SOG Knives?

K

KFU

Part Time Knifemaker, Moderator
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I was wondering what everyone thought about SOG knives. I know they have had some bad press lately, but Im asking abot knife quality. Do they make a fixed blade thats worth a crap? I can get their products for cost at work but havent han any experience with them.
 
I think they are nice, pretty well made and I do sell alot of them and never have any returned or any cpmplaints. I have had 3 myself in the past and was very happy with tyhem all.

are they as good as an ESEE or a Becker? IMHO I would say no but they are a well made knife.
 
They aren't really oriented to WSS, more a tactical group of knives. However, I've always found their quality to be pretty good, although its been a few years since I purchased one. In fact, a few years ago I got rid of all but one of my stainless fixed blade knives, and the one I kept was an SOG Seal Pup.
 
Fixed blades are great! Very ergonomic, awesome balance, and I really like their AUS-8 steel. Extremely easy to get hairsplitting sharp-I firmly believe that AUS-8 has the best edge retention/maintenance ratio of any steel I have used, though I wouldn't trust it as a designated beater. Their folders are all but useless for bushcraft, I bought a Trident folder that got gunked up with sand and salt from living on the coast and the action basically fell apart. I thought it may have been a fluke and tried again with the Flash II, which lasted maybe 3 weeks before it too became useless.
 
Well, I was going to mention that you should contact Mist, but it seems he has already posted. They weren't intended for bushcrafting, that said, a lot of knives that are used weren't. Doesn't mean they will not perform, though.
 
I don't care for most of them. A lot of them I feel are overpriced for their quality and materials.
 
I have been pleased with the Seal Pup Elite (plain edge). I have used it more than the others. I have a number of the SOG fixed blades. I like some of the old blades like the Tech 1 and 2. The Tigershark is a hawg of a knife and the largest knife I currently own. I have the old carbon steel one and the one the predates the current one which has the partiially serrated edge. I don't care for the serrations as that is the area of the blade that I would use if I had to apply maximum force to cut something.
 
Pick up the new Northwest Ranger, I have the old half serrrated aus-6 and it is a good knife. Was my fixed for years backpacking and my only complaint was serrations.

The new one is straight edge in aus-8, pretty good all around bushcrafty/ hiking/hunting knife.

The flat grind makes it a better user than the seal pup's and revolvers IMOP.
 
Good fixed knives in AUS-8. Two current favs are Tech II and Agency, and of course the old Seki-made Recon Bowie. Sharp and capable.
 
Brad "the butcher";8332988 said:
Pick up the new Northwest Ranger, I have the old half serrrated aus-6 and it is a good knife. Was my fixed for years backpacking and my only complaint was serrations.

The new one is straight edge in aus-8, pretty good all around bushcrafty/ hiking/hunting knife.

The flat grind makes it a better user than the seal pup's and revolvers IMOP.
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+2 for the new NWR. Pretty good bush knife for a stainless unit. Flat grind and 5" blade are a pretty useful combo. The leather sheaths ok , although I wish it was kydex or plastic. Great hand/grip options. So far,so good with the Aus-8 steel.
 
You need to pick & choose carefully with SOG knives.
Less so with their fixed blades than with their folders.

SOG's AUS8 fixed blade knives made in Japan or Taiwan are generally well made and good value.

I'm generally not a big fan of AUS6, though, because it just doesn't hold an edge very well.
However, AUS6 is OK for some applications.
 
So many great steels out there and using AUS6 seems outdated given todays knife demands. I have 1 SealPup Elite, and it's a really great design, the handle feels very comfortable in the hand, the bladeshape is classic SOG. I've used it a bit for camping chores. It's no Busse or ESEE as stated, but it's a decent light/moderate use knife.

There is model out there that has high end steel, and it's 3 times the cost of the Seal Pup Elite. It's the one with the saw back. That is a great knife, much better than the AUS8 ones.
 
RevDevil said:
There is model out there that has high end steel, and it's 3 times the cost of the Seal Pup Elite. It's the one with the saw back. That is a great knife, much better than the AUS8 ones.
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If you are talking about the Team Leader, the saw-backed version is AUS8. I don't remember what steel the plain spine model was...(they are both discontinued and off the website now)...but it is one of the powdered steels.
 
i have 2 folders in vg10 that are fantastic. the one straight is a disc. in the fantastic duratech 20v. the folders have the arc lock which can be opened as easily left handed or right handed.
 
I have a Seal Pup and a Trident II both excellent multipurpose knives. You're not going to chop a tree down with either of these, but they weren't made for that anyway. Stay away from the Fusion Fixation blades though, I've heard nothing but bad things about them. Their folders are okay too, but not great.
 
mistwalker said:
If you are talking about the Team Leader, the saw-backed version is AUS8. I don't remember what steel the plain spine model was...(they are both discontinued and off the website now)...but it is one of the powdered steels.
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Thanks mistwalker, that is the one. I would have bought that one had I known it was limited run. I think it was like 20v or something similar. It was a nice one for sure, looked high quality.
 
I don't care for they're folders at all. But I have nothing but good things to say about the fixed blades that they make.
 
I've a SOG Seal Pup AUS6....

I think, same as other knife, it can do whatever it was meant to do...cutting.
retained edge?.... I dont really care, i like to sharpen my knifes.

but nowadays, I seldom use my SEAL pup (just put inside my knives box) ... I prefer use other knife. Not because the SEAL PUP not good but due to i prefer the look and brand name of the other knife.
 
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