Ed K
Winc, Va

Feb 16, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard

Awesome

Extremely sharp and cuts up through a ribcage like hot butter. I use a smaller Tops for skinning and this blade for all the heavy work. It more than enough blade for anything you'll hunt in North America.

Ed K
Winc, Va

Feb 16, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard

Awesome

Extremely sharp and cuts up through a ribcage like hot butter. I use a smaller Tops for skinning and this blade for all the heavy work. It more than enough blade for anything you'll hunt in North America.

Arsonist Ewok
southern california

Feb 10, 2010

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

TOPS Firestrike

This is a great knife. it's solid and has a nice weight to it. the balance is more in the blade than in the handle, which gives it a little more power when chopping or slashing. it is 1095 so you have to watch out for rust, but it feels sturdier than stainless. the handle is shaped for bigger hands, and fits me ok, but might not be comfortable for smaller handed people. also, the angle of the handle is perfect for thrusting or stabbing. very good knife. i'll be taking it to the sandbox with me next year for sure.

Michael J P.
Goose Creek, SC

Oct 12, 2011

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

One Heavy Duty Mother!

Extremely sharp, heavy duty and solid, I love the kydex sheath, I only feel it would be even better with more ways to attach it to a belt in addition to or besides the clip. I have never had a dull Tops knife, the previous gentleman must have had a bad run. very nice blade.

Ed K
Winc, Va

Feb 16, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard

Awesome

Extremely sharp and cuts up through a ribcage like hot butter. I use a smaller Tops for skinning and this blade for all the heavy work. It more than enough blade for anything you'll hunt in North America.

Mark L
Sparks NV

Jan 07, 2016

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Finish

Tops Firestrike doesn't disappoint

Quality materials, ergonomic micarta handle, kydex sheath much better than nylon, accurate quality grind on cutting edge. Just what you expect from Tops a quality knife for all types of outdoorsman use. Will do what you need wherever you need it.

Grimner
Norway

Aug 01, 2011

Pros: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Sheath/Scabbard, Finish

Cons: Blade Sharpness

Looks good, cuts bad

Per definition a knife should cut. So thus the Firestrike 45 isn't a knife. Not only was it dull out of the box, but it is also a pig to sharpen - I have to recommend free hand sharpening on this; forget your Spyderco or Lansky sets. The grind angle is pretty extreme thanks in part to the thickness of the blade, perhaps also due to bad design decisions. That said, the Kydex sheath is excellent. It is for belt wear only (I guess the belt clip can be removed, but not without some hassle), but what I like is that it looks like a perfectly normal hunting knife while in the sheath. Good ergonomics, but the handle might be a tad short for those with big hands. I do not doubt it will do heavy duty as a pry bar, hammer or saw, but this is supposed to be primarily a knife, not a blunt instrument, thus the poor rating.