SOG Super Bowie

[Mistwalker]

I have carried a SOG SG1 Classic Bowie for several years now as my EDC fixed blade and I have been very pleased with it. It is one of the original made in Seki versions made of SK5 steel. I wrote SOG asking some questions about the new ones that are made of AUS8 and if they were still the same RC and if the Super Bowie was made like the original and I got the opportunity to see for myself. I was sent a new SOG Super Bowie to check out in the field.

*** NOTE: I never used my old one for any of this, it is only in pictures as a size reference***

Out of the box the knife is beautiful with fantastic grinds, and their usual faceted tip that is as ever extremely sharp!! It has an amazing edge.

It looks much like the original with the same classic lines but bigger. The blade on the Super Bowie is 7 1/2 inches long, where the original SG1 has a blade length of 6 3/8 inches. The handle of the Super Bowie is also longer by 3/4 inch at 5 3/8 inches, and is larger in diameter with deeper finger grooves as well.

SOG puts a lot of thought into their knives and sheaths that some others out there don’t. Their handles are made epoxied leather that avoids shrinking very well, (my old one still has no play in it) Their hand guards are always soldered in place to avoid any movement or rattling, and they have a spanner nut on the pommel which allows for any needed adjustments in the future. One of the things I really like about their Bowie sheaths is the retainer. I love how it positively retains the blade allowing for very little movement.

And I really love how the cutting edge never comes in contact with the retainer when drawing the knife.

I was a little surprised to see my old one was a bit thicker, but the new one is still a full quarter inch thick.

Now I have started setting up a primitive camp using this Super Bowie as my only knife.

First thing I did was to start chopping poles for the grill and the pot hanger. I look for some stout forked saplings for the support posts.

Using the leather wrist thong supplied with the knife I chopped holding the knife in a rearward grip using just two fingers wrapped around the pommel, pointer finger in the last finger groove. This gives the 7.5 inch blade the chopping force of a ten inch blade. In more dense seasoned wood I’d use a three finger grip. This knife is a much more efficient chopper than my old one and made quick work of all the cutting.

It’s best to flatten the tops of the stumps if you plan to be around the area long or are in an area that people frequent.

 

[Mistwalker]

In making the pot hanger set up I started by trimming the limbs down to forked sticks just around three feet long, and then sharpen the points to make it easier to drive in the ground.

I used a rock about twice the size of a large orange and, holding the limbs close to the top to keep them from splitting, drove them in the ground beside the fire pit. Then laid the cross member in place. You can see the limb I am making my pot hanger from too.

I also cut the forked sticks I’m going to use for a grill. So far I have done a good bit of chopping and whittling of green wood with this knife and it makes some great clean cuts.

And it still has a great edge, still shaves very well! Perhaps my other SOG was where I got my unreasonable expectations on edge retention. So far I am very pleased with how this knife functions.

 

[Mistwalker]

In making the grill I used a stump for a chopping block I cut the supports to length before I sharpen the points.

The wide ricasso on this knife can serve as a choil and the line of the spine is very comfortable on the spine making it possible to have better control while doing tasks like whittling points’

I used a leftover section of a limb as a baton to drive them in the ground.

Once in the ground I lay a couple of cross supports and then start laying the pieces, a lot of which were loft over form the other steps.

 

[Mistwalker]

I also made a few utensils. I made a couple of forks for turning meat on the grill.

I roughed out a couple of spoons too, that I’ll burn out when I next light a fire.

I’ve done quite a bit of whittling and chopping at this point and used pretty much all of the edge a good bit.

And it still shaves. This knife had a fantastic edge when I got it and has held it very well.

 

[wildmanh]

MistWalker,

I really like the review and pictures. You went camping and used the knife for knife related things. I got to play with an older S1 a few years ago and rather liked it. Think I'd like the Super Bowie even better. Thanks!

Heber

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Lol, not so much camping as setting up a classroom but the line gets a little blurry on that at times lol.

I really liked working with this knife. Even though it is a bit larger than what I am used to working with it is one of the easiest to use "big knives" I've ever worked with.

 

[JTC]

You do some really nice reviews Mistwalker. Thanks for your work! I would really like to pick up one of these some day.

 

[PatriotDan]

Hows the sharpening stone?
How much you paid for the knife?


(The rear grip does increase the efficiency of chopping but not directly to the extension of length. So a 2.5 inch reach extension on a 7.5 inch blade doesn't add up to a 10 inch blade in chopping power. In real life)

Thanks for your review.

 

[knarfeng]

Nice Review!
Was that a factory edge or did you sharpen it yourself?
If it was your edge, what edge angle did you put on it?

 

[Mistwalker]

You do some really nice reviews Mistwalker. Thanks for your work! I would really like to pick up one of these some day.

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the review.

Hows the sharpening stone?
How much you paid for the knife?


(The rear grip does increase the efficiency of chopping but not directly to the extension of length. So a 2.5 inch reach extension on a 7.5 inch blade doesn't add up to a 10 inch blade in chopping power. In real life)

Thanks for your review.

Haven't had to use the stone yet, but it's just like the one that came in my old one...same length, same thickness but just a hair narrower.

The knife was sent to me to check out and review, I didn't pay anything for this one. I've seen this one at different prices but don't need to be warned twice for deal spotting lol. I paid $250.00 for my old one 8 or nine years ago.

Well, I'm not a physicist but using this grip it chops 1.5 and 2 inch saplings as easily as my old ten inch bladed Western Bowie whatever the actual formula

Nice Review!
Was that a factory edge or did you sharpen it yourself?
If it was your edge, what edge angle did you put on it?

Thanks, glad you liked it. I'm still working with the factory edge so far.

 

[PatriotDan]

Haven't had to use the stone yet, but it's just like the one that came in my old one...same length, same thickness but just a hair narrower.

The knife was sent to me to check out and review, I didn't pay anything for this one. I've seen this one at different prices but don't need to be warned twice for deal spotting lol. I paid $250.00 for my old one 8 or nine years ago.

Well, I'm not a physicist but using this grip it chops 1.5 and 2 inch saplings as easily as my old ten inch bladed Western Bowie whatever the actual formula

Great to see such a classic styled knife in review. some site I googled for price info says it's tini coated but frankly to me your pics look like it's blued.

 

[Mistwalker]

The following post posted twice...

 

[Mistwalker]

Great to see such a classic styled knife in review. some site I googled for price info says it's tini coated but frankly to me your pics look like it's blued.

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the review.

I was told it was TiNi so I am assuming it is. This is the first new one I've messed with since they changed everything. It looks different in different lights. Whatever it is coated with I like it much better than the coatings a lot of tactical knives are coated with, it is very smooth, very slick and doesn't inhibit chopping ability the way some of those other manufacturers rough coatings can.

 

[tholiver]

Great review (as usual)!
:thumbup:
And beautiful knives!

Lately i'm a sucker for knives with the leather ring handles.
Bought a leather handled Marbles recently, still waiting for it to get here though.

Another knife i would really love to see tested in a similar fashion would be the SOG Gov-Tac.

 

[Mistwalker]

Great review (as usual)!
:thumbup:
And beautiful knives!

Lately i'm a sucker for knives with the leather ring handles.
Bought a leather handled Marbles recently, still waiting for it to get here though.

Another knife i would really love to see tested in a similar fashion would be the SOG Gov-Tac.

Thanks man I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love my old SG1 and so far I'm loving thi Super Bowie. It's easier to work with than I actually expected it to be.

I have a thing for leather handles too. I have since I was a teenager messing with my dad's issue Ka-Bar, and when I bought my first aircrew survival knife.

I'd love to check out the Gov-Tac, I think the handle looks very ergonomic. Maybe I'll get a chance to check one out later. I'd like to see a review on the newer Seal Elites and see how those do, I had both of the originals and liked them. I gave both to friends who are now over-seas and they love them. I'd like to see how the changes feel.

 

[stabman]

A great review with real-life testing for a change! I greatly enjoyed it.:thumbup:

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. I thought I'd make this one a little more involved. I'm also going to use it to build a shelter with but I'll likely post that in the W&SS section.

 

[Mistwalker]

I did a little more working with the Super Bowie today.

First I wanted to put it on my L.C.E. just see if it were easier to put on a new web belt than the older smaller ones. It will not just slide on the belt, the rivet is just a bit too high to allow this.

I decided there were too options available to me...one was to remove the rivet by drilling it out or tearing the sheath trying to remove it. The other was to simply disassemble the web belt fastening system....I opted for the latter. This really doesn't take much time or effort and working a a leisurely pace I had the knife on the belt in less than ten minutes, it'll take a bit longer if you've never taken one apart before.

Then I used the knife to cut the stakes and ridgepole for a simple poncho shelter.

 

[Blindfredy]

NICE! and nice to see it's used,goodonyamate!

 

[martineden]

Hi, nice review there :thumbup:
Do you feel the upper guard unconfortable as a camp knife? In other words, do you should prefere the knife whit just the lower guard for camp tasks?
Many thanks, Alfredo