MT SOCOM vs SOCOM elite q's.....

S

SIFU1A

Joined
May 12, 2001
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hi guys and gals, traded for a MT SOCOM clip point w/nitride coating made in 6/98 today, has the old gold box w/the cotton padding, and is 100% LNIB. a q' or 2 for ya'll.........

A) what is the diff between the socom and socom elite??

B) where can i get some cord like MT uses to put a fob on it?? from MT?? or does someone else carry similar cord, wouldnt mind having a small spool of it.

c) would this knife have had a fob tied on it from MT, or was that not done then??

if anyone has any info, it would be much appreciated

i think its a heckuva knife imho, really well made, lock up is 100%, really a nice, well made/well finished knife, one of my better ones according to me, my wife, and son. everyone likes it. the thing is SHARP X10 too, from the factory, one of the sharpest knives i have ever seen outta the box......

i am impressed, not much experience w/MT, but this one looks to be (or have been) a winner!!

greg
 
SIFU, I guess you are talking about a Micrtoech SOCOM D/A vs the SOCOM Elite. The SOCOM D/A is my favorite auto of all time. I want another one, but dang they are really expensive. The SOCOM D/A is a double action knife(auto and regular thumb stud)while the SOCOM Elite is auto only. I never warmed up to the look of the Elite. I am fairly sure that the 2002 SOCOM D/A's have the microbar lock. From my understanding, it is just a redesigned liner that is thicker. I have to agree. The Microtech guys know how to grind a blade. They are dang sharp fron the factory.

All the older SOCOM's that I owned always had a lanyard that was factory tied. Recently, I ran across a 2001 L-UDT that did not have a factory tied lanyard, but it was supplied with the parachute cord and instructions on how to tie it. I would prefer the lanyard to be tied by the factory, but that's just me. I think maybe that Microtech has stopped tying them to save a buck or two. The cord is just parachute cord, but I cannnot remember the specific numbers. I think 7 strands fit in there some where. Big D1
 
hello folks

Socom elites were made in made in manual too, just no tanto-manuals.
The main difference in the manuals is the locking device. in the case of the regular SOCOM they utilise an inlayed liner lock, which is about the strongest liner I have ever seen. In case of the Socom elite, the locking device is the microbar lock, this is no liner lock, but a straight bar with springs under it so it functions like a linerlock. Als the handle is thicker then the original SOCOM. The microbar in raw strength reaches up to framelock level, because the bar of 154-cm, like the bar is about 3/4 of the blade thickness.

Also the pivot pin is larger, thumbstud is also larger. An Elite is in about all ways a SOCOM on steroids.

I never handled auto's (illegal in Belgium), but those which I have seen were awsome.

I should have a few comparison pics here, but I dunno what you're looking for.. auto's or manuals?

greetz and take care, Bart
 
Bart, thanks for clearing that up about the microbar lock. I have never owned one of the Microtech's with the microbar lock. I just based my opinion about it on the limited amount of information that I have read. In the pictures that I have seen of the microbar lock, it just looked like a liner that was thicker at the point where it meets the tang of the blade.

Now, for dang sure, I want a 2002 SOCOM D/A with the microbar lock. I hope they are not too much wider than the older liner lock model SOCOM D/A's because they were just the right size. I still like the look better of the SOCOM D/A over the auto only Elite. Big D1
 
actually, mine is a SOCOM M/A(stamped on the blade), its not an auto....and it has a heavy duty liner, almost twice as thick as my BM AFCK, and its doesnt protrude above the handle, ya gotta reach in w/your finger to release it, no accidental releases w/this imho,liner is inletted into the inside, w/a torx screw holding it on from the outside, would this be the heavier duty lock?

and are the handles aluminum, or ti, or????

and the only socom i have ever seen, a mini soxcom, had a thin cord as a fob, not std paracord?? was this just am abberition??

thanks for all the info,


greg
 
Ahhh you got a SOCOM manual.. nice knives. Yup, that's the liner lock. The SOCOM elite has a locking bar twice that thickness.
Handles are hard-coat anodized aluminium.

The cord is paracord on the big ones, the small SOCOM's have something thinner but similar. I in general remove the lanyards first because I never use them.. those things come with a clip.. I never saw the reson for lanyards.

greetz and take care, Bart.
 
Hey Sifu, I hope you don't mind me using your post, but it seems a good idea to post my Socom questions in here instead of opening a new thread :)

I'm saving for a Socom tanto blade BB, and I always liked the original one, so I'm wondering if the Elite new models are better than the others in some way or just Socom's on steroids as Bart Student graphically said :)

But my primary concern about the Socom is about the "balance" of it (there are absolutely no stores that have MT's around here :( )

What I want to know is if the blade is kinda heavy, making the knife more balanced to the point where the blade pivots. You see, I have only 2 "tactical" folders, a BM Stryker and a MOD Trident, and even if I love them both, I like the MOD so much better because of the weigth of the blade, that makes the balance point to be more to the tip of the opened knife. It feels like a knife that can be throw on a single movement when gravity opening it with an extended arm. The heavy blade wants to keep going, while on the Stryker, it feels like it just wants to stay there, sticking from the blade, cos the handle steals all the energy from the movement...

If the Socom has a blade like that, Phil is going to get an email from me in a month or so ;)

As always, thank you :)

NsB
 
The SOCOM Elite is superior to the original SOCOM, in addition to the advantages bart pointed out, SEs have better finishes available and the ergos are improved (my opinion). MT said they will be using S30V on future production knives so hopefully the next run of SEs will use it, another reason to get the SE. The only advantage the original SOCOM has is thinness. If thinness is your focus, the original will do the trick.
 
well, MT's not making tanto Elites, so that kinda leads me to a regular one. Plus I like the "original design" kind of thing, UNLESS they are dramatically improved on the next wave.

NsB
 
Not to be too over the top, but the Socom E is an awesome knife. I have one born 6/2000 with a 154 CM plain edge Satin blade. This knife cuts well and holds an edge well. The overall strength is pretty amazing. I think that the lock compares favorably to my small Sebenza. The Microbar lock is certainly strong. It sound's like the proverbial Bank Vault when it locks up and the lock doesn't budge!

It's the only tip down carry knife that I carry regurlarly (also own a William Henry T10-CF). Generally I prefer Tip up carry. The Socom E is a little thick, so it gets carried less than my lil sebbie and my Benchmade 941, but I think it is my favorite folder.

jmx
 
in answer to the 'q' about balance, my socom m/a is VERY blade heavy, in fact, one of my more blade heavy knives - and the liner seems pretty stout, its thicker than any BM/EKI i have. it really is a cool knife, my only experience w/MT has been a small tanto socom elite, which i had about a week and traded, and a LCC, which i traded for this - have always wanted a reg socom, they are MUCH bigger than the mini, still have the mini sheath and its WAAAAY to small, lol. i imaginethe SE is probably better than my old socom, but i tell ya, there aint nothing wrong w/the old socom, imho, i really do like it, tempted to carry even though its 100% LNIB, was gonna 'put it up', not a scuff on it, never been sharpened, etc, could it replace my tried and true EKI SOCFK green G10 w/black tanto blade?? only time will tell........but if ya do want a blade heavy model, the socom will fill the bill - i dont know about the SE, i have never handled one, pics only, but i bet it would too.........


i must be hung up on acronyms, all my knives i really like are acronyms, AFCK, SOCFK, SOCOM, KFF, etc, go figure huh, lol


greg
 
just a 'q for ya guys - does anyone have a pic of a socom and a socom elite in a comparison photo they could post -?? that would be interesting, to me anyway.

i might want to get a socom elite now, any one got one they wanna sell????

EM me @ CvetteRcR1@aol.com if ya do......

thanks again for all the great info,

greg
 
I am pretty sure the the MT fob's are not 550 cord, they are solid cord (no inner stands) and are thinner than 550, check out REI.com or EMS.com for thiner stuff.

One difference i didnt see adressed (or missed) is the thicker blade of the Elite, the Socom Elite has a blade about .17in thick, while the reg Socom has a .148in thick blade (like the amphibian and LCC).

There are basically 2 blade grinds the Brend (old style, first preproduction) style and the regular grind (one that was made in drop point and tanto) . I feel that the Brend grind (dagger like) is the better looking grind and it is also the pointiest, but the later grind style (nearly full flat) is the more usefull grind do to its better edge geometry.

Auto SocomE vs Manual SocomE

When you look at pictures of the Socom E you see that there is a cutout where your index finger goes, the Auto has this cutout on both sides while the manual has it only on one side (needs a place for the microbar) , it doesnt make a huge difference but the auto is a little more comfortable and succure, the auto is also significantly lighter.

The Only thing i would trade my Socom E for would be a Socom E that i liked more.
 
Here is an auto E and a manual old style.
Nick
 

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The E pocket clip lets the knife ride lower
 

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You have already received a lot of good information that seems to cover your questions . I am unable to post photos but have sent you some SOCOM-SOCOM Elite comparison photos by email.

I think that both are great knives and that you will be pleased with either.
 
I have a Microtech Socom Elite Tanto (2-tone satin/beadblast) it was made 3/2001 and is marked SOCOM ELITE-A 0793 154-CM

It is by far the best tactical knife i own or ever have. The fit and finish was so amazing the day i got it i also ordered a Mini UDT also amazing in fit and finish as well as out of the box sharpness

IMHO you Cannot go wrong with a MT

Geoff
 
I almost forgot the included laynard is definatly not 550 cord (type 3 nylon) Its just some generic black cord
 
the cord looks to me like whatever surefire uses for cords on there lights, also thanks for all the info/pics/etc, lots of good info here!!

agree the MT stuff looks like a winner to me!! REALLY like my SOCOM, carried it today for the first time, and it rocks!! and talk about sharp. will it replace my trusty EDC EKI SOCFK?? i dont know about that, only time will tell..............but its a close second at the very least for sure, which is saying something, i love my SOCFK too!


greg
 
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