SOG mini pentagon
- Thread starter bfbisa
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I'm a huge fan of its "big brother" the full size Pentagon, and carry one daily. The Pentagon is probably one of the most under-appreciated production knives made today.
Both Pentagons have a thin blade with a narrow, needle-sharp point. What that means for the user is superior penetration. The Pentagon blade design is optimized for stabbing deeply, moreso than many other production daggers that over-emphasize "point strength". That's only a problem if you start abusing it as a substitute pry bar, or slamming it into materials like solid wood and sheet metal.
The Pentagons have something else rarely found on major production knives today: a fully serrated edge. This is one of the defining features of the Pentagon series that set it apart from other knives in its class. Those serrations are sharp and equal to the ones used by Spyderco. The serrations on the Pentagon will shred through tough materials like rope or rubber hose very quickly. The serrated edge will slash completely through the kind of leather and denim used in jackets with one cut. What a serrated edge does to flesh and muscle isn't pretty. It's not a "clean" cut at all.
The mini-Pentagon has a bunch of features I wish SOG would add to the larger Pentagon. The Zytel handle won't get mushy after a lot of heavy use, the powdercoat blade is non-reflective and adds rust resistance. Best of all, the mini-Pentagon has a guard to stop your hand from sliding onto the blade.
That's an unlikely possibility to begin with, thanks to the mini-Pentagon's exceptionally well designed handle. SOG didn't just scale down the larger Pentagon's handle. They completely redesigned the handle around the smaller blade and the slightly different grip a smaller handle requires. If you look at this picture, you'll see the handle is sculpted to fit solidly into your palm. This allows you to support the entire handle in a "cross palm" grip and put the full force of your arm into a heavy thrust. The combination of guard and sculpted butt also guarantee the knife won't slip out during a "hammerfist" thrust in either the forward or reverse grip.
The only drawback to both Pentagons is they're double-edged and that makes them illegal nearly everywhere.
Both Pentagons have a thin blade with a narrow, needle-sharp point. What that means for the user is superior penetration. The Pentagon blade design is optimized for stabbing deeply, moreso than many other production daggers that over-emphasize "point strength". That's only a problem if you start abusing it as a substitute pry bar, or slamming it into materials like solid wood and sheet metal.
The Pentagons have something else rarely found on major production knives today: a fully serrated edge. This is one of the defining features of the Pentagon series that set it apart from other knives in its class. Those serrations are sharp and equal to the ones used by Spyderco. The serrations on the Pentagon will shred through tough materials like rope or rubber hose very quickly. The serrated edge will slash completely through the kind of leather and denim used in jackets with one cut. What a serrated edge does to flesh and muscle isn't pretty. It's not a "clean" cut at all.
The mini-Pentagon has a bunch of features I wish SOG would add to the larger Pentagon. The Zytel handle won't get mushy after a lot of heavy use, the powdercoat blade is non-reflective and adds rust resistance. Best of all, the mini-Pentagon has a guard to stop your hand from sliding onto the blade.
That's an unlikely possibility to begin with, thanks to the mini-Pentagon's exceptionally well designed handle. SOG didn't just scale down the larger Pentagon's handle. They completely redesigned the handle around the smaller blade and the slightly different grip a smaller handle requires. If you look at this picture, you'll see the handle is sculpted to fit solidly into your palm. This allows you to support the entire handle in a "cross palm" grip and put the full force of your arm into a heavy thrust. The combination of guard and sculpted butt also guarantee the knife won't slip out during a "hammerfist" thrust in either the forward or reverse grip.
The only drawback to both Pentagons is they're double-edged and that makes them illegal nearly everywhere.
Well, generally speaking if you're buying on-line there's always a 50-50 chance that the grinds could turn out to be less than symmetrical. I got me a dud Mini Pentagon which didn't seem to exhibit the usual "taken-for-granted perfection" QC on SOG knife products. Whist Vaako pretty much sums it up, I am just putting forward the idea that it's better to physically inspect what you intend to buy in the old fashion way - at a brick 'n mortar store. This probably would save you a hassle if you didn't already know this. Besides, technically speaking, daggers have to be one of the hardest to ground as grinding inexperience shows up pretty quickly on diamond profile dagger surfaces which don't match on a level point
Sir Galant's right, I should have mentioned that while gushing over the Pentagon series. The new Kydex sheaths are terrible. The old Kydex sheaths are terrible.
...and all Kydex/ concealex/ hard sheaths will brutally scratch a knife after just a few withdrawls.
SOG used to make leather sheaths for many of their knives, including both Pentagons. I wish SOG would offer them as an upgrade customers could buy from the factory.
...and all Kydex/ concealex/ hard sheaths will brutally scratch a knife after just a few withdrawls.
SOG used to make leather sheaths for many of their knives, including both Pentagons. I wish SOG would offer them as an upgrade customers could buy from the factory.
According to Bernard Levine's excellent site which cites the CA penal code in its entirety, a double edged knife itself may not be illegal but carrying one "concealed" is. Then things get more complicated because carrying a double edged knife, concealed or unconcealed onto school grounds, university grounds, at public meetings, etc. is illegal no matter what.
Then L.A. has its own wonderful laws where all double edged knives are illegal whether they're carried openly or not, no matter where.
More info here from BF archives.
This is underscored elsewhere and the author makes a very good point about being legally correct when dealing with the "law".
This does not mean that a "well-meaning" police officer won't tell you different and take the weapon away anyway.
...and if he does, what are you going to do? Sue the PD over a $45 knife? So, legal or not, it's your decision if you want to play games with the anti-weapon attitudes in California.
That's something else I like about the Pentagon series. They aren't expensive. If one is lost, breaks, confiscated, disposed of, or otherwise disappears, it's not the end of the world.
$40-60 later, and I've got a replacement.
Then L.A. has its own wonderful laws where all double edged knives are illegal whether they're carried openly or not, no matter where.
More info here from BF archives.
This is underscored elsewhere and the author makes a very good point about being legally correct when dealing with the "law".
This does not mean that a "well-meaning" police officer won't tell you different and take the weapon away anyway.
...and if he does, what are you going to do? Sue the PD over a $45 knife? So, legal or not, it's your decision if you want to play games with the anti-weapon attitudes in California.
That's something else I like about the Pentagon series. They aren't expensive. If one is lost, breaks, confiscated, disposed of, or otherwise disappears, it's not the end of the world.
$40-60 later, and I've got a replacement.
thanks , I'm probably gonna get one even if the law is kinda strict about it.
and i thought you might get a laugh out of this, I have some friends who think $40 is expensive for a knife.Total sheeple, their idea of knives are cheap-o folders.They make fun of me for spending $45 on a spyderco
and i thought you might get a laugh out of this, I have some friends who think $40 is expensive for a knife.Total sheeple, their idea of knives are cheap-o folders.They make fun of me for spending $45 on a spyderco
Most of us were "sheeple" at some point. 
There's a lot of people who think $40-60 Spyderco or SOG is an el-cheapo knife compared to their super indestructable mega knife costing ten times as much.
Then there's the folks who snort at buying a cheap $600 knife and aren't happy unless they own a Moran or a Scagel costing ten to twenty times more than that.
There's the same kind of purists when it comes to cars, televisions, furniture, just about anything.
It's really a question of what kind of performance/ quality you want and how much you're willing to pay for it.
In the case of "using" knives, there's an additional qualification because a knife might get confiscated, justifiably or otherwise.
There's a lot of people who think $40-60 Spyderco or SOG is an el-cheapo knife compared to their super indestructable mega knife costing ten times as much.
Then there's the folks who snort at buying a cheap $600 knife and aren't happy unless they own a Moran or a Scagel costing ten to twenty times more than that.
There's the same kind of purists when it comes to cars, televisions, furniture, just about anything.
It's really a question of what kind of performance/ quality you want and how much you're willing to pay for it.
In the case of "using" knives, there's an additional qualification because a knife might get confiscated, justifiably or otherwise.
SIRGALANT
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thanks , I'm probably gonna get one even if the law is kinda strict about it.
and i thought you might get a laugh out of this, I have some friends who think $40 is expensive for a knife.Total sheeple, their idea of knives are cheap-o folders.They make fun of me for spending $45 on a spyderco
my next knife deal is costing me $750 usd