I'll stick with my "brace the knife and pull/scrape the ferro rod" technique.... kinds like pulling a chainsaw starter string.... it funnels the sparks without risk of knocking your tinder pile or worry about cutting edge orientation. Works with Moras and folding Buck knives...so I'm confident whoever is reading this can make it work with what ever 90° spine or relatively sharp edge....
Not true, perhaps it's a new ferro rod but my holding this knife for 5 minutes and throwing sparks on every logical point of contact makes me question these reviews... I wanna assume you all don't need to do more pushups and the rod is the culprit (magnesium es no mas).
I just purchased a TOPS BOB knife, so I'm looking forward to using it. I got the "tumbled finish" model that doesn't have any powder coating, so I need to make sure to keep it cleaned, dried and oiled, but it should have less drag. I totally agree with you and Chris at Prepared Mind, the jimpping is crazy sharp! Did they test it out? I will probably have to wear some Mechanix gloves for heavy-duty use or maybe I'll try to file them down a bit! Otherwise, it sure is a SOLID, well-built knife, with a nice thick/durable spine, and very comfortable in the hand (just not the thumb!). Thanks for another great review bro - you seem like a genuinely nice guy!
I have the same knife and I can attest to the fact that the "Shango" notch is useless. The sheath is ok. The fire rod.....throw it away and buy one from Amazon in 3/8".
Great knife but I prefer no Jim ping on spine,I ordered a knife from Finland the terava jaakaripukko 140mm, sharp spine,80crv2 carbon steel, 4mm thick spine an full tang,drop point, hardened rubber molded handle, scandi grind, it's a Lil beast
Okay it's a nice solid knife with a great edge. I don't like the teeth on the back and the striker seems to be a sub optimal answer to a problem. My Bk 16 isn't much of a sparker either but it doesn't have some of the other issues and costs much less. I have a slew of knives and this isn't going to be one of them. Thanks for the review.
I would say if you don't like the jimping and you would rather have a 90 degree spine, why not kill two birds and grind them off and have yourself a little spot on the blade to scrape your ferro rod.
jeredsyn1964 I could do that but i really don;t want a sharp area of the spine right where I will put my thumb when carving. I'll probably just soften the jimping and file a spot a little further up the spine. If I get around to it. I'm using my Tahoma Field Knife mostly right now. Man I like it! Here's the video if you missed it: th-cam.com/video/PKJSltcGzCA/w-d-xo.html
Glad you like yours, it is pretty attractive. Really nice review of it. I own one, and love the knife for bushcraft but B.O.B. screwed up with the fire striker bevel in the end. It takes one bad thought to take the whole beauty down, and I am not modifying a knife after paying over $100.00 for it, that is just ridiculous that we would have to do that to make it work as it should so I am selling mine as I have never taken it to the field because of this flaw in its design. I use a Morav Carbon. I wanted to like it but nothing is perfect. B.O.B. just do not listen to customers.
This is another great video from you! I have the same knife with the brown handles and black coating and it has been my go to knife ever since I bought it. I have had it for about a year and a half now and the most I've been able to do to it was "polish" the coating a little bit from batoning some wood . I didn't really like the notch at the back as a striker and I ended up filing off the coating on the spine a bit and now it throws sparks like a champ just like any of my other knives. I like the grind on the edge because I have yet to dull it, I also forgot it on my boat one time for like a week and it rained half the week. The metal clip on the sheath rusted more than the knife did (Though it did get a little oxidization on the blade). It's fallen into the French River with me (Three times in ten minutes lol) It's gotten fires going when no one else at camp could and while it is a little heavy it's really solid. Thanks for the video and for helping me reaffirm to myself that this knife was a good buy and not just an over priced piece of steel!
Is the warranty on tops knives just like esee? You break we replace it? ( to bad its only for original owner )...Dont get me wrong lifetime warranty is better than most knife companies... nice knife... greets...
This was my first knife purchase, and frankly, I regret buying it. It's now in the $150 range, but I got mine for $120 shipped. I've taken it on several outings and it doesn't come out the bag anymore. I'm only carrying it because I wasn't sure how reliable my Condore Bushlore would turn out to be. Turns out I got one of the good ones, so this BOB will be on the selling block soon. My take on the BOB is that is does a little bit of everything, but it doesn't do anything exceptionally well. It's a rather pronounced convex bevel and is quite difficult to sharpen. I'm not saying it's a bad knife, it's obviously very good quality, just doesn't fit a use in my kit. I carry a Wetterlings model 119, a Condor Bushlore and a Mora.
Hi Brian, I love your videos! I still laugh every time you do the balance test - especially with TOPS knives! 😆 One of my favorite memories from Boy Scouts was when we had a knife/axe throwing 'range' set up - so fun! (We did it in a safe way with adult supervision, keeping distance from the thrower, and no one could go out on the 'range' when people were throwing - run like a shooting range). I learned it is mostly about having a consistent throwing force and getting the right distance from the target. Something I wanted to share is that one guy had some targets made of palm tree trunks cut fully across so they were large, thick circles and then he attached them to a board. The nice thing about palm tree wood is its fibrous nature, and the knife really sticks into it and the wood can handle a lot of throws without chipping and breaking apart. It might be a challenge to find an old palm tree to cut up (you said you're living in Georgia - we were in [. . . embarrassed to say] California 🙄, so plenty of palm trees!).
Greetings We love this model! This brand produces eclente knives! It is our dream of consumption! Congrats on the video! We are together! Hugs from the South of Brazil Fernando and Kauan
For a knife that costs close to £200 in the U.K. it looks very uncomfortable to actually use, regardless of how well made it is. The “fire notch” just looks a bit gimmicky.
Troppo costosi x un acciaio 1095 56-58 hrc, la maggior parte delle lame non ha eleganza secondo me, noto che sono snobbati molti ottimi coltelli italiani, spagnoli dove ci sono le città dei coltelli Albacete, Maniago, Solinghen ecc... perchè ? I veri amanti dei coltelli lo sanno bene.
I have that exact knife, and it is a very high quality. Tops is trying to make the color more tan than light green. I love Tops knives. And the fire rod has changed also.
i just discovered and wanted to share my findings with this knife and the fire steel shanko ? notch problems most have been having . i have found that my 1/2 by 5" fire steel works incredibly easy !!! it fits the knotch perfectly theres no trying to hit or chip like most say you need to you just slide it down the steel with ease and wow it lights up big time i think the steel or flint is to small for that knotch cuz im telling you it works amazingly well with a big fire steel just wanted to pass on my findings with you first
TH-cam guys: today I’m going to talk about this knife. Don’t forget to like comment subscribe. Now I’m gonna talk about this knife. Make sure to comment in the comment section below. Now I’ll talk about this knife. 18 minutes later you get to hear an opinion of a guy that likes the sound of his own voice more than making a decent video. Also this “guaranteed for life to the original purchaser” thing is so dumb. Yeah I’ll keep proof of purchase of a knife for the rest of my life. I throw all of that fancy packaging and paperwork right in the trash.
Yeah this is been my first official Bushcraft knife purchase I'm happy with it so far mine is exactly like yours except my serial number sup on the middle of the blade rather than near the t'ang...
I believe you can get a leather dangler now..ive yet to buy one..I did serve in the Army and it was my first interdiction to Tops knifes , guys had them to cut C4 and several other tasks..they did like the sheath though it allowed them to mount on a kit..im late to the game on your channel..I had Jeff Crowner make me a Bushcraft blade its beastly
good knife BUT!!! the shango notch works much better but if you just touch it a striker on a grinder to square up the end. throws plenty of sparks and works much better as a striker.
I just watched the BladeHQ video on how they make their knives and I'm kind of sold. I want this knife bad. I have it in my Amazon cart right now. It might take about four months before I've got the cash to lay out on it though. I'm surprised you didn't baton with it. I'm sure it would do fine. Thx for the review. Wish the firestarter worked better and it seemed like you used up way too much of the fire stick just in this video. Might have to carry an extra good long thick one and use a smaller secondary knife to spark it with.
Few issues with this knife. 1. The saber grind/modified scandi grind. Should have been left true scandi. 2. The jimping is excessive. 3. No 90 deg spine, this is really useful when you need to do things where you dont want to use the blade. If it wasn't for the grind i would be all over this knife. Price point is pretty great for 1095.
+survival on purpose budget is about $100,I like the schf36 and tops bob,I want something I can beat on and use in the feild effectively,any suggestions? many thanks Alfie.
Nice knife, wish i could affordable one of those. I agree with you The notch is not an easy habit to acquire Chris of PM101 had The one hand foot holding method which seems to work but still ackward. Great review, and i too don't understand that warning no throwing lol. Atb Louis
@@dthreadjr that's a load of crap!!! I occasionally see people spreading this wrong information. Stainless steel on average are much more brittle than carbon steels due to more carbides being tied up with chromium to gain the stainless abilities thus stainless steel having less lateral strength and being more brittle.
All knives are able to be thrown, I use to play "Splits" with my buddies using a Buck 112 but a Drill Sgt. relieved me of its weight during A.I.T. now I use a large Sebenza 21. A few years ago, (before the China flu) i purchased a Kizer fixed blade, not sure of the model but it is a Bowie style knife and for the money, I have no complaints on the quality. That being said I do love most of Top's knives.
I love this knife, but they probably should just start making it with a small section of the spine at 90 degrees for firesteels. The notch could go bye bye.
the belt clip on the sheath is a pretty good spark thrower and the uncoated part where the tip tapers down throws sparks aswell (where the scandi grind is close to the tip.)
Just use a carbid scraper and avoid it all. Minimal weight and bulk as you are already carrying the FS and works better anyways. And use blade only as last resort imho.
im looking at this knife in 154cm and i intend to use it as my primary outdoor knife for everything. im talking camping, skinning, food processing, and bushcraft. this would be the most expensive knife i would own and i am very much sure i would be nervous that this would break on me. i do own a large ferro rod from amazon (bayite i believe) and it has a paracord and stiker attatched to it. i tell you what, the freakin striker with my bayite, i get some REALLY good sparks. i think once i do get the knife though, i will hit the spine of the knife with some sandpaper to get a crisp 90 angle instead of using that little thing. i would also look into a leather sheathe that would have a drain hole because i dont think that sheathe would do well in the rain much.
Finally pulled the trigger on this knife. Just ordered it. Plan on using to for my smaller bushcraft knife as well as my hunting knife. I hope I'm not disappointed as this is the most I've ever spent on a blade.
i have 2 tops knives, and allways the same funking problem with fire starting. why tops not made a 90° , i dont now.........its a bad idea they do this not.
I don't know. I've never even held a BK16. Honestly, this just never became my favorite knife. it is a good knife and I know a lot of people who like it a lot. I don't dislike it, it just doesn't thrill me. Different strokes...
I'm truthfully, more interested in the bk16. Thank you for your reply!! I sent you a message, but you can disregard that if you feel you answered the question here.
The knife felt like alot of hype to me. Who are these "Brothers of bushcraft"? This sharpened pry bar comes with that knuckle buster notch and a sheath clip that will cut a belt. Cool looking as heck. Good review 👍
Hey, the next time you're at the knife show please tell them they should keep the whole spine sharp for those who prefer it except where you put your thumb. That's my only CON. Peace knife people. EDIT: I buy and own LT Wright & Battle Horse Knives too. The spine is the only reason I do not buy TOPS Knives.
Would it be right to say I rather a true scandi over a sharp spine as it is easier to modify the spine than the grind? The saber grind (modified scandi) shouldn't be there. Thoughts/comments appreciated
I wouldn't strike my ferro rod like that, I'm just not so sure that the manufacturer designed the notch to be used like that. I was thinking about purchasing the bob, just not sure it's worth the price point. On a scale from 1 to 10, what would you give it.. Again thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinion on this blade, as always I appreciate it sir.
I would strike my ferro rod that way either, But that's how the guys who designed it demonstrated on a video I found. As far as writing the knife, for me I would say seven. But that's very subjective, many people would probably give it a 10. It is a very nice knife.
I wish the 154cm version wasn’t thicker, cant we have a larger bushcraft fixed blade with a decent slicing capability, these thick knives are annoying.
I really wonder how you would react to a nice knife from Muela (e.g. Rhino, Kodiak) , Cudeman (e.g. MT-5, MT-1, Fab) or Fox (e.g. Pro Hunter). However I fear they are rather expensive in the US. Kind Regards... ;)
I've had one of these since they came out (different color). I ended up using paint stripper and removing the coating in line to the end of the knife edge. I then took a file to the spine and gave it a 90 degree edge. I also did a petina finish on it afterward using boiling vinegar. The steel on the spine is SUPER soft. The edge is heat treated very well, but they under treated the spine IMO and it makes it hell to keep the 90 degree edge on and almost impossible to get decent sparks off of with flint. I've used the knife a lot and beat the crap out of it. It works well and resharpens fairly easily. I never use the notch on the back, just an awful idea. I agree that with a few minor changes on how they are making this knife it would be one of the best. For $50 more one can get one of the newer model Jeff White knives and they don't have any of the above problems and all the same benefits.
A couple of folks told me to try the some near the top and it works pretty well for striking a ferro rod. I think it's probably harder too since it likely hottie same heat treat as the edge.
Hi everyone, At first, thanks for the reviews and comments. It was a good help for choosing my new knife. Received mine a few days ago, and took it on the field for a short 3 days trip, moist and cold environment. Blade is very good, no need to come back on that. Now, regarding the ferro rod. The solution is very simple cause the problem is just the low quality of that rod. I just replaced mine with a good and thick "light my fire" rod, which fits almost perfectly in the sheath, and problem solved. No use to grind your blade or strip the coating (too bad for such a beautiful blade), just get a rod of good quality. Now, that being said, I think that for such a price (I paid 125$) it should be delivered with a proper fero rod. Too bad we have to invest another 15$ to finally get a good equipment. It's always a good idea to wear gloves while using a knife, specially with that one in cold weather because the handle becomes very cold as well. Kray-ex handle would have been great. Last remark nobody mentionned is the drainhole at the bottom of the sheath (more a slot than a hole). Beware cause it's too thin. The natural physical property of the water (internal tension) will make it impossible for a drop of water to drip from the sheath !! I must admit I don't know much about metal but I guess a bit of mineral oil would help protecting the blade against moisture.
Survival On Purpose One minute with a sharpening stone will put a 90 degree angle on the base of the handle next to the shango notch as well and leave the coating(which I actually like) in tact and throw nice sparks and shred wood for tinder nicely.
Just thought you might try another method with the firesteel.th-cam.com/video/D5R0uFHcfQw/w-d-xo.html Paul Kirtley has a method where he used a kind of short pivoting motion to create the spark. He doesn't call it pivoting but that's what he's doing. Basically you would hold the firesteel in one hand and use your thumb to pivot off of.
Yeah, that;s a great technique. I think Andy Tran and Magnus Andersson both do it that way too. I do sometimes but i haven't tried it with the Shango notch. Who knows, maybe that will work.
$150 for a knife of 1095 steel, that cost $10 in material to make is silly, no matter who's name is on it.. I usually reharden 1095 steel in used motor oil, and then temper it for one to two hours and let slowly cool, the results are a great edge..
@@SurvivalOnPurpose I make my own knives - but it doesn't take but an hour or two to complete.. I buy the 1095 at the width I need so all I do is shape the blade and add a handle - simple. 2 foot of 1095 -2 inches wide is $20, that makes 2 knives w/ 6 inch blades. I have plenty of handle making wood that I laminate for a variety of designs... Hand forging takes longer 4 to 6 hours, start to finish.. Forged in Fire allows 4 for knife and two for handle.... Why pay top dollar for second grade material ?
I own one of these knives and man do I hate it. if you are someone who really knows and uses knives you wouldn't think so highly of this knife either. TRUE, It is built extremely well, but that comes at a cost. It is so thick and heavy for its length it just wares on you. If you were to carry this day in and day out and use it often you would understand. It just isn't long enough to warrant the thickness or weight. It's too short to really chop with and way to heavy for finesse work. So even though it is almost unbreakable, what is its purpose? A smaller (lighter) camp knife and a larger chopper of some kind. The blade is so thick it feels as if it takes two to three times the effort to do most common tasks associated with a knife of this size.
not important I have to admit that it is not my favorite knife. you are right, it is extremely well made and the fit and finish are excellent. I don't think it is as bad as you seem to but my absolute favorite knife I own is another TOPS, the Tahoma Field Knife. Different strokes...
I would absolutely recommend the TOPS Tahoma field Knife. What a great design and it has its place and purpose. Carry it with a suitable smaller, lighter knife that is better suited for most common daily tasks and you would be well served
Yeah Brian, just like you, a 90° spine works the best, also a sharp 90° spine works good on green wood scrapping the bark off, and other things that can save the blade, Yup no argument there my friend, I agree with you.
SCOOP DE DOOP Heh heh heh Poopie, I just reported you heh heh heh, and I know everything about you and where you live heh heh heh, with as much texting it was easy to trace you heh heh heh, Have a nice da Pal. ,, ,,
+Alfie Guest Too many variable to say. In a low budget option (say $50 or so), I'd go with a Schrade pretty much every time. At around $100 and up you have a lot more choices.
The lack of a 90 degree spine, and blade coatings, will never not annoy me. Especially considering how easy it is to remedy. I put a 90 degree spine, reduced the jimping, and removed the coating, as soon as my TOPS BOB arrived. Took no time at all. Now it is one of the best knives I have ever owned. And it is my preferred hunting knife as well. From field dressing to skinning.
Tapered file, sand paper, and emery cloth. I would typically use a Dremel, but I am out of the proper bits for sanding and polishing. The file, paper, and cloth work just as good though. Just takes a few more minutes of work. Since you are removing a mil or less, if you just want to make them less aggressive.
I honed the spine of mine to a sharp 90* it makes a world of difference. You can also just use the spine of the knife tip that works to and it is already at a sharp 90* . I really like my B.O.B.. Fieldcraft knife it is my primary carry knife now, replacing my BK 22. I still carry my Mora Bushcraft Black as a back-up in my pack. And I'll carry each my Norlund Hatchet or my OKC Spec 51 for the heavier tasks. But the BO.B. Fieldcraft knife is a great primary carry, especially if you don't mind sacrificing some of the powder finish on the spine area so you are able to hone a sharp 90* spine onto it. JMHO.
Yes it is far away from a Schrade knife;-) i got the same knife,like it alot. A good general purpose knife.Good bushcrafter too,but i prefer my Casstrom Swedish forrestknife,ESEE PR4 which is a Kephart design and my Fallkniven F1. But as i said it is a super allround knife.Why allways the half rotten wood,it is crap when making feathers.
very good and honest review, thanks, i think the bob is the closest i've seen to my ideal knife, i checked out the prices here in the UK .......pretty horrible, so i'll have to keep my eye on the second hand market, as they are just too rich for me right now always the way i suppose, thanks again for the good reviews and the great channel, atb, dave
Colonelchimp, Bushcraft, Survival and Prepping Thanks Dave. Yeah, I have heard that from some other folks in the UK about the prices being a lot higher. Bummer.
Brian, your laugh, when you threw the knife, was right up there with Jorg Sprave's laugh. TOPS has an artistic appeal to their knives. I would hate marking it up, but I hate marking up anything new. I especially hate receiving a new knife that's marked up already. Anyway, nice knife.
For $125 it should not have the issues you highlighted. I can get some other knives just as good but with out the stupid firesteel notch and the Tyranosaurus teeth jimping. It was an outstanding review, however. just as I expected. Slainte'
Don't "chip" at the ferro rod. Plant the tip of the rod at the ignition point and firmly drag the shango notch down towards the rods tip.
that's what I thought too
I'll stick with my "brace the knife and pull/scrape the ferro rod" technique.... kinds like pulling a chainsaw starter string.... it funnels the sparks without risk of knocking your tinder pile or worry about cutting edge orientation. Works with Moras and folding Buck knives...so I'm confident whoever is reading this can make it work with what ever 90° spine or relatively sharp edge....
Not designed for throwing. Haha. Good stuff
I plead the fifth.
Survival On Purpose That may or may not have been you throwing the knife. You can neither confirm nor deny right?
MrPatagonicus I have no recollection of the event in question.
Not true, perhaps it's a new ferro rod but my holding this knife for 5 minutes and throwing sparks on every logical point of contact makes me question these reviews... I wanna assume you all don't need to do more pushups and the rod is the culprit (magnesium es no mas).
instaBlaster...
I just purchased a TOPS BOB knife, so I'm looking forward to using it. I got the "tumbled finish" model that doesn't have any powder coating, so I need to make sure to keep it cleaned, dried and oiled, but it should have less drag. I totally agree with you and Chris at Prepared Mind, the jimpping is crazy sharp! Did they test it out? I will probably have to wear some Mechanix gloves for heavy-duty use or maybe I'll try to file them down a bit! Otherwise, it sure is a SOLID, well-built knife, with a nice thick/durable spine, and very comfortable in the hand (just not the thumb!). Thanks for another great review bro - you seem like a genuinely nice guy!
I would sharpen the back of the blade. Don't think that notch is a good deal
I have the same knife and I can attest to the fact that the "Shango" notch is useless. The sheath is ok. The fire rod.....throw it away and buy one from Amazon in 3/8".
I agree
I agree
Great knife but I prefer no Jim ping on spine,I ordered a knife from Finland the terava jaakaripukko 140mm, sharp spine,80crv2 carbon steel, 4mm thick spine an full tang,drop point, hardened rubber molded handle, scandi grind, it's a Lil beast
Okay it's a nice solid knife with a great edge. I don't like the teeth on the back and the striker seems to be a sub optimal answer to a problem. My Bk 16 isn't much of a sparker either but it doesn't have some of the other issues and costs much less. I have a slew of knives and this isn't going to be one of them. Thanks for the review.
Dwight E Howell Thanks for watching Dwight.
I would say if you don't like the jimping and you would rather have a 90 degree spine, why not kill two birds and grind them off and have yourself a little spot on the blade to scrape your ferro rod.
jeredsyn1964 I could do that but i really don;t want a sharp area of the spine right where I will put my thumb when carving. I'll probably just soften the jimping and file a spot a little further up the spine. If I get around to it. I'm using my Tahoma Field Knife mostly right now. Man I like it! Here's the video if you missed it: th-cam.com/video/PKJSltcGzCA/w-d-xo.html
Glad you like yours, it is pretty attractive. Really nice review of it. I own one, and love the knife for bushcraft but B.O.B. screwed up with the fire striker bevel in the end. It takes one bad thought to take the whole beauty down, and I am not modifying a knife after paying over $100.00 for it, that is just ridiculous that we would have to do that to make it work as it should so I am selling mine as I have never taken it to the field because of this flaw in its design. I use a Morav Carbon. I wanted to like it but nothing is perfect. B.O.B. just do not listen to customers.
Yeah, not my favorite either.
ESSE Laser Strike a much better knife!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is another great video from you! I have the same knife with the brown handles and black coating and it has been my go to knife ever since I bought it. I have had it for about a year and a half now and the most I've been able to do to it was "polish" the coating a little bit from batoning some wood . I didn't really like the notch at the back as a striker and I ended up filing off the coating on the spine a bit and now it throws sparks like a champ just like any of my other knives. I like the grind on the edge because I have yet to dull it, I also forgot it on my boat one time for like a week and it rained half the week. The metal clip on the sheath rusted more than the knife did (Though it did get a little oxidization on the blade). It's fallen into the French River with me (Three times in ten minutes lol) It's gotten fires going when no one else at camp could and while it is a little heavy it's really solid.
Thanks for the video and for helping me reaffirm to myself that this knife was a good buy and not just an over priced piece of steel!
I'm glad it helped.
Another good review, I like that knife but have not bought one yet. It is on my list though. Cheers!
Ho Ho Ho You better be good ;-)
Is the warranty on tops knives just like esee? You break we replace it? ( to bad its only for original owner )...Dont get me wrong lifetime warranty is better than most knife companies... nice knife... greets...
I think the fact that each TOPS knife has a serial number says a lot about how seriously they take things.
This was my first knife purchase, and frankly, I regret buying it. It's now in the $150 range, but I got mine for $120 shipped. I've taken it on several outings and it doesn't come out the bag anymore. I'm only carrying it because I wasn't sure how reliable my Condore Bushlore would turn out to be. Turns out I got one of the good ones, so this BOB will be on the selling block soon. My take on the BOB is that is does a little bit of everything, but it doesn't do anything exceptionally well. It's a rather pronounced convex bevel and is quite difficult to sharpen. I'm not saying it's a bad knife, it's obviously very good quality, just doesn't fit a use in my kit.
I carry a Wetterlings model 119, a Condor Bushlore and a Mora.
Theball Player I think it is a good knife but I can't say I love it either.
Hi Brian, I love your videos! I still laugh every time you do the balance test - especially with TOPS knives! 😆 One of my favorite memories from Boy Scouts was when we had a knife/axe throwing 'range' set up - so fun! (We did it in a safe way with adult supervision, keeping distance from the thrower, and no one could go out on the 'range' when people were throwing - run like a shooting range). I learned it is mostly about having a consistent throwing force and getting the right distance from the target.
Something I wanted to share is that one guy had some targets made of palm tree trunks cut fully across so they were large, thick circles and then he attached them to a board. The nice thing about palm tree wood is its fibrous nature, and the knife really sticks into it and the wood can handle a lot of throws without chipping and breaking apart. It might be a challenge to find an old palm tree to cut up (you said you're living in Georgia - we were in [. . . embarrassed to say] California 🙄, so plenty of palm trees!).
Greetings
We love this model! This brand produces eclente knives! It is our dream of consumption! Congrats on the video! We are together!
Hugs from the South of Brazil Fernando and Kauan
+Mateiros Carijós thanks!
tamo junto kkkk
For a knife that costs close to £200 in the U.K. it looks very uncomfortable to actually use, regardless of how well made it is.
The “fire notch” just looks a bit gimmicky.
Troppo costosi x un acciaio 1095 56-58 hrc, la maggior parte delle lame non ha eleganza secondo me, noto che sono snobbati molti ottimi coltelli italiani, spagnoli dove ci sono le città dei coltelli Albacete, Maniago, Solinghen ecc... perchè ? I veri amanti dei coltelli lo sanno bene.
I have that exact knife, and it is a very high quality. Tops is trying to make the color more tan than light green. I love Tops knives. And the fire rod has changed also.
i just discovered and wanted to share my findings with this knife and the fire steel shanko ? notch problems most have been having . i have found that my 1/2 by 5" fire steel works incredibly easy !!! it fits the knotch perfectly theres no trying to hit or chip like most say you need to you just slide it down the steel with ease and wow it lights up big time i think the steel or flint is to small for that knotch cuz im telling you it works amazingly well with a big fire steel just wanted to pass on my findings with you first
I will try that . thanks
TH-cam guys: today I’m going to talk about this knife. Don’t forget to like comment subscribe. Now I’m gonna talk about this knife. Make sure to comment in the comment section below. Now I’ll talk about this knife. 18 minutes later you get to hear an opinion of a guy that likes the sound of his own voice more than making a decent video. Also this “guaranteed for life to the original purchaser” thing is so dumb. Yeah I’ll keep proof of purchase of a knife for the rest of my life. I throw all of that fancy packaging and paperwork right in the trash.
Yeah this is been my first official Bushcraft knife purchase I'm happy with it so far mine is exactly like yours except my serial number sup on the middle of the blade rather than near the t'ang...
The only other mod I would like to see is as serrated area on the blade towards the handle at least an inch inch and a half of serration?
And maybe a more aggressive thumb press on the top of the knife?
Take a file to the back and it'll scrape a firesteel
Yep
Nope!!! Differentially heat treated, and spine is purposely left soft on tops knives
I believe you can get a leather dangler now..ive yet to buy one..I did serve in the Army and it was my first interdiction to Tops knifes , guys had them to cut C4 and several other tasks..they did like the sheath though it allowed them to mount on a kit..im late to the game on your channel..I had Jeff Crowner make me a Bushcraft blade its beastly
good knife BUT!!! the shango notch works much better but if you
just touch it a striker on a grinder to square up the end.
throws plenty of sparks and works much better as a striker.
I just watched the BladeHQ video on how they make their knives and I'm kind of sold. I want this knife bad. I have it in my Amazon cart right now. It might take about four months before I've got the cash to lay out on it though. I'm surprised you didn't baton with it. I'm sure it would do fine. Thx for the review. Wish the firestarter worked better and it seemed like you used up way too much of the fire stick just in this video. Might have to carry an extra good long thick one and use a smaller secondary knife to spark it with.
+Jeremy Goldberg it is a solid knife
Just use the tip..
You can take a round file to make the Shango notch work better
Ferro rod sucks and Gimping and crappy sheath bad design not worth the high price at all
This knife is over rated and over priced. I regret it. Bps knives are better at bushcraft and fire. Joker knives too. Plus they cost less
I never could figure out why they shipped a rape whistle with these until I saw Brian with one.
Didn't know Eric Clapton was into bushcraft!
I bought an esse laser strike in the end
That is a nice knife.
Cut away the jimping and you've got a real. Good knife
I bought a coyote Bob after I saw your video . It is my favorite knife to date.... P.s. I carry a striker for the fire steel.
good idea
How to buy that knife sir..from philoppines
Back of the tip will throw major SPARKS
Few issues with this knife.
1. The saber grind/modified scandi grind. Should have been left true scandi.
2. The jimping is excessive.
3. No 90 deg spine, this is really useful when you need to do things where you dont want to use the blade.
If it wasn't for the grind i would be all over this knife. Price point is pretty great for 1095.
I have to admit, this one just isn’t one of my personal favorites. Even though it is a very well made, high quality knife.
+survival on purpose budget is about $100,I like the schf36 and tops bob,I want something I can beat on and use in the feild effectively,any suggestions? many thanks Alfie.
I saw your other post so I guess you decided.
The notch is a joke. Just sharpen the spine. Mine throws sparks like a demon on the spine now.
Nice knife, wish i could affordable one of those. I agree with you The notch is not an easy habit to acquire Chris of PM101 had The one hand foot holding method which seems to work but still ackward. Great review, and i too don't understand that warning no throwing lol. Atb Louis
Lt Survival I is a nice knife but not as nice as some of those I've seen on your channel Louis.
The Historic ones, yes they are nice but not as tuff has some you have . lol
Lt Survival I would say they warn against throwing it because carbon steel is more brittle than stainless
@@dthreadjr that's a load of crap!!! I occasionally see people spreading this wrong information. Stainless steel on average are much more brittle than carbon steels due to more carbides being tied up with chromium to gain the stainless abilities thus stainless steel having less lateral strength and being more brittle.
The tip of the blade where the scandi grind meets the spine will spark off the ferro rod
All knives are able to be thrown, I use to play "Splits" with my buddies using a Buck 112 but a Drill Sgt. relieved me of its weight during A.I.T. now I use a large Sebenza 21. A few years ago, (before the China flu) i purchased a Kizer fixed blade, not sure of the model but it is a Bowie style knife and for the money, I have no complaints on the quality. That being said I do love most of Top's knives.
What was that supposed to be? You barely used the knife.
Tutorial:
How to damage firesteel! 🙄
I love this knife, but they probably should just start making it with a small section of the spine at 90 degrees for firesteels. The notch could go bye bye.
I agree
How do you sharpen a modified Scandinavian grind
the belt clip on the sheath is a pretty good spark thrower and the uncoated part where the tip tapers down throws sparks aswell (where the scandi grind is close to the tip.)
+Brayden Hess I found out about the tip. I didn't think about trying the clip.
Just use a carbid scraper and avoid it all. Minimal weight and bulk as you are already carrying the FS and works better anyways. And use blade only as last resort imho.
My knife's fashion colors are more important and its manufacturing origin. 🤨
"What color shirt is he wearing?"
All righty then ;-)
Fun video. Old, but relevant. Crazy good throwing skills. Would you still recommend it? Have you tried an LT Wright?
there is 154CM blade version too
It's a sabre grind for anyone who doesn't know the true name their is no such thing as a "modified scandi".
a rose by any name ...
Ha Ha, you can tell it is dog wood from it's bark.
+Frank Marais :-)
I like that knive but I couldn't afford it but got schf10 instead it's heavy but I like it maby next time I'll get one of those
Nothing wrong with the Schf10.
good knife, what I don´t like is the pommel, it is barely impossible to strike a rod correctly, I would use afile on the spine side and problem solved
+Alexander Nalerio I completely agree
im looking at this knife in 154cm and i intend to use it as my primary outdoor knife for everything. im talking camping, skinning, food processing, and bushcraft. this would be the most expensive knife i would own and i am very much sure i would be nervous that this would break on me. i do own a large ferro rod from amazon (bayite i believe) and it has a paracord and stiker attatched to it. i tell you what, the freakin striker with my bayite, i get some REALLY good sparks. i think once i do get the knife though, i will hit the spine of the knife with some sandpaper to get a crisp 90 angle instead of using that little thing. i would also look into a leather sheathe that would have a drain hole because i dont think that sheathe would do well in the rain much.
Finally pulled the trigger on this knife. Just ordered it. Plan on using to for my smaller bushcraft knife as well as my hunting knife. I hope I'm not disappointed as this is the most I've ever spent on a blade.
I don't think you will be disappointed. It is a very well-made, high-quality knife. Even if I don't like that Shango notch.
i have 2 tops knives, and allways the same funking problem with fire starting. why tops not made a 90° , i dont now.........its a bad idea they do this not.
Disregarding price, what would intice an individual to choose this over the BK16? I'm torn on a bushcraft knife.
I don't know. I've never even held a BK16. Honestly, this just never became my favorite knife. it is a good knife and I know a lot of people who like it a lot. I don't dislike it, it just doesn't thrill me. Different strokes...
I'm truthfully, more interested in the bk16. Thank you for your reply!! I sent you a message, but you can disregard that if you feel you answered the question here.
File down that stupid jimping and there's your 90-degree ferro rod area.
Yep
The knife felt like alot of hype to me. Who are these "Brothers of bushcraft"? This sharpened pry bar comes with that knuckle buster notch and a sheath clip that will cut a belt. Cool looking as heck. Good review 👍
Hey, the next time you're at the knife show please tell them they should keep the whole spine sharp for those who prefer it except where you put your thumb. That's my only CON. Peace knife people. EDIT: I buy and own LT Wright & Battle Horse Knives too. The spine is the only reason I do not buy TOPS Knives.
Different strokes...
Would it be right to say I rather a true scandi over a sharp spine as it is easier to modify the spine than the grind? The saber grind (modified scandi) shouldn't be there.
Thoughts/comments appreciated
Hello love your videos mostly that BOB knife send it to me please Uganda Joseph
no can do
if u wore gloves while using this knife I bet that jimping wouldn't hurt ur finger.
FierceGunz Probably not, but i almost never wear gloves unless it's cold.
hi I'm fin and Im 13 yr old and I'm getting into the survival stuff can you recommend a knife for me
I'd start with a mora, about $15 and it's carbon steel that's made in sweeden
I am a Knife Maker and may get me one of these!! Good Looing Blade! Thanks for Posting! :)
Thanks for watching Frank. It is a very nice blade.
I wish you would have stopped flipping the knife around and showed the spine while not flipping it around every second and held it still
+Cory Boyd I tap my foot a lot too.
Ew 1095 steel. Bad for bushcraft.
Seriously?
How do you think this blade would be for everyday carry? To large to conceal?
ironbike0001 Depends on how you plan to carry it. Lots of folks carry concealed handguns every day that are just as large or larger.
I wouldn't strike my ferro rod like that, I'm just not so sure that the manufacturer designed the notch to be used like that. I was thinking about purchasing the bob, just not sure it's worth the price point. On a scale from 1 to 10, what would you give it.. Again thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinion on this blade, as always I appreciate it sir.
I would strike my ferro rod that way either, But that's how the guys who designed it demonstrated on a video I found. As far as writing the knife, for me I would say seven. But that's very subjective, many people would probably give it a 10. It is a very nice knife.
Thanks for getting back to me,I appreciate it sir.
Could you please measure the knifes length while on the sheath, total length please? Great film and content !! Thank you !!
I have the same knife in black. I hate the fire starter too. Works 20% of the time.
I feel your pain
I wish the 154cm version wasn’t thicker, cant we have a larger bushcraft fixed blade with a decent slicing capability, these thick knives are annoying.
This one is not one of my favorites, although itis a very well made knife
Survival On Purpose so cool! Thanks for the reply! Survive on!
I really wonder how you would react to a nice knife from Muela (e.g. Rhino, Kodiak) , Cudeman (e.g. MT-5, MT-1, Fab) or Fox (e.g. Pro Hunter). However I fear they are rather expensive in the US. Kind Regards... ;)
My pulse rate would probably increase and my pupils would dilate and there might be just a tiny bit of drool. ;-)
I think its nice to still feel some of that oldschool "craftmans-ship" in those knife, as you refered to regaring the BOB.
I agree. You should check out a Buck 110 50th Anniversary Edition. th-cam.com/video/IqGElOTdfHk/w-d-xo.html
On the top of my list . Do you suggest anything like this Tops BOB ?
pmags1331 It's a great knife. If you like bigger blades, the Tahoma Field Knife is one of the best knives I've ever owned hands down.
I like my black/green better.
I've had one of these since they came out (different color). I ended up using paint stripper and removing the coating in line to the end of the knife edge. I then took a file to the spine and gave it a 90 degree edge. I also did a petina finish on it afterward using boiling vinegar. The steel on the spine is SUPER soft. The edge is heat treated very well, but they under treated the spine IMO and it makes it hell to keep the 90 degree edge on and almost impossible to get decent sparks off of with flint. I've used the knife a lot and beat the crap out of it. It works well and resharpens fairly easily. I never use the notch on the back, just an awful idea. I agree that with a few minor changes on how they are making this knife it would be one of the best. For $50 more one can get one of the newer model Jeff White knives and they don't have any of the above problems and all the same benefits.
A couple of folks told me to try the some near the top and it works pretty well for striking a ferro rod. I think it's probably harder too since it likely hottie same heat treat as the edge.
Hi everyone,
At first, thanks for the reviews and comments. It was a good help for choosing my new knife.
Received mine a few days ago, and took it on the field for a short 3 days trip, moist and cold environment. Blade is very good, no need to come back on that.
Now, regarding the ferro rod. The solution is very simple cause the problem is just the low quality of that rod. I just replaced mine with a good and thick "light my fire" rod, which fits almost perfectly in the sheath, and problem solved. No use to grind your blade or strip the coating (too bad for such a beautiful blade), just get a rod of good quality.
Now, that being said, I think that for such a price (I paid 125$) it should be delivered with a proper fero rod. Too bad we have to invest another 15$ to finally get a good equipment.
It's always a good idea to wear gloves while using a knife, specially with that one in cold weather because the handle becomes very cold as well. Kray-ex handle would have been great.
Last remark nobody mentionned is the drainhole at the bottom of the sheath (more a slot than a hole). Beware cause it's too thin. The natural physical property of the water (internal tension) will make it impossible for a drop of water to drip from the sheath !!
I must admit I don't know much about metal but I guess a bit of mineral oil would help protecting the blade against moisture.
allonslidje I have also been told that the spine of the knife near the tip will scrape a ferro rod. I tried it and it will.
Survival On Purpose One minute with a sharpening stone will put a 90 degree angle on the base of the handle next to the shango notch as well and leave the coating(which I actually like) in tact and throw nice sparks and shred wood for tinder nicely.
I'll take a look at that. Thanks.
Kevin McCall Thanks for the tip
One of the best knives for the price out there. Considering I have a Bark River, where the sheath alone runs $90, this is amazing.
+Jeremy Madsen It's a good knife,e ven with the very frustrating Shango notch.
ESSE Laser Strike a much better knife!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stop beating the ferro rod with the knife and drag the rod while leaving the blade stationary. Just fyi
I don't wanna ;-) Seriously, I have never failed to get a fire doing it my way. I have tried what you say but I just don't like it.
@@SurvivalOnPurpose 💜. Well you did dam good job on the video, cause now I'm buying one 👍🏽. Thanks a bunch also!
Just thought you might try another method with the firesteel.th-cam.com/video/D5R0uFHcfQw/w-d-xo.html Paul Kirtley has a method where he used a kind of short pivoting motion to create the spark. He doesn't call it pivoting but that's what he's doing. Basically you would hold the firesteel in one hand and use your thumb to pivot off of.
Yeah, that;s a great technique. I think Andy Tran and Magnus Andersson both do it that way too. I do sometimes but i haven't tried it with the Shango notch. Who knows, maybe that will work.
I haven't even used a firesteel yet so I am not an authority on the matter by any means. but it looks like a motion similar to breaking a stick.
I’m 14 and I enjoy the outdoors and bushcraft
it's a good hobby to develop
Did you try holding the knife in place and pulling the fericium rod? Did you test the bow drill divets yet?
$150 for a knife of 1095 steel, that cost $10 in material to make is silly, no matter who's name is on it.. I usually reharden 1095 steel in used motor oil, and then temper it for one to two hours and let slowly cool, the results are a great edge..
Sounds like you are at several hours for one knife. How much is someone’s time worth?
@@SurvivalOnPurpose I make my own knives - but it doesn't take but an hour or two to complete.. I buy the 1095 at the width I need so all I do is shape the blade and add a handle - simple. 2 foot of 1095 -2 inches wide is $20, that makes 2 knives w/ 6 inch blades. I have plenty of handle making wood that I laminate for a variety of designs... Hand forging takes longer 4 to 6 hours, start to finish.. Forged in Fire allows 4 for knife and two for handle.... Why pay top dollar for second grade material ?
I really like that blade but I am not the biggest kydex fan.
***** It depends on the knife, but I am still on the fence about this particular sheath.
your using that fire steel striker wrong in almost every way there is to use it......
And yet ......
I own one of these knives and man do I hate it. if you are someone who really knows and uses knives you wouldn't think so highly of this knife either. TRUE, It is built extremely well, but that comes at a cost. It is so thick and heavy for its length it just wares on you. If you were to carry this day in and day out and use it often you would understand. It just isn't long enough to warrant the thickness or weight. It's too short to really chop with and way to heavy for finesse work. So even though it is almost unbreakable, what is its purpose? A smaller (lighter) camp knife and a larger chopper of some kind. The blade is so thick it feels as if it takes two to three times the effort to do most common tasks associated with a knife of this size.
not important I have to admit that it is not my favorite knife. you are right, it is extremely well made and the fit and finish are excellent. I don't think it is as bad as you seem to but my absolute favorite knife I own is another TOPS, the Tahoma Field Knife. Different strokes...
I would absolutely recommend the TOPS Tahoma field Knife. What a great design and it has its place and purpose. Carry it with a suitable smaller, lighter knife that is better suited for most common daily tasks and you would be well served
That's what I do, but I honestly just use the Tahoma for most tasks.
Maybe you should talk to Chris, he modified that scraper on that B.O.B. knife and he said it works good now.
paulie 4x He said it works OK.
Yeah Brian, just like you, a 90° spine works the best, also a sharp 90° spine works good on green wood scrapping the bark off, and other things that can save the blade, Yup no argument there my friend, I agree with you.
+paulie 4x r u lonely.
SCOOP DE DOOP Heh heh heh Poopie, I just reported you heh heh heh, and I know everything about you and where you live heh heh heh, with as much texting it was easy to trace you heh heh heh, Have a nice da Pal. ,, ,,
shocking !!!! no wonder he cut him self ....
+david ferguson just a little nick
v.good review sir as usual . sorry 4 delayed reply. watching your all review back to back
Yogesh Joshi thank you!
The sheath sucks.
O
Well balanced
I dont know what the guys at tops were thinking. That shango notch is the most useless thing on the knife. Great knife otherwise though
+survival on purpose what knife would you recommend for scouting,bushcraft and survival? and happy thanksgiving for yesterday.
+Alfie Guest Too many variable to say. In a low budget option (say $50 or so), I'd go with a Schrade pretty much every time. At around $100 and up you have a lot more choices.
I want this knife but the fire notch is what's keeping me from getting it.
just either don't use it or grind it off. The spine near the top will strike a ferro rod.
The lack of a 90 degree spine, and blade coatings, will never not annoy me. Especially considering how easy it is to remedy. I put a 90 degree spine, reduced the jimping, and removed the coating, as soon as my TOPS BOB arrived. Took no time at all. Now it is one of the best knives I have ever owned. And it is my preferred hunting knife as well. From field dressing to skinning.
What did you do to ease the jimping?
Tapered file, sand paper, and emery cloth. I would typically use a Dremel, but I am out of the proper bits for sanding and polishing. The file, paper, and cloth work just as good though. Just takes a few more minutes of work. Since you are removing a mil or less, if you just want to make them less aggressive.
It will not hold that 90 degree spine!!! Especially since tops knives does a differential heat treat on most models including this one.
I honed the spine of mine to a sharp 90* it makes a world of difference. You can also just use the spine of the knife tip that works to and it is already at a sharp 90* . I really like my B.O.B.. Fieldcraft knife it is my primary carry knife now, replacing my BK 22. I still carry my Mora Bushcraft Black as a back-up in my pack. And I'll carry each my Norlund Hatchet or my OKC Spec 51 for the heavier tasks. But the BO.B. Fieldcraft knife is a great primary carry, especially if you don't mind sacrificing some of the powder finish on the spine area so you are able to hone a sharp 90* spine onto it. JMHO.
Cool. I found out the back of the tip works a while back.
Yes it is far away from a Schrade knife;-) i got the same knife,like it alot. A good general purpose knife.Good bushcrafter too,but i prefer my Casstrom Swedish forrestknife,ESEE PR4 which is a Kephart design and my Fallkniven F1. But as i said it is a super allround knife.Why allways the half rotten wood,it is crap when making feathers.
I just use what I have handy
very good and honest review, thanks, i think the bob is the closest i've seen to my ideal knife, i checked out the prices here in the UK .......pretty horrible, so i'll have to keep my eye on the second hand market, as they are just too rich for me right now always the way i suppose, thanks again for the good reviews and the great channel, atb, dave
Colonelchimp, Bushcraft, Survival and Prepping Thanks Dave. Yeah, I have heard that from some other folks in the UK about the prices being a lot higher. Bummer.
Brian, your laugh, when you threw the knife, was right up there with Jorg Sprave's laugh. TOPS has an artistic appeal to their knives. I would hate marking it up, but I hate marking up anything new. I especially hate receiving a new knife that's marked up already. Anyway, nice knife.
It is a nice knife. Thanks for watching.
What was that supposed to be? You barely used the knife.
60 EURO
For $125 it should not have the issues you highlighted. I can get some other knives just as good but with out the stupid firesteel notch and the Tyranosaurus teeth jimping. It was an outstanding review, however. just as I expected. Slainte'
Thanks. I appreciate it.