Tom Brown Tracker Knife Manual

[Rod]

I had a good look at Ian Maxwell's (by Topps). He felt it was OK, but in fairness felt it wasn't the best for his needs.

I thought it was a beast of a knife - hefty. I had entertained the idea of getting one - but, having had a play decided against. Ian was saying that it is not the easiest to maintain, as it has several different grinds along the edge for differing tasks.

 

[Shing]

It looks like the sort of knife that the designer wants to do everything with. It always perplexed me why people would only want to carry one cutting tool with them in the wilderness. I always thought a good combination of tools for chopping, cutting large things and fine cutting and slicing would be good and if you lost one tool, you still have other tools to cut with. I don't think its a weight thing since a lot of these do it all knives tend to be heavy things with heavy sheaths.

 

[Minotaur]

Actually, I'm not so sure that "The Hunted" was ENTIRELY rubbish. I plan on doing a search for the thread I started later.

I liked the film and never siad it was rubbish. What I did say was the Martial artists who spent about three months using and handling the knife were completly unimpressed with it i.e. they thought it was rubbish.

I do remember reading that the martial arts STYLE was real, it's Phillipino street fighting, and that certain things were well thought out by the director, such as Benicio having rope tie-offs all over his clothes in the final scenes so stem the bleeding, and Tommy Lee's flintknapping. Tom Brown was an advisor for the film crew, as well.

It was I think Sayroc Kali.

I also know that the lengths of the fights were crap. If it were real knife fighting, the two fighters would scare off, and in a matter of seconds one would be dead, and the other very wounded.

Actually, two accomplished fighters in a style like this and you get a long fight, because unlike other Martial arts their blocks and everything cater to knifes. A lot of those clubs run knife days so you can add their ideas to what you already have, it can be a very scary and humbling experience for people to suddenly have all the holes in their armory pointed out.

 

[WNZer]

Actually, two accomplished fighters in a style like this and you get a long fight, because unlike other Martial arts their blocks and everything cater to knifes. A lot of those clubs run knife days so you can add their ideas to what you already have, it can be a very scary and humbling experience for people to suddenly have all the holes in their armory pointed out.

Addyb is right, they never last that long, its even shorter with 2 skilled fighters since they are so fast and accurate, that you only have one chance to guess what move thery are going to use before it happens and take a counter measure.

 

[Minotaur]

Addyb is right, they never last that long, its even shorter with 2 skilled fighters since they are so fast and accurate, that you only have one chance to guess what move thery are going to use before it happens and take a counter measure.

I know the rules so I am not going to get into this in any detail. The problem is that you are forgetting the other side of the coin, because you cannot take a blow, you have to block, block, and block. Like any skill, the more you practice it, the more it becomes part of your muscle memory, and the faster it gets. There is a couple of interesting clips of Bruce Lee doing stuff for really, and not for the screen, he is so fast it is scary.

My main problem with this knife is it tries to be a jack of all trades, so we know what that makes it. Do you really want to use just one knife for all these tasks or would you prefer to use a blade suited to it's task?

 

[C_Claycomb]

Here is the problem I see with this sort of knife. It is a solution in search of a problem.

If you are intending to go and live in the wilderness, be it Alaska or Austrailia, you will try to pack tools that will do what needs doing efficiently. An axe and saw will be much more efficient in the north woods than a short, heavy knife. In warmer places a long parang/machete type blade starts to come into its own. Couple this with a plain, uncomplicated sheath knife, and you have a pretty good tool set that will help you fashion other tools and to live more comfortably.

If you are going on a camping trip and are carrying a tent or hammock, plus a stove, you probably don't need a big chopper. You certainly don't want the weight. It could be argued that in some places it is foolhardy to go out without at least a last ditch blade. Something stronger than a folder that could cut a splint if needed, or split wood if you desperately need a fire. But a bulky knife over 7" is probably going to get left at home if you are carrying shelter, a stove, etc.

If you are planning to go and make bows, arrows, tan hides, and so forth, all jobs that the Tracker design is meant to help with, what situation are you in? Its not survival. You can fast for a month, and making a bow for hunting is incredibly wasteful of energy. If its survival, what would you be doing scraping hides?

As has been said, its a knife trying to do it all. A combination tool that will do a bunch of jobs, but less well than dedicated tools. I haven't yet worked out when doing all those jobs, less efficiently, would be desireable.

 

[gregorach]

Yeah, it's a fantasy survival knife - ideal for all those fantasy survival situations. See also those stupid rambo-style cutlasses.

Personally, I reckon I can do most of the tasks illustrated in that guide perfectly adequately (if not better) with my humble 5-inch bushcraft knife. Once you're competent with a batton, you can do a heck of a lot with such a tool. Add a lightweight folding saw and you're sorted, unless you really feel the need for a "big chopper" (ooh-er missus... ).

Hehe - perhaps the people this knife is aimed at are trying to compensate for something?

 

[Andy]

There is a very good survival knife in the film. It's strong,compact, takes a good edge. I would think it's better for throwing at targets as well

The Fallkniven F1 is just about the best survival knife I've come across, it's not a bad bushcraft knife either

 

[addyb]

Wow, you guys ALL make really good points. For me, I've never really been too interested in martial arts, or any fighting of any sort. (I'm far too passive for that!)

I rented the movie just for the background scenery, the forest, etc etc.. The forests here in BC are starting to look just like that for this time of year!

But yeah, it's a big a** knife. Why use something that size when you can get away just fine with an SAK, Fallkniven, or a Mora?

 

[demographic]

Although I personally don't like the look of the knife (I think it looks a bit like something the Klingons in Star Treck would carry) I think that perhaps we are being a little narrow in our choices of knives.

If you watch programmes about native's in the jungles it's amazing to see the variety of cutting tools, some of them look pretty unlikely but they seem to manage perfectly well.

I remember watching a programme on the telly ages ago where the film crew were trying to contact a particularly reclusive tribe, they did this by going into the aproximate area that they lived in and then setting up camp and stringing up knives, machetes and pots and pans of a glorified washing line.

I don't remember these items being left on the line because they were not a Woodlore or whatever , scandi grind 200 quid knife.
Perhaps the natives are just more adaptable than us

I still don't like the Tracker knife though.

 

[JohnC]

Looking again at the manual, now i'm away from work, it seems about the size of a kukhri with a longer handle (not always a bad thing). I was recalling some of the guys at the last scottsih meet with Kukhris using them fro several tasks, the different areas of the blade being suited for different cutting jobs. Point being (and I've never handled one of these TBTKs) other than the saw blade is it that different in concept?

Lietenant Worf v's Ray Mears, straight fight, who's your money on?

 

[Andy]

I think the tracker knife has a blade about 6-7inches long. My favorite kukri is 13.5inches long in the blade. a kukri is a proper chopper

 

[Dogface]

Lietenant Worf v's Ray Mears, straight fight, who's your money on?

Ray, of course.. Weight advantage.

 

[JohnC]

I believe Ray's a bit handy in the grappling game

 

[Graham_S]

iirc ray is a dab hand at judo.

 

[bigj]

hi dude where can i get one of these amazing knives????

 

[Minotaur]

I would have said here but the store is not up yet.

http://www.trackerschool.com/

Near the bottom they have the two knifes, the tracker and the scout(which I think is the other knife used in the film).

http://www.1sks.com/store/tops.html

I actually like the look of the Scout but it has the same problem as a Mora for me, I just know one of these days I am going to slip and cut myself. I think that is why I am using the CRKT Carcajou more and more, the ring stops my hand from sliding forward.

You could also try: -

http://www.topsknives.com/products/knives/tracker.html

http://www.topsknives.com/products/knives/trackerscout.html

I think there are other makers out there as well.

I still can think of better ways to spend £200, Lottery tickets spring to mind or 3 Bushman, 3 Mini Bushman, 3 Billhooks, and 4 Moras. A Crook knife, a Gransfors Scandinavian (large, small or hatchet) Axe , a Laplander saw, and about 6 Mora clippers, from the Ray Mears site(What is with the Javascript?).

 

[bigj]

after a closer look at said knife im not so sure im liking it i currently have a hand made skinning knife and have just orderd a wiseman survival blade, can you or any one recomend a realy good all round bushcraft knife and where i can get some good hook knives? thanks if you can

 

[C_Claycomb]

can you or any one recomend a realy good all round bushcraft knife and

What a thing to ask
Do an advanced search. Look for Bushcraft Knife in thread titles in the Edged Tools section. There are over 20 such threads, here is one.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=857

You could also try searching for variations on crook knife or spoon knife in the same way.

 

[bigj]

thanks alot c that was a big help, im new to this whole computer thing so am learning the hard way i think that so far im interested in the bison bushcraft and may just buy one this week. thanks again and any more pearls of wisdom will be gratefull recieved