TOPS Knives BOB • Brothers of Bushcraft • Bushcraft Knife Field Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ส.ค. 2024
- Krik of Black Owl Outdoors reviews the TOPS Knives B.O.B. [Brothers of Bushcraft] Fixed blade knife. The knife shines with well thought-out design and rugged, comfortable construction. Made of 1095 carbon steel with a modified Scandinavian grind, micarta scales with bow drill divots in each scale, a ferro rod, magnesium sticks and a built in scraper, the B.O.B. from TOPS Knives is the perfect companion on your bushcraft pursuits, or even for a heavy duty camp knife.
TOPS Knives B.O.B. - amzn.to/1QyXP2d
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I came here to see a review of this knife, and I stayed because I'm an aspiring photographer and I absolutely appreciate the style you guys shoot these videos with. They get to the point and tell you the important things we want to know about the products. While maintaining a classy look with the shallow depth of field and clean font style used. Keep up the good work.
Well lucky for you Joe Flowers, the engineer and designer for many Condor Tool and Knife designs and writer for many outdoors based magazines appears to be watching your videos! AKA - Knife expert.
I think thats the best looking knife I've seen in a while. The black steel and the red handles work pretty well together.
Yea, that's the problem when looking for ONE knife. There are so many knives and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. Since there are so many knives that have the same quality, it comes down to comfort. I have medium sized hands. And the larger knives (usually 5 inch blades or greater) just aren't that comfortable to use. But I can say the BOB knife is super comfortable. -Krik
You gents are awesome on reviews. hit all the highs and lows.
***** thanks dan!
Modified scandi for this knife: high grind scamdi with a convex edge. Saber is also high grind with a secondary bevel edge grind. The convex is stronger than the true scandi edges. Love mine.
It's going to be for camping. Splitting wood, carving things, building shelters. Maybe even food prepping every now and then.
It will also be for bugging out and Survival
Thanks for subbing. That's a difficult question to answer. They are all good knives. What specifically do you want to do with the knife? That will help me narrow it down. Like I said in the vids, the scandi/modified are so much better and more fun to carve wood with, in my opinion. -Krik
Just got the knife today I liked the video and decided to get one. Guys no kidding besides my buck horn bowie handmade knife this is the best bush craft knife I'm extremely impressed with it.
i think in all things your best option would b a medium sized knife and a smaller pocket sized knife. as most knife guys say a big knife can do everything a small knife can do and more, so your best bet it to get a chopper, then a proper pocket knife for food prep and lighter tasks
I was impressed with their quality and put a call in to Tops to recommend sending them a sample for review.
Very nice
mine came with green and black g10 handles for 112$. By the way the tip of the blade is sharp enough to strike the ferro rod that it comes with.
As I mentioned in the Blackbird video, it's sort of difficult to find ONE knife that does everything. The BOB knife is close though. It's just not a chopper. But I don't think it should be. Anyone else want to chime in on this? -Krik
Tops, ESEE, and Ka-bar all rate their knives between 56-58. Having used multiple examples of all three companies knives, and knowing the manufacturing engineers personally, I can tell you that they wouldn't tell you any different. In the field, I have found that all sharpen pretty much the same to their respective grinds, and couldn't really say one is better than the other in terms of hardness. Just my opinion based on my experiences.
I'm kinda facing the same decision...this knife, or the Blackbird. I don't think I would ever use the bow drill divots, plus the Blackbird is stainless steel requiring not as much maintaining, so that I will probably end up with the blackbird.
The aggressive back and forth zooming is really bad in this video
Yea, I think you're correct and I don't know if there really is a difference. But what's in a name? But seriously, I'm no knife expert or designer. So I'm with you on "what should I call it?" I know what works well and what doesn't. Thanks for watching. -krik
For his tasks? I'd go with the ESEE-4. I'd take the BOB for purely woodworking tasks, but if he wants to beat a knife and use it as a survival blade, the ESEE-4 is ideal for that. The BOB is suited for more traditional woodcrafting. Just my opinion.
BTW, for a "one-do-it-all-knife", you'd be wiser to go 5-6". It'd be more dangerous for you to use a smaller knife for big knife tasks (batoning, shelter building, etc...). Smaller knives like any 4" bushcraft specific knife are ideal when paired up with a hatchet or folding saw. Otherwise, they are more limited than what you can do with a bigger blade.
love my tops knife.
Buy both!!!
its a grate knife good steel well made and when sharpened so that it has a sabre grind and not a secondary bevel it is super remember the sharper you make the weaker the edge with a scandi because the grind is so high it can be made very sharp and then stropped to give a slight convex edge this will give the edge durability
great review on a great knife !!
Your vids are second to none wow awesome stuff & its cool you get an awesome knife from it keep it up pal god bless
What I heard and read was that the HT on the TOPS 1095 is far below that of ESEE or Ka-Bar. I find HT very important in knives, and I've seen many pictures and vids of TOPS knives fail because of a bad HT. Furthermore, you can get ESEE and Ka-Bars for far less $. Honestly, I'd never get one :-)
Okay thats very nice of you. If you would not mind answering my other question, how do you go about sharpening this knife.Would you sharpen it like you would if it were a true scandi or a true convex?
I am planning on getting two of the TOPS BOB knives one with the G10 handle scales and one with the black Micarta scales ad hopefully they are as good as I've heard they are.
Hi pal just stopping past to say hi & watch this video again lol I just got my B.O.B knife & man I like it. I love my mora companion hvy dty alil more still lol just with they were full tang.
Hey John. What do you like more about your Mora? I was just messing with the BOB knife the other day, and it feels a little heavy. Still super comfortable and cuts well, just a little heavy. -Krik
BlackOwlOutdoors thats it, brother the weight. I love the mora more cas its super light & super sharp & cost a 1/4 of the B.O.B. Dnt get me wrong I like the B.O.B its a beast of a knife But I can carve so much easier with the mora but the B.O.B will be there forever lol
that's called a dangler and all you need is a little D ring & a piece of leather and a button pick it all up @ a craft store Pakatan's has something they call afarmers bundle and you can make sheaths and danglers all day for 3 box they give a nice amount of leather & leather lace all in 1 bag I pick'em up all the time
I think Esee has probably some of the better QC for a volume knife maker. I heard the same thing about Tops HT. But I don't know. I think it depends allot on the knife geometry also. HT is critical no matter what. But a knife not designed to be a beater tool is probably going to get blamed 50% of the time for having a bad HT. Allot of Tops knives are designed with Klingon's in mind. :-P
Well so far I like the reviews of this knife. I plan on getting one. I have the Tahoma field knife frome tops. It's a beast of a knife. Heavy but I like the wgt. And extremely comfortable in hand. I love the quality in tops which is why I will pick up one of these. We will c about the sheath. The sheath with the Tahoma could be much better. But the knife itself. Love it. Looking g forward to getting my Bob. It all boils down to personal preferance. If you don't like it. Get a diff one. I look at tons of reviews b4 purchase has g I see way more pos. For this knife. Nice vids. Keep up the good work.
Ok ive a question .my favorite fixed blade is the Mora 1 favorite folders,rat1 and kabar dozier hunter .what is your favorite fixed blade. And folder??truly curious no other reason.just want your opinion
Like you, my favorite fixed blade is the Mora Classic 1. Like the name suggests, it's just an all around classic little knife. Are there better knives? Yea, probably. But I'm still in love with it ever since I purchased it. As for folders, I'm not really a fan of them. I like the RAT 1 a lot. But if I'm going to carry a folding EDC, the RAT 2 wins. -Krik
How would you sharpen this knife since it has a modified scandi grind? Would you sharpen it like you would if it were a true scandi or a true convex? I hope you understand what I am trying to ask. Thanks
(continuing) The TOPS is a very well made, very well finished knife but all things considered, the MBB is for me the best choice, even better with a sheath from Grizzly Outdoors. It is cheaper and lighter. Next would be the S1, that could be SUPER with a micarta handle to allow the "shango" technique. The TOPS could be better with a Kydex belt clip (the metal clip hurts if in contact with the skin) and straight squared pommel for a really good "shangoing").
Is there a difference between "modified scandi" and "sabre" grinds? Cause it looks like a typical sabre grind to me, but I certainly don't know everything about anything so I'm curious.
Does anyone know how to properly switch the sheath for a lefty?
And if you don't have much experience with knives, you're just going to have to take the plunge and make a purchase. In time and with experience you'll figure out what you like and don't like. -Krik
(2) I think it depends on where you want to do the work also. It's better to pack something in that makes your life easier in camp. Than to struggle in camp when your supposed to be getting ready to rest.
I have one of these knives and love it! Got a review on my channel if u would like to see it.
Also how did you get Joe Flowers to send you this knife?
(1)I would say for shelter building a small knife is not a great option unless you want to pair it with a saw. Baton chopping against a cross grain is kinda stupid to me. It's allot of work. Even on soft wood like fur. And allot depends on your AO. Medium to large fixed blade paired with a camping saw and a smaller fixed blade seems to always work well. I think a Esee 6 paired with a Bahco folding saw could do allot work also...
What is a turtle and what is a crick
@sower770 look into the Benchmade Bushcrafter
I just finished watching your Ontario SK 5 and Tops B.O.B knife reviews and was wandering which knife you prefer more. I'm leaning towards the tops but you have used and held both. You can't even find one of either where I'm from. I would very much appreciate your feedback. Thank you.
For me, I like the BOB knife over the SK-5. I like the SK-5. But the BOB knife is heavier in the hand, which I like. When I first held and the used the SK-5, I was surprised at how light it felt. Hope this helps. -Krik
Krik,
First of all, thanks for all the awesome and helpful reviews. I have been debating on which knife I should buy, either the Tops B.O.B. or the Esee 4. I have seen both of your videos along with many other amazing reviews on both items, which is why it has been hard to make up my mind. I already own a Esee lite machete and it has been an outstanding tool for me and my family the past 3 years. The fixed blade USMC Kabar i once owned was stolen and I need a replacement for my pack. My first choice was the Esee 4, but the decision not to go with Esee from the start is due to the momentum of great reviews and reputation the B.O.B. knife has maintained. Which of the two knives in your opinion would you recommend as a practical and convenient knife for common back-packing/camping tasks? Is weight an issue with either one? Any input or feedback would be greatly and respectfully appreciated. They both seem equally solid and extremely useful. I eventually would like to own both but in the mean time I only can afford one. Thanks again, Cheers.
-Johnny
You can't go wrong with either one. Honestly. While both knives will perform well at the same tasks, the BOB knife has a "bulkier", larger feel. That's not necessarily a bad thing, depending on your style preference or hand size. The BOB has a more ergonomically shaped handle. The ESEE scales are completely flat. It's really a toss-up. If you plan to eventually own both, just pick one for the time being. I know this probably doesn't help much. It's not easy deciding when you can't physically touch or see the item(s) in question. -Krik
Thanks for the feed back Krik. I'll flip a quarter and leave it up to the eagle now to decide which one I buy first.I do want both either way. Keep up the great work here and on Instagram. I'll post some photos and tag you once I buy the tool. By the way thanks for the Woolrich inc. post, I never knew about them until I saw it on IG. Looks like top quality gear!! Cheers all the way from California.
misfit138zwc What's your IG name?
jcm138
I finally got the Tops BOB. It is an awesome knife! Pretty stoked to use it soon. Cheers.
would you say the quality of the overall knife/steel on this one is better or worse than the esee 4 ?
Definitely NOT worse. They both are pretty darn good quality for the money. And the BOB knife has more features than the ESEE 4. Just depends what you intend to do with the knife that will help you decide. -Krik
They are definitely two different knives. What are the main tasks you want to perform with the knife in question? -Krik
Yes we are aware. It was intentional, sort of. -Krik
You need a new camraman
Hey!
I love your videos- just recently subbed.
Could you answer a question for me?
Which would you choose? The ESEE 4, Ontario Blackbird, or the TOPS BOB.
Not that I'm an expert, but I would suggest sticking with a high carbon blade for bushcraft.
I recently received my TOPS BOB and comparing to a Mora Bushy Black (MBB) and Falkie S1, I found that the MBB is probably the best overall, followed by the S1. I can easily make curly shaving with the MBB, although the S1 is best. The BOB comes last.
I can start a fire easily with the MBB, but the fastest is the S1 using the... "shango technique" although that burns the rubber handle. I could barely make fire with the BOB and I did it with the back blade tip, not with the shango.
I love this knife, but found that using it for extended periods both the jimping on the spine and the "finger guard" areas tend to create hotspots. The jimping is more aggressive than on an Esee for example, and the finger guard shoould`ve been rounded off IMO. Besides that this blade works like a charm, Tops knives are impeccable. I have both the B.O.B and the tahoma field knife. I love them both.
Stony and I have been considering purchasing the tahoma. Would you say it's worth it? -Krik
It`s definately worth it. Although its a bit big for whittling and more detailed bushcraft applications, it`s quite fun to play with, very comfortable and capable. If you can imagine a cross between a Becker7 and a Esee Junglas, with a few particular gripping options and functionalities. Is it better than both? Probably not, but it is quite different. For bushcraft applications I would suggest having Tops make a false/squared secondary edge on the top of the blade. I have`nt batoned with it yet and doubt that I will, but for chopping it`s quite impressive and all the different gripping possibilities are very interesting. Especially the advanced position using the choil, very comfortable. The finish on the blade is just amazing. My only thumbs down is the sheath. although it`s acceptable, I feel it kinda cheapens the kit. But thats just an impression it has`nt failed me in any way.
Thanks for watching. -Krik
It's like an ESEE and a Mora had a baby
nice review i have been thinking to purchase this knife or the ESEE 4.. still confused which one is better.. =/
by the way no dis-respect dude but you remind me of wolverine because of your side burns hahaha..
No disrespect at all. You aren't the first one to comment about that. I actually take it as a compliment. I loved/love the X-Men. As for the knives, I don't feel one is truly better than the other. Both are nice quality and steel. It's just preference on the handle/grind/overall length. -Krik
ok
Your logo is a penguin not a owl
Camera is shit …
this knife is more youtube praised than it is practical. sharpened prybar.
This is not worth 150£!! It's nice but it lacks effort in its craft!! The flint on the side of the sheath looks like it will last 20 strikes!! You can pick up a bushcraft knife for 30£ with a much nicer finish and a much bigger flint!! But it's still a great knife it's just NOT worth 150£!! I make knives and to be honest I could craft a knife like this in a few days!! But Anywaze good vid 😜!!
WTF???? Wolverine...
Learn the product before you take the time to do a review. 14 oz? not and you didn't know how long it was. Usually you put out some good info.
Buy a camera stand. Your camera person isn't helping. Far too much zomming to enjoy the video.
Pass. This is an overpriced gimmick knife. Comes with a spark rod. Why? You can buy one from anywhere and carry it in far more secure places in your gear than on your sheath where it's likely to get swiped out by brush. The sheath is fubar. The knife is over heavy for a carving knife, too heavy for an everyday use knife, maybe better at butchering. The Scandi grind is popular because Ray Mears popularized it. Apart from that, it has no especial benefit, which is why you don't find dedicated carving knives or chisels with Scandi grinds. Not once, in all my years in the Alaskan bush or Canadian north, did anyone ever think to carry a knife with a Scandi grind. The bowdrill cutout is another gimmick. Your need for a bowdrill is about zero since it is so much easier to strike a sparking rod or even strike iron to chert or flint. I've been living in the bush for 35 years and never had a need to use a bowdrill since there are so many other, better ways to make fire. The knife is undoubtedly well made, being it's from TOPS, but their knives are crazy priced and over heavy and their sheaths, in general, are fubar.
Cliff Seruntine I agree about the sheath. And that the knife is very heavy. But, what grind is better than a Scandi, for wood working? -Krik
Black Owl Outdoors full flat grind
Seems fairly priced considering other knives on the market that fulfill the same nitch. Comes with a kydex sheath as well. It is marketed to Bushcrafters, hence the Scandi grind. They spend much more time making tools and doing fine tasks. A saber grind or FFG is not as well suited to that task. Bushcrafter's will carve a wedge to split wood with a rock and not sacrifice the sharpness of their blade batoning through crap. Spyderc Bushcraft made of O-1 is double the price, maybe more and the SK-5 from Ontario is about the same but comes with a sheath that is not quite as durable.
@@WilliamKister not only that, but it's not a true scandi
I have this knife and the ferro rod, NOT Flint is very secure with shock cord. It ain't coming out. You're correct about the bowdrill divot though no use for that to me. This rod is only a backup. I carry a 1/2" by 5" ferro rod in my pocket at all times anyways.
Great review as always but PLEASE cut that dangly thread off your hat. Super distracting.
It's a f**kbeast of a blade!
Hi pal just stopping past to say hi & watch this video again lol I just got my B.O.B knife & man I like it. I love my mora companion hvy dty alil more still lol just with they were full tang.