SOG Government Agent

[Dan Brewer]

Anyone got an opinion about this knife? I did a search on it but didn't come up with a lot - what few things I saw were positive, though. Looks like it might be worth getting as an all-purpose field knife. I'm currently using a Ka-Bar next generation and have no complaints - in fact I like it a lot, it's my standard "in the field" knife and has performed great - but well, you know... It's this darn knife collector bug!
Don't want to get something I wouldn't really use though - there's a thought! Of course it's not like I'll ever REALLY use all the knives I've got. But it's the thought that counts - right?

Thanks all,
Dan

[Dan Brewer]

Well,

A closer look at the SOG has one feature I don't like - the guard extends both above and below the handle. This makes it more difficult for me to put my thumb on top of the blade and guide it for controlled cutting. There's one (other) thing I like about the Ka-Bar that's fairly unique, at least as far as "combat" knives go - only has the lower guard not the upper portion. BK7 is the same as the Ka-Bar that way - also the Buck Nighthawk. Hmm... all of the knives I really like seem to be designed that way... Does anyone else have this same problem (with upper guards - or am I just weird?

Regardless, I'd still like to hear what others think of this one. Personally, I've found the Ka-Bar hard to beat for grip and general-purpose balance, but the Government Agent doesn't look bad by any means.... and to be fair I haven't had the opportunity to handle one.

[wildmanh]

Hi Dan,

The SOG Government Agent is one of my favorite knives. Got to love that Clip Point Bowie blade It goes just about everywere with me (Camping, hiking, backpacking, road trips and so on). I've had my Government for over a year now and it has proven its self and a good all around field knife.

The Government Agent has a nice heft to it and is still very quick in your hand. Works great on food, eats steak like nobodies business.(Pic1, Pic2, Pic3) Now, it's not great at chopping or splitting, but it slices food and other things really well.

The Handle shape is great and so is the texure. Very comfortable and I have not had a problem with it slipping, wet or cold. I love the butt cap, goes a good job as a field hammer for pounding in tent pegs and breaking ice. When working on food, the top guard is a pain, but other than that I don't mind it.

A few years ago I got to handle a NextGen KaBar at a sporting goods store. Loved the heft and feal, the sharpened chip and how sharp the main edge came. Even though I have a SOG Government, I still want to get my hands on the NextGen KaBar. Not sure which I would use more, but hey 2 knives are better than 1.

I'd say, get the Government Agent. It is a sweet knife. Oh yeah, you might want to check out the SOG Forum for more good information.

[fudo]

The Gov't Agent is a nice knife. I would be happier if it was made out of 440C instead of 440A. I got mine at a killer price, so I can't complain too much. At least it's not serrated.
Mine was impossible to get out of the sheath one-handed so I had to re-form the top of the sheath with a small torch. Not a big deal but shouldn't have been necessary. Still, it has a nice shape and balance and racy lines.

[New Pig Hunter]

I'll begin this by saying up-front that I like/prefer/own SOG fixed blade knives.

With that said, I don't have the Gov't Agent in my collection. For myself I prefer a thicker blade and the SOG's I have are 1/4" thick, one of 'em being the Seal 2000. A great knife, and like Wildmanh, all mine have done dinner duty with steaks and roasts.

Cheers,

Carl

[Manowar]

Go for the SOG Government!
It´s now upgraded and has AUS-6 steel and comes with a kydex sheath instead of the old ones that had 440A steel and cordura sheaths. What i realy like about this knife is the pommel that works as a field hammer. It´s a feature that i miss on most knives.If you don´t like the upper part of the cross guard,you could saw it of,and file down the sharp edges so you have just a single guard knife. The only problem with that would be that if the knife is altered,it´s not covered by the warranty. The SOG Government is among the best knives on the market in my belive.

Manowar

[Hotrod]

Stop that... its 10:10 I'm not s'posed to be hungry! Nice lookin steak by the way!

[Crayola]

I just wanted to comment on something that Manowar said:

If I remember correctly (I'd bet my bag of carrots and a Canadian dollar that I am right too), The SOG blades marked or marketed as 440A are actually AUS-6. There was a thread on the SOG forum about this, that SOG decided at the time (whenever that time was) to advertise the blades as being 440A, since people were more familiar with the 440 series stainless steels than the AUS versions. I am on a real slow computer right now, so I dare not try a search, but there is a bog thread on this on the SOG forum. I think it has been a year or 2 now that they have been marketing the blades as AUS-6, which they have been for quite some time.

But yes, the sheaths are an upgrade

[ZENGHOST]

Wasn't the SRK kinda like a Gov without the top guard? Probably a little shorter though. There's the Northwest Ranger as well, but it looks like that only comes with serrations.