Knife Review: TOPS Knives Bestia

TOPS Knives Bestia Chopper Fixed Blade Knife

This TOPS chopper is unreal. THE Bestia is a kukri style chopper, which is a blend of El Chete and a kukri. The long blade is going to provide some serious muscle behind each of your cuts and chops. From the design to the materials, this is a top-notch chopper. The blade has a tan traction powder coating which is going to provide the appearance that you want while also protecting the blade in the ways that you want it to. You don’t have to worry about the handle being too small, because it is plenty big enough to fit your hand on it, which allows you to have better control over each of your cuts. The micarta handle scales only increase the durability and comfort that this knife provides. Best yet, this TOPS knife comes with a black Kydex sheath that makes carrying this knife a breeze. Read on to get all of the great details that make this knife the best chopper around.

The Blade:

The first part of the blade that really sets it apart from other knives that are similar is the 1095 high carbon steel that has a hardness level of RC 56-58. This steel is a basic carbon steel that is used on many knives, especially knives that need to be rough and tough with their tasks. This steel has a high level of carbon, which means that the steel is going to be harder than your standard steel. Plus, the carbon reduces the amount of wear that a blade accrues over time and use. An even better quality of this steel is that it is incredibly easy to sharpen. This is a massive advantage because you never want to be left with a dull chopper, as it would not be capable of getting the job done. Of course, always remember to wipe this knife clean and oil it occasionally after use to keep the steel in tip-top condition.

While this steel can rust or corrode easier than other basic steels, TOPS knew that a knife with that quality would not be a great chopper. So, to counter that detriment in the steel, TOPS chose to finish the blade with a tan traction powder coating. This coating elevates the blade in a way that makes it easy to use, easy to reach for, and overall a great chopper. The coating does a couple of things for the knife. First, it reduces the amount of wear that the actual steel is going to have. This is because the coating is a tougher coating and everything that would come in contact with the blade has to first come in contact with the coating. This makes this a more durable blade, which is necessary for such a tough chopper. Next, the coating reduces the rusting or corroding that would happen to the blade. This is due to the coating protecting the steel from the elements that would typically cause the rusting or corroding. The tan appearance also is a great addition because it makes this knife look a little bit more earthy, which fits the purpose perfectly.

The blade is by far the most unique part of the knife, so we wouldn’t be doing the details justice if we chose to skip over the design of the blade. TOPS describes this blade as a kukri style chopper, which is a blend of EL Chete and a kukri. This is a super long, curving blade, that is going to add some serious weight to your chop. The spine of the blade angles upward for about half of the knife before it angles downward again. The belly of the blade follows this same angle and curve with the line of it angling upward at first and then back downer about halfway up the length of the knife. The tip is more of a false tip, which is important for safety purposes on such a large knife, especially one that is designed to be a chopper—not a knife that you would typically be piercing with. The flat end of the blade also adds durability because there is not a fine tip that is going to be in danger of breaking or snapping if you were to really get going with this knife. Overall, the design is practically perfect for a tool made for chopping.

The Handle:

The handle scales on the Bestia are made out of Micarta, which is ideal for your comfort with this knife. This is a resin and linen material. The linen cloths are soaked in a resin, which produces a very hard and strong material that is still lightweight. The strength and hardness are a necessity for a chopper such as this TOPS knife because you are going to be taking on some seriously tough tasks. And no matter how strong the blade is, without the handle being strong as well, you cannot really utilize the knife fully. Due to this, TOPS created a strong, reliable handle. The lightweight characteristic of Micarta is also crucial to this knife, because it is an insanely large tool. Already, there is a significant amount of weight coming from the size and the blade. By having the handle scales be made out of a lighter weight material, it allows the

knife to be as large as it is. While this is a heavy knife, you shouldn’t need to be afraid that is going to be exhausting to use. Instead, it will allow you to put some serious strength and weight behind your cuts, which will only chop more effectively. Also, TOPS has ensured that there is grip on the Micarta handle scales, which will allow you to have better control over your cuts as well as everything being a little bit safer.

The physical design of the handle is just as quality as the rest of the knife. The spine has a slight cure to it, the belly has a slight bulge, and the butt is flat with two separate lanyard holes, which will help you have this knife on you more easily. You could also easily attach it to a pack, other gear, or your belt. The best part of the physical design of the handle is the large finger guard that is near the top of the handle on the belly. This is a safety element that is there to keep you as safe as possible. This will block your fingers from getting out of control and slipping or getting sliced on the blade.

The Fixed Blade Design:

The TOPS Bestia Chopper is a fixed blade, which is necessary for a chopper, and for a knife that is as big as the Bestia is. Fixed blade knives have a couple of advantage, but one of the biggest is just how durable they are. There are no joints that can wear down, no inner parts that can break, and maintenance is a breeze because there really aren’t any nooks and crannies that you have to clean. When it comes to a fixed blade, what you see is what you get and the TOPS Bestia is an unreal knife.

Another advantage of a fixed blade, full tang knife, is that if the handle happens to break, crack, or wear out, you aren’t left with just a blade. The metal of the blade extends down throughout the entire length of the handle, which ensures that you always have the entire knife, even if it isn’t quite as comfortable as it once was.

Finally, because of all of these qualities, there is simply more heft and strength to the knife. This is the perfect characteristic of a knife such as the Bestia, because it allows you to take on some serious chopping jobs. There isn’t much that the Bestia cannot take on, simply because of the design of the knife. This is a strong, durable, quality knife that allows you to carry out all of your chopping needs.

The Kydex Sheath:

This TOPS knife comes with an open back Kydex sheath with a leather dangler attachment that makes this big knife easy to carry. Kydex is a crazy good sheath material, because it is a thermoplastic. In fact, it is often used to make knife sheaths and gun holsters. This is one of the most durable knife sheath materials that you are going to come across. Not only is it durable in a variety of different environments, but it is seriously tough and can take a real beating. This means that when the Bestia is not giving a beating, it will be protected from taking a beating by its sheath. Also, since this is a type of plastic, the sheath is going to be more lightweight than some of the other options. Like the handle material on this knife, the lightweight aspect is crucial with the Bestia Chopper simply because of how large this knife already is. Any area where the weight can be reduced, it needs to be. The Kydex sheath is the perfect sheath option for this knife.

The Details:

The blade on the TOPS Bestia Chopper measures in at a whopping 13 inches long. This is a massive blade and is clearly the defining feature of this TOPS knife. The length of the blade allows you to really take on any task that may

come your way. You don’t have to worry about the blade not being able to handle it, because it can handle practically anything. The thickness of the blade comes in at 0.25 inches, which is definitely on the thicker side of the spectrum. This also allows the knife to have more durability, just because it is not as delicate. The overall length of the knife measures in at 19.25 inches long, which is seriously large. This is a massive tool that really is there to get any job done. Weighing in at 31.5 ounces, this TOPS knife is heavy, but the weight is worth it. That weight comes from the blade being as solid as it is, the size of the knife, and it allows you to put weight and heft behind all of your chops. This allows you to really chop anything, which is a massive advantage of having this chopper, as oppose to the competition. With the sheath, this knife weighs in at 42.4 ounces. Finally, this knife was made in the United States of America, which allows you to trust the quality behind the knife.

The Advantages:

The biggest advantage to this knife is blade design. The Bestia features a kukri style chopper, which is long and forward curving. Both of these qualities lend themselves to you being able to put weight behind your chop and have the TOPS knife work for your benefit. The length and durability of it allow you to chop whatever you may need to. Plus, the steel of the knife and the traction coating allow this blade to be lower maintenance. Finally, the full-tang characteristic of the Bestia further the durability, quality, and heft that this knife does have. Overall, each of the design features is just one more reason why this chopper is one of the best choppers on the market.

Final Thoughts:

The TOPS Knives Bestia delivers a kukri style chopper. A blend of El Chete and a kukri, this long, forward curving blade delivers weight to your chop. The tan traction powder coat will protect the blade.

The handle is big enough to allow for chopping or controlled fine cuts. The sandwiched Micarta handles are thick and contoured for a comfortable grip.

The open back Kydex sheath with a leather dangler attachment makes this big knife easy to carry.

As soon as you hold one in your hands, you know that it just wants to get some work done. This TOPS knife is made in the United States of America, so you can trust and rely on the quality when you need it most.

Order yours now from BladeOps to get one of the best choppers on the block.