SOG Seal Team Elite

[lagarto]

Hello all,
After some indecision I decided to post this mini-review here instead of in the knife review and testing section since it concerns a SOG knife. I have to say that after handling some of the new Fusion line I was less than impressed and haven't picked up a SOG for over a year. However, I was in my favorite B&M shop today and handled several of the new higher end line and have to say that I'm impressed. Wound up picking out a new camo assisted Trident for a good friend and got the SEAL Team Elite for myself. I had the Seal Pup Elite, but just sent it off to Iraq with a friend being deployed. Anyhoo. I really like the heft of this knife and it is SCARY sharp out of the box. Does well peeling Kiwis. The exposed tang isn't really a scull crusher, but would work in a pinch. At the least it would really, really hurt. The rasp/saw spine deal is sort of gimmicky, but it will cut notches, doesn't work so well cutting through stuff, but I guess that's performing within it's design specifications. I think I'm most impressed with the sheath. Rather than the pure kydex sheaths of old this one comes with a nice kydex/nylon combo sheath with pocket big enough to hold a small multi-tool, swedish firesteel, or in my case a swiss army fireman and a lighter. It's lineage as a fighter is clear, but this one is a hefty 1/4" thick at the spine and I think will make a good camp knife as well. Off to the bush in PR tomorrow, so more to follow as I beat on it. To summarize, overall first impressions of this knife are highly positive.

Lagarto

Here's a picture of it next to an ASH 1 and Ranger Knives RD 9 for scale.

[swimmerdude1127]

Great details! Let us all know how it does in the outdoors...

look at it next to that ASH1... it looks like it's almost double the blade height!

[lagarto]

Swimmerdude1127

The SOG is no slouch, it's just that the ASH is a small tank. Both are great knives, I'm currently waiting for a sheath for my ASH so I can take it out and beat on it as well. As far as a travelling knive goes the SOG wins, it's just a lot lighter.

Lagarto

[johnu2]

Yeah definitely let us know how it goes! There hasn't been much user feedback on this knife

[lagarto]

Hey All,
So far over the last couple days I've used the Seal Team Elite to prune branches off trees, anything up to 1/4" in diameter came down with one stroke, those about 1/2" to 3/4" requiring only two to three strokes. The exposed pommel was used as a field hammer to drive in a datum stake (big nail) for surveying and the only damage is some slight scarring of the plastic on the handle, and I've used the tip to dig small thorns out from under my skin and cut twine. All these tasks were easily completed. So far it's holding up well as a field knife.

Lagarto