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TOPS XC EST Alpha
- Thread starter osok666
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2010
- Messages
- 10,844
No pics?
So I've finally had a little bit of time to really test this blade out and I have a few (more solid opinions about it). No pictures for this one, sorry. So here goes....
I was able to test on a small variety of wood ranging from 2x4's to trees of varying size. The blade itself is pretty good. There was absolutely no bending/chipping when I stabbed the tip straight into a 2x4 and cammed it to dig it out. It simply popped off wood bits. Attempting to chop and then cut was ok for edge retention. Normally this would annoy me, but seeing as this isn't a fine chef's knife I think it's suited for its intended purpose. The Lansky Sharper supplied actually did a good job of retouching up the edge and TOPS gets big plus for including this.
Chopping and batoning were kind of a mixed bag. I found that the blade was decent enough at both, but was hampered by a general lack of mass and edge length. I realize this is an emergency type tool and so ease of carry trumps overall utility but I really feel like TOPS would have been better served making the blade 3-3/4" or even 4" in length. I tended to get tired and sore wrists from trying to chop the 2x4 whereas small 1-2" inch branches were not so bad.
Finally, I have tiny hands. I take s or xs size for work gloves......but with a set of gloves on, the handle was just a tiny bit too thin and short. Without gloves it fit fine but I wouldn't think about trying to chop anything without a pair of gloves on; it would be murder on your hand and wrist.
I think it deserves a 3.75 out of 5. Nice design but a little more size at the expense of weight would have been totally justified in my opinion. Still in a bind I think this would be a pretty useful knife.
I was able to test on a small variety of wood ranging from 2x4's to trees of varying size. The blade itself is pretty good. There was absolutely no bending/chipping when I stabbed the tip straight into a 2x4 and cammed it to dig it out. It simply popped off wood bits. Attempting to chop and then cut was ok for edge retention. Normally this would annoy me, but seeing as this isn't a fine chef's knife I think it's suited for its intended purpose. The Lansky Sharper supplied actually did a good job of retouching up the edge and TOPS gets big plus for including this.
Chopping and batoning were kind of a mixed bag. I found that the blade was decent enough at both, but was hampered by a general lack of mass and edge length. I realize this is an emergency type tool and so ease of carry trumps overall utility but I really feel like TOPS would have been better served making the blade 3-3/4" or even 4" in length. I tended to get tired and sore wrists from trying to chop the 2x4 whereas small 1-2" inch branches were not so bad.
Finally, I have tiny hands. I take s or xs size for work gloves......but with a set of gloves on, the handle was just a tiny bit too thin and short. Without gloves it fit fine but I wouldn't think about trying to chop anything without a pair of gloves on; it would be murder on your hand and wrist.
I think it deserves a 3.75 out of 5. Nice design but a little more size at the expense of weight would have been totally justified in my opinion. Still in a bind I think this would be a pretty useful knife.