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TOPS Puts Out Small Knife, Big Knife Double Feature

October 18, 2019

TOPS is releasing two new knives this week: one from an outside collaborator and one from a TOPS team member. The A-Klub is a hard-hitting, kukri-esque design from Naked and Afraid‘s Amanda Kaye, while the Poker is diminutive kiridashi knife drawn up by none other than TOPS’ General Manager Craig Powell.

A-Klub

Everything about the A-Klub design keys it into hard, intensive chopping chores. The 12.38-inch blade curves in a manner similar to a kukri, albeit altered to make the business end even heavier and more assertive. A kukri’s edge generally consists of one continuous, curving line, but with the A-Klub Kaye came up with an almost tanto-like secondary edge at the tip. Blade steel is the standard TOPS 1095 formulation, albeit differentially heat treated to properly spec the A-Klub for impact resistance and toughness.

Kaye, who is making history with the A-Klub release as TOPS’s first female collaborator, created a handle able to absorb and distribute the shock of big knife cutting chores. The A-Klub has one deep finger groove behind the guard, but the rest of its profile consists of arcing lines large enough for gloved and gloveless grips of different sizes. The handle material is green canvas Micarta, and the A-Klub comes with a dangler-style Kydex sheath. In total, it weighs 33 oz.

Poker

The Japanese kiridashi utility blade inspired Powell to design the Poker, and its 2.5-inch long wharncliffe-flavored take on that historical profile lets it handle a gamut of EDC-style chores with precision and accuracy. Even though it couldn’t differ from the A-Club more in terms of functionality, the Poker is sporting the same steel: 1095.

Powell looked to tactical design tropes for the handle, arcing it up and giving it three major finger grooves and a finger ring at the back end. The Kydex sheath for the Poker can be configured in multiple different ways so the retention method can suit the end user. Even with the sheath the Poker comes in at a very lightweight 3.6 oz.

Both the A-Club and the Poker are available now.

Knife in Featured Image: TOPS A-Club

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