There have been designed by the ‘Brothers of Bushcraft,’ but this Tops knife has, and that should augur well for its suitability for bushcraft work, and other rigorous tasks.
Tops Knives Brothers of Bushcraft Knife
This is not necessarily a new knife to market, with it first being available for sale in the summer of 2013. This simply means that it has been, and still is, a very popular bushcraft knife, which is evidenced by over 90% of its reviews by customers being positive.
The knife comes under the category of ‘small bushcraft knife,’ given that its overall length is just 10 inches, and the blade is 4 1/2 inches. We mentioned that it had been designed by the ‘Brothers of Bushcraft’ and the significance of that is that this is an organization that teaches others fieldcraft and bushcraft skills and with that level of knowledge and experience, who better than to design a knife for those very purposes.
Who is this product for?
Just about anyone who takes part in outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, trekking will benefit from this knife. The specific tasks that it will be most useful for are going to be bushcraft, so if you ever need to strip wood to make stakes, or slice sticks it down to make a fire, for example, this knife is you.
It can also be used for skinning and gutting game and fishing enthusiasts will also find this an excellent knife for tasks such as cutting fishing line.
What’s included?
As with most knives when you purchase them it is a case of ‘what you see is what you get.’ That simply means that this knife, as many others, does not come with loads of additional accessories. However, it does come with a sheath, and this is one of the best we have seen.
It is made from Kydex®, which gives it a high degree of strength and thus offers the blade of your knife excellent protection. It also has a steel belt clip and a Ferro-rod which can be used in conjunction with the knife to spark and thus help start your campfire.
Overview of features
When you have a blade made from 1095 high carbon steel you know you are going to have a tough blade capable of cutting through just about everything you ask it to. Not only that, it is going to be durable too.
Holding a knife requires that you have a good grip and that it is comfortable, as you may be using it for long periods of time. This handle is made from canvas Micarta®, and this not only lets you hold it securely, it also feels extremely comfortable too. This is helped by the special shaping of the handle that includes specially designed thumb scallops.
Finishing off the ensemble is the Kydex® sheath, which includes a steel belt clip so that you can carry the knife with ease.
How to use it?
As we previously mentioned, one of this knife’s top features is its handle, but even so, you should still ensure that when holding the knife, you do so correctly. Never hold a knife if your hands are wet or sweaty, as this can lead to all kinds of unwanted issues, not least of which is the knife slipping and causing you or someone else a serious injury.
When using the knife to cut, or strip wood, always move it away from your body and never try to force it, if it becomes stuck. Instead, come back slightly and try again.
To create sparks for fire starting you use the Ferro-rod which is attached to the sheath. By striking the Ferro-rod against the serrations on the spine of the blade, you can create sparks which will light tinder, and thus allow you to build up a fire.
Pros:
- Comfortable handle to grip
- Can be used for hunting and backpacking
- Easy to resharpen when needed
Cons:
- The clip on the sheath is hard to rotate
- Slightly heavier than other bushcraft knives
Alternative
If you want to compare the Tops Knives Brothers of Bushcraft Knife with other bushcraft knives, one that you really should take a look at is Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival Knife. This is not so much a knife, but more of a bushcraft kit, given the extras it comes with.
It has a black sheath, a diamond sharpener, and a fire starter accessory. The knife itself has a 4 1/3 inch scandi grind blade made from high-quality carbon steel, and the handle is ergonomically designed to give a comfortable and secure grip for your hand.
Conclusion
This is an outstanding knife that anyone who takes part in fieldcraft or bushcraft, will love, especially when it comes time to start using it to cut through sticks and other pieces of wood. It will make light work of all of them, which is what you’d expect when it was designed by the ‘Brothers of Bushcraft.’