Tigershark steel?

[Gshock300]

Hey guys,

I just acquired a Sog Tigershark for nothing... was lying around in a friends house and he didnt know why it was there and didnt want it lol.
Its got a black leather sheath and the blade is without serrations and has "seki-japan" on one side and the "SOG specialty knives" square logo on the other side of the blade.
seems to have some kind of grey teflon colored coating on the blade.
What I was wondering was what kind of steel is this knive made of?

[SIRGALANT]

the steel is sk5 carbon

[SIRGALANT]

i could be wrong, but someone else will be able to tell you for sure

[Chris@SOG]

That sounds like an older Tigershark and it would be made of SK-5 Carbon Steel.

Chris

[BubbaGanew]

But did the SK-5 Carbon Steel version have "some kind of grey Teflon colour coating on the blade"? It sounds like AUS6 to me. Weren't some of the AUS6 versions non serrated? Just asking because I've got one and always thought it to be AUS6.

[New Pig Hunter]

I'm gonna guess is it not SK-5 steel. I'm thinking none of the SK-5 SOG's ever had the grey stuff on it.

If that's (reasonably) true then the steel would (reasonably) be AUS-6.

The non-serrated is the question, I don't know if the powder-coated Tigershark edition always had serrations.

RON, we need RON to help us here !!!!

Cheers,

Carl

p.s. I'll give ya $20 for it .... a 2,000% return on your investment !!

[BubbaGanew]

A 2,000% return on a knife were not even 100% sure of what kind of steel its made out of ? Wow that mighty reckless of you Carl !

[Gshock300]

I emailed SOG but the reply I got from the sales rep was kinda vague.
He said "was the knife you purchased advertised as a Tigershark? I dont think that knife has been avaliable with a non serrated blade for the last 3 years, beyond that... I dont know if it was ever avaliable as a plain blade, sorry."
Not much help there at all.
You guys are saying that its either Aus6 (the current tigershark steel) or sk5 carbon which was used in the older knives?
Is there any way to tell how old my knife is? The teflon like coating is only on the newer blades? What about the flat bottomed leather sheath.. does that nail down the vintage at all?

thanks guys

[BubbaGanew]

This one is SK5 note the sheath's bottom http://cutlerscove.com/bowies/sog-tigershark.htm


My sheath has the flat bottom like the one you described. I've always thought mine to be made from AUS6. So to answer your question I would say yes. But from past experience just when you think you have it figured out someone will come along and prove you wrong. So you mite want to wait 'till Ron gets back to Carl on this one.

[New Pig Hunter]

what, me reckless ??

as for what the SOG folks had to say, seems to me only Mr SOG himself has been around SOG long enough to know what's up here. And probably Vinny too. But to remember what model was produced with what features...... most folks can't even remember what they had for breakfast this morning.

Gshock, what's chances of you posting a picture of the knife and the sheath ?? Might help, might not, but hey, there's a few of us here who'd like to see what a free Tigershark looks like !! I've certainly never seen one.

Cheers,

Carl

[Gshock300]

thanks for the replies guys but ive got no idea how to post a pic up.
Bubba, the link you sent has a different knife and sheath... that one has a pointed bottom that follows the profile of the blade.. mine doesnt. Also my blade is coated in some kinda stuff that looks like the teflon of a non stick frying pan lol.
if someone could tell me how to post a pic... id gladly give it a go.

[SIRGALANT]

have you considered the possibility that it could be an aftermarket coating on the blade?

[New Pig Hunter]

I keep thinking the best course of action is to send the Tigershark to me for some close inspection and comparison to my own Tigershark. Oh, and a couple of months of field work.

Cheers,

Carl

[Gshock300]

SirGalant... no I dont think its an aftermarket coating because the blade has seen no use at all. The original factory edge is still untouched and sharp as the day it was made... you can see the factory bevel grind. The coating is also unmarred as is the sheath. I have no idea who bought it and why but it looks like they had just thrown it on a shelf and forgotten all about it the day they bought it.
ps. how do you post a pic? or can i email a pic to one of you guys and you post it up perhaps?

[BubbaGanew]

The only way that I know how to post a picture is to use a cell phone camera. After you take the picture you then up load it to your cell phone service provider. Then they should send you a email with a link so you can view the picture at there web site. After you get the link you can paste it in your next post. I'm sure there are other ways of doing it because I've seen them but this is how I did it. So even if you emailed me the picture I would have to take a picture of your picture off my monitor and then go through all those steps and then the quality would suck. But I hope someone else will help you with this because I would like to know of a better way too.

[New Pig Hunter]

I use www.Hunt101.com to post pictures, and then put the link here.

For example, here's my newest treasure in the collection:
http://www.hunt101.com/img/420278.bmp

Here's another one from awhile back:
http://www.hunt101.com/img/340053.jpg


Cheers,

Carl

[BubbaGanew]

http://www.hunt101.com/img/420278.bmp


Hey Carl I give up. It looks like a K-Bar but I can't see any ridges in the handle. Also the blade doesn't appear to be offset and the blade material it looks like its DAMASCUS. How far off am I ? And speaking of the blade how long is it?

[New Pig Hunter]

It's a Western G46-8, WWII era as best I know.

Pretty much the basic "kabar style" but with 8" blade. Plain ol' carbon steel blade. Leather handle.

And now has lotsa lotsa sharp !!

Cheers,

Carl

[vjb.knife]

Originally Posted by Gshock300

I emailed SOG but the reply I got from the sales rep was kinda vague.
He said "was the knife you purchased advertised as a Tigershark? I dont think that knife has been avaliable with a non serrated blade for the last 3 years, beyond that... I dont know if it was ever avaliable as a plain blade, sorry."
Not much help there at all.
You guys are saying that its either Aus6 (the current tigershark steel) or sk5 carbon which was used in the older knives?
Is there any way to tell how old my knife is? The teflon like coating is only on the newer blades? What about the flat bottomed leather sheath.. does that nail down the vintage at all?

thanks guys

Althought most knife companies are the same way it is sad that for such a relatively young company they can't have the history of their line documented or train their people to be able to answer a question like this.

I will pull some old catalogs and see what I can find.

Vince

[vjb.knife]

Originally Posted by Gshock300

Hey guys,

I just acquired a Sog Tigershark for nothing... was lying around in a friends house and he didnt know why it was there and didnt want it lol.
Its got a black leather sheath and the blade is without serrations and has "seki-japan" on one side and the "SOG specialty knives" square logo on the other side of the blade.
seems to have some kind of grey teflon colored coating on the blade.
What I was wondering was what kind of steel is this knive made of?

I have catalogs from 1999 and 2000 which show the Tigershark in what must be a transitional model just as you described Black Leather sheath, gray powder coated, non-serrated blade and the desciption says 440A Stainless for the steel. They are also showing the Seal 2000, the Government & Agent as well as the SogTech I and other fixed blades being made of 440A except for the Trident using 440C and the S1 Bowie using SK-5.

Vince