical field knife and lowers the maufacture cost alot, therefore the knives should be cheaper than a smooth finished version), I'd say about half or there MSRP at most. You should be able to find them cheaper than the msrp though. There folders are a bit different. They are shopped out to a good company and use better materials ( I like 1095, its just not expensive, hence they have a big mark up) but are still pricey compared to there competition.

A few have mentioned the steel is not "smoothed" before coating, or that paint thinner removes the finish. ESEE, of which I am a fan off, has a similar coating, and once stripped, you will be shocked with what the knives look like "in the raw". That said, I bought a TOPS Key knife for one of my daughters, and I was so impressed with the quality of the knife, I had to buy the other Key Knife...it comes in A & B, and at a street price of about $25.00, there is no other "necker" knife at any price that can touch the TOPS.

 

[Alnamvet68]

I've been EDCing my TOPS Shango since I got it. But DAMN this is an old thread!

....and it just got necromanced; I just purchased the Tops Mil-Spie 3 which will in all likelihood take the place of the ESEE Izula and Becker BK-11 that I routinely carry. The one stellar feature of this particular model is that it's been heat treated by the undisputed King of Heat Treatment, the Godfather of Kelvin, The Master of Hard, Paul Bos; and I ain't no freakin' mall ninja!

 

[쌍칼잡이]

I purchased several knives from TOPS, and I fell on love with them. Unlike mass production knives, it will take some time for your knife to arrive since the guys hand make their products (even the sheaths are adjusted by hand). My newest edition from TOPS is the Mini-Skandi Surival (a neck knife wit a tan color coating. I also lIke the color scheme of the handle and its spacers). This neck knife came with a survival whistle and a stainless ball chain (I replaced the ball chain with a 550 paracord since itnwas irritating the backofmy neck in hot weather) All four knives from them came extremely sharp. Although some of their knives seem expensive when I compare the price to other manufactures (similar types of knives), I honestly think its worth every penny.

If you got youtube, you can find videos related to their knives and some information on how their company operate.

 

[쌍칼잡이]

I think they are a company that has good intentions but focus on cool instead of functional. For mass produced CNC production techniques they do not pass the manufacturing savings off to the consumer. Our mouths would drop to the floor if we ever found out what a single knife cost to produce compared to what they sell them for. I am always leary of a company that has a non transferable warranty. If the product is good who cares who owned it first. It still has your name on it.

It seems to me that you are implying that their financial tactic on their products for sale has to do with functuality of the knife it self?... Forgive me if I misunderstood.

 

[panacea]

I read many threads about Tops knives on this forum, so decided to write a few words too.

I have several Tops blades from early production in my collection. I do not understand why some folks here complain about spine thickness. Did you even know what you were going to buy, before you bought it? When I am going to buy something, I will read and collect all important info about it first to be sure what I can expect. For hard use knife 1/4" blade thickness is a minimum at my opinion. Busse Basic line were all 1/4" with Basic #3 (!) which is a very small knife.

Early production run of Tops knives were hand-made and not CNC machined like these days. Black coating is a good idea how to cheaply protect whole 1095 blade (under removable micarta handles too) against corrosion. Tops do it well, I prefer coated blasted (sandblasted) blade before coated polished blade, because coating - paint, will stay longer on blasted surface. Busse Basic line is the same thing. Do you prefer crinkle (wrinkle) or smooth finish? I have both, but like crinkle Basics more.

Around 1999-2000 year of production there were no many manufacturers who used quality micarta on handles like Tops. Their micarta was high quality and finished by hand on every knife (very close to best of the best which were produced by Allen Blade on his knives: bowie, bowie fighter, MEUK,...and Mad Dogs). Do not forget of their kydex sheats, which the very first ones were made by Allen I think.

And prices? Here in Eastern Europe, Tops knives cost 2-2.5 times more in the past than the same knife in the USA cost now. And we paid that prices!

But all that above is my story and point of view only...