TOPS Knives just released two new designs. The Bull Trout and Nata are both knives that we’ve seen before at trade shows but they are finally available for purchase.
Bull Trout
The Bull Trout is a result of TOPS 3rd annual contest where employees are encouraged to design a knife that will be put into production if chosen. This year the winner was Martin Murillo for his EDC fixed-blade design. Martin is an avid fisherman, so the Bull Trout had to excel at that. It’s got comfortable burlap Micarta handles with a stainless 154cm blade and a simple, classic chocolate leather sheath. But you don’t have to be a fisherman to enjoy this knife. It’s just a great all-around EDC blade.
Many useful tools have come from the Japanese over the years. The Nata (hatchet) is one that hasn’t received as much attention as some others, but is an excellent tool nonetheless. The TOPS Nata is Leo Espinoza’s take on a very old gardening tool. The handle and grind have been changed from traditional designs to fit TOPS/Leo’s style. It’s also full tang with grippy burlap Micarta handles and a nice leather belt sheath. Have brush that needs cleared, branches that need pruned, or are you just in the market for a small chopper with an interesting design? The Nata might just be your next tool.
For years, the Fieldcraft by Brothers of Bushcraft (aka BOB, aka BROS) has been a top selling model for TOPS. It’s a great all-around mid-sized knife for bushcrafting, survival, and more. Of course, many people have asked for larger and smaller versions of the knife for different reasons. This was the driving force behind the Fieldcraft 3.5. Its blade length is slightly over 3.5”, which is the sweet spot for many people in small camp knives, EDC fixed blades, and hunting knives for small game, fish, and fowl. You’ll be glad you picked this one up.
TOPS Knives just rolled out two new designs. The first is the EJ Snyder designed SXS and the second is a new version of the HAKET called the HAKET Lumberjack.
SXS
Whether you’re looking for a knife to complement the SXB or for a solid all-around 5” blade, Skullcrusher’s Xtreme Sidekick (SXS) has your back. This is the slimmed down version of the SXB that many have been asking for. It’s got the same blade shape as the SXB, which is proven useful for a variety of tasks, with some modifications to the handle that make it perfect in the mid-sized knife category. Add in a Kydex sheath that gives the user multiple mounting options right out of the box, and you have a knife that stands out by itself just as much as it complements the SXB.
The HAKET was debuted at SHOT Show in 2010. Both of the blades currently available for it are very small, and while they’re great for survival situations, TOPS wanted to make an option that had more real estate for chopping wood. Enter the Lumberjack. It’s got a 4.5” cutting edge on the ax portion and is upgraded with Kydex blade covers and the deluxe carrying pouch to fit all of your extra survival goodies. The blade attachment can be used with or without being attached to the handle and can be mounted in a couple of different ways making the HAKET an excellent choice as a survival tool.
The Empire Outfitters Naga Knife is now available. It is a compact defensive knife that ticks all the right boxes.
The Naga is 5.75″ long and has a 2.5″ blade which keeps it legal in most jurisdictions. It is ground from AEB-L stainless steel. It has somewhat Persian style blade with a sweeping edge and a wicked point.
The handle offers a thin but aggressive grip thanks to the handle treatment. It wrapped with cord and then soaked in resin. The result is a handle that is grippy, resilient, and lightweight.
The Naga comes with a great sheath and is ready to carry right out of the box. It it well suited to a variety of center-line carry methods like inside the waist band or running it horizontally in the belt loops.
The entire package weighs just 2.2 ounces including the sheath! For shooters who are looking for a defensive knife to complement their carry gun without weighing them down, this may be just the ticket. It is also relatively affordable for a knife with these features.
Welcome to Bargain or Just Cheap? This series will review budget friendly knives for a variety of uses in a short format. All of the knives will cost less than $50 (in most cases, much less) and will be purchased out of my own pocket. I’ll buy them, carry them, and use them in an attempt to determine if the knife is a bargain or just cheap.
There was a time when Chinese made knives were mostly junk – at least those that were imported and sold very inexpensively. That is changing thanks to a wave of manufacturers like Steel Wil and othersl that are offering some really excellent knives that are often priced very competitively. That is certainly the case with the subject of today’s installment of Bargain or Just Cheap? – the Steel Will Modus F25.
Steel Will often offers two versions of the same design, one with more premium materials and one with more working class materials like FRN handle slabs and D2 steel. I often tend toward to working class model because they are very affordable and I actually happen to like D2 steel and FRN (plastic) as a handle material from all my years carrying Spyderco knives. The particular version of the Modus that I purchased is the F25-12 model. It features a 3.25″ D2 steel blade with green FRN handles.
The Modus features a modified sheepsfoot shape. Most sheepsfoot knives have a completely straight edge but the Modus’ edge sweeps gently up toward the tip giving it some belly. The blade is quite tall for a folder and the primary flat grind is nearly full height which does a very good job of thinning the edge. It cuts and slices very well.
The handle feels great in the handle and the texture provided by the patterned FRN scales is great. The full steel liners under the FRN have been skeletonized to reduce weight.
The lock up on these Steel Will liner locks is excellent. They typically exhibit early lock up with full engagement. The lock up on my Modus is among the best I have seen on a liner lock.
The Modus weighs in at under 3.4 ounces and it its FRN handle makes it very easy on pockets. The pocket clip is quite good with tip down left or right side carry, solid tension, and no sharp edges. I find these knives to be a joy to carry.
I think my favorite thing about these knives is how well they deploy. They are opened via a flipper and Steel Will has absolutely mastered the art of the flipper even without the use of ball bearing pivots which is mildly mind blowing. This knife is buttery smooth and has a perfect detent. It fires open easily and locks up with a satisfying snick.
NOTE: I have seen one Steel Will flipper that didn’t deploy well. It turns out the phosphor bronze washers were installed backwards (the smoother, more rounded side should be against the blade). Once they were corrected, the knife fired like a champ. It’s an easy fix.
Bargain or Just Cheap?
The Steel Will Modus is an EDC gem. It isn’t just a good knife, it is one of my favorite knives!
At around $40, it is definitely a bargain. It is light weight, deploys smoother than many flippers costing significantly more, and offers a lot of cutting performance in a sensibly sized package.
Our goal is to represent knives for a variety of uses from EDC, to outdoor, to tactical knives. Do you have a favorite affordable knife? Let us know about it in the comments!
