We recently returned from Blade Show, an event that serves as a venue for knife manufacturers to show off their newest products. One such item came from TOPS Knives — it's new, but also familiar. The TOPS Fieldcraft 3.5 is a scaled-down version of the popular Brothers of Bushcraft (B.O.B.) Fieldcraft, an outdoor-oriented fixed blade knife we previously reviewed and have used frequently.
The original B.O.B. Fieldcraft has been one of TOPS' best-selling designs, as well as one of our favorites from the company. Its 4.5-inch, 1095 high-carbon steel blade features a modified Scandi grind that's excellent for camping, hunting, bushcraft, or survival tasks. However, some users prefer a smaller and lighter knife, especially if they're also carrying an ax or saw for heavy-duty tasks. TOPS has responded to these users by releasing the Fieldcraft 3.5.
Technically, the Fieldcraft 3.5 has a 3-5/8-inch blade, but “Fieldcraft 3.625” would've been a bit awkward as a name. It still has the same 1095 steel construction, modified Scandi grind, black traction coating, and canvas micarta handle scales as its big brother. The steel is slightly slimmer at 0.16 inches thick (the original was 0.19) and has a flush-ground tang instead of the hammer pommel present on the full-size model. Weight is 5.5 ounces, down from the original's 9.6 ounces.
MSRP for the new TOPS Fieldcraft 3.5 is $145, and this includes a Kydex sheath with rotating spring steel belt clip. Unlike the original Fieldcraft, this smaller knife doesn't come with a sheath-mounted ferro rod, but we can understand the reasoning behind this given the goal of reducing size and weight. For more information on the Fieldcraft 3.5, go to TOPSKnives.com.
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