tops worth it?

This isn't the first thread on price vs. value for TOPS. There's a lot of TOPS hype in the magazines. Their principals have TacOps experience, but no mention of how they made their bones in knife making, as opposed to knife design. That's OK by me because their users consistently say it's a good product.

TOPS quality is not in question and there is nothing wrong with factory knives. But Jonesy's hype was in question. A lot of un-educated knife buyers don't know that "semi-custom" is basically a meaningless term. They need education and facts not hype. Also there are many claims to military heritage, some of which are more real than others. Mission, Wicked Knives, MadDog, Gerber, SOG, Spyderco, Benchmade, EKI, CRK and a host of single-man knifemakers have or currently claim to supply some type of knife to the good guys (e.g. DEA, SF, FBI, SEALs, etc.)

Mr. Jones, pardon me sir, but your response is troll behavior, and in a moderator at that. Shame on you, did you kiss your mother today with that mouth.

anonymous - do you think I want to hear from you off line?
internet chairborne commando - no I'm not a paraplegic nor am I now or have ever claimed to be a commando
buttmunch - Hmmm not familiar with this, must be a Yankee term
troll - no I don't think so
named brownstain - it's brownshoe as in "brown shoes don't make it."
 
"semi-custom" is just another term for "very expensive factory-made".
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Quite frankly, bullsh!t. Do you mean to tell me there is no difference between a knife than it is entitrely made by CNC machines and a knife that is made (entirely by hand) in a shop by multiple living, breathing people? The only difference between them and customs is the number of people who work on them.

Production knives are usually made with as little human input as possible. The type of knives TOPS (and Busse and Strider, etc., etc...) make are made with AS MUCH human input as possible. To me, that's the difference.

Just my $.02.
 
I personally think that TOPS makes a fine product... I don't know if they are overpriced or not, and it's really a matter of personal opinion. If people are willing to pay the prices to buy enough knives to keep the company running, than they must not be that overpriced. I have owned a few TOPS knives in my time, and have no complaints about them at all... I also would like to see them made out of something a little higher end than 1095, perhaps A2, but the fact that they are 1095 never stopped me before, and probably won't stop me in the future from buying more of them. I believe they are making a Rinaldi Armegeddon now, no? If so than I may have to go shopping and see if I can pick one up.

Perhaps some price is due to hype, but do you mean to tell me that several/many other knife companies don't charge thier prices partly due to hype? I'm not gonna name names or get in an arguement over it, but I know very well what it costs to make a knife, have it heat treated, and how long it takes to do the whole process, so judging from those numbers, I can easily tell what is/isn't priced up due to hype.

As for Mr. Brownshoe...
I think everyone in the thread knows, or has at least figured out by now, how the knives are made, and it makes no sense to argue over the term used. Semi-custom, hand-made production, who gives a **** if it works well. I for one, do not.
 
So far I have handled two Tops knives: one was a Street Scalpel (which I wasn´t very impressed with) and the other one was one of their large folders of which I don´t remember the name because it felt so clumsy and over-sized even in my large hands that I wasn´t interested in taking a closer look at it.
 
I spent the better part of a week at the TOPS facility recently.. These knives are made by hand! The fit and finish is of the highest quality I have seen in mass produced blades PERIOD!!! The coating, the sheaths, the attention to detail is fantastic! Yeah the blanks are water jetted, but the grinds are ALL still done the old fashion way!
IN FACT the guy that does the majority of the grinding does the main bevels COMPLETELY free handed, he doesnt even use a tool rest!!! VERY talented guys at TOPS!! Working with them on the Arm. design has been awesome... Its alot easier talking to a human, than a machine..
As far as being over priced, thats a joke.. The last thing I think of when I think about Mikes knives is them being overpriced..
 
ALSO Hey Brownshoe... If you really want to question the abilities of Mike Fuller and the guys at TOPS, give them a call and ask if you can stand in for Justin or ANY of the guys for ONE day... If they were regular production knives a monkey could do the work right?? Yer way off base here man, and I grind knives for a living... If you saw the level of hand work that goes into TOPS knives you wouldnt be so quick to spout off...
 
a plethora of well respected, long time posters with thousands of posts among them, against one guy no one knows with 60 some odd posts...
 
Originally posted by MelancholyMutt
a plethora of well respected, long time posters with thousands of posts among them, against one guy no one knows with 60 some odd posts...
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I'm not sure who you are slamming, Dog. :confused:
 
Originally posted by shane45-1911
I'm not sure who you are slamming, Dog. :confused:
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To clarify, I'd say there is greater credibility with the entire group of long time posters...LOL;)
 
Please, let's keep this about the question at hand, not about egos! Everybody has a right to express their opinion, no matter what the number of posts they have is. I'll take a person with fewer posts and less rudeness more seriously than someone with a zillion posts who is being trollish! There is life outside this forum. You can be making your first post here and still be plenty knowlegable in the world of knives.
I have wanted to start a thread for some time now about the fact that I see a whole genre of fixed blades on the market that have a screwed up value to price ratio. I am absolutely not singling out one manufacturer either. There are a number of examples of folks taking CAD-CAM cut blades, throwing them on a grinding wheel, sticking a paracord or very basic handle on them, putting them in an aftermarket sheath and charging almost as much as a true custom knifemaker would for their work. That tells me that either these knives with less labor and materials expense involved are overpriced or that more labor intensive true customs are underpriced. I have this sneaky feeling the first explaination is more true. I believe in free enterprise as much as the next person. If a person wants to spend their money that way, it is their right. If I don't want one, nobody is going to make me buy one. Now having said that, I also feel that overpricing semi-production knives based on trendiness or name recognition is harmful to the industry. It inflates prices as a whole which makes it harder for new people to get involved. When the trend changes, a lot of people end up with a knife, possibly purchased for the wrong reasons, that they will never really use for it's original intent or get anywhere near their value out of.I believe that any business does best in the long run when they provide excellent service, quality product and a reasonable price. I said reasonable, not cheap! Whenever the Middle East calms down, I think the whole large tactical fixed blade trend will shrink. Not just because there will be less men who are going in harm's way for our country who truly need them, but because this type of knife won't be as hot for the majority of people who buy out of want, not need. Those companies who have offered a reasonable value to price ratio all along will still be successful after the trend slows down because their customers will feel that they got reasonable value for their money. IMHO, YMMV.
Dave
 
Originally posted by brownshoe
That's a new term. "Semi-custom." Sounds like more TOPS hype.

Does "semi-custom" mean the factory will customize their laser blanked blades? Will they attach "custom" handles? Or does it mean that the work is done by "hand." Hand held power tools? Does "oversee" mean Mike Fuller inspects each knife? Is Mike Fuller a master bladesmith, member of the ABS, Knifemaker's Guild, etc.? Is the edge ground by Mike Fuller, or does he stand behind them or the machine when it's ground? From their literature, advertising and the press they receive, TOPS sure sounds like a factory. If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck... Queen cutlery does hand finishing, but they are a factory.
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It is my opinion that the "newcomer" introduced the antagonistic aspect into this discussion. I agree with dave's assessment of the "merit of the arguement", but this case does not fall into the same parameters. Here, you have the newcomer entering a heated discussion using pointed words, designed not for a logical debate, against a long time member of the forum, who's opinions were echoed by many other long time posters.

IMO, brownshoe started the trolling, Brian only returned in defense.
 
Interesting discussion. Personally I've never been overly impressed with any of TOPS knives.., but I don't think some of the well planned models are bad at all. I do think they are over-priced by quite a bit.., but just my opinion.


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hutn what they [NEED]"
 
I don't own any TOPS knives yet. I'll probably get an Anaconda or an Armageddon. I don't really think their knives cost that much more than some popular factory knives in the same size range.

IMO tactical knives were popular before 9-11-01 and will remain popular for at least a few years regardless of when the conflict is over, assuming we don't all die from bioweapons.
 
I am a sales rep for TOPS Knives so I am admittedly biased, but I think you have to handle the products to appreciate them. Yes, there are less expensive 1095 knives. Yes, 1095 is not state of the art material. Yes, they may not be the most beautiful blades available (beauty IS in the eyes of the beholder). They are arguably the best 1095 knives on the market. Their ergonomics are excellent. They are strong and field friendly. Their warranty is tops (excuse the pun). Their designs are excellent. Their quality is among the best, and the knives are just plain cool. I own fifteen of them. If you have any questions about them, or you would like to become a dealer, email me @pythonrms@aol.com
 
I own 2 TOPS blades.
If fact in have the Night Chaser around my neck as I type this, in a neck carry with paracord. The other is the Border Crossing in 154CM.
Night Chaser is in 1095, there maybe more high tech steels out there, but the 1095 is easy to sharpen in the field and maintain in general.
Both knives more than suit my use and I don`t have the slightest concern about the price I paid, which IMO was reasonable. I have paid more for less knife. I would imagine that many folks here have.

The Border Crossing is a tough rugged blade that will stand up with most any other knife in a comparable price range. :cool: The ergomonics of both knives work for me.

Is this the famous Brownwhatever from the now famous SEBNENZA bashing thread. Another guy that does not like a knife or maker but does not own or have ever handled the product he happens to be running his yap about at the time.:barf: Quit whinning and go buy your bargin basement wonder knife, come on down and see me, we'll go on a 3 or 4 day fishing float trip through the Amazon basin. Then you can talk all about your wonder knife.;)

:D :D :D
 
There are an awful lot of "sacred cows" about these forums it would seem...

Based upon what I've read in this thread about TOPS' manufacturing process, I don't see how anybody could justify calling these knives "semi-custom". They may be "hand-built" or "hand-finished" or something along those lines, but that doesn't make them a custom product. "Custom" implies that these knives are built to individual specifications, and it doesn't sound like that is the case. And pointing that out doesn't automatically make anybody a troll, nor does it justify this rudeness on the parts of some of the long-time posters/moderators on this thread.
 
No sacred cows. Just well-respected manufacturers. TOPS is one of them, and Trace certainly is.

You'll find that many people feel that the term "custom" is a bit misleading, but it's a standard industry phrase. Some favor the term "hand made" when referring to hand made knives that are made to predefined specifications. Do a search on the Custom Knife Forum, and you'll see some pretty heated debates. It's nothing new around here.
 
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