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576 requests
Product Description
Fixed blade knives are TOPS’ bread and butter. But the Mini Scandi folding knife’s solid execution is testament to the company’s ability to diversify its offerings Read More
I got this knife on the last drop and the blade grind was, imo not acceptable. I contacted Tops Knives directly and have to say that their customer service is phenomenal. Within minutes of my email I was in contact with a customer service representative and they sent me a new knife. The replacement is spot on. I'm completely understanding of production discrepancies and that nobody is perfect. My overall impression of Tops Knives is that they make a robust quality knife and care about their customers.
Nice-looking, apparently robust knife and seems like a decent price at $92.74 including US postage; you can preorder on SMKW with a 10% off coupon that totals $92.48. I wonder whether the complaints I've heard about their fixed-blades (TOPS BOB) apply here as well? Those being:
1. Not a true Scandi?
2. Not a flat 90º grind on the spine?
Not crazy about the clip, doesn't seem quite like a match for the overall aesthetic. Also, NB, unlike with most MD knife drops that fail to state the country of origin, this knife appears to be made in Italy (Maserin), not China.
Like the knife's design, but not crazy about the fiberboard appearance of the scales. Is this desirable to others? Kind of gives it a cheap Home Depot kind of feel.
glennacI'm a big fan of micarta. If you're unfamiliar, it has an interesting, clothlike texture but its still hard plastic. But yeah, the color's a little cardboardy. I think the material changes color a bit when it's handled a lot. I wonder how the colors change?
blendergasketPut a drop of vegetable oil on the handle and rub it in. The handle darkens and shows what looks to be 5 years of patina. The oil soaks in or evaporates and....
The micaeta returns to normal after a few hours.
UPDATE: I've had this knife for about 5 months and I still love it, HOWEVER... It took me three tries before I got one that didn't have a bent blade or liners. Apparently there was/is an issue at the factory which I suspect might be behind the last drop not making. But I worked with TOPS directly and they were very helpful and eventually made things right. So check your blade and liners carefully for any deviations.
That said, this is one of the sharpest knives I own. As it has already been pointed out, this is not a 'true' scandi grind because of a micro bevel, but that doesn't effect the performance one bit. I wonder if smaller folding knives with thinner blade stocks just have inherent issues with that particular grind. It's the same story with my Spyderco Nilakka and there's an interesting thread on their forum where Sal himself explains why it was necessary to halt production and add a micro bevel to prevent rolling.
All said, this is a unique combination of materials and design that would make a nice addition for casual collectors. There are far too few folders with micarta scales, in my opinion.
I'm concerned about the liner lock. not even a frame lock? despite the better steel, I think I'd go with something like the cold steel finn wolf just based on the superior lock.
I bought one of these a little over a year ago. I already owned another knife in the Bohler N690 Cobalt steel and love it based on my own experience with it. This one hasn't let me down, either. In a year of sometimes hard use, I haven't had to re-sharpen it once...only quickly run a ceramic across it or strop it every now and then.
As much as I like the knife (and it is my EDC folder), I wouldn't necessarily consider it a "steal" at $90. You can get a good knife for less and probably be happy, especially if you aren't a TOPS fan. You can also pay a lot more $ for a lot less knife and end up with something nowhere near as universally functional as this little pocket puukko. Your $; your call.
I just received the following very frustrating update:
Hello,We are reaching out regarding your order for the TOPS Mini Scandi Folding Knife.It has been brought to our attention that the item you ordered has become backordered, and we do not know if more inventory will become available. Since we are unable to guarantee that we will receive this item from the vendor, we had to cancel your order and issue a full refund to your original payment method.
At least MD offered a $10 credit, but the situation is nonetheless quite frustrating. Is this a common occurrence?
This Tops knife is turning out to be one of my favorite EDC knives.
I switch out every few days but this knife seems to get in my rotation more than others.
Right size , Right weight and just all around great Top's knife!