Tops Knives?

i have the small tops devils elbow for a real low price, and though it looks odd it feels excellent in the hand and is very functional. the sheath that came with it is very nice and secure. these are high quality products and there is so much variety i think there is really something that everyone will like in their catalog. i really like their smaller knives.

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there is an article in one of the recent knife mags that says that the cost of tops may be because of their differential heat treat process. for whatever that is the worth...
 
My TOPS made by FOX of Italy , with N690Co blade is now my EDC. Couldn't be better !
 
They have a lot of interesting designs, but for what people ask for ESEE seems to usually fit the bill better.

I have a personal dislike, because in my opinion only they copied the DART from another knife design which I like a lot and happen to own. But since its about 3 times cheaper then what I have I might buy one anyway later on.

I guess to each their own, but generally speaking the feeling on these boards is that TOPs a re cool, not as cheesy as dorkops, but cost to much for what they are made out of.
 
Volk said:
They have a lot of interesting designs, but for what people ask for ESEE seems to usually fit the bill better.

I have a personal dislike, because in my opinion only they copied the DART from another knife design which I like a lot and happen to own. But since its about 3 times cheaper then what I have I might buy one anyway later on.

I guess to each their own, but generally speaking the feeling on these boards is that TOPs a re cool, not as cheesy as dorkops, but cost to much for what they are made out of.
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What the heck is that ESSE DART anyway? Never could figure out what it was for. :confused:
 
cziv said:
What the heck is that ESSE DART anyway? Never could figure out what it was for. :confused:
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TOPS DART yo mean right?

That desighn has a recurved blade which has a longer cutting edge, and its heavier toward the end of the blade making it a chopper as well. Supposedly its good in combat, but I never used one as a weapon, and don't know anybody who did. Personally I have a preference for smaller dagger like blades when it comes to combat.

People either love or hate recurved blades, and I happen to love 'em. They are hard to sharpen, but I suck at sharpening, so I'm going to let someone else sharpen my knives, so I don't care how hard it is.
 
in my opinion only they copied the DART from another knife design which I like a lot and happen to own
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I have looked up TOPS DART knife. Volk if you're suggesting that the Junglas is copied fro the DART - I fail to see it. The DART is another semi-weird TOPS blade and in no way looks like the Junglas - I've got one. The DART looks 1/2 kukri if anything, has a finger choil - has S30V blade steel which is strange for a large chopper and "almost" double the price tag. :confused:
 
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I own a Pasayten and mohawk hunter, excellent blades. Gotta look past marketing bs and try one for yourself. Mohawk is my go to woods blade I will stake my life on it without a second thought. Like mentioned above, I found both models for around $100. Just have to look around
 
Whether one likes or doesn't like TOPS knives because of their "goofy" names, or their price, or because one rarely sees, if ever, a magazine advert, TOPS sells every knife they make, and then some. Compared to other popular makes, TOPS street prices are right in line with the other knives de jour, such as ESEE. Up until three years ago, TOPS knives were made by Rowen Mfg, right along side the ESEE's...now, they do it all in house in beautiful Idaho Falls. That said, my favorite all purpose under 4" fixie is my Mil-SPIE 3, 154 CM and heat treated by Paul Bos; it doesn't get any better then this.
 
OK, I am NOT a real knife guy however own a TOPS-BUCK CSAR-T, a heavy folder w/BOS heat treatment..mine is 154 CM although see offered from time to time in ATS-34. It has G10 scales and a fairly heavy duty sheath.

CSAR-T stands for Combat Search And Rescue Tool and while not my game I view this knife as robust and good value for its price point. My real rescue[and everything else knife] when my position description called for such things was a BuckLite..cut seat belts with ease and didn't get any blood on it while using.

Have a ZT 550 blem and while the CSAR-T is not in that class except as to weight still OK.

Best.
 
That Buck/TOPS collaboration is one of the best things to happen to Buck, as well as having Paul Bos in their employ.
 
The quality is obviously top notch, are they not manufactured by Rowen? Same as ESEE. The designs are honestly sp impractical and bordering on stupid, I literally laugh out loud at many of them. Granted Im not 'SPEC OPS' or a 'SEAL', hell Im just a modest outdoorsman at best but gimme a break. Great steel, great handle material, some decent sheaths, but downright ridiculous designs and marketing. There are maybe 8 models I would consider out of I dont know how many hundreds of designs. I wouldnt knock anyone for buying or using them, different strokes and all, but Ill pass.
 
Hate to say it but: Tops are a lot like Cold Steel as far as fan base, you pretty much either love em or ya hate em, not much in between. I love em. Yes they have MANY designs that i find useless. But their quality is great. Just sift through & find what you think will work for you. This one works for me.

 
Not overly impressed with TOPS knives.
They had a mess of TOPS knives at last years SHOT Show and many were like pry bars shaped knives.
 
I own two Tops knives (well, one is actually a Tops/Buck collaboration - the CSAR-T) and was content with just those two until this thread. :)

Brennanscott said:
Don't know. I have a Topps Ferret and It stays in my back pocket every day. I love the little thing.
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That is a nice little knife. Just jumped onto my wish list...
 
Of those 3, it would be a toss up between the Junglas & Armegeddon . I like options & the Armegeddon gives them to you in hand positions. 3 actually, or more depending on your imagination. Love the ESSE too. Hard to beat their warranty. :D
 
jonnyt16 said:
I bought the Tracker knife from TOPS and wasn't overly impressed with it. What turned me off the most was that it didn't even come very sharp! Sorry, but if I'm paying good money for a knife it damn well better come shaving sharp, no excuses. Overall fit and finish was pretty good though I must admit, and I loved the micarta handle. Still, I ended up selling it.
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Exactly, I ordered a Steel Eagle last year, and a Tracker some three/four years ago, and sold them both - they didn't even come with working edges.. Sure, they could chop a tree down and all that machismo shizz :rolleyes: but couldn't even slice paper.. Lame

I also don't like that they sell out to Discovery channel survival gurus, but then again, Tops cant be as bad as Bear Grylls line.. they cant even put the knives in a decent box in the store, they hang them up (in some plastic shell like batteries) next to the granola bars in REI.. What happened to that blade bear had in the first few seasons?? That was all one would ever need..:rolleyes:
 
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