The TOPS releases continue to flow, much like a river – and, hey, wouldn’t you know it, the name of a new release from the Idaho-based company is called the River Rat! What a coincidence. The River Rat was designed with space saving in mind, and is a little knife that handles like a full-size one.
TOPS and collaborator Julio Diez call the River Rat’s blade shape a modified sheepsfoot, and it’s easy to see the hallmarks of that profile here: the snub nose and wide profile in particular. However, whereas the standard sheepsfoot runs straight out, the Rat’s modified take curves up, which gives that snub nose piercing capability andturns the straight edge into a curvy, full-bellied slicer, ready for a wide range of cutting chores both in- and outdoors. The steel used here is 154CM, a full stainless which, in conjunction with a textured black blade coating, allows the River Rat to keep the corrosion at bay even when it’s on or near the water.
Diez settled on the River Rat’s blade shape and size very purposefully. While small, it offers the user a high level of control and cutting power, particularly when paired with the River Rat’s handle, which outstrips the length of the blade by a considerable amount. It is, in essence, the kind of handle that a full-sized knife would have, maximizing the control and comfort in use without making something too large for the stringent requirements of ultralight adventurers or someone who simply wants to EDC a fixed blade instead of a folder.
Another interesting aspect of the River Rat is its provenance. The vast majority of TOPS knives are original designs, either from the TOPS crew themselves or from outside collaborators. The River Rat, however, is actually based on a Diez custom of the same name, one that was so popular amongst his customers that Diez wanted to create a production version to address the demand. The design very much aligns with the custom original, as one would expect, and this is the first collaboration model that Diez has worked on with TOPS.
The River Rat is available now.
Knife in Featured Image: TOPS River Rat
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