Knife companies love putting “heritage” on the box. They’ll print “since 19-whatever” on the label, change everything about the blade inside, and hope you don’t notice. The outdoor market keeps chasing wild new shapes and fancy steels when some of the best blade designs were sorted out a hundred years ago. Grab an original Old Hickory XL Hunter from the 1920s and you’ll feel it right away: the thing still outcuts modern fixed blades that cost twice as much. That gap between what worked then and what people expect now is exactly where this story starts.
Price: $215
Where to Buy: Tops Knives
So here’s the real question: can two companies upgrade a knife that already worked without wrecking everything that made it great? TOPS Knives and Ontario Knife Company think they’ve figured it out. The TOPS Ontario XL Hunter is up for grabs right now at $215, down from a $270 list price, in two Cerakote color options that already look nothing like the bare-steel original.
Fixed-blade hunting knives are having a comeback, and a lot of it comes from people getting fed up with flimsy stainless folders that chip the first time they hit bone. Carbon steel is winning fans again among hunters who’d rather sharpen on a river rock than stress over a $300 edge. TOPS built its name on tough, American-made blades that don’t quit in the dirt, and Ontario has been making knives since 1889. The question is whether the upgrades back up the hype.
What Actually Changed
TOPS left the original 5.5-inch clip-point blade shape alone, and that’s the right move. The Old Hickory XL Hunter got popular because of that exact profile: wide enough belly for skinning, a fine point for detail cuts, and a natural rocking motion that makes chopping onions at camp feel easy. They bumped the steel thickness to 0.150-inches, adding spine strength without turning a slicer into a crowbar. If you’ve held the original and liked that light, springy feel, this one adds stiffness where it counts.
The blade steel stays at 1095 carbon. Sharp out of the box and easy to maintain, it’ll outperform most stainless options with way less effort. Rust is the trade-off: leave it wet and the steel turns on you, but Cerakote in Midnight Bronze or Sniper Grey adds real protection that bare carbon can’t touch.
TOPS swapped the original hickory wood handles, which swelled in rain and cracked in dry heat, for red canvas Micarta. Grip it with damp fingers and you’ll notice the difference immediately: tighter hold, zero slippage, no weather drama. The Micarta actually feels better over time as your hands wear it in, which is something the old hickory could never claim. It’s a serious material upgrade that fixes the two biggest complaints people had with the original for decades.
Full tang construction means the steel runs straight through the handle, bolted through Micarta with bright orange liners peeking out at the edges. That pop of color against the red handle and dark blade looks great. Pick it up and you feel it: zero wobble, zero rattle, solid as a rock.
The full package stretches to 10.25 inches with a 4.75-inch handle that fills your hand without feeling bulky. At 9 ounces, it’s light enough to use all day. TOPS kept the thin edge bevel from the original design, so this knife still slices like the Old Hickory that made people fans in the first place.
At this thickness, the 1095 flexes enough to be forgiving but stays rigid enough for real work. The leather belt sheath keeps things simple, hugs your hip at 13.7 ounces total, and doesn’t stick out the way kydex rigs sometimes do. Built in Idaho at TOPS Knives’ own shop, the whole package feels like something a company with military contracts would put together.
Who Should Skip This
If you hate wiping down your blade after every use, walk away now. Carbon steel needs attention, and the Cerakote doesn’t change that basic deal. Beach campers and anyone near saltwater will fight rust no matter what coating sits on a 1095 blade. The 9-ounce weight isn’t doing any favors for ultralight hikers either.
At $215, budget hunters might side-eye this when cheaper options are ready. Those won’t match the build quality, but they’ll get the job done.
Who This Is For
If you hunt and cook with the same knife, this one was made for you. The blade geometry handles field dressing and food prep with a single grind, so you don’t need to pack two knives. That clip point handles precise work around joints and tendons better than a drop point, which matters when you’re cleaning fish at the campsite.
Anyone who’s used an Old Hickory and wished the handle wouldn’t swell up after a rainstorm finally gets an answer. Camp cooks who want a knife that works as well slicing onions as it does breaking down small game will love this thing. The balance is the kind of good you notice after 20 minutes of steady cutting when your hand still feels fresh. Car campers who don’t worry about pack weight get a full-size blade with a handle that actually fits a grown hand.
Price: $215
Where to Buy: Tops Knives
This isn’t another product drop on a crowded shelf. The fixed-blade world doesn’t get collaborations with this much history behind them very often. Hold the XL Hunter next to a photo of the 1920s original and the blade outline is nearly identical, which says something about how right that first design was. TOPS and Ontario didn’t try to reinvent it. They swapped out the parts that failed, wrapped the whole thing in modern protection, and left the cutting geometry alone. That restraint is the coolest thing about it.
L39 Ultra Slim UV Protective Filter for Leica Q3 43 Q2 Camera with Moisture-Proof Case & Removal Tool 19 Layers Mulit-Coated UV Ultraviolet Filter 99.3% Light Transmission Water Oil Scratch Resistant
(as of February 18, 2026 09:19 GMT -06:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
