I did a search and found plenty of old threads with 90% positive comments about this knife. What I want to know is how is the TB Tracker holding up for you 5 to 6 years later if you still have it? I am planning on purchasing one. I have the TB Scout, which is awesome. Do you still hold the Tracker design practical? Looks practical to me, but some extended hard use opinions would be great. Thanks!
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Tops Tom Brown Tracker
- Thread starter TheGent
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2006
- Messages
- 2,563
Gent , Here is mine.
These pictures are not new but I do take it out when I get time and play with it. Bryan Breeded convexed
the edge for me and Boy , does it cut and chop now. He also made the kydex sheath for me. The Tracker is also a great fuz stick maker.
Jeff
These pictures are not new but I do take it out when I get time and play with it. Bryan Breeded convexed
the edge for me and Boy , does it cut and chop now. He also made the kydex sheath for me. The Tracker is also a great fuz stick maker.
Jeff
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2008
- Messages
- 2,142
It's a beast of a knife and in the right hands an effective tool. It get's allot of hate on forums but it seems from those who have never really tried or given it a chance. Durability? I have seen them baton through solid oak rounds, nails, etc. Very tough. I also think the factory edge is lacking and this knife begs to be convexed. Then it's a scary blade. It will last a lifetime I imagine.
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2006
- Messages
- 8,250
Never used one but in all the conversations I've heard on the subject the only drawback I've heard is the thick edge. Otherwise it seems like a great knife to those that have it. I think the hate is more on the perceived gimmicky aspect of it and the price. Also, sawbacks suck but that's a personal bias.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 1,007
I too have been on the fence about buying one for the last couple years but I have decided I will as soon as I can afford to. The one thing I am thinking of, after reading shotgun's post is getting the model tbt-02 which has a slightly shorter blade and is made of 3/16" instead of 1/4" which should make a significant difference when being too thick is an issue. Just a thought...
Before you get one you should download the pdf of the manual for it.
The if you get one, reprofiling the edge. Tops makes it thick and the same everywhere to simplify manufacturing. It needs reprofiling, especially the quarterround and drawknife sections to perform as original designed.
It is a multi purpose tool more than a knife.
The if you get one, reprofiling the edge. Tops makes it thick and the same everywhere to simplify manufacturing. It needs reprofiling, especially the quarterround and drawknife sections to perform as original designed.
It is a multi purpose tool more than a knife.
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2006
- Messages
- 8,250
Yeah it's not the stock thickness that's going to make it a poor performer. It's the too thick edge. If this is anything like the Tops ECO hawk I had or anything from ESEE, Scrapyard, Becker, Swamp Rat...(you get the point) the edge is going to be too thick. My advice is to pick the one you like best and have it reprofiled by someone who knows what they're doing and has an eye toward cutting performance rather then the masses who may beat it through cinder blocks. The edge on my Scrapyard 711 was crap until Scott Gossman put a thin compound edge on it.
Edit: And it's generally cheap to have a maker do that. I think I paid 25 bucks including shipping and he had it back to me in a week.
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2008
- Messages
- 3,374
just saying it is one damn ugly piece of steel isn't 'hate', is it? 
just saying it is one damn ugly piece of steel isn't 'hate', is it?
No way! In the wilderness, *function* is "Beauty's" master!!!
Well as soon as I get my version of it back from the machine shop here in town I will be able to tell you a little more.
about my version anyways lol.
I took my design in last week and I am hoping to get it back this week with the double cut saw teeth milled in.
Then all I got to do is finish it up and start using it.
Here is a pic of my version and what the double cut saw teeth look like.
Like Hawkeye5 said if you get one it will need to be fixed up so to speak. I fixed Hawkeys
and another fellows those tracker knives. They cut like a knife should now, so if you get one and
want it fixed up let me know I will be glad to do that.
When I had the 2 trackers at my shop I can tell you the saw teeth on the tops tracker is ok but
If tops had taken the time to do it proper and mill in double cut saw teeth then there tracker knife
would have been awesome. Then they would have charge $500 plus for them lol.
Bryan
about my version anyways lol.
I took my design in last week and I am hoping to get it back this week with the double cut saw teeth milled in.
Then all I got to do is finish it up and start using it.
Here is a pic of my version and what the double cut saw teeth look like.
Like Hawkeye5 said if you get one it will need to be fixed up so to speak. I fixed Hawkeys
and another fellows those tracker knives. They cut like a knife should now, so if you get one and
want it fixed up let me know I will be glad to do that.
When I had the 2 trackers at my shop I can tell you the saw teeth on the tops tracker is ok but
If tops had taken the time to do it proper and mill in double cut saw teeth then there tracker knife
would have been awesome. Then they would have charge $500 plus for them lol.
Bryan
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2006
- Messages
- 2,563
Well as soon as I get my version of it back from the machine shop here in town I will be able to tell you a little more.
about my version anyways lol.
I took my design in last week and I am hoping to get it back this week with the double cut saw teeth milled in.
Then all I got to do is finish it up and start using it.
Here is a pic of my version and what the double cut saw teeth look like.
Like Hawkeye5 said if you get one it will need to be fixed up so to speak. I fixed Hawkeys
and another fellows those tracker knives. They cut like a knife should now, so if you get one and
want it fixed up let me know I will be glad to do that.
When I had the 2 trackers at my shop I can tell you the saw teeth on the tops tracker is ok but
If tops had taken the time to do it proper and mill in double cut saw teeth then there tracker knife
would have been awesome. Then they would have charge $500 plus for them lol.
Bryan
It looks great Bryan. Can't wait to see it when you get it finished.
Thanks again for fixing mine.:thumbup:
Hawkeye
Thank you for all the comments and experience, friends. I am starting to re-think buying one. Just not a believer in spending that kind of money to get a knife that won't perform out of the box. If I puchased one, brewcitymike has a good idea, I would get the 3/16 thick version.
On my several year long survival experience my main toolkit was my HI M43 Kukri and a Camillus pilots survival knife.
If you are looking for a knife which will easily perform most all your outdoor needs....excluding chopping; then take a look at the Tops BOB Fieldcraft knife. I just picked one up from Dale at theknifeconnection.com the price is about 1/3 the cost of the tracker and half that of the tracker2. There are other ways to notch than the saw blade. The BOB is an impressive package and a very good performer for the price.
If you are looking for a knife which will easily perform most all your outdoor needs....excluding chopping; then take a look at the Tops BOB Fieldcraft knife. I just picked one up from Dale at theknifeconnection.com the price is about 1/3 the cost of the tracker and half that of the tracker2. There are other ways to notch than the saw blade. The BOB is an impressive package and a very good performer for the price.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2007
- Messages
- 1,962
I dismissed this design a long time ago simply because I thought...what the heck is going on and who was the mixed up lunatic that came up with this.......but lately it's drawing me back in as to its usefulness, granted as Brian mentioned the serrations might not perform as stellar as one would like.....so I started looking at the Fox Trakker ( 5 1/2" blade) and Trapper ( 6 1/2" blade) since they're both minus the serrations they can really lend themselves to a lot of chores.....has anyone compared the Fox and Tom Brown Tops version.....
Mistwalker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2007
- Messages
- 18,966
I haven't compared them yet, but I was checking out the FOX Trapper at Blade last year. I like the design, it's one of a couple of FOX knives I like.
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,026
I would just say that it would be a good idea to handle the T-2 (the smaller one) before you get it over the T-1. A buddy of mine has one, and when I saw/handled it the first time, I was very surprised at how much smaller it was. It felt like a toy to me, even though it is obviously very solid. It is not just thinner stock, all the dimensions are smaller. At that size, in my opinion, you lose most of your chopping ability. If you're not in a hurry, you can find good deals on the T-1. I paid $170 delivered for mine, and I have seen similar deals since. Just something to think about. I reprofiled mine myself, and now I love it.
I think I'll wait until the Blade Show and handle all the varieties. I also thought about taking an ontario machete (1/8" thick) and modding my own version, a few inches longer than the T-1.