Older Bowies Info

ajpalda · Apr 7, 2009

I have 2 older SOG Blades, the standard blued Bowie, and the Stainless/Polished Trident 2.0.

Both have the older in-box SOG logo, and are fairly thicker than the current 2.4 inch thick current versions.

Anyone have info on these blades like steel used, and when they were produced, etc?

Thanks in advance.

sogfans · Apr 8, 2009

Hi there,

A search through the archives could have found the information you asked.

Here is the information you required nevertheless, this is what we know but may not be totally correct (1993 specs):

S1 Bowie/Trident

Steel used: SK-5/440C
Dimensions: 6.25" x .280" (for both)
Production dates:1986-2005/1986?-2003
Handles:Leather/Micarta
Blade finish"Gun-blued/Satin polished

Do note that the original 'Trident' knife is known as the "S2", not the "Trident 2.0", which is the current production ones that are Made in Taiwan and have different dimensions from the original Trident S2 knife. Also, the above dimensions are for the S2 Trident.

Hope this helps and if you need more info let me know!

Cheers,
Mark

SOG Knives Collectors

Chris@SOG · Apr 8, 2009

The Bowie is SK-5 and the Trident is actually AUS6. Otherwise the info posted above is correct.

ajpalda · Apr 8, 2009

Thanks both for the information.

dl351 · Apr 8, 2009

If it were an original Trident made in Seki, it would be 440C, as opposed to the Trident 2.0's AUS6.

Chris@SOG · Apr 9, 2009

Actually all the knives made in Seki, Japan were made with AUS6 not 440C. When SOG first started AUS6 steel was little to unknown here in the US. The decision was made to list them in the catalog with an equivalent of 440C instead of AUS6. In hindsight this just caused more confusion but what is done is done.

This was done before my time with SOG and has been discussed at various time in the forums here.

dl351 · Apr 9, 2009

Chris@SOG said:
Actually all the knives made in Seki, Japan were made with AUS6 not 440C. When SOG first started AUS6 steel was little to unknown here in the US. The decision was made to list them in the catalog with an equivalent of 440C instead of AUS6.

Really? I thought most Seki knives were listed as 440A, then as AUS6, while the original Trident was 440C. I'm pretty sure I have an old catalog at home (I'm away at college right now) that shows the original Trident as 440C and the rest of the stainless fixed blades as 440A. I'll have to double check.

GIRLYmann · Apr 10, 2009

That's the thing with actually listing true steel specifcations other than just plain ol' fashion "surgical stainless steel" lol!
Years ago, having a 440C stainless steel blade was THE absolute top choice for stainless steel material, that is - before Japanese made AUS-6 and Hitachi ATS-34 steels became vogue.
BTW, it could be that AUS-6 steels were introduced earliest or made popular by the late Al Mar thru the his line of Seki manufactured knives into the American market.

Chris@SOG · Apr 10, 2009

Yes, even though the old catalogs stated 440C they were actually made using AUS6. We made that decision because at the time AUS6 was not widely known and 440C was. Since they are very close the decision was made to list the equivalent. When a later catalog was produced the steel spec was changed to AUS6.

dl351 · Apr 10, 2009

Why would the 440C be listed as AUS6 instead of AUS8? Isn't AUS8 the closest "AUS" steel to 440C? I thought AUS6 was more like 440A, which the rest of the stainless fixed blades were listed as.

Oh, and here's a picture of an old brochure I found here on BF that shows the original Trident as AUS8 (or 8-A):

To clarify what I'm saying, here it is:

I've been a SOG fan for the past 12 years or so. Over this course of time, I've seen the SOG lineup change. Unless SOG wasn't advertising correctly, I remember all of the stainless fixed blades, except for the original Trident, being listed as 440A. The Trident was listed as 440C. When SOG switched the names of the steels, I thought all of the 440A knives became AUS6, while the Trident, the only 440C stainless fixed blade, became AUS8. Unless the original Trident was the same steel as the rest of the stainless lineup, which I distinctly remember it not being, it doesn't make any sense for all of them to be listed as AUS6. Does this make sense?

Also, I realize that since production of most of the fixed blades moved to Taiwan, the common steel used on them is the same, including the Trident 2.0.

sogfans · Apr 11, 2009

dl351,

Looking through the old catalogs I have found no mention of the Trident Bowie (S2) being made in Aus-6 steel.

The last record I have is the 2000 catalog which states that the Trident is made from 440C steel, and the transformation to Aus-8 steel takes place somewhere between that to 2003, where the SOG catalog of that year shows the Trident in Aus-8.

However in 2005 where SOG probably shifted its production from Seki Japan to Taiwan, the Trident 2.0 (S2B) was rolled out. This one is made from Aus-8 steel too and continues to be made in this steel till today.

I have found a post where Ron Anderson affirmed that the Trident to be made from Aus-8 steel, which was SOG's later way of marketing once the US market warmed up to the Aus-8 steel from the 440C steel. Here's the post: Old Trident Steel Type?

Leave you boys to sort it out.

Cheers,
Mark

SOG Knives Collectors