TOPS Knives El Pionero Knife • Better than I even expected!

The long-awaited Tops El Pionero Knife is here and it is even better than I had expected.
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Full Written Review: anthonyawaken.com/tops-el-pio...
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:28 - TOPS El Pionero
01:18 - Handle & Design Philosophy
02:50 - Woodsy/Outdoorsy Use
04:05 - Blade Design & Kitchen Knives
05:00 - Written Review at AnthonyAwaken.com
05:14 - Processing Game
06:40 - Some overall thoughts & my usage
07:08 - Tops El Pionero Kydex Sheath
07:37 - Sheath Mods
08:50 - How I carry it
09:27 - More about me
09:40 - AnthonyAwaken.com
09:56 - Subscribe for future videos!

[@TOPSKnivesofficial]

Awesome video thank you for sharing!

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Thanks for creating a great knife here, you guys! Now, get some rest from all of the "when is El Pionero dropping?!" hahaha 😂

[@shortyxmoshpigx5488]

any chance you'll bring this in some other steel? maybe... stainless😬

[@AnthonyAwaken]

@@shortyxmoshpigx5488 not sure if TOPS will see that comment... But, I don't think they are planning on releasing this in any other blade steels in the near future. I know they're working on a black handled version for next year...So, who knows - If enough people ask for it, they might do a run another blade steel??

[@shortyxmoshpigx5488]

@@AnthonyAwaken i would appreciate that. for some irrational reason i get itchy when i see 1095.

[@eugenevictortooms4174]

I really wanted an el pionero as a self-defense tool. Tops dropped the ball by going with 1095 on this blade. 154CM would have been a much better steel for a knife that is designed to to carried IWB.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Totally understand the blade steel preference, Eugene. I dig 154CM as well...But, admittedly, 1095 is my favorite steel (that's probably because I'm a Bushcrafter first & foremost, haha). I don't think I've ever mentioned this before, but I do a lot corrosion-resistance testing on all of the blades that come through. This includes: - Leaving the blade coated in blood from fish or game processing overnight (even when I could've cleaned it off right away. This helps to simulate an overnight hunt or fishing trip where washing things off isn't an option right away). - I also cut a lot of acidic vegetables and then re-sheath the blade without cleaning it off. - I put the knives back in the sheath wet, etc. etc. - I also carry this particular knife in my front right pocket where everything gets sweaty on a hot/humid day, lol. As for how the 1095 El Pionero has done: - There has been a little patina develop on the uncoated/sharpened blade edge. But it has been nothing a Wazoo Viking Whetstone or Strop couldn't take care of. - Now, the grey-colored coating on the other hand, has totally eliminated any potential for rust to develop. I haven't had a single issue with rust or even patina with the coating. Everyone's mileage will differ depending on their environment, how much you sweat, etc. But I hope that helps give you an idea of my personal field-experience with this particular knife. Thanks for watching & commenting!

[@KnifeNinjaEDC]

Ordered mine and contacted them later to sharpen the top swedge. Can’t wait to get it in

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Oh nice! That sharpened swedge is gonna be sweet. Enjoy!

[@ryangraham8596]

Just bought mine! Can’t wait to get it. Going to try and make a boot knife with it.

[@DABA2024]

Got mine too. Great idea on the boot knife

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Nice idea, Ryan! You're gonna love it.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

​@@DABA2024 you're gonna dig it! It's a fantastic knife.

[@vanquestgear]

Pretty solid blade. And looking forward to seeing your new studio develop!!

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Thanks, guys!! It's gonna be a lot of work ahead... But I am so excited to get it finished up.

[@mastermasih]

great review!

[@MrJRW1]

Hello from Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦 I picked up my El Pionero knife a couple of weeks ago, and I really like it so far. I had a good laugh when you were talking about the tip of the knife and you said that it’s got “plenty of beef behind the tip”😂😂 The little devil on my shoulder said “ That’s what she said!” Great job! Glad to have found your channel.👍

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Michael Scott would approve 🤣🤣 Glad to hear you're enjoying your El Pionero as well! I haven't been able to sit this one down since I got it, lol.

[@kevinluebke9425]

Great review and a nice look at a blade that is based on a persons experience. Love the handle shape! I can see how that would be useful.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Yeah, Kevin - I love when people come up with unique design features based on their experiences & use-cases. Ed & Tops crushed it with this knife!

[@the_gear_shak]

Thanks for the quality video Anthony! Making it hard for me to resist one 🤣

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Hahaha - You won't regret it...Go on and give in, LOL 🤣 Thanks for watching, man!!

[@rpnbf8196]

I’m looking forward to this hitting the dealers and getting one. Nice review 👍🏽

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Thanks so much for watching! I'd say these will get into the dealers hands next week 🙂👍🏻

[@sparrow_bushcraft5307]

Looks very useful for sure

[@AnthonyAwaken]

It's one of my new favorites, that's for sure! If you don't get one before we share a campfire again, I'll definitely let ya try it out.

[@arielluna3760]

I just ordered mine. I was interested the moment I saw it. Im expecting it to be a great edc. It checks all the boxes for me. Can't wait to use it. Great review. Thanks.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Thanks so much for watching! This is one of the best EDC Fixed Blades out there, in my opinion. If you have never tried the pocket-carry method that I showed, I highly recommend it. It makes this particular knife extremely easy and comfortable to carry.

[@arielluna3760]

@@AnthonyAwaken I will definitely be trying out your carry method. Seems practical. Thanks.

[@cheatobandito]

Been waiting too

[@AnthonyAwaken]

I am so glad the wait is over 🙂🙌🏻

[@ColdHarborOP]

I'm glad youre back on KZbin, AA. Your videos offer a blend of sound information and smooth polish that really makes them enjoyable to watch. And I always appreciate getting a close-up look at a new blade, especially from TOPS.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Thank you so much! That really means a lot to hear. There's plenty more to come in the near future :)

[@magritteetmoncouteau]

My TOPS collection keeps growing but this one will have to wait a bit before it gets mine... rather sooner than later though. Thanks for your review. I always appreciate well thought out reviews on new knives. Have you tried working for TOPS as a photgrapher? Those pictures look great.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Thanks for watching & commenting! TOPS actually have a few talented photographers that already work on-location with them. I appreciate the compliments on these photos :)

[@benvehikite]

New sub good review thanks

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Thanks so much for subbing and watching! I really appreciate it, Ben 🤜🏻🤛🏻

[@Rawhead101]

The recess at the upper end of the handle is there to use the knife like a pkal knife!! Just in case someone should ask😉

[@NZComfort]

Ordered mine from Tops as soon as it came available. Can’t wait for it to ship out! Being 1095, what are some “finishing” options you’re looking into? Blueing, patinas, ect???

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Nice!! You're gonna love it. As far as how I roll with 1095... I just let it patina on its own. If I can't get back from the field and maintain it right away (ie: overnight, or multiple nights), it will typically rust a bit. But I just knock it off with some steel wool, and the patina left behind just becomes a part of the knife's story. If you want to prevent rust all-together, I'd recommend: • Food safe option: Red Eyed Hog B-Fat. Just be careful keeping this around camp. It can attract critters and bears. • Other option: Frog Lube. These options (along with the slight coating on the El Pionero) will help to keep rust at bay. Hope this helps! If you have any other questions, please let me know. I'm happy to help. - Anthony

[@jeremycrowe4693]

i love this knife and i will get one but i wish they would offer a handle with no design. i would like a plain micarta scales and if i want a design then i will put one on.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

I could see that, man. The engraving is pretty subtle in real life though...So hopefully that helps when you get yours 👍🏻 Enjoy yours when you get it!

[@AlabamaPilgrim333]

Need a good link for Kevlar cord that’s good quality.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

This has been my favorite Kevlar Cord: amzn.to/4an5Z9R I've owned a couples of large roles of it now and have had great success with it in a wide variety of applications.

[@timlewis5799]

Wondering if you can swap out the bottom screw for a lanyard hole?

[@AnthonyAwaken]

I would say that it would weaken the connection of the handles to the blade tang and allow them to move around a bit if you removed the screws. And, I haven't tried it to see what kind of pass-through/hole is underneath the scales/handles. You could shoot TOPS an email and ask though? 🤔

[@enriquescott2983]

Strange you should mention paring knives I'm a Chef and in a pinch I'll carry utility or a paring knife Swiss design they come with a slim sheath and when I'm working in the kitchen I'm stuck in my side pocket😊

[@AnthonyAwaken]

That is awesome to hear! Since you have used those blade designs so much, I'm sure that's a perfect EDC for you, since you know exactly what they're best at. Thanks so much for watching!

[@ungabunga6735]

Does anyone know if any other colors will be available? Saw an all black one initially teased but I’ve only seen the brown one available.

[@AnthonyAwaken]

The last I heard, black will be available at some point. But there is no ETA on that. I have seen some folks are using RIT Dye to change the colors of the brown scales though.

[@ungabunga6735]

@@AnthonyAwaken I’d be afraid of the sneak reaper disappearing

[@blackhill6426]

Very nice design . I like the simplicity but it’s very overpriced for what is basically a 1095 paring knife

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Keep an eye on the dealer sites - They set their own pricing. It looks like they're currently at $149(usd)...Who knows, they may go cheaper eventually 🤷🏼‍♂️ Thanks for watching!

[@bruceruzicka6089]

Once I got mine in my hand, I knew instantly, that The Pionero was worth the price. It is a buy once, cry once, type of thing.

[@user-cq1ol6bw3o]

They should make it in magnacut

[@AnthonyAwaken]

It would not surprise me if they eventually make this in some form of stainless steel. I believe that request has been pretty high since it released.

[@Bido11561]

Obviously Tops and Ed know way more than me, admittedly I know close to zero about knives comparatively. That being said, isn’t this thing super thin for being something meant for stabbing? Thanks for any insight

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Hey Brian - I'm like you, TOPS and Ed know FAR more about this particular usage than me (talking about self defense). I'm just a dude that carves stuff around camp, processes a ton of fish every year, and does boring everyday stuff with my knives, lol! But, from conversations that I've had with TOPS team members and other folks that do know about the defensive uses: Apparently a slim blade like this is highly favored. As for this particular blades thinness - I, personally, wouldn't worry too much about it. I have bent 1095 blades into an "S" shape before (ie: batoning through pine/cedar knots during survival classes) and it springs right back into its proper shape. When heat-treated properly, 1095 is my favorite steel. Like I said, I'm not the expert on defensive uses of knives - But I hope that helps in some way, lol. Thanks for watching & commenting, Brian! - Anthony

[@canadafree2087]

It is modeled after a Victorinox kitchen knife. Ed favored the hooked Victorinox but his mother carried a paring knife. It will work. Many people die in the UK from kitchen knives while other knives are banned.

[@joeyhinton8]

Great video. I can’t thank you enough for saying “oriented”! I hate when people say “orientated”. So many people say it, I want to reorientate their faces!

[@slkknifelover]

Never told the steel type lol

[@AnthonyAwaken]

1095 Carbon Steel with Stonewash finish.

[@dzxmr]

Damn I don't get the pricing on this one... love tops but wtf... I can get a UTE for 120€... here we're talking over 200€ for a smaller, thinner blade oO

[@AnthonyAwaken]

If it helps at all, I am seeing BladeHQ (link to them is in my full written review) have these for $149 (US) - I'm not sure how that exchanges to other currencies? At that price point I am in, personally. Then again, my sweet spot for spending on knives is $100-175ish typically (depending on what it is). Anything past that point, it typically has to come from a small/custom maker or company. Thanks for dropping a comment & checking this out!

[@dzxmr]

@@AnthonyAwaken hehe that's nice but important stuff from outside the EU is never a good idea ^^ we get charged A LOT when we do that, sometimes you pay over the double of the original price

[@JCOwens-zq6fd]

Nothing wring with it. I made my wife something similar & german hunters back in the day carried the "Knicker knife" which is basically the same thing.

[@HWGAFoundation]

A knife for a blind guy.

[@clintwestwood3539]

Damn that’s a glorified paring knife with a 120$ overpricing on it lol

[@AnthonyAwaken]

Errrbody gonna be jealous when I drag this bad boy out at Texas Roadhouse though 🤣🤣

[@clintwestwood3539]

@@AnthonyAwaken don’t get me wrong, it’s cool af, but the overpricing is insane. You have a carbon steel from Opinel at 5$. You have a stainless steel from Victorinox at 8$ and folding at 12$. It’s truly insane to ask 140$ for a paring knife in 1095. I wouldn’t pay 140$ for a paring knife if it was in Magnacut tbh lol

[@joelbenoitthewanderingbiso4976]

Now throw the words "Quality materials and workmanship"into the conversation, and the cheaper knives don't compare as much as a Tops.

[@clintwestwood3539]

@@joelbenoitthewanderingbiso4976 If you believe that micarta and 1095 costs 120$, I don’t know what to tell you. It would be overpriced at half that price, everyone knows that and it’s fine. I’ll still buy tops because I like them, but you are a fool if you think that “quality and material” justifies the gap.