The Evolution of the Tracker Knife

Through countless hours of research, the tracker knife has been a passion and hobby for me for years. This video hopes to document its humble beginnings from 1981 to the present. 

[@temirzhansagiyev5791]

Thank You for summarizing video👍

[@hammerarmament]

Very interesting. Thanks for the history lesson on these knives. I’ve always appreciated this design

[@oxxnarrdflame8865]

That is a awesome collection of fine steel. I really enjoyed the history.

[@michaelblaylock2514]

Thoroughly enjoyed this video ! Your collection is amazing.

[@IvIidnight]

Love that one you made w/o the sawback!

[@roguesknives6183]

Excellent review and history of the Tracker

[@arctodussimus6198]

I enjoyed watching this video. 👍🏼👍🏼 I was on the fence about this knife for about ten years. Mostly because I couldn’t afford it. Eventually I bought one. Two months later I had three TOPS T1 Trackers. It’s an amazing knife for sure. They talk about the long learning curve for the Tracker, but for me there wasn’t one because I’ve been handling knives since I was 8 years old (1967). And the ‘instruction’ book that came with the T1 made its uses fairly obvious. When I got in on the prototype of what became the Bark River JBA, I stopped carrying the Tracker, and carried my JBA Prototype. It is one of my absolute favorite wilderness tools. I gave away one of my T1’s, and eventually sold the other two. They deserved to be owned by someone who would use them.

[@Oliver.Ghilardi]

Interesting and very informative video ❤

[@powerplay4real174]

Very enjoyable, & good collection 👍

[@IvIidnight]

I love Tracker style knives, but don't care to have the saw teeth on a knife. Personal preference. My favorite version is the Acta Non Verba P500. But those are all beautiful knives! And I always appreciate a good history lesson. 🙂

[@bushcraftcostarica808]

Awesome video man, I really enjoyed it!!!

[@Bushcraftnbaseball]

Excellent video Caleb

[@anthonykammas3276]

Great video!

[@MountaincraftOutdoors]

Awesome video. I hope you get to 1000 soon. Just subbed 🤙🏼 Drew

[@belag7911]

Great video, I'm very happy to see you with your Trackers on KZbin!!! Super vidéo je suis très heureux de te retrouver avec tes Tracker sur KZbin !!! french Tracker de bushcraft usa😊

[@davidjfife]

Thanks for doing up the video! Great collection ou have. I still need to add one of your primitive trackers to my collection.

[@pinkiewerewolf]

Great rundown on the Tracker/WSK’s history. I still have the Primitive Tracker that you sold me years ago, love that Tracker! My collection has grown to include one of Dave Beck’s last custom ordered WSKs from a couple of years ago. My newest Tracker is the Origin Knives Woodsman, with the Kukri influence and it has been a great Tracker to use. I’m glad that I found your KZbin channel Caleb. I need to get back on Bushcraft USA. Take care!

[@kelsohighlander1]

Great to hear from you! That Origin tracker is getting quite the press lately. Jim down in Costa Rica is really putting it through the paces. All the best!

[@pinkiewerewolf]

@@kelsohighlander1 Yes, Jim is really putting the Woodsman through its paces. Have a great day. It’s raining cats & dogs over here in Humboldt County.

[@hawintherknives4386]

Nice collection

[@kelsohighlander1]

Thanks! Would love to get one of yours someday.

[@MrPh30]

And it remind me of the Puma White Hunter also , and that was a favorite among Selous Scouts .

[@danielww9022]

The TOPS version is the one I trust, but only because TOPS does a great job with their heat treatments, whereas I don't know which smiths to trust on other sales platforms (eBay, etc.) I would much prefer an aggressive saw spine over the squared teeth, & would love an extended tang rather than a full tang. If I could find that in a ¼" blade the size of the T1, the smith could consider it sold as soon as the steel was cool enough to ship. And I'd buy two. Just saying.

[@brnobre4301]

Baita coleção

[@CSGraves]

This design has long been a mystery to me. The one in cocobolo sans sawteeth would be the only one of these I'd use. Seems highly counterproductive to put sawteeth on one end of something intended to double as a drawknife. And the versions with the sharp transition between it and the chopping portion... I'd worry about it rolling or snapping while chopping. Visually distinctive though. Maybe that's the real selling point.

[@steelsedge4453]

How can i buy one of those knives

[@user-hv3hv1ee8z]

Hi Caleb. Your collection has grown since our last conversation. Did you get a knife from Rick?😊

[@kelsohighlander1]

Yes! A gorgeous one!

[@Hammer1978]

The Tracker that you made with the Cocabolo scales, is that something you sell?

[@kelsohighlander1]

Yes, if the price was right! Thanks for watching.

[@philipmaldonado6735]

Do you have a website? Interested in purchasing your version of The Hunted movie knife in all black. Thank you foe your time.

[@kelsohighlander1]

Hi, I don't make those anymore. Too complicated. I just make simple knives now. I don't have a website. Thanks for watching.

[@anveshnidumolu3679]

At this time you need three knife

[@MAGUA112]

Have you seen the REI tracker knife

[@kelsohighlander1]

I have not. I did a google search and didn’t find anything.

[@erikhasenauer3584]

Do you make custom knives for sale and how much?

[@kelsohighlander1]

I do occasionally. I'm not making anything right now as I don't have the time. Thanks for watching.

[@TheDoberman972]

Can you talk about the Ariel ACA knife ? how is it compare to the Beck version in term of quality ?

[@kelsohighlander1]

Well, nothing compares to the Beck. Beck’s wsks are hands down the best on the market today. Having said that, the second two best trackers available on the market are ones made by Ariel and by Patrick Day (IMHO). I’ve tried nearly ever brand and make and own a dozen different makers currently. Both of them make an incredible knife that will perform in an outstanding way. Both Ariel’s and Patrick’s knives are lighter than Becks. Handles are skeletonized and they are just a hair under 1/4” thick. Quality is exceptional for the price. You can’t go wrong with one. I’ve owned 4 of his. Thanks!

[@TheDoberman972]

Thanks for the heads up. Could you please precise the added value of having a skeletonized handle ? Is just about saving some steel ? Does this weaken the overall structure of the knife ?

[@kelsohighlander1]

@@TheDoberman972 A skeletonized handle can drop 1/4 of the overall weight. But you can create some weaker spots if done incorrectly or too close to spots that receive shock during chopping. The solid tang is much less prone to stress cracks, but you have the added weight. Ariel weighing 16oz and Beck weighing 23oz.

[@TheDoberman972]

@@kelsohighlander1it’s a big difference in weight. I don’t know what to think of it… is the overall balance better with a lighter knife ? Which one would you advise between the PAC Day and Ariel ? They both looks great. I’m looking for the best quality price there is.

[@kelsohighlander1]

@@TheDoberman972 it depends on what task you are using it for. If you are doing heavy chopping, a heavy knife head is better. If you are doing more delicate tasks and need to be holding the knife for hours on end, a lighter knife is better. If you have the chance to buy, either one, you won’t regret it. Purchase both if you get the chance. They are worth every penny.

[@Squibknocket]

How does one go about purchasing one of your knives?

[@kelsohighlander1]

They pop up time to time on the BushcraftUSA trade blanket. Thanks for watching.

[@jerrynemec930]

I prefer the Bark River version. No saw teeth, 1/4 inch thick with a 90 degree spine made with A2 tool steel.

[@desolationwilliams2724]

How much for the Hunted tracker knife you made?

[@kelsohighlander1]

It’s not for sale. Thanks for watching!

[@schematicnewt1299]

Do you sell tracker knives as well? I was unsure how else to reach out but I’m hoping this reaches you.

[@kelsohighlander1]

Hi, occasionally yes. They can be found on bushcraftusa. Thanks for watching.

[@RichardMiller-tq6ut]

If you remove the saw back and the leather scraper is it still a tracker?

[@kelsohighlander1]

There are plenty of trackers without a sawback. I’m not sure what you mean by leather scraper though.

[@RichardMiller-tq6ut]

@kelsohighlander1 that concave part between the saw and the handle is for scraping fat off the hide to process leather. To me this is a big part of what makes it a tracker. Removing half the tools from the knife may remove it from that category in some eyes

[@RichardMiller-tq6ut]

@kelsohighlander1 you want to find a suitable diameter log and use the draw knife to smooth it down. Then throw a fresh hide over the log and scrape it with that arch on the back of the knife. This will help you easily process leather suitable for your tracking endeavors

[@RichardMiller-tq6ut]

@kelsohighlander1 the saw back doesn't need to be bi directional because it is for hacking through knuckles, elbows, shoulders, n such. It clears a path for your blade to cut through the joint

[@kelsohighlander1]

In Brown's original manual that concave section is for the baton to strike. Dave Beck also has a section in an older magazine where he talks about that part of the knife. He does a differential heat treatment and rounds the corners on it as it's intended for striking with a baton. @@RichardMiller-tq6ut

[@faustin51]

How would I go about getting you to make me a Tracker knife?

[@kelsohighlander1]

Thanks for watching. I rarely make these types of trackers anymore. And when I do I list them on the bushcraftusa trade blanket. Cheers

[@canadafree2087]

Nice history but I was never a fan of the knife. I think Tom was like Les Stroud, neither one being knife experts and merely using what was found in their local stores. The fact that someone else designed it, and not Tom, speaks volumes. It reminds me of a Green Beret that had a series of books with poor illustrations, one of which was a knife book with a design he came up with but never actually made the knife because he was so poor and just trying to make income from the books. He encouraged others to make it but I don't know if anyone did. The Tracker really is the cart before the horse; the knife was made and then came the trying to justify such a jack of all trades, master on none knife. Your traditional woodsman (of which there were plenty around when Tom was growing up) would have also carried an axe and/or a saw along with their knives.

[@richardhenry1969]

Gotta say I like the last one the best. The other knives are just to much money for me to even consider it. Really my idea of a one tool option is kukuri. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqLPnHmmr8aEmrs

[@user-ei3vw7gx7g]

Коллекция внушительная и интересная ,но должен выразить чисто своё мнение это нож-актёр , с практической стороны им очень тяжело пользоваться на мой взгляд , особенно тяжело затачивать но он хорош в качестве тренировочного ножа для метания 😁😉😊👍👍👍

[@kelsohighlander1]

There is actually a thread online called the Tracker Action thread that has over 400 pages of people using this tool. I have used them on many outings and it is one of the most impressive tools I have ever used. Like learning any tool, it takes time to learn and master. I can process wood and make a fire from scratch faster with a tracker than I can any other knife! Thanks for watching!

[@arctodussimus6198]

Some call it a gimmick knife. But it was designed by one of the most proficient wilderness/survival experts alive. It’s definitely not just a movie prop.

[@domosmojo3367]

You forgot to mention that the bastard Tom brown claimed he is the sole designer of the original Russon Knife. Not only did he swindle Robb out of loads of money, but after the movie made the knife insanely popular, he cut out beck as well. Robb never sued because he is an outstanding guy, but he still wants the recognition he deserves. Below is a video explaining the who scandal. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmmtaqekh7N0pas

[@kelsohighlander1]

Hi, yes, I’m very familiar with all those parts of the story. I am acquainted with son of the original maker and have had correspondence with him. My intent here is to focus on the design of the knife itself. Thanks for watching.

[@shineon3643]

Design.. that is all these knives have to offer. Just buy a real kukri and a folding saw. Save yourself 300 bucks and buy some water purification and a 200 doller Swedish axe. That's where my money would be and a leathman .basically you could outfit yourself with every bit of Sv gear you need for the price. Pretty to look at but in general a useless tool

[@kelsohighlander1]

I encourage you to go on bushcraftusa and look at the tracker action pictures thread. Over 500 pages of it doing ever task and excelling at most. Having used over two dozen trackers personally, I find the tool indispensable. That being said, I agree with you at paring it with a small saw. The sawback is more for notching. Thanks for watching!

[@QuantumPyrite_88.9]

Overhyped and the saw is worthless. Tom Brown told me and 3 other people that he designed the knife. He did not.