This is one of my favourite knives as well, have had it for almost 2 years and have only had to lightly strop it to maintain its factory edge. Mine was the original with the tan canvas micarta. The one thing you forgot to mention is that the oversized lanyard is also a bullet puller for up to a 30 cal cartridge. Awesome review, I love to see someone so genuinely excited about product, makes the review that much more exciting to watch!
I love that knife...here in Canada with shipping the price is about 210$ CND.... expensive but very well design and amazing knife. Tops knifes are amazing! Good video! thanks for sharing.
Hey Gideon, Nice thorough review (as usual)! This week, I just purchased a TOPS BOB Fieldcraft Knife (in tumbled finish without the coating), and I'm looking forward to the chance to use it! I like to watch your knife reviews because you also demonstrate the knife ïn-action' and do some education along the way. You are a PRO! Thanks for all you do and may God Bless you and your family!
Great video. I have had mine for years and it’s one of my favourites. I disagree with you on the shango notch. For me it’s useless. I use the back of the blade at the tip which works for me. Also much safer when you don’t want to take the sheath off your belt. Price wise it’s much more expensive here in the UK depending on the version £150-£200.
Want one, haha! I love your knife reviews man. Every knife I have bought has been off the back of your reviews and haven't been disappointed yet! Awesome keep up the good work man!
I've never seen the striker used in that fashion before sir, very interesting. Learned another way to use it. I keep the bob in a stationery position, blade facing up, and pull the ferro rod back. throwing my sparks into my tender. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, techniques, and opinion on this awesome blade.
What a great knife. Scandi is the best for mid size knives. My system at the moment is the Esee Izula as backup/small task/neck knife, Mora Bushcraft Black as my mid size whittler and utility (a bit like the BOB but a bit less stout) and either a Gransfors Wildlife hatchet or Ontario SP8 as my main processor and chopper.
So good, I got 2 of them! One in green/blk g10 and one in red/blk g10. Use one for a beater, the other for "reserve". Love tops products. Still have a bk2 and bk7, modded, but imho the bob? I gave the bk16 and the bk harpoon away. The bob isnt as slicy for food prep, but it'll do it. And way more. And yes, the extras make it a way more utilitarian tool. Ive since received more tops knives, and for "survival"? One tool option, I still like the bob. 🤔👍
Hi Aaron, I really depends how hard and brittle the steel is the harder the steel and it holds a better edge retention but it's more brittle to chip especially on a larger scandi grind because the zero grind the edge is very thin also, but here's food for thought, I just got three Traditional Norwegian Kniv's, I always wanted Leuku ever since I was made aware of the Leuku, I got mine made by Stromeng, it's the KS. 9 and it's a 9" blade, the Saame a Indigenous People live by the Leuku and use it for everything from skinning game to slicing bread, and even give their. Hilden a knife at the age of 7'-8 years of age, to them it's a one knife carry tool, the sheath carries the full lenght of the knife because they don't want to lose their knife in the wilderness, my 5 " Leuku KS 5 is made out if Sandvik 12c27 Stainless Steel and so is my Buhku (LIL) STAK I got them from Ragweed Forge Jim is a very knowledgeable guy to talk about knives since he use to forge knives himself, anyhow Stromeng won't say what type of carbon steel they use and knives 7" and up are carbon syeel, but I googled what type of carbon steel Norwegian Carbon Knives were made of and it said blades of .5% carbon, because all three knives I got they're Tradition Custom Made and all three have the Scandi Grind, and .you KS. 9 is a very good chopper but then again I think our wood is harder than the Nordic Wood I read their wood is softer, but regardles the scandi grind isn't a high scandi and the reason doesn't chip is because of the lower carbon we're use to in our knives, one of my all time favorite knife similar to the Top's B.O.B. are my Swamp Rat's my Rodent 4 and my Ratmandu now I even got the Rodent 6 from their Custom Shop I had it thinned down and the top gaurd taken off and now it look's like a beefy Ratmandu on steriods it became my favorite 6" blade, but the Tops B.OB. has sparked my intetest, do you find that the handles are different between G-10 and the Micarta Handles and which do you like better, Thanx Aaron.
What angle do you (or anyone one else that own the B.O.B.) prefer to sharpen your B.O.B.? TOPS stated that they utilize 25 degree angle (per each side) to sharpen all their knives with Skandi varient grinds.
I am hoping to get the one with the black G10 and the black Micarta scales hopefully at the end of the week or the next and I hope that they are as good as I've heard they are. I need a couple more reliable knives for the backwoods here in Kentucky.I am also hoping that they both are 1095, but if not I guess I will have to be satisfied with one being 154 cm stainless steel.
I'm newer to the bushcraft stuff and have taken a few classes. I'm fortunate to not have to worry about a budget as much as many but I do not want to over spend on something. I commonly carry a folding saw, and a little mora for fine work (putside of a folder I have in my pocket). I am torn between a few knives. This TOPS bob being 1, the becker BK22 being another, and the ESEE laser or 6, and finally the SURV TAC 7. I mostly need a harder duty camp blade that can split wood(baton) and take a beating, but the less I can carry the better. Thank you so much for taking the time to inform us with these videos. Any input you can give me would be appreciated and sorry for the long post. God Bless
Tony Desouza I would recommend the ESEE6 or BK22. My BK22 is indestructible, but the ESEE6 comes with a better sheath, it is better for long carving tasks, and a better warranty. I hope that helps.
Chiming in here as I just received this exact knife. It's sharp, it's nice and I am anxious to use it as I'm sure it's going to be just fine for working outside. I'm pretty disappointed in the sheath. All the videos never cited this but my knife is almost impossible to remove from the sheath. I have had custom sheath makers (AZWELKE) AND Armatus Carry Solutions disappoint in this same fashion where I have to heat gun every sheath they make ( I am never buying kydex sheaths from them anymore btw...) but a high end production knife arriving like this is a bummer.
I am lefthanded. Do you think I could remove the spring clip from the sheath and drill a hole and move the clip to the other side…thus making it a leftie-sheath.
I just got my new Bob knife in the mail yesterday feels good nice fit and finish I like the high carbon steel for taking an edge but I'm looking at it a little closer I'm really disappointed with the sheath it came in broken cracked and fact I contacted tops and they referred me to seller saying that it was their shipping method and that it should have been shipped in a hard-sided container rather than it envelope my thought on this is it it it can survive the u.s. mail it's not going to survive in the field.
Thanks, I'm new to knives and really appreciate your opinions, this might be my next purchase based on your review. I've strutted between the beckers and esses but tops bob might just be the one.
what is the "walk up" that you are talking about? I interpret that as lifting the blade up a bit after dethatching the handle from the sheath. But I am not sure if I am interpreting that correctly. And if so, why do you need to walk it up? are you trying to avoid cutting the other hand?
I currently carry the ESEE6 as my main knife but want to pair it with a smaller companion blade. I was thinking about the smaller TOPS Fieldcraft, Kabar BK16 or Ontario Rat3 but want some other suggestions. Any input is appreciated. Thanks.
The tops will not strike a firesteel due to the differential heat treatment. Thats why i personally don't like it. I have heard great things about the bk16 tho.
For bushcraft and general camp tasks, which would you choose between this and the Survive GSO-5 (which I'm assuming is going to be very similar to the upcoming GSO-5.1)? Also, if you have experience with them, compare the Ontario Bushcrafter & Blackbird knives, please
I have two. One in SS and one in CS. I love them! But! Don’t be fooled. There are issues. The Shango notch is a joke and it’s dangerous to use. NO other reviewer is going to tell you it works. It doesn’t. However the tip of the spine does work well for throwing sparks. The only the notch does is that it scrapes fat wood pretty good. Also the belt clip on the sheath is junk. I replaced the sheaths on both of my knives with a leather after market sheath. The ferro rod is ok for an emergency but replaced those as well. The knife itself is amazing and is currently my field carry. For the notch watch other reviews to see how badly it performs. Just have the right expectations and you’ll be happy. Even the other brother of the BOB team uses the tip of the spine to spark.
Ok question for you, after all the use you put this thing thru what did the edge look like? And have you had to resharpen it and if so using what? Only reason I ask is I bought one and the edge was severely chipped out the box, took it back and exchanged it and that one was fine until I used it. I ONLY stripped a 12"long x 2.5"diameter dried oak log of its bark, then started carving the surface and smoothing it out to get a feel for the edge geometry. After about 15 minutes I noticed it wasn't biting the wood as well..I stopped gave it a wipe down and was shocked at what I saw. The edge was blown apart, severely chipped and rolled where it wasn't chipped from just that lil use. Thinking maybe they burnt the factory edge I sharpened out all the chips using stones first but they didn't work well due to the factory convexish secondary bevel, I'd be too much time trying to make a true scandi, so then i switched to sand paper and a mouse pad to attempt matching the factory convex. Which still didn't turn out quite like the factory edge, but was sharp and the chips were gone. Well that edge fell apart too, it took 3 sharpenings to stop the edge from chipping from just carving, but started again the minute I batoned it. So far I have sharpened it 6 times at various angles slowly widening it each time to try making it stronger. Yet it still chips batoning or chopping. I expected a long lasting edge without chips from all the reviews I read and watched.
From all the videos I have watched on this knife I think I made a good buy on mine. A guy came through the bow shop the other day and I gave him $50 for a bob and a silver stag knife. Good video
Use the thumb assist with the handle hand... *note keep your other hand clear of the opening as the knife unsheathes but hold the kydex with your other hand as you unsheath . I did this over and over again for a couple of days. If you do that (sheath, unsheathe) the kydex breaks in and then you get perfect retention and easy removal effectually with one handed removal/thumb assist. It wears perfectly in this way.
Did you ever solve the problem with the sheath? I’d watch a few vids on how to make a Kydex knife sheath especially the parts on heating the Kydex with a heat gun. You could probably heat the Kydex in the retention area and loosen its tight grip on the knife by wrapping the knife in tape in that tight area and reforming or remolding the heated Kydex by clamping it in a press. As long as you don’t burn or melt or over heat the Kydex, you can keep reforming it until it fits good. However, there’s always the chance you’ll ruin it. Maybe you could buy a small sheet of Kydex and make your own sheath.
I wish that I had a store like bladehq or knifeworks here in Illinois. While the videos like this are helpful it's ultimately how a knife feels in my hand that matters. I've bought so many knives online including esee 4 only to sell them on ebay when I didn't like the feel. I may just have to use some vacation time to go to dedicated knife stores to handle several like this one and buy what feels right.
Thanks so much for the review! I’m 100% getting this one, based on many many factors. It just sucks that I can’t find any place in Denmark to buy it :/
+gideonstactical Would you say that because of the size variance, or other reasons? I have the ESEE 6, but I like the Scandi grind on the Bob and was considering it instead of an ESEE 5.
+gideonstactical i love Esee so much that's my go to blade but I just went outside to mail box and my tops BOB g10 white/black handle came today and I have to say for $119 bucks from Blade Hq I was extremely happy. I can't say anything bad about this knofe expect I'm not a fan of the ferro rod striker on the pummel it doesn't work to great but other than that, I think the knife is amazing. Tops really did well with this knife. Thanks to your review I will be ordering more tops blades soon. This week I will get either the tops Scandi Trekker or the Esee jg3, which do you think I should go with Arron?
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
I have this and the Esee 6. I favor the Tops BOB just a margin more due only to size but otherwise, quality is equal. The BOB is an excellent tool in every way.
+Patriot Bill I just received a BOB yesterday and I already have an ESEE 6. Like you, I like them both, but the BOB seems better balanced and feels better in my hand. Also the difference in the grinds makes them both essential as tools to me. I'm looking at a TOPS Trekker as maybe my next blade or the Mini Scandi. Both would complement the BOB.
+edward harding Both are great tools. I think once you get some time behind that BOB you'll find it even better. I won't trade my Esee 6 or my BOB. Love 'em. Aren't choices great ? Be safe and enjoy Edward.
if you had to choose between the b.o.b., a bravo 1 or bravo 1lt, or an enzo trapper 95 which world you go with? I'm torn between the 3 and trying to decide. Thanks
I bought the bob, and thou I did have a few issues initially I got it replaced and I couldn't be happier now. The bob is an awesome knife. The bk16 is too thou, the way I looked at was if I got the 16 I'd have to replace the sheath with kydex. So now ontop of the $75 for the 16 you have $40 for a custom sheath, then I'm not fond of the grivory handles so in comes g10 handles for $55. Now you have $75 knife, $40 for a sheath, and $55 for handles. Now you have $170 invested in the bk16. The bob costs $120 and you get all the extras included.
+MississipVol i am a proud owner of this knife and even after some pretty hard use its still rasersharp great knife good sheath but striking a ferro-rod with it could be easier
Are you still planning on doing a review of the SOG Kiku fixed blade? I remember you saying that you had it coming up this summer in a comment on that video.
This is an old video. If you get a chance, let me know your thoughts in the present day (2022) and if you could, compare this knife to the Becker BK16 and the Lionsteel M5.
Like the bag and love the knife :) I wish it was 5-5.5" though. I agree with the price point and love that it already has a decent kydex sheet, fero rod, and most of all g10 scales!
Nice chest pack brother. What's the brand? Can it drop a little lower so it does not restrict my breathing when climbing mountains with a multiday pack on? I would love any input you can give me. I think It would come in handy on long backpacking trips. Thanks and great review. You definately do not buy, show and tell. I can tell you use your knives for a long period then review. Thoughtful review.
you all probably dont give a damn but does anybody know of a way to get back into an Instagram account..? I was stupid lost my login password. I would appreciate any tips you can offer me.
@Sincere Jaxton I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
***** For a lite weight blade, I like the Lite Trekker better then the BOB. The BOB will baton and chop better, but the Lite Trekker will do everything else better.
Nutin fancy did a review of this knife and wasn't real high on it but he kept having a problem with the "bushcraft" POU. I also don't think he used it much
Nutin fancy is a douche bag, one of those dbags that thinks he's better than everyone else. Fuck that dude, and fuck his lame, biased reviews. I avoid his videos like the plague because I refuse to support him in even the smallest way.
NutNFancy will give 10 gold stars towards a pizza party. To a pound of dog shit if it means he gets some cash out of it. Seen him review the Seiko SNE 107 watch. He gave it non-stop high praise. I looked up what people had to say. They said it was a bag of out of time dicks on thier wrist. The guy was a Chair Force Pilot. His skills are limited to his olive drab dreams. I have started to notice a lot of these youtube bushcraft wizards. Are just product marketers. Its rare to come across someone with real credentials. I would bet money most of these guys might do a little 4x4 camping. With day hikes. How would I know they a flakes?Where are their videos of their personal experiences? Not a gear review. But, instead a trip planning and execution. Base to peak. Shut up about your gear we can see it already. Let people ask questions. Something never talked about is pace. In survival its good to have things to do. It occupies the mind from insanity. Everyone seems to be in a rush in their fantasy bug out. Not going to happen anytime soon.
First off this is the first video of yours that I have ever watched and I must say you do a great job on reviews, I like the detail you put into this vid. On to the knife though, I bought one of the standard ones with the brown canvas micarda handle and it should be in the mail tomorrow, I'm certainly looking forward to testing it but in the mean time I've been checking out reviews which is how I found your channel. Anyway I have the cold steel recon scout with sk-5 high carbon steel which I love as my larger survival knife but I was wanting something a bit shorter for different applications such as fine wood carving, snares, preparing food and just any thing that I feel my recon scout is too large for plus I would consider my recon scout a survival knife not bushcraft while the tops bob seems like it would be a fantastic choice for bushcraft which is a hobby I am interested in getting in to. Anyway I don't have much to say but great job once again on the video and I may add comments later as to how the knife works in the field for me once I receive and test it.
gideonstactical Yeah I have hade it for several days now and I love it. Feels great in the hand and it comes razor sharp. It is a little heavy for a knife it's size which makes my mora a little better for smaller more delicate tasks, BUT the size also adds advantages that my more doesn't have. I certainly think it has it's place and I certainly do not regret the purchase.
No on the Garberg IMO, I've owned two and I'm looking to sale mine again. I bought into the hype , its way to thick for the grind they put on that thing. I ain't saying its not a good capable blade but I rather use the Bushcraft black or Mora #2 . The Bob has a much better relief edge from what I can tell ESP the belly section. The Garberg used to be my goto knife but after I started using it more and more I grew frustrated with the design. The grind wall where the belly makes its upsweep isn't right , its way to thick . I'm either selling mine or I might just try turning it into a full convex .
+Daniel Claydon I would not. The blade is too wide and the angel on not the best, you will find it cuts like your strongarm. If you are looking for a bushcraft knife you want it to be thinner then the strongarm. Some suggestions would be the BK16, Mora HD Companion, TOPS Dragonfly 4.5, or TOPS Shango XL would be a good place to start.
Nice looking knife, I looked at it but didn't end up getting it. I have a BOB and the blades didn't seem different enough for me to justify the cost. If you have a strongarm, you've got the beefy knife covered, look at a Mora, they'd be a nice pair.
It depends on what you are looking for in a knife. The ESEE6 is a "SURVIVAL" knife. It can baton, chop, and carve well, the BOB is a bushcraft/camp knife. It will not baton or chop as well as the ESEE6, but it will carve better and be easier to use in you hand for long use. Both great knife, but will excel at different things.
Update: this knife is the worst knife I have ever owned. I have K-bar Beckers, Jokers, Lionsteel and other Tops Knives (Idaho Hunter). I beat this knife once and dulled it pretty bad in one day. Impossible to resharpen. I’ve tried different methods and have wasted a ton of time. Never in my life have I ever had so much difficulty sharpening a knife. I hate this knife. Also, it rusts faster than anything. If you drip sweat on this thing it will rust. Did I mention that I hate this knife?
Maybe it was a bad heat treat? I agree the beckers, bk16 and the harpoon, Ive had and used both. The beckers are thinner and do dinner work better. Question: what application did you attempt, that leads you to dislike this knife? Just curious...the shango end does work, but it was not real functional for me. I coated the notch with fingernail polish, the tip strikes a ferro like a dream. I had the original beckers with that black traction (hate that crap), stripped them, and did a mustard patina. Upkeep on 1095; I dont use 'oils', I use chapstick. Food grade and I wipe it off before use for food prep, then clean and re-apply. No issues, and I live 10minutes from the Atlantic Ocean Coast. Soooo...🤷♂️
1095 hc is a workhorse, and it's like heaven sharpening one, especially compared to a stainless. But yea, this thing will rust if you don't oil it in humid areas. I've seen some people put a decent patina on it to protect a bit more against corrosion (I have the tumble, non-coated version). Incidentally, to anyone looking for the 154cm, Amazon has a couple vendors selling them for about $154
gideonstactical Hi I am from Chile and I need a good knife, I have seen every review you have performed on "Hall of Champions Fixed Blades" I could not currently find the GSO-5 to buy from any means, it is not in stock. I would like to know your opinion, because it is better to consider that the GSO-5 to the BoB Tops Fieldcraft. I would like also to thank you for your review, they have served me well. My apologies for my English, because I speak Spanish. Best regards
Thank you for the support of GT. I am glad the videos help. The gso-5 is a great blade but they make them in batches so there could be months where they are not available. I would recommend going the there site and getting on their newsletter. It is sent out every month and tells you when knives will be available. With that said the bob is a great second option. I hope that helps.
why they didnt put a 90 on spine is beyond me... well i know the reason.. its $$ but TOPS coulda charged a few extra bucks & noone woulda flinched... I have one im thnkn taking the coating off putting 90 on spine
Its to soft ...Differential heat treatment so its not about $ cause it takes way longer than a simple grinder . Personally I like part of my spine sharp for removing bark and making fire tender but for a fire steel I don't bother with it. I've never owned a Tops but I'm trying to decide on one , most likely the Brakimo or Bob ....The brakimo is a wicked cool shape but the Bobs grip looks more comfortable to use . I have a couple more I like but they don't have kydex sheaths only nylon trash, that's a huge let down IMHO.
Before anyone spends their hard earned dollars on one of these you should probably hold one and ask yourself if it worth over 100 dollars. I held one yesterday and I am not impressed that it is 1095 and the canvas or linen micarta made my hands feel as dry as the Sahara. The sheath looked like it belongs on a 10 dollar knife. If you think about the price of this knife you could easily buy 5 Mora Companions, 6 Opinels, or 3 Buck 110’s. For that price it should be D2 or A2. Hell, some supersteel knives are less expensive. I feel this knife retails for at least 200 percent more than it should.
This is now in 154CM and is a good knife for sure. I’m actually picking mine up later today. The 1095 version has proven its self but the new blade steel changes things. 154CM is almost the same exactly steel as 1095. What makes it different than 1095 is that 154CM has 14% chromium making it stainless. 1095 Cro Van only has around 0.6% chromium. Well that’s my understand anyway. Lol. I’m far from a metallurgist or knife designer.
This is great man. It’s pure bliss to look back and realize how your skills have improved! Both in creating feathersticks and camerawork. 😉
This is one of my favourite knives as well, have had it for almost 2 years and have only had to lightly strop it to maintain its factory edge. Mine was the original with the tan canvas micarta. The one thing you forgot to mention is that the oversized lanyard is also a bullet puller for up to a 30 cal cartridge. Awesome review, I love to see someone so genuinely excited about product, makes the review that much more exciting to watch!
I love that knife...here in Canada with shipping the price is about 210$ CND.... expensive but very well design and amazing knife. Tops knifes are amazing! Good video! thanks for sharing.
I had this knife for about 8 months now and it's amazing!
Hey Gideon,
Nice thorough review (as usual)! This week, I just purchased a TOPS BOB Fieldcraft Knife (in tumbled finish without the coating), and I'm looking forward to the chance to use it! I like to watch your knife reviews because you also demonstrate the knife ïn-action' and do some education along the way. You are a PRO! Thanks for all you do and may God Bless you and your family!
Awesome!! Really appreciate it
Great video. I have had mine for years and it’s one of my favourites. I disagree with you on the shango notch. For me it’s useless. I use the back of the blade at the tip which works for me. Also much safer when you don’t want to take the sheath off your belt. Price wise it’s much more expensive here in the UK depending on the version £150-£200.
Want one, haha! I love your knife reviews man. Every knife I have bought has been off the back of your reviews and haven't been disappointed yet! Awesome keep up the good work man!
Thanks so much Kevin, that makes me so happy. That is why I started the channel was to help you all make good purchasing decisions.
Just picked up my 1st B.O.B. Great review for a great knife. Well done, Aron.
wow. That shower of sparks from the shango notch was amazing! It was raining hot metal onto the tinder!!
Oh ya, it rocks!
a gimmick that's not required. Great blade though
I've never seen the striker used in that fashion before sir, very interesting. Learned another way to use it. I keep the bob in a stationery position, blade facing up, and pull the ferro rod back. throwing my sparks into my tender. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, techniques, and opinion on this awesome blade.
Brad Barber Thanks Brad, I will give your way a shot too!
What a great knife. Scandi is the best for mid size knives. My system at the moment is the Esee Izula as backup/small task/neck knife, Mora Bushcraft Black as my mid size whittler and utility (a bit like the BOB but a bit less stout) and either a Gransfors Wildlife hatchet or Ontario SP8 as my main processor and chopper.
Nice!
That bushcraft black is pretty good for game processing game
A good knife like this need a good leather sheathing with likely also space for a fiskars sav, it goes soundless through, and why not a Viking sling.
So good, I got 2 of them! One in green/blk g10 and one in red/blk g10. Use one for a beater, the other for "reserve". Love tops products. Still have a bk2 and bk7, modded, but imho the bob? I gave the bk16 and the bk harpoon away. The bob isnt as slicy for food prep, but it'll do it. And way more. And yes, the extras make it a way more utilitarian tool. Ive since received more tops knives, and for "survival"? One tool option, I still like the bob. 🤔👍
Hi Aaron, I really depends how hard and brittle the steel is the harder the steel and it holds a better edge retention but it's more brittle to chip especially on a larger scandi grind because the zero grind the edge is very thin also, but here's food for thought, I just got three Traditional Norwegian Kniv's, I always wanted Leuku ever since I was made aware of the Leuku, I got mine made by Stromeng, it's the KS. 9 and it's a 9" blade, the Saame a Indigenous People live by the Leuku and use it for everything from skinning game to slicing bread, and even give their. Hilden a knife at the age of 7'-8 years of age, to them it's a one knife carry tool, the sheath carries the full lenght of the knife because they don't want to lose their knife in the wilderness, my 5 " Leuku KS 5 is made out if Sandvik 12c27 Stainless Steel and so is my Buhku (LIL) STAK I got them from Ragweed Forge Jim is a very knowledgeable guy to talk about knives since he use to forge knives himself, anyhow Stromeng won't say what type of carbon steel they use and knives 7" and up are carbon syeel, but I googled what type of carbon steel Norwegian Carbon Knives were made of and it said blades of .5% carbon, because all three knives I got they're Tradition Custom Made and all three have the Scandi Grind, and .you KS. 9 is a very good chopper but then again I think our wood is harder than the Nordic Wood I read their wood is softer, but regardles the scandi grind isn't a high scandi and the reason doesn't chip is because of the lower carbon we're use to in our knives, one of my all time favorite knife similar to the Top's B.O.B. are my Swamp Rat's my Rodent 4 and my Ratmandu now I even got the Rodent 6 from their Custom Shop I had it thinned down and the top gaurd taken off and now it look's like a beefy Ratmandu on steriods it became my favorite 6" blade, but the Tops B.OB. has sparked my intetest, do you find that the handles are different between G-10 and the Micarta Handles and which do you like better, Thanx Aaron.
Just put one on layaway. Can't wait to get it out!
BOB is still one of my fav today
Love Tops knives my wifes edc is the Tops Cochise. I have the Tracker. Thank you for the vid. STAY FROSTY.
Thanks!
What angle do you (or anyone one else that own the B.O.B.) prefer to sharpen your B.O.B.? TOPS stated that they utilize 25 degree angle (per each side) to sharpen all their knives with Skandi varient grinds.
I am hoping to get the one with the black G10 and the black Micarta scales hopefully at the end of the week or the next and I hope that they are as good as I've heard they are. I need a couple more reliable knives for the backwoods here in Kentucky.I am also hoping that they both are 1095, but if not I guess I will have to be satisfied with one being 154 cm stainless steel.
I'm newer to the bushcraft stuff and have taken a few classes. I'm fortunate to not have to worry about a budget as much as many but I do not want to over spend on something. I commonly carry a folding saw, and a little mora for fine work (putside of a folder I have in my pocket). I am torn between a few knives. This TOPS bob being 1, the becker BK22 being another, and the ESEE laser or 6, and finally the SURV TAC 7. I mostly need a harder duty camp blade that can split wood(baton) and take a beating, but the less I can carry the better. Thank you so much for taking the time to inform us with these videos. Any input you can give me would be appreciated and sorry for the long post.
God Bless
Tony Desouza I would recommend the ESEE6 or BK22. My BK22 is indestructible, but the ESEE6 comes with a better sheath, it is better for long carving tasks, and a better warranty. I hope that helps.
Chiming in here as I just received this exact knife. It's sharp, it's nice and I am anxious to use it as I'm sure it's going to be just fine for working outside. I'm pretty disappointed in the sheath. All the videos never cited this but my knife is almost impossible to remove from the sheath. I have had custom sheath makers (AZWELKE) AND Armatus Carry Solutions disappoint in this same fashion where I have to heat gun every sheath they make ( I am never buying kydex sheaths from them anymore btw...) but a high end production knife arriving like this is a bummer.
I am lefthanded. Do you think I could remove the spring clip from the sheath and drill a hole and move the clip to the other side…thus making it a leftie-sheath.
I just got my new Bob knife in the mail yesterday feels good nice fit and finish I like the high carbon steel for taking an edge but I'm looking at it a little closer I'm really disappointed with the sheath it came in broken cracked and fact I contacted tops and they referred me to seller saying that it was their shipping method and that it should have been shipped in a hard-sided container rather than it envelope my thought on this is it it it can survive the u.s. mail it's not going to survive in the field.
Man I miss this style of your videos. Before 300 individual clips stitched together in one video. This is so much easier to watch
Thanks for the feedback back, I have been trying to do some more old school styles stuff.
Thanks, I'm new to knives and really appreciate your opinions, this might be my next purchase based on your review. I've strutted between the beckers and esses but tops bob might just be the one.
You won't regret it!
What large knife would you add with it to make a perfect combo?
Becker BK9 or Ontario SP-51
Great review as always! Any thoughts on a side by side comparison between the BOB and the Ontario Blackbird?
what is the "walk up" that you are talking about? I interpret that as lifting the blade up a bit after dethatching the handle from the sheath. But I am not sure if I am interpreting that correctly. And if so, why do you need to walk it up? are you trying to avoid cutting the other hand?
Is that the hill people gear kit bag?
I currently carry the ESEE6 as my main knife but want to pair it with a smaller companion blade. I was thinking about the smaller TOPS Fieldcraft, Kabar BK16 or Ontario Rat3 but want some other suggestions. Any input is appreciated. Thanks.
The tops will not strike a firesteel due to the differential heat treatment. Thats why i personally don't like it.
I have heard great things about the bk16 tho.
One of the best knifes after Bark River and Fällkniven.
For bushcraft and general camp tasks, which would you choose between this and the Survive GSO-5 (which I'm assuming is going to be very similar to the upcoming GSO-5.1)? Also, if you have experience with them, compare the Ontario Bushcrafter & Blackbird knives, please
I have the BOB in 154CM steel, it's a great knife!
is it hard to resharpen?
I have two. One in SS and one in CS. I love them! But! Don’t be fooled. There are issues. The Shango notch is a joke and it’s dangerous to use. NO other reviewer is going to tell you it works. It doesn’t. However the tip of the spine does work well for throwing sparks. The only the notch does is that it scrapes fat wood pretty good. Also the belt clip on the sheath is junk. I replaced the sheaths on both of my knives
with a leather after market sheath. The ferro rod is ok for an emergency but replaced those as well. The knife itself is amazing and is currently my field carry. For the notch watch other reviews to see how badly it performs. Just have the right expectations and you’ll be happy. Even the other brother of the BOB team uses the tip of the spine to spark.
Ok question for you, after all the use you put this thing thru what did the edge look like? And have you had to resharpen it and if so using what?
Only reason I ask is I bought one and the edge was severely chipped out the box, took it back and exchanged it and that one was fine until I used it. I ONLY stripped a 12"long x 2.5"diameter dried oak log of its bark, then started carving the surface and smoothing it out to get a feel for the edge geometry. After about 15 minutes I noticed it wasn't biting the wood as well..I stopped gave it a wipe down and was shocked at what I saw. The edge was blown apart, severely chipped and rolled where it wasn't chipped from just that lil use.
Thinking maybe they burnt the factory edge I sharpened out all the chips using stones first but they didn't work well due to the factory convexish secondary bevel, I'd be too much time trying to make a true scandi, so then i switched to sand paper and a mouse pad to attempt matching the factory convex. Which still didn't turn out quite like the factory edge, but was sharp and the chips were gone.
Well that edge fell apart too, it took 3 sharpenings to stop the edge from chipping from just carving, but started again the minute I batoned it. So far I have sharpened it 6 times at various angles slowly widening it each time to try making it stronger. Yet it still chips batoning or chopping.
I expected a long lasting edge without chips from all the reviews I read and watched.
From all the videos I have watched on this knife I think I made a good buy on mine. A guy came through the bow shop the other day and I gave him $50 for a bob and a silver stag knife. Good video
Whats the best way to unsheathe the knife? Im having issues, and Im concerned it may be too tight, unless I am doing something wrong.
Use the thumb assist with the handle hand... *note keep your other hand clear of the opening as the knife unsheathes but hold the kydex with your other hand as you unsheath . I did this over and over again for a couple of days. If you do that (sheath, unsheathe) the kydex breaks in and then you get perfect retention and easy removal effectually with one handed removal/thumb assist. It wears perfectly in this way.
Thank you. I still hate it tho. Im looking into leather. I want something that is fast and easy. But Ill still keep the original sheath.
Did you ever solve the problem with the sheath? I’d watch a few vids on how to make a Kydex knife sheath especially the parts on heating the Kydex with a heat gun. You could probably heat the Kydex in the retention area and loosen its tight grip on the knife by wrapping the knife in tape in that tight area and reforming or remolding the heated Kydex by clamping it in a press. As long as you don’t burn or melt or over heat the Kydex, you can keep reforming it until it fits good. However, there’s always the chance you’ll ruin it. Maybe you could buy a small sheet of Kydex and make your own sheath.
@ 7.07 ... "That's a Bingo!"
would you take this over the GSO-5? or which design would you choose if both came in cpm 3v?
out of everyone on youtube you do my favorite knife reviews. even better than nutnfancy
Man, thank you so much for the big complement.
no problem man. thank u. ive bought a lot of knives based on youre reviews and don't regret a one
That makes me really happy to hear!
Good review. I own the TOPS BOB and love it.
Thanks superbug1977
how is the sheath attatched to the kit bag? thanks.
Should i get the bob or the tom brown tracker
Will I do anything better than a mini condor Hudson Bay knife? Is it worth $140 bucks when there are a lot of knives under 100?
This knife performs very well.
Love all 3 of mine!
I wish that I had a store like bladehq or knifeworks here in Illinois. While the videos like this are helpful it's ultimately how a knife feels in my hand that matters. I've bought so many knives online including esee 4 only to sell them on ebay when I didn't like the feel. I may just have to use some vacation time to go to dedicated knife stores to handle several like this one and buy what feels right.
Thanks so much for the review!
I’m 100% getting this one, based on many many factors.
It just sucks that I can’t find any place in Denmark to buy it :/
Aaron torn between the BOB and the ESEE 6. Any feedback?
Esee6 all day long
+gideonstactical Would you say that because of the size variance, or other reasons? I have the ESEE 6, but I like the Scandi grind on the Bob and was considering it instead of an ESEE 5.
+gideonstactical i love Esee so much that's my go to blade but I just went outside to mail box and my tops BOB g10 white/black handle came today and I have to say for $119 bucks from Blade Hq I was extremely happy. I can't say anything bad about this knofe expect I'm not a fan of the ferro rod striker on the pummel it doesn't work to great but other than that, I think the knife is amazing. Tops really did well with this knife. Thanks to your review I will be ordering more tops blades soon. This week I will get either the tops Scandi Trekker or the Esee jg3, which do you think I should go with Arron?
what type of knee pad's you are wearing? ...I need some good value one's for similar climate/tirrain.
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
What is your all time favorite knife. Probably esee 6?
That is one of my favorites.
I have this and the Esee 6. I favor the Tops BOB just a margin more due only to size but otherwise, quality is equal. The BOB is an excellent tool in every way.
+Patriot Bill I just received a BOB yesterday and I already have an ESEE 6. Like you, I like them both, but the BOB seems better balanced and feels better in my hand. Also the difference in the grinds makes them both essential as tools to me. I'm looking at a TOPS Trekker as maybe my next blade or the Mini Scandi. Both would complement the BOB.
+edward harding Both are great tools. I think once you get some time behind that BOB you'll find it even better. I won't trade my Esee 6 or my BOB. Love 'em. Aren't choices great ? Be safe and enjoy Edward.
How would this knife compare to the becker line of knives? Or the condor crotalus.
Jarett McKown This knife is of higher quality then the Condor 1075 steel and has a better fit and finish as well as sheath then the Becker line.
So should I get the bob or esse 5
if you had to choose between the b.o.b., a bravo 1 or bravo 1lt, or an enzo trapper 95 which world you go with? I'm torn between the 3 and trying to decide. Thanks
bob3326 I have only used the BOB so that is my only frame of reference.
gideonstactical what about the b.o.b.or the bk16? Looking at pure performance one to the other.
bob3326 I would like to know that too! Is the Bob worth the extra money?
I bought the bob, and thou I did have a few issues initially I got it replaced and I couldn't be happier now. The bob is an awesome knife. The bk16 is too thou, the way I looked at was if I got the 16 I'd have to replace the sheath with kydex. So now ontop of the $75 for the 16 you have $40 for a custom sheath, then I'm not fond of the grivory handles so in comes g10 handles for $55. Now you have $75 knife, $40 for a sheath, and $55 for handles. Now you have $170 invested in the bk16. The bob costs $120 and you get all the extras included.
+MississipVol
i am a proud owner of this knife and even after some pretty hard use its still rasersharp
great knife good sheath but striking a ferro-rod with it could be easier
Are you still planning on doing a review of the SOG Kiku fixed blade? I remember you saying that you had it coming up this summer in a comment on that video.
This is an old video. If you get a chance, let me know your thoughts in the present day (2022) and if you could, compare this knife to the Becker BK16 and the Lionsteel M5.
The gloves?
what gloves are you using in this video?
How did it last until today? Super nice review!
Like the bag and love the knife :) I wish it was 5-5.5" though. I agree with the price point and love that it already has a decent kydex sheet, fero rod, and most of all g10 scales!
RIght on.
@@gideonstactical ú
Nice chest pack brother. What's the brand? Can it drop a little lower so it does not restrict my breathing when climbing mountains with a multiday pack on? I would love any input you can give me. I think It would come in handy on long backpacking trips. Thanks and great review.
You definately do not buy, show and tell. I can tell you use your knives for a long period then review. Thoughtful review.
I like that chest pack you're wearing, what is it?
The Hill People Original Kit Bag
Thanks nice reveiw
Great video of the BOB. What chest bag were you wearing? Btw I subscribed.
Thanks and welcome to the GT family! It is The Hill People Front Pack. Watch my review of it in my gear playlist.
you all probably dont give a damn but does anybody know of a way to get back into an Instagram account..?
I was stupid lost my login password. I would appreciate any tips you can offer me.
@Sebastian Miller instablaster =)
@Sincere Jaxton I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
@Sincere Jaxton It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thanks so much you really help me out :D
Hey Gideon what are the gloves you are using?
They look like deerskin.....
Tops bob, Esee 5 or Esee6? Thanks for your video!
ESEE6 is one of the best all around blades.
Great knife!
True!
TOPS BOB or Lite Trekker for overall camping/hiking/fire making use?
***** For a lite weight blade, I like the Lite Trekker better then the BOB. The BOB will baton and chop better, but the Lite Trekker will do everything else better.
gideonstactical
thanks!
How about EDC ? TO small ? To big ?
Tops Bob x bahco laplander or esee 6
Nutin fancy did a review of this knife and wasn't real high on it but he kept having a problem with the "bushcraft" POU. I also don't think he used it much
Jack Bauer I felt the same way in that nutn didn't give it enough use or credit.
Nutin fancy is a douche bag, one of those dbags that thinks he's better than everyone else. Fuck that dude, and fuck his lame, biased reviews. I avoid his videos like the plague because I refuse to support him in even the smallest way.
lifesyphon1 I agree he is full of himself, biased, and an all around "know it all"...and he rides a gay-ass motorcyle.
nut n Fancy sucks it and swallows, He is fancy and wants what he's advertising.
NutNFancy will give 10 gold stars towards a pizza party. To a pound of dog shit if it means he gets some cash out of it.
Seen him review the Seiko SNE 107 watch. He gave it non-stop high praise. I looked up what people had to say. They said it was a bag of out of time dicks on thier wrist.
The guy was a Chair Force Pilot. His skills are limited to his olive drab dreams.
I have started to notice a lot of these youtube bushcraft wizards. Are just product marketers. Its rare to come across someone with real credentials. I would bet money most of these guys might do a little 4x4 camping. With day hikes. How would I know they a flakes?Where are their videos of their personal experiences? Not a gear review. But, instead a trip planning and execution. Base to peak. Shut up about your gear we can see it already. Let people ask questions.
Something never talked about is pace. In survival its good to have things to do. It occupies the mind from insanity. Everyone seems to be in a rush in their fantasy bug out.
Not going to happen anytime soon.
First off this is the first video of yours that I have ever watched and I must say you do a great job on reviews, I like the detail you put into this vid. On to the knife though, I bought one of the standard ones with the brown canvas micarda handle and it should be in the mail tomorrow, I'm certainly looking forward to testing it but in the mean time I've been checking out reviews which is how I found your channel. Anyway I have the cold steel recon scout with sk-5 high carbon steel which I love as my larger survival knife but I was wanting something a bit shorter for different applications such as fine wood carving, snares, preparing food and just any thing that I feel my recon scout is too large for plus I would consider my recon scout a survival knife not bushcraft while the tops bob seems like it would be a fantastic choice for bushcraft which is a hobby I am interested in getting in to.
Anyway I don't have much to say but great job once again on the video and I may add comments later as to how the knife works in the field for me once I receive and test it.
survivalknowledge123 Sweet and glad you enjoy the channel. I think you love your bob.
gideonstactical Yeah I have hade it for several days now and I love it. Feels great in the hand and it comes razor sharp. It is a little heavy for a knife it's size which makes my mora a little better for smaller more delicate tasks, BUT the size also adds advantages that my more doesn't have. I certainly think it has it's place and I certainly do not regret the purchase.
Little late on this but price aside, Garberg or this?
No on the Garberg IMO, I've owned two and I'm looking to sale mine again. I bought into the hype , its way to thick for the grind they put on that thing. I ain't saying its not a good capable blade but I rather use the Bushcraft black or Mora #2 .
The Bob has a much better relief edge from what I can tell ESP the belly section. The Garberg used to be my goto knife but after I started using it more and more I grew frustrated with the design. The grind wall where the belly makes its upsweep isn't right , its way to thick .
I'm either selling mine or I might just try turning it into a full convex .
Getting it getting it getting
Sweet!
This blade can bend if batoned
Unfortunately, this is not covered by the TOPS warranty.
TOPS Knives
Anybody know what the difference between this and the b.o.b. hunter?
I have a gerber strongarm, considering this as bushcraft knife, any suggestions?
+Daniel Claydon I would not. The blade is too wide and the angel on not the best, you will find it cuts like your strongarm. If you are looking for a bushcraft knife you want it to be thinner then the strongarm. Some suggestions would be the BK16, Mora HD Companion, TOPS Dragonfly 4.5, or TOPS Shango XL would be a good place to start.
Ok, thanks very much, nearly bought it! Love your channel!
Which knife would you consider best for bushcraft/camp tasks? (Out of the ones you suggested)
I have done some research and thinking about getting a benchmade bushcrafter 162. Any ideas on how well it will perform as a bushcraft knife?
Nice looking knife, I looked at it but didn't end up getting it. I have a BOB and the blades didn't seem different enough for me to justify the cost. If you have a strongarm, you've got the beefy knife covered, look at a Mora, they'd be a nice pair.
What brand of bag is that?
The Hill People Gear Kit Bag. Review coming tomorrow!
This or an esee6 ??
It depends on what you are looking for in a knife. The ESEE6 is a "SURVIVAL" knife. It can baton, chop, and carve well, the BOB is a bushcraft/camp knife. It will not baton or chop as well as the ESEE6, but it will carve better and be easier to use in you hand for long use. Both great knife, but will excel at different things.
@@gideonstactical you never chop with a 6 inch blade buy a fucking machete or axe if you want to chop.
Obviously price asside, would you buy this one or survive! Knives 5.0?
Very tough call, I would say the GSO-4.1, over the others you asked about.
Would you take over a Glock 19?
Looks like an awesome blade. How do you sharpen a scandi vs. Non scandi?
Update: this knife is the worst knife I have ever owned. I have K-bar Beckers, Jokers, Lionsteel and other Tops Knives (Idaho Hunter). I beat this knife once and dulled it pretty bad in one day. Impossible to resharpen. I’ve tried different methods and have wasted a ton of time. Never in my life have I ever had so much difficulty sharpening a knife. I hate this knife. Also, it rusts faster than anything. If you drip sweat on this thing it will rust. Did I mention that I hate this knife?
Maybe it was a bad heat treat? I agree the beckers, bk16 and the harpoon, Ive had and used both. The beckers are thinner and do dinner work better. Question: what application did you attempt, that leads you to dislike this knife? Just curious...the shango end does work, but it was not real functional for me. I coated the notch with fingernail polish, the tip strikes a ferro like a dream. I had the original beckers with that black traction (hate that crap), stripped them, and did a mustard patina. Upkeep on 1095; I dont use 'oils', I use chapstick. Food grade and I wipe it off before use for food prep, then clean and re-apply. No issues, and I live 10minutes from the Atlantic Ocean Coast. Soooo...🤷♂️
TOPS Bring your own beer!
I like the shape of the knife and everything but they should do this knife in stainlee steel just saying good review though
i was looking for the 154cm model but havent seen it anywhere, even in tops website... do you know if the price is different?
@@DeadCanto it costs more. Knives plus has it.
1095 hc is a workhorse, and it's like heaven sharpening one, especially compared to a stainless. But yea, this thing will rust if you don't oil it in humid areas. I've seen some people put a decent patina on it to protect a bit more against corrosion (I have the tumble, non-coated version). Incidentally, to anyone looking for the 154cm, Amazon has a couple vendors selling them for about $154
I got the same knee pads from home depot nice cheap pads.
sweet!
gideonstactical I was thinking about sewing them in a knee pocket on my pants might work out ok huh?
Oh ya
gideonstactical Thats what I had in mind brother. Thanks, take care & keep up the great vids my friend.
Or the 4.0
90 degree spine for fire steel nobody in there right mind would use the edge .
"SAVES YOUR EDGE???" wtf are you talking about. Spine of the knife to throw sparks. Never the blade. C'mon.
GSO-5 v/s BOB Fieldcraft ??
Camilo Donoso GSO-5
gideonstactical Hi I am from Chile and I need a good knife, I have seen every review you have performed on "Hall of Champions Fixed Blades" I could not currently find the GSO-5 to buy from any means, it is not in stock. I would like to know your opinion, because it is better to consider that the GSO-5 to the BoB Tops Fieldcraft. I would like also to thank you for your review, they have served me well. My apologies for my English, because I speak Spanish.
Best regards
Thank you for the support of GT. I am glad the videos help. The gso-5 is a great blade but they make them in batches so there could be months where they are not available. I would recommend going the there site and getting on their newsletter. It is sent out every month and tells you when knives will be available. With that said the bob is a great second option. I hope that helps.
Good Show Bro....!! > 🙂
Thanks ✌
You re knife is doll man
lol *tree screams*
haha
why they didnt put a 90 on spine is beyond me... well i know the reason.. its $$ but TOPS coulda charged a few extra bucks & noone woulda flinched... I have one im thnkn taking the coating off putting 90 on spine
Its to soft ...Differential heat treatment so its not about $ cause it takes way longer than a simple grinder . Personally I like part of my spine sharp for removing bark and making fire tender but for a fire steel I don't bother with it.
I've never owned a Tops but I'm trying to decide on one , most likely the Brakimo or Bob ....The brakimo is a wicked cool shape but the Bobs grip looks more comfortable to use . I have a couple more I like but they don't have kydex sheaths only nylon trash, that's a huge let down IMHO.
Tops bob or brakimo
I cant keep mine sharp! It's hard to sharp!
why is your channel named Gideon's tactical if your name is Aaron?
It’s not a Scandi grind.
At first you said the knife is not tactical. Later you say the knife is tactical....
Before anyone spends their hard earned dollars on one of these you should probably hold one and ask yourself if it worth over 100 dollars. I held one yesterday and I am not impressed that it is 1095 and the canvas or linen micarta made my hands feel as dry as the Sahara. The sheath looked like it belongs on a 10 dollar knife. If you think about the price of this knife you could easily buy 5 Mora Companions, 6 Opinels, or 3 Buck 110’s. For that price it should be D2 or A2. Hell, some supersteel knives are less expensive. I feel this knife retails for at least 200 percent more than it should.
That's the name of the game today. Turn out ideas faster than they are proven. And fixed blade knives no longer come with a good sheath.
This is now in 154CM and is a good knife for sure. I’m actually picking mine up later today. The 1095 version has proven its self but the new blade steel changes things. 154CM is almost the same exactly steel as 1095. What makes it different than 1095 is that 154CM has 14% chromium making it stainless. 1095 Cro Van only has around 0.6% chromium. Well that’s my understand anyway. Lol. I’m far from a metallurgist or knife designer.