which would you choose

[Gossman Knives]

Trailmaster. First thing to do is change the handle.

Yes, how about a nice piece of desert ironwood.
Scott

 

[hatchetjack]

I'd go with the TM. The Tracker looks to have too many strange cutting surfaces at odd angles.

Is there a particular reason to choose between the two? They are very different styles from each other.

I have an 80's model TM that is semi-retired inn favor of a Ranger RD9.

Might be worth a look and you'd be surprised at the cost of a Ranger.

 

[WeaselBites]

Thats like, would you rather be drawn and quartered or beaten to death.... Ok, I guess not quite that bad but close.

I guess I would go with the Tracker just for the peace of mind the quality would bring me.
An entire Tracker would do me much more good than the half a Trail-crapper I'm likely to be left with.

Yeah, but the Tracker is so HIDEOUS. :barf:

 

[razorsdescent]

I like the tracker design. Personally i think it really depends what your doing with it. for brush clearing i think i'd take the trail master. For pure survival in the outdoors i'd go with the Tracker. The tracker is a solid design.

The guy who said ranger knives instead of the cold steel was right on. Its a much better knife in the same vein.

 

[barrabas74]

I would go with the Trailmaster if I HAD to choose between the two just because the tracker is well just too diff for me and I would want a custom one from linger with a real saw before the tops one. If you could be flexible I would go with a Ranger or a Swamprat. Those are outstanding knives.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Gentlemen please , cold steel makes exceptionally fine blades .
If someone said they would take mine I would say fine ! L:O:L

The problem, as we "all" know, is that Cold Steel makes zip. Some of those who do make knives to be sold under that marketing company's brand, do good work. There is nothing wrong with the Trailmaster that a decent handle would not cure.

Other CS stuff, .......

 

[shotgunner11]

Yeah, but the Tracker is so HIDEOUS. :barf:

Yes, that is a buttastic peice of steel, the customs look sweet but TOPS really doesn't make the best looking gear.

The Trailmaster is a good looking knife, just not what I would want to take into the woods.

 

[Leatherface]

hatchetjack...I lOVE the way you modded the scales on that Ranger..

If I had to choose between the 2 and my Ranger rd9 isnt on the table, I would go with the Tops Tracker...Yea I know Tom Brown is a tool and all but CS ticked me off several years ago and I havent bought anything of there's since then...

Yo Scott...I got a Ranger Knives RD 9 with Desert Ironwood scales (working on a sheath for it now)...Will that work??

 

[Normark]

Hey Guys....

Between the two I'd take the Trail-Crapper..
The Tracker is to gimicky...

ttyle

Eric..
O/ST

 

[rebeltf]

I wouldn't mind owning a Tracker just to fawn over , but I too would choose the Trailmaster , simply because I would feel more comfortable using it.
Of course I would not take any blade into the bush without some serious usage first.
That sort of stuff weeds out the inevitable "stale cookie" blades

 

[coote]

At least the Trailmaster looks like a knife.

I have looked at a lot of pictures of those Tracker type knives and have thought:
-How difficult they must be to sharpen compared to a traditional shape
-That they are too big and too wide to do most of the jobs that I use a knife for.

However the Tracker is quite interesting, and I would love to have somebody point out the advantages of this design to me. Can anyone help?

 

[Gossman Knives]

hatchetjack...I lOVE the way you modded the scales on that Ranger..

If I had to choose between the 2 and my Ranger rd9 isnt on the table, I would go with the Tops Tracker...Yea I know Tom Brown is a tool and all but CS ticked me off several years ago and I havent bought anything of there's since then...

Yo Scott...I got a Ranger Knives RD 9 with Desert Ironwood scales (working on a sheath for it now)...Will that work??

Dave, if you've got one of Justins RD 9's, check with him. I'm sure he'd convex it for you. If not, let me know, I'll take care of it for you. Justin is a great guy to deal with. :thumbup:
Scott

 

[Coldwood]

I guess I'm stupid, I just don't get the bias against Cold Steel. I don't care about the advertising. I don't own any other modern blades to compare against. Maybe that's the problem. I have owned two Master Hunters, they've served me well. Not expensive, maybe that's the problem. Ugly designs?, no, plain designs, Yes. Useful design, yes. I could easily own a trailmaster, if I needed a knife that big.

 

[tarmix101]

To be completely honest I would rather carry a re-profiled butter knife than either but....... if I had to choose, I would go with the CS Trailmaster.

Many here find it to be a great knife. The Tracker is just a little to close to a Hobbit sword for my liking

 

[shotgunner11]

I guess I'm stupid, I just don't get the bias against Cold Steel. I don't care about the advertising. I don't own any other modern blades to compare against. Maybe that's the problem. I have owned two Master Hunters, they've served me well. Not expensive, maybe that's the problem. Ugly designs?, no, plain designs, Yes. Useful design, yes. I could easily own a trailmaster, if I needed a knife that big.

Your not stupid, your experiences just vary from some of the others around here. I've heard alot of good things and alot of bad.

I like some of the designs they have but I have had bad luck with their knives in general, chipping and braking of blades on some folders, poor heat treating and VERY soft edges on a few machetes.

As has been said, they dont make their own knives so some things could be of good quality but it's going to be hit and miss, I don't accept odds like that on knives that could be needed in an emergency.

And as for the advertising, dont take this the wrong way but you really should care. The crap they put out in those DVD's is exactly what will become exhibit A when the PC crowd decides to push for tougher knife laws and take away your right to use that Master Hunter.

 

[tarmix101]

And as for the advertising, dont take this the wrong way but you really should care. The crap they put out in those DVD's is exactly what will become exhibit A when the PC crowd decides to push for tougher knife laws and take away your right to use that Master Hunter.

One big reason they wil never get my money!

 

[LHD]

I guess I'm stupid, I just don't get the bias against Cold Steel. I don't care about the advertising. I don't own any other modern blades to compare against. Maybe that's the problem. I have owned two Master Hunters, they've served me well. Not expensive, maybe that's the problem. Ugly designs?, no, plain designs, Yes. Useful design, yes. I could easily own a trailmaster, if I needed a knife that big.

Ill break it down for you.

#1 They hide thier steel. There are no other companies that use "Carbon V" or "San mai" because those are steels that have other names, like AUS4, that cold steel has seen the need to mask. So instead of just calling a spade a spade, they make up names to pass off thier knives as made of high quality steel. Most of which are not.

#2 in hiding thier steel they can choose to use whichever steel they can get the cheapest. It seems that carbon V has been a number of steels over the years. I believe that san mai has also changed once or twice.

#3 They feel the need to inadvertantly borrow patented designs. Theyve copied two that I'm aware of in the last 6 months or so.

There are other reasons but these are the big ones that spring to mind.

Some companies have taken to using the term san mai to mean laminated blades but thats not any official name for it. Theyre just bandwagoning off CSs name for it.

If they just came clean and didnt pull all the BS I listed they'd probably be a decent company, thier DVD aside. I mean they fill the same niche as CRKT. Cheap knives that take lots of abuse and still remain resillient. They've had some heat treating problems and some customer service horror stories related to that. It just seems there is too much salt in the milk to get a majority of knife people to accept them as on the level.

Basically, why buy a knife from a company that is lying to your face?



For me I'd say the tracker simply because I'd be pretty certain the heat treat was on par. If they were both tested I'd take either one.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Gentlemen please , cold steel makes exceptionally fine blades .
If someone said they would take mine I would say fine ! L:O:L

I'll take it/them. Email for shipping address.

 

[SubaruSTi]

I own a TOPS version of the tom brown POS Tracker, only buy one if you like lead bricks. I'm sorry I bought it, I do like to take it out of the drawer every few months and marvel over the design though.

 

[visionsect]

I have put the TOPs Tracker through a heck of a beating. It takes some punishment and that's a fact. I know many people hate the design and that is ok. To each his own. I love the design. It does have some problems with the chopping blade being contured a bit strange. It seems when you are chopping you tend to hit the quarter-rounded edge now and again. Not a place on the knife you really want to bang up.

I also own a Linger WSK...all I have to say is "wow". Never owned or used a CS knife. would like to handle one in the near future and punish it and see if it hangs in there anywhere with the tracker. Hope you find what you are looking for and I hope it is a blade that serves you well -Damion