SOG Team Leader Survivor

Mistwalker

Mistwalker

Gold Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2007
Messages
19,049
Well, I finally get a chance to check out a full tang SOG. It's not shaped anything like my old SOG Bowie but it seems to be a good solid design.


It's the Team Leader Survivor. It has a satin finished 5" blade and is 10.25" over-all. It is made from AUS8 and is 5/32" thick. The saw spine is viciously sharp.

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I found something about it particularly interesting.

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It comes in an ambidextrous leather sheath.

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The flat grind works well with the saw spine as that means that the very tips of the saw points are the widest point of the saw so it doesn't create as much friction as a lot of saw spines. It made this cut in some dried bamboo in about 20 seconds.

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The edge did really well at making bamboo shavings for tinder, and still shaved but you'll have to just take my word for that for the moment...it was a really blustery day.

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I tried it with the firesteel to see if i could get sparks with the spine between the tip and and the first saw teeth.I ignited some steel wool very quickly as it through very good sparks with no damage to the blade at all.

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I really have to get out in the woods soon!!




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****NOTE**** This thread is as always a work in progress the review and pictures don't stop on the first page.





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Wow, that does look substantially better than almost every other blade-back saw I've used/seen.

DancesWithKnives
 
skammer said:
Finally!

Someone made a blade with a real wood saw on the spine.

Cool.

Skam
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DWK2 said:
Wow, that does look substantially better than almost every other blade-back saw I've used/seen.

DancesWithKnives
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Almost exactly what I said accept the way I said it was Finally without a hollow handle. The saw is similar to the ones on the Aitors but non directional like the one on the Explora that Marto made back in the 80's. I've been waiting on one with a solid handle and this being a full tang is even better. The grind of the blade definitely helps the saw function.
 
Nice review, mistwalker. I have the same knife, but in 440C. I haven't had a chance to really put it thought its paces yet, but what little I've used it around the house it seems like a decent piece. I found the sheath to be utter garbage, however, and am fixing on making a kydex sheath for it.
 
this is one of those knives that almost everyone passes over because of the steel or the bushcrafters don't like the brand - yet it is a gem that should be tried out by everyone....

I borrowed one locally for a weekend, it was a great tool.
 
That saw does look like it has some bite!! Cool..

I like SOGs. I really want one of their spear heads that thread onto standard broomsticks etc....
 
hikeeba said:
Nice review, mistwalker. I have the same knife, but in 440C. I haven't had a chance to really put it thought its paces yet, but what little I've used it around the house it seems like a decent piece. I found the sheath to be utter garbage, however, and am fixing on making a kydex sheath for it.
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Thanks man, I didn't even know they made it of another steel other than the C20V I think it is. This sheath I wouldn't really call garbage as I've seen much worse and I like how they made it so that it would accept a wide belt like a web belt as far as the leather goes. I'm surprised it isn't in a nylon sheath with the pouch on front like the SEAL knives though. A thin kydex sheath would be nice for some applications.



Bushman5 said:
this is one of those knives that almost everyone passes over because of the steel or the bushcrafters don't like the brand - yet it is a gem that should be tried out by everyone....

I borrowed one locally for a weekend, it was a great tool.
Click to expand...


As for the brand I have had and liked a lot of SOG's knives though I do understand they don't have an appeal for most traditionalists and bushcrafters. As for the steel...I had some major reservations about the AUS8 the first time I experienced it. It is a light steel compared to the 10 series and O-1 steels but so far it has proven itself to me to be a lot more durable than I first thought it would be. This is the first full tang SOG I have ever owned and I am really liking it so far.

Am the only one who is surprised that it is US made?
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I looked at that knife when it first came out and liked the looks of it. It was the first production knife made of DuraTech 20CV. I read a review in Tactical Knives, I think, and they had nothing but good things to say about it. Unfortunately it was out of my price range at $250 at the time.

This one looks promising and comes under $90, plus you get what looks to be a very usable saw, to boot. I might have to check this out again.

Thanks for the review, mistwalker.
 
I guess that one really isn't meant for batoning :D I like the shape of the blade and I agree the saw does look really functional. I'm trying to debate whether I would like the saw back or not. My mind goes to a bowdrill that can use both saw and blade, however, I like to baton the stick to split the hearth and form the drill. I like a saw to produce the notch, but I can do a notch without the saw if I need to. My guess is in the end, I have tried to develop skills around not having a saw and working with a plain spined knife. I'm probably a traditionalist and will stick to that approach.

Thanks for the review and bringing this one to our attention. I think a few people just might take your offer to test this one out.
 
kage said:
I looked at that knife when it first came out and liked the looks of it. It was the first production knife made of DuraTech 20CV. I read a review in Tactical Knives, I think, and they had nothing but good things to say about it. Unfortunately it was out of my price range at $250 at the time.

This one looks promising and comes under $90, plus you get what looks to be a very usable saw, to boot. I might have to check this out again.

Thanks for the review, mistwalker.
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Well.. in all honesty I don't know anything about the DuraTech 20CV, nor do I know anything about powder metallurgy so I can't say anything about it. However I have been pretty well impresses with the AUS8 in the SEAL knives. If this one does as well as those I will be happy.

Glad you liked the begining of the review.



j williams said:
:confused: that is suprising!!!!
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Ah cool! I'm not the only one. I was starting to think I had slept through something.




kgd said:
I guess that one really isn't meant for batoning :D I like the shape of the blade and I agree the saw does look really functional. I'm trying to debate whether I would like the saw back or not. My mind goes to a bowdrill that can use both saw and blade, however, I like to baton the stick to split the hearth and form the drill. I like a saw to produce the notch, but I can do a notch without the saw if I need to. My guess is in the end, I have tried to develop skills around not having a saw and working with a plain spined knife. I'm probably a traditionalist and will stick to that approach.

Thanks for the review and bringing this one to our attention. I think a few people just might take your offer to test this one out.
Click to expand...


Thanks Ken, I have always wanted a "good" saw backed knife and have bought several over the years. The saw was the only feature I really liked about the Glock field knife, if it had a wider blade I'd probably still carry one on my pack strap.

Your probably right in that it isn't exactly meant for it, but since I never worry about keeping a baton in pristine condition anyway :D and tend to strike near the tip...I will be trying it with some light batoning of kindling and stuff. As long as it doesn't break the tip or dull the saw teeth its all good.
 
Interesting knife and a nice review. I have to admit though, that I find some of the names manufacturers give their knives somewhat amusing, this being one of those instances.
 
Nice review, and nice pics, as usual, Mist. That's an interesting looking knife, especially the functional saw on the spine. I don't think it would replace my BK-2 and Silky saw, but I could see it as a really good back-up.
 
mistwalker said:
Thanks man, I didn't even know they made it of another steel other than the C20V I think it is. This sheath I wouldn't really call garbage as I've seen much worse and I like how they made it so that it would accept a wide belt like a web belt as far as the leather goes. I'm surprised it isn't in a nylon sheath with the pouch on front like the SEAL knives though. A thin kydex sheath would be nice for some applications.
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When the Survivor version was first introduced, it was made out of 440C. Perhaps they have improved the sheath a bit, as your sheath looks a little different than the one that came with my knife. My sheath was really dry, and the knife barely fit into it. I called to inquire if there was an alternative sheath, and was told no. I was told that inserting and removing the knife from the sheath repeatedly over time would improve the fitment of the sheath. :rolleyes: The first time I took the knife out of the sheath, I really had to yank hard, and ended up nearly slicing the keeper off. :mad: The saw teeth did, however, remove some excess leather from the sheath during the process, but not enough to improve the fit.

If your sheath works well, I at least feel a little better knowing that SOG changed the original design.
 
What's it like when you're using the saw?
Those bumps on the top and bottom, just behind the blade (I forget what it's called) look like they'd chew your hands up pretty badly...and the handle material pattern looks like it might add to the misery.

I like their saw pattern, it's just about identical to the one in a SAK.

Good so see somebody putting thought into a knife blade designed around a saw and not: "Okay...blade's done...how do we stick a saw on it?"
 
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