your comments on the TOPS Tracker?

oliverplomion

oliverplomion

Joined
Jun 17, 2003
Messages
1,268
For some time ago I buyed a Tom Brown Tracker knife from TOPS...Yeah yeah I saw the movie and then...
What are your opinions about this knife?
 
Try doing a search for threads relating to the Tracker and Dave Beck, it'll pull up dozens of pages. Vermonster wrote up some great reviews and comparisons.
 
It's certainly a cool knife. I've never owned any TOPS knives, but I've handled them. They seem pretty good. Their version of the tracker isn't bad. It's a little too much like a club to me though. If you really want a knife like that and are willing to spend a little more, the BECK verison (the actual one from the movie) is much nicer. Go to www.beckknives.com to check it out.
 
The tracker seems to receive good reviews from owners of the knife. For a complete manual on how to use the Tracker, check out Tom Brown's website. Actually the Tops tracker wasn't only made for the movie, it's the latest version of design made by Mr. Brown. Difference? It's lighter than the original Beck (which reportedly is 1/4). Tops's thickness is 3/16 of superbly heat treated 1095 and linen micarta scales. While I don't own the tracker yet, I do however use other Tops blades and they're awesome. You really can't go wrong.

By the way, excited about joining the forum.:)
 
well, actualy TOPS tracker is 1/4 too...if you buy it in 1095 steel and 3/16 in damascus steel.
Any of you guy have been using them? Is there a big difference between the Beck model and the TOPS (exept the price)
Thanks for help!
 
Welcome to the forums, Greens. Stick around, and you will meet a lot of interesting people here. :)
 
Hi Benyamin!
woaw!thanks for the link! damn...and I tough my TOPS was the best knife in the world...Now I have to order a Beck knife!!!!
Something positiv to say about the TOPS version???
 
Here's my Dave Beck Wilderness Survival Knife, serial #564. Sheath by Scott Hendryx. They don't get any better than this...
W.S.K.Hendryx.jpg

www.beckknives.com
See my handmade knives here...
 
Personally I'd rather have the Beck, or one of the otehr custom variations avialble(was a really interesting version from a knifemaker in Australia posted when this movie first came out, and at least one version by another maker on here besides Mr. Beck that I really liked) before I'd want the Tops.

That being said, not really a fan of a combo knife like this in genearl. Mr. Beck has great execution(including real saw back, which most everyone, including the TOPPs, near as I cna tell from pictures, fails at.), but I'm just not a fan of the knife.
 
Yep, that is one of the ones I was thinking of. The other one was one by Robert Hankins. If you go into the Fixed Blades for sale by Knifemaker section in the exchange, and search "Tracker" two results will come up. One is a post for sale by Mr. Beck, and one by Robert Hankins. These three are probably my favorite executions/variations on this design that I have seen.

I knew one of them was a maker with an R for first or last name, jsut couldn't reembmer which one. :)
 
Hi JP...
I took the freedom to use the picture of your knife as desktop background...
Have you been in the field with it?What's your impressions?
I've since many years been searching for the "perfect" survival knife.I mean the perfect knife to bring in the field for all kind of trips.Before my TOPS tracker I used to take a Cold-Steel mini kukri and my benchmade AFCK.The all backed up with my VICTORINOX multitool.
So when I discovered the Tom brown (and now I just learned Beck) design I saw "the light".
I'm waiting an answer from Beck for an order so I check my mail every hour!!!
I just think it's too bad that in his homepage Tom Brown don't mention AT ALL that his so called "own" design is available from Beckknives too.When reading on the tracker on his homepage it is only available from TOPS.Of course as "manufactured" knife I still think the Tracker from TOPS is well made with a very good quality.It served me well untill now without fail in what I ask for a knife in the woods.I really had a great service from TOPS too, but still...I mean Tom Brown should mention both fabrications...
I'm unpatient to have a Beck in hands!
 
I absolutely love my Beck W.S.K. I have used it in the woods a few times and it's like no other knife I own. It chops like you'd expect a small hatchet to chop, you can hold back on the handle for more leverage and there's no fear of dropping it or losing control. The handle is made long enough to comfortably hold that way. Choking up on the handle gives you a great deal of control due to the "trigger" style guard just before the cutting edge. The handle tang is also fully tapered down to about 1/8" to put more weight up front and helps even out the balance and feel of the knife.

The spine is curved and fully rounded over, making a perfect platform for your thumb to pivot during carving and whittling. It amazed me the first time I used it, it cuts like a chisel and made crafting a figure 4 deadfall a breeze.

The sawteeth are like a big Swiss Army saw, 1/4" wide they will make a perfect square shoulder on whatever you're sawing. Comes in handy to square up the shoulders on the notches you need for traps, and it's great for scoring wood so that it can be snapped.

I can't say enough good things about Dave Beck or this knife. In fact, he's making a knife for me right now that I designed. Should be really cool.

If you have any more questions, let me know I'd be happy to try to answer them for you.

Here's another photo of my knife you might like...
W.S.K.01.jpg

-Jared
 
A friend of mine had went to the Tom Brown Tracker school a few years ago. He fell in love with Mr Becks tracker knife then but couldnt afford the price at the time. A couple of years ago we did a search to to find Mr beck to try and get the knife but was told he had retired. So before the movie came out I found out that TOPs was making a variation of the knife so i jumped on it and bought one I just wished I had waited a couple months longer and I could have gotten the Becks Now I have to save my money so I can get it. The TOPs is a good TOOL and thats how you have to look at this Knife as a tool.
 
Hey Oliver,
The object in the picture is a P60-C Hot SPark flint firestarter from the World Survival Institute. It's a ceramic sharpeneer, magnesium rod and flint all in one. You can find them here-

http://www.wildernesssurvival.com/Flints.htm

I do not own a TOPS Tracker, I'm sure it's a fine knife, but I wanted a handmade original version, so I saved my money and got one of Dave's. It's only $125.00 more than a TOPS, well worth it for such a fine knife. It's a tough, rugged knife that should last you a lifetime. I'm sure you'll be very happy with yours.

-Jared

See my handmade knives here...
 
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