Tracker Knife

The TOPS is a micarta handle.
I believe the Predator is also micarta, but more highly polished, thus more slippery.
 
if i bought a koster wsk i would be waiting forever! i this point tops seems like the logical choice and the hardin isn't looking good cause he would have to make it plus i cant get in touch i think
 
yes.the predator IS micarta though it is polished a lot making it smoother than the tops.
I'd say get the predator OR the tops versons.Both will be lots of fun to hack and slash in the woods with.
 
AND THANKS TO BLADE FORUMS FOR SAVING ME FROM MY SAVSON WOES! i think i will be buyign my shit strait from the tops site
 
Well, I JUST got my Tracker in the mail. I got a great price on mine ($215 USD). So you could get that AND a nice smaller knife for fine work with the extra money. I haven't taken it out into the field yet. But I have done some off trail testing. As I said, I just got mine. These are some of my thoughts:
1) I immediately added a 24" lanyard to the knife.
2) Its a good chopper, and with the lanyard you can get an extra couple of inches of 'handle' for better leverage.
3)the quarter rounder seems like it will be difficult to field sharpen.
4)The KYDEX sheath is pretty much useless. The knife is so heavy that you cant do a reverse carry on your chest without risking it falling out. You will have to kick out for a better one or make your own.
5) Its HEAVY, but you don't notice it if you carry it 'tracker style' in the small of your back (the kydex sheath comes standard with a right hand carry)
6) The 'saw back' is good for small branches ( I tested a pine 2x4, went right through no problem) BUT it is really for notching. It does that VERY well.
7) Combination blade makes field sharpening complicated.
8) I don't have particularly large hands and it feels good in my hands.
9) Maybe the sawback weakens the blade maybe it doesn't, but it feels sturdy enough to use as a prybar in a pinch.
10) I like the 1095 steel. less likely to chip and dings and dents can be ground out.
11) It would make a good spear tip, the sawback makes it difficult to remove after penetration without pulling out a lot of flesh (I sacrificed a blade roast.)
I did not get it because it was a 'movie knife'. I got it because I am taking one of Tom Browns courses. I figure if he designed this tool, I will get the best use out of it by having his school show me how they would use it.

The plus: Good steel, sturdy feel. as a general TOOL it works well.
The minus: PRICE, its hard to treat this thing with any degree of brutality without thinking about the 200 bucks you have invested in it.

I think if it more as a TOOL than knife. Don't know if that makes sense.
Hope it helps though.
 
thanks man and i dont think the sawback weakens it. that more likely haters who own bave beck wsk's, but for use normal folk the tops tracker is more then acceptable. and my friend owns a tracker , hes put it though its paces i've seen the blade its roughed up but thats just the black coating the metal is fine
 
kiahs said:
This is a common myth. Not all Busses go up in value. If it's a discontinued model or rare in some way, sure. But I've never made a profit on one.
Click to expand...

I've only sold about two dozen or so Busse's, Swamp Rats and Scrapyard knives and I made money on every single one of them.

It's all about TIMING.

If you buy the currently available ASH knife and try to sell it the next day, no, you won't make money, or even get your money back.

That said, I bought one of the early FFBM's and circumstances changed from when I bought it to when I received it....had to sell it less than 5 days after getting it and I made a $100 profit. Can it be done everytime? Of course not, but the timing was perfect for that one.


But this time next year, you'll get more than your money back on that ASH, if not sooner.

If your intent is to make money on Busse's, then stay away from the high-end customs. The market for those is much smaller than for the basic knives, so it will likely take longer to make money on one.
 
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