# TOPS C.U.T. 4.0 fixed blade.



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I carry a TOPS Mie-Spie 3.5T as my EDC, and I have a few of their C.A.T. fixed blades in my BOB. But I wanted something a bit bigger, but not necessarily a "fighter."

Personally (after more than 20 years selling and polishing knives) I've only known one guy who had to brandish a knife to stave off a mugger. Most of "The West Side Story" engagements you hear about are more fancy than fact.

For example, after Sturgis you might get a knife to repair. It's always gravy, never blood.

When I saw the C.U.T. 4.0 I knew I had found a knife with the right balance. TOPS uses a very good fine grained version of 1095, they get razor sharp, and I'm sure I can get this one over 500,000 grit just with the stones, glass and emulsions I already have in stock.

I started with an Atoma Diamond Plate I got from Ken Schwartz, and quickly moved up to through several stones and ended the day with a 5,000 grit Nubatama. The edge is starting to shine and the edge is already incredibly sharp.

One of the things I like about this design is that the blade is more "steak knife" rather than a karambit. When the karambit design made the headlines, every Rambozo bought one. They were trendy, but never very useful.

The C.U.T. 4.0 does have a solid ring on the rear of the handle which could be used like brass knuckles in a fending move. But let's be honest, more than 75% of our use with a blade is slicing food or opening UPS boxes.

I have some client's knives to finish this week, but the work on the TOPS is going well. I will have pictures within a few days. In the mean time, check out the knife. It's a good, realistic, and dependable design for a prepper.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Pics?


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Just finished polishing it. Used Ken Schwartz's 3.2 million grit Nanodiamond slurry. Yeah, it's sharp...


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Other than the edge, there are several reasons I chose this knife as a type of "do it all" cutting tool.

For one, there has been an incredible improvement in fit and finish and diversity in the TOPS line-up. One of their Mil-Spie series in one of my EDC knives--I do not think you can break it.

But this is a preppers' forum, and I think this fixed blade deserves consideration. It is my belief that all survival knives should be made from 1095 steel. Now, I know that hearing that from a polisher might seem odd, but carbon steel can spark, it's easier to sharpen with "found objects," and it has a "bend but not break" quality seeing that it is hardened to only 57 to 59 Rc.

I also like the ring on the rear of the handle. You have no idea how many Buck 110s are lost every year by anxious deerhunters field dressing their prize, and then leaving the knife in the snow. With a ring on the rear of the handle, you can let the knife dangle, know where it is, and still use both hands.

While I do not believe in "knife dueling," I am aware that we should find non-lethal ways for defense. The ring is also technically a brass knuckle.

The main feature, of course, is the shape of the blade. The long, even curvature of the edge is ideal for food prep. And as I've stated, about 75% of the slicing you will be doing involves food in one way or another.

Now, I have two TOPS C.A.T. fixed blades in my BOB. The idea there was weight, and they too are strong, dependable and sharp. Staying with my belief in keeping a ferro rod and a carbon steel knife, they are also 1095 steel.

Now, in a perfect world where I am a lottery winner, I would have dozens of Extrema Ratio RAOs in my home, my truck, my gym bag and I would carry two or three. But failing that, this C.U.T. 4.0 is pretty close to being able to do any task.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

They are very nice , but way out of my price range .


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