Tag Archives | Bushcraft Global

TOPS Knives – Amazon Rain Forest Proving Grounds

TOPS Knives may not send every prototype to the Amazon rain forest for testing but they do send more than a few. Joe Flowers, who has designed a number of knives for TOPS, also happens to run a venture called Bushcraft Global – a survival/bushcraft training business that gives students the opportunity to train along side locals in the Amazon rain forest. TOPS Knives has been closely aligned with Bushcraft Global and that partnership has produced opportunities for real world testing of prototype products.

If you have ever wondered what kind of testing TOPS does before bringing a knife to market, this video about TOPS Knives Yacare prototype can give you a taste.

TOPS Knives Brakimo – Now Available

Here is some free advice if you are shopping for a knife… If Joe Flowers designed it and TOPS Knives produced it, you can’t go wrong. Joe has had a hand in several great TOPS knives including the Shango series, the Machete .230, and the Lite Trekker. The Brakimo is now joining that list.

The Brakimo is a result of the collaboration between Bushcraft Global (Joe’s adventure/survival school) and TOPS Knives. This knife is designed to be the flagship knife for the school. It is meant to serve as a companion to a machete in the jungle or a good all around field knife where ever you find yourself. The Brakimo has already been vetted in the Amazon jungle on previous Bushcraft Global trips.

Brakimo1

From TOPS Knives:

It has a fairly wide blade profile combined with TOPS’ modified Scandi grind that gives it great cutting and splitting power. The tip narrows dramatically to make it useful for drilling holes for bow-drill fires, blow gun mouth pieces, traps, etc. The simple design is perfect for many different uses. Made with 1095 high carbon steel, it’s easy to maintain the edge while out in the field. We found through testing on the 2015 Bushcraft Global trip that by keeping it dry whenever possible, rust was not an issue.

The word Brakimo comes from the Matis language (which is unwritten as far as we are aware). The Matis is a tribe found in Brazil that was uncontacted by the modern world until 1975-1976. The tribe has a unique way of life that would challenge the survival skills of any survival expert. If you’re lucky enough to participate in a Bushcraft Global adventure, odds are that you’ll get to meet one of these extraordinary people and learn a few of the skills they use to survive daily life in the jungle.

See the specs below for more details. Check out the Brakimo at TOPS Knives.

Brakimo-Flyer

TOPS Knives and Bushcraft Global Brakimo Collaboration Knife

Joe Flowers, Bushcraft Global head honcho, is no stranger to knife design. Several successful designs have been pulled from his mind and put into steel. The latest such design is the Brakimo that is being produces by TOPS Knives with Bushcraft Global.

Details are still sparse at this time but the knife features micarta slab handles with a bow drill divot and a massive lanyard loop which is probably a good thing if you are working over water in the jungle. The knife also features a drop point blade with a scandi or modified scandi grind probably similar to what you will find on the TOPS BOB Field Knife.

EDIT: We have received some additional specs.

  • Designers: Joe Flowers and Craig P. (Marketing Guru at TOPS Knives and Bushcraft Global student)
  • Blade Length: 5 1/4″
  • Handle Length: 4 1/2″
  • Blade Thickness: 3/16″
  • Steel: 1095
  • Finish: Clear Cerakote

 

TOPS Knives Brakimo

Bushcraft Global

logoresizeSurvival and wildlife expert, author, gear designer, and all-around good guy Joe Flowers has started a survival/bushcraft company called Bushcraft Global. The company offers jungle survival training in the jungles of the Tanimboca Natural Reserve in Columbia. Their 2 week long trips are designed to be reasonably priced and hassle free. The $2000 cost includes hotel stays (when you aren’t staying in the jungle), food, transportation to and from the airport, and 5 nights in a cabin in Taninmboca, a knife and machete from TOPS Knives, and more.

The skills taught on these trips are many, varied, and versatile. The skills may be practiced in a true jungle setting but they are adaptable to nearly any environment.

Check out Bushcraft Global’s website for additional details.

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