tom brown tracker ??????

[wilts-bushcraft]

hi all im wondering if any of you have owned a or still do a tom brown tracker and if so how did it perform ????
any feed back is cool by me pos or neg i aint fussed
cheers

 

[Graham_S]

i had a play with one. it was not nice.
it's a classic example of "jack of all trades, master of none"
i didn't llike it at all.

 

[dommyracer]

I've always thought that it looked ridiculous and not very usable.

 

[gregorach]

Just the thing if you're looking to equip an Uruk-Hai army though...

 

[Montivagus]

Wasn't it designed for some dumb hollywood movie?

 

[dommyracer]

Wasn't it designed for some dumb hollywood movie?

It appeared in the movie "The Hunted", for which Tom Brown Jr. was a consultant, but it wasn't designed especially for that movie (so the story goes)

"History
The genesis of the Tracker Knife began during an interview between Tom Brown and a journalist over twenty years ago. In the course of the interview, the reporter asked Tom which knife he considered to be the best for survival. Tom thought about it for a minute and responded that the perfect survival knife did not yet exist. "Why not?" the interviewer asked. "Because I have not yet designed it," replied Tom. The journalist challenged Tom with the statement, "That is one knife I would love to see." Tom decided he would love to see it too.

Seven years and dozens of prototypes later, the basic design of the Tracker Knife was set. Tom looked for a quality manufacturer and chose Ed Lombi to hand make the first versions. Ed made the knives for several years until he decided to pursue other interests. Tom found another manufacturer in Dave Beck. Several refinements were added as Dave began manufacturing the Tracker. After ten years or so, Dave also retired from making the Tracker. For a couple of years the knife was again unavailable.

I n 2001, Tom began working as a technical consultant and writer on a feature film being directed by Billy Friedkin and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benecio Del Torro. The film is titled "The Hunted" and is based loosely on an episode of Tom's life. The Tracker Knife is carried and used by the antagonist, played by Benecio.

Tom began searching for a company that could make the Tracker in sufficient numbers to meet the demand anticipated as this knife gains in notoriety. Tom chose Mike Fuller and TOPS USA, the leading manufacturer of tactical knives that are favored by US Special Operations forces. TOPS has created a work of art that will serve its function as a true survival tool. As the TOPS slogan says, "One Life, One Knife."


Taken from http://www.onestopknifeshop.com/store/tops-tom-brown-tracker.html

 

[C_Claycomb]

You would probably get a good idea of opinion if you did a search in Edged Tools with the key word Tracker and allowed it to search all words in the thread. There you would have found the following:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=5674
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=3103
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=9521

As can be seen, the opinion on the Tops one is pretty low. The Linger custom is better, but still mixed.

I and a number of the other Mods have handled a Tops model with the 1/4 blade stock and none of us could think of a good thing to do with it other than hammer tent pegs.

I met a guy who went on a Tom Brown coarse and he thought it was a great tool...he said it was great for throwing at man sized targets

 

[C_Claycomb]

Oh yeah, I am sure that this thread will run for a while. Lots of people have joined since the last such thread and much fun can be had from running down the Tracker.

I merely posted the links to save some people the time if they want information and don't want to wait for it here

 

[Hoodoo]

Well, personally I wish I had two of 'em. One for each end of the boat.

 

[Montivagus]

(so the story goes)



I n 2001, Tom began working as a technical consultant and writer on a feature film being directed by Billy Friedkin and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benecio Del Torro. The film is titled "The Hunted" and is based loosely on an episode of Tom's life. The Tracker Knife is carried and used by the antagonist, played by Benecio.

"One Life, One Knife."


Taken from http://www.onestopknifeshop.com/store/tops-tom-brown-tracker.html

Yes that's the one. so the story goes and i love the loosely
I kind of like their slogan even though for me the one knife definitely isn't theirs.

 

[sam_acw]

To be fair not many people here ascribe to the idea of one tool for every task. I think that is kind of the idea behind a tracker.
The idea of different grinds on the cutting edge is interesting and I'd like to try it but I'll never buy one. I just can't see why I would ever have it with me in a survival situation unless I got lost on my way home from Orc club
Film has Tommy Lee Jones tracking someone like he does in all those other films and it isn't very good.

 

[sodajoe]

What can I say?

I am amazed that Tom Brown Jr was involved in one of the most half-baked films to have emerged from Hollywood in recent years. I am all the more surprised the knife that was showcased in the movie can be bought as a real tool.

I remember thinking when I first watched the film that the knife had been designed by some production bloke who was obviously more concerned with style rather than the practicality of using the thing. How can anyone claim that knife is a practical tool. It is an awful looking monstrosity. :togo:

 

[addyb]

Of course the Tom Brown Tracker is awful looking and the movie isn't all that great, but man, the cinematography and background shots were amazing. I don't know how many others noticed that, but I'm one of those "weirdly creative" types.

 

[Longstrider]

I had a Tops Tom Brown Tracker sent to me so I could make a custom leather sheath for it, which I did. To be honest having handled the thing but not used it in the field, I would guess that I can think of at least 3 good uses for it. (1) As a tyre lever for a Land Rover or tractor. (2) For hammering in tent pegs or nails, (3) As an anchor for the canoe.

If I wanted to cut something, I'd prefer to use a knife.

 

[sodajoe]

I had a Tops Tom Brown Tracker sent to me so I could make a custom leather sheath for it, which I did. To be honest having handled the thing but not used it in the field, I would guess that I can think of at least 3 good uses for it. (1) As a tyre lever for a Land Rover or tractor. (2) For hammering in tent pegs or nails, (3) As an anchor for the canoe.

If I wanted to cut something, I'd prefer to use a knife.

 

[Toddy]

So I'll not be wanting one of them then, huh?

Is it really that much of a brick?
Cheers,
Toddy

 

[sodajoe]

Of course the Tom Brown Tracker is awful looking and the movie isn't all that great, but man, the cinematography and background shots were amazing. I don't know how many others noticed that, but I'm one of those "weirdly creative" types.

Count me in there, I'm a weirdly creative-type also. Take Cliffhanger, while this was little better than The Hunted, the scenary is lush. I watch the film every time it plays on the box just to see that wonderful countryside. The same goes for The Last Samurai, Tom Cruise at his self-indulgent worst but the landscape shots are to die for. :Wow:

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

So I'll not be wanting one of them then, huh?

Is it really that much of a brick?
Cheers,
Toddy

Looks like it !!

 

[Longstrider]

Yep, it's a brick. The blade is all of 4 1/4" long but it's so thick (about 5/16" !) that the grind angles are horrendous and the knife weighs in at 1 3/4 Lbs !
At least it has a lanyard hole to make use as an anchor easy...

 

[dommyracer]

But it has everything! A cutting / skinning blade, a saw, a draw knife. And it can be used as an axe, a spear and a human hunting tomahawk.