Your Tom Brown Tracker Mods.

[Bumppo]

Has anyone modified their Tom Brown Tracker, and which modifications have you made? Was the modification successful? Which modifications do you think would be practcal and enhance the usefullness of the knife?

 

[Darius502]

I just got my first TBT and am researching mods that may be of practical use.
I have run across a few online that look like they would help but since I haven't decided whether I am keeping it or not, am having a hard time bringing myself to make any serious modifications.
Has no one done any real functional instead of cosmetic modifications to this unique knife that have made it a better weapon/tool? I would really appreciate some ideas and can only imagine that Bumppo, the OP, as well as any other owner would as well!
If no one has any of their own mods to contribute, I plan to keep linking some of the better mods I have found just to make it easier for the next person interested to find good info. Below is my first contribution to this thread. I hope it helps someone! If I keep the knife, these are the first things I plan to modify.
Thanks

Modified Tom Brown Tracker Video By MrOneleggedjosh on youtube.com

 

[Haze]

Has anyone modified their Tom Brown Tracker, and which modifications have you made? Was the modification successful? Which modifications do you think would be practcal and enhance the usefullness of the knife?

I think it's safe to say you could just fall over next to the grinder with a tracker in you hand and it would be a success.

This is a Tracker that my cousin has that was modded, turned out to be pretty good it seems. The knife is still heavy up front for a spot of chopping but handy enough for some fine work as well. (The saw was removed from the spine and swedged, the main edge was reground so that it was actually useable and the knife was also reheat treated).

 

[Darius502]

Well, it's better that it is getting used but you can hardly tell that is a Tom Brown Tracker any more. Would that count as a real "mod" do you think?
I'm not sure what it is called when something has been changed so drastically from its original form that it has become a new creature all together.

 

[Goosey]

you can hardly tell that is a Tom Brown Tracker any more

Exactly

 

[singularity35]

Well, it's better that it is getting used but you can hardly tell that is a Tom Brown Tracker any more. Would that count as a real "mod" do you think?
I'm not sure what it is called when something has been changed so drastically from its original form that it has become a new creature all together.

I'm sure that Haze's point.

 

[Darius502]

you can hardly tell that is a Tom Brown Tracker any more.

Is that the best attribute of a modded Tracker?
I guess that if you obtained a tracker in some kind of way where you had very little invested in it, you could justify reprofiling it into a completely different/lesser knife. Otherwise, it seems like a person would be better served to trade it off to someone for another knife more along the lines of what they are shooting for in the first place.
This is where I am stuck now. I am not convinced that this knife cannot be a highly functional weapon/tool with little modification to its original factory configuration and that if an appropriate amount of time is invested into studying to use it in the way(s) it was designed to be used, instead of assuming it is used as most other knives are, it may turn out to be an invaluable piece of equipment.
There are some folks who swear by the Tom Brown Tracker, while the major concensus is obviously more along the lines of it possibly being an interesting paperweight or conversation piece. I am curious if many/any of the antagonists of the Tracker have given it even a minimal amount of use to be better able to make a semi educated decision before summarily dismissing it as some manner of overpriced "mall ninja" waste of time or worse?
I had wanted a tracker for a while and when an opportunity presented itself, I was able to trade for one for less than retail price so I would not be so constrained by the monetary value I had invested in it. I am hopeful that through my rambling in this forum someone will chime in with some manner of intimate knowledge to making the Tracker a knife worthy of adding to anyone's equipment list. So please don't hold back. I am not trying to hijack this thread, just liven it up and get some info flowing.
If you think the TBT sucks, you are not alone and that line of thought is covered. I even understand it has a large following. If you have seen or have some ideas on how to improve on the knife's function/design, I would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Haze]

That knife is now a far better tool built for purpose than the alleged "jack off all trades" it was before. I realise you clearly want to like this knife but you just need to accept the TOPS tracker is a poorly executed example of a custom knife design that does have merit when made properly. You are correct in that one should spend thier money else where though. If you really have your heart set on a WSK pay the extra and get one made by a custom maker and forget about the TOPS....just my 2p.

Is that the best attribute of a modded Tracker?
I guess that if you obtained a tracker in some kind of way where you had very little invested in it, you could justify reprofiling it into a completely different/lesser knife. Otherwise, it seems like a person would be better served to trade it off to someone for another knife more along the lines of what they are shooting for in the first place.
This is where I am stuck now. I am not convinced that this knife cannot be a highly functional weapon/tool with little modification to its original factory configuration and that if an appropriate amount of time is invested into studying to use it in the way(s) it was designed to be used, instead of assuming it is used as most other knives are, it may turn out to be an invaluable piece of equipment.
There are some folks who swear by the Tom Brown Tracker, while the major concensus is obviously more along the lines of it possibly being an interesting paperweight or conversation piece. I am curious if many/any of the antagonists of the Tracker have given it even a minimal amount of use to be better able to make a semi educated decision before summarily dismissing it as some manner of overpriced "mall ninja" waste of time or worse?
I had wanted a tracker for a while and when an opportunity presented itself, I was able to trade for one for less than retail price so I would not be so constrained by the monetary value I had invested in it. I am hopeful that through my rambling in this forum someone will chime in with some manner of intimate knowledge to making the Tracker a knife worthy of adding to anyone's equipment list. So please don't hold back. I am not trying to hijack this thread, just liven it up and get some info flowing.
If you think the TBT sucks, you are not alone and that line of thought is covered. I even understand it has a large following. If you have seen or have some ideas on how to improve on the knife's function/design, I would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[singularity35]

Is that the best attribute of a modded Tracker?
I guess that if you obtained a tracker in some kind of way where you had very little invested in it, you could justify reprofiling it into a completely different/lesser knife. Otherwise, it seems like a person would be better served to trade it off to someone for another knife more along the lines of what they are shooting for in the first place.
This is where I am stuck now. I am not convinced that this knife cannot be a highly functional weapon/tool with little modification to its original factory configuration and that if an appropriate amount of time is invested into studying to use it in the way(s) it was designed to be used, instead of assuming it is used as most other knives are, it may turn out to be an invaluable piece of equipment.
There are some folks who swear by the Tom Brown Tracker, while the major concensus is obviously more along the lines of it possibly being an interesting paperweight or conversation piece. I am curious if many/any of the antagonists of the Tracker have given it even a minimal amount of use to be better able to make a semi educated decision before summarily dismissing it as some manner of overpriced "mall ninja" waste of time or worse?
I had wanted a tracker for a while and when an opportunity presented itself, I was able to trade for one for less than retail price so I would not be so constrained by the monetary value I had invested in it. I am hopeful that through my rambling in this forum someone will chime in with some manner of intimate knowledge to making the Tracker a knife worthy of adding to anyone's equipment list. So please don't hold back. I am not trying to hijack this thread, just liven it up and get some info flowing.
If you think the TBT sucks, you are not alone and that line of thought is covered. I even understand it has a large following. If you have seen or have some ideas on how to improve on the knife's function/design, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Don't worry someone's going to come along and declare that it's the perfect outdoor knife though.

 

[Professor]

Crappy pics, but here's my Tom Krein-reground T2 (the smaller model). The regrinds make a LOT of difference, yet it's still not necessarily my go-to outdoors fixed-blade (more of a puukko guy). It has more sentimental value than anything, as I purchased it at Tom Brown's Standard class in 2007.

Prof.

 

[JMHAZ]

I did use a Tom Brown Tracker during the course of a knife review. Admittedly, the duration of use was short, because it took me no longer than five minutes to decide the TBT was, like most tools that purport to be adept at multiple tasks, actually good at none. The cutting edge was too far from the grip and poorly shaped, and the "chopping" section too close. The saw teeth were useless. I've rarely been as disappointed in a knife. It lacked even the faint quality of being graceful.

It doesn't surprise me at all that a TBT modified for practical use would wind up resembling another knife altogether!

So far the only "celebrity" field knife that's impressed me at all is the Helle Temagami endorsed by Les Stroud - it's a brilliant knife. And now, sadly, even Les has gone the Bear Grylls route with a cheap line from another maker.