SOG Team Leader Survivor

mistwalker said:
Thanks Heber,

Glad you liked the review. I was really impressed by how well it held up to be so light! It was almost as if I was driving a sharpened piece of plastic through a hard seasoned hickory limb, the more i drove it through it the more amazed I was by what I was seeing. I don't know that I would try to baton it through anything bigger or harder...unless I had to. To be completely honest I wasn't at all sure it would handle what I did but suspected it might after previous workings with SOG AUS-8. Just what I've done with it shows me that it is a totally awesome addition to my kit!
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Every SOG with AUS-8 steel has held up great for me. I think I have around 14 SOGs right now and the Teamleader Survival will be my next one probably. I like how you use the blades in your reviews. You do the same stuff I would in evaluating a blade so your reviews mean more to me then some. I might be going camping tonight or tomorrow night. Thinking maybe I should use my Seal Revolver a bunch and post a follow up review to the one I did back in 2003. Please keep up the good work. And BTW I'd love to see more action shots of your Team Leader Survivor. Maybe you could make a shelter with it and document it's use?? I might do that with my Revolver this weekend.

Heber
 
wildmanh said:
Every SOG with AUS-8 steel has held up great for me. I think I have around 14 SOGs right now and the Teamleader Survival will be my next one probably. I like how you use the blades in your reviews. You do the same stuff I would in evaluating a blade so your reviews mean more to me then some. I might be going camping tonight or tomorrow night. Thinking maybe I should use my Seal Revolver a bunch and post a follow up review to the one I did back in 2003. Please keep up the good work. And BTW I'd love to see more action shots of your Team Leader Survivor. Maybe you could make a shelter with it and document it's use?? I might do that with my Revolver this weekend.

Heber
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Don't get me wrong, all of the SOGs I've worked with made of AUS-8 have held up fantastic! The only reason I had concerns over this one is that the blade is thinner than I am used to with SOG knives and it tapers from the handle all the way too the point so I was worried about the thinness but it really impressed me.
 
It reminds me of a Al Mar Operator with Sawback but has better saw pattern.
Most folks seem to discount how useful a sawback blade is.
Great review of a very useful blade and USA made :thumbup:
 
PorcupineMtns66 said:
It reminds me of a Al Mar Operator with Sawback but has better saw pattern.
Most folks seem to discount how useful a sawback blade is.
Great review of a very useful blade and USA made :thumbup:
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Thanks man, I'm glad you liked the review. It does me too to an extent. I do love the design of the Operator for a "tuck-away" knife for "rough" environments but for one with a saw I definitely like this pattern a LOT better. I think most people have never encountered a time when the saw could really shine.
 
GRIM 62 said:
Great review mistwalker,that looks like it would make an awesome boat knife.
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Thanks! Glad you liked it. Yes I think it would too. It will definitely be one of the knives that goes to Florida with me next.
 
caine said:
Looks good might have to check one out
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It is a great little knife Caine, just bear in mind that it is not the sharpened "pry-bar" that a lot of SOG's knives are referred to as.

I really do wish they would incorporate this design into the "sharpened pry-bar" approach and make a big brother for it.
 
Just a couple of pics I took earlier today.

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Looks like aan awesome blade. Not sure what you were talking about when you were expecting more positive reviews, I certainly didn't see too many complaining about it.
 
Liam Ryan said:
Looks like aan awesome blade. Not sure what you were talking about when you were expecting more positive reviews, I certainly didn't see too many complaining about it.
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I guess I should have worded that differently...at the time it didn't seem like there had been much response and since this knife incorporates almost all of the changes that people had voiced wishing would be made in a SOG knife....

Actually a few other replies came in while I was getting that post together, but it did give me a chance to post some more close-ups :)
 
Any hot spots on the handles, using both the blade and the saw? Is the handle rubber or plastic? Never used a SOG, but I would love to try one of those.
 
This is a nice change from the traditional military look of so many of their knives.
I'd like to see a comparison with the Revolver, which covers up the saw when it's not in use.
 
Hmmm. Blade size is right handy.

For once a useful saw (the teeth remind me of the ones on the Stanley tool box saw and the Victorinox Farmer). Though I would still prefer my pocket chainsaw or a swede saw.

I'm not much of a fan of stainless, but AUS8 is passable.

Overall a pretty good design. Though the saw does restrict some of the blades utility.

I am surprised that they are making it in the USA. Most of their stuff is of Taiwan manufacture. Which is ok since at least when buying their products I'm not supporting the Red Chinese Army.
 
Liam Ryan said:
Any hot spots on the handles, using both the blade and the saw? Is the handle rubber or plastic? Never used a SOG, but I would love to try one of those.
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Nope, no hot spots yet though the handle scales are textured for a positive grip and could be a little rough on ungloved non-calloused hands in prolonged use.

The handle scales are Zytel...which feels like a hard plastic.

I've used a lot of SOGs but this one is sure different from most of them in a lot of ways.


Esav Benyamin said:
This is a nice change from the traditional military look of so many of their knives.
I'd like to see a comparison with the Revolver, which covers up the saw when it's not in use.
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Now this is one of the replies I have been waiting on, and yes it is a nice change that they added a little variety in this direction.

I would too. I have thought about getting a revolver for its obvious versatility...but in a way it seems like a big folder to me and I'm just not a folder fan...I tend to be a little rough on them. :D
 
at first I took a look at it and thought "that's nice. I'll stick with my mora though". for the fairly basic reason that I wouln't want a sawbacked blade, as you can't put your thumb on the back of the blade, for detail work, a grip I find myself using all the time.

then I spotted this post:
mistwalker said:
It has a razor sharp, really well thought out functional saw on the spine of one model and a flat spine on the other (no swedge on either)
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and thought "OOOOHHHHH, maybe, time to start saving up!"
 
Esav Benyamin said:
The one with a flat spine is made of a different steel and is MUCH more expensive.
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Yeah, I noticed that when I went looking over the specs more their site. At first I thought they made both models in both steels...but then I played with the "also available in" links a couple of times and realized that wasn't the case. I'm still trying to figure out what 20CV brings to the table that explains the added expense.

However for me personally the actual functioning saw was the draw to this design. Without a saw I think I would want it a little larger and a little heavier so it would chop better.
 
AUS-8 is not bad steel. The saw is a major added function.

I think Rick Hinderer is working with 20 CV. Maybe it's too soon for a production knife, but someone has to be first. :p
 
Esav Benyamin said:
AUS-8 is not bad steel. The saw is a major added function.

I think Rick Hinderer is working with 20 CV. Maybe it's too soon for a production knife, but someone has to be first. :p
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Lol, I understand that...someone always has to be the first at it. But what are the major attributes of 20CV that explain the high cost? On the site it mentions "powder metallurgy".... but in what way is that a plus? Is 20CV heavier than AUS-8 or stronger? Better edge retention? It's obviously perceived as "better" somehow...but I'd like to know why. I guess I'll google more....
 
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