The MAK-7 made mincemeat of the 1x4 pine.


The MAK-7 from TOPS is a heavy-duty field dagger made to play rough. Most daggers are slim and thin, but the MAK-7 is wide and thick. Daggers have a reputation for being limited-use knives in the field—basically, conventional wisdom goes, if you can’t stick it in something it’s no good.

I tend to look at things differently. Two edges are better than one. You just have to learn how to use your tool.

During the SFQC (U.S. Army Special Forces Qualification Course) survival portion, I carried a cheap little Texas boot dagger. It handled all the tasks required and then some. My everyday carry knife was a double-edge Fer-de-Lance from Pacific Cutlery for the next 18 years. I always had a sharp edge no matter what I did. Now, you cannot beat the back of the double-edge blade to drive it through a log without it sticking to the beating stick, but this is the only challenge you have to figure out with the MAK-7.

Rope & Wood

I came out cutting rope first, as it was the lightest portion of the test agenda. On half-inch sisal I got 42 cuts but they each left a thin strand of rope attached. I think that the combination of the coating on—and the thickness of—the blade peaked out at just under a half inch of edge penetration. I could feel the sisal grab the blade as I pushed it through. I cheated a few times and used the serrations just to make sure it would complete the cut. (As you probably know by now, I don’t like serrations.)

On 5/8-inch climbing rope, the MAK-7 made 75 clean cuts with no leftovers. The makeup of the rope just slid over the coating.

I grabbed a pine 1x4 and locked it in my vise. I started the standard “V” cut in the board. The heavy dagger blade bit deep into the wood, sending cut pieces flying. The knife was solid throughout the chopping; I experienced no vibration up my arm.

I went through the 1x4 fairly quickly and decided to step it up a notch. I looked around for my trusty 2x4. I will say one thing; TOPS knives are built strong. I thrashed my way through the 2x4. Now, it was not as fast as chopping the 1x4 in two but the MAK-7 handled the job. This is where I found out about a part of the handle I didn’t like—more on that later. The knife stayed solid in my hand as I chopped and had positive control for the “V” cut. Try chopping a 2x4 in half with a dagger; it’s a whole new world of fun. It took me four times as long to clean up all the wood chips than it did to chop the board in half. (My new bride, Melissa, wanted the floor swept anyway.)

The edge held up to the heavy chopping, so I set my sights farther down the blade to the tip—the most-used portion of a dagger. I found an old 785-page parts book, and, using the overhand/ice pick grip, started stabbing big holes into it. The MAK-7 penetrated all the way through, plus an eighth inch. Even after eight stabs, the penetration was the same. (Some epoxy will fill the divots in my workbench.)

I was not done with the tip just yet. The old tree in the backyard was about to get some more holes it. I stabbed the knife deep into the wood and twisted it out. This just left big holes in the tree, so I added more penetration power by throwing the knife. After seven or eight tosses I had the spin down and was sinking the blade deep. I pulled down against the edge for more pressure on the tip. This just left even bigger holes in the tree. This is one tough blade! The handle took some nice hits and stayed tight. Good job, TOPS.

Pry Bar & Sheath

On the butt of the handle is a mini pry bar. It worked on opening paint cans very well but you have to watch out for the double edge or else safely use the sheath as a handle. The objection I have with the pry bar is that the ends stick out. When I used the MAK-7 for chopping, one of the pry-bar ends kept jabbing my palm. It’s nothing a few licks on a grinder won’t cure. Just annoying, not a mission stopper.

The sheath is ballistic nylon with a Kydex® liner, and a pouch with a clip on the front to hold survival gear or an extra pistol magazine. A large belt loop and a leg tie-down strap secure the sheath to your body. A fabric-fastener strap and a paracord tie down hold the knife. Nice!

What I Would Change

The ends of the pry bar are sharp. I would round them off.

Overall

The MAK-7 is a great heavy-duty dagger that will last a lifetime.

TOPS warrants its knives for a lifetime against any defect. For more information contact TOPS, attn: Mike Fuller, Dept. BL9, POB 2544, Idaho Falls, ID 83403 208.542.0113 www.topsknives.com.