SOG Twitch II vs. Kershaw Blur

7

72shorty

Joined
Dec 11, 2003
Messages
8
I am looking for a good folding, assisted, pocket knife with pocket "clip". Can anyone tell me anything good/bad about either of these? Any comparisons? Who do the assisted openings compare?

Any info much appreciated.

Thanks!
 
With the Twitch II, you don't have to flick it open using just the thumbstud, it has the extra flipper on the back of the knife. At first, that made a big deal to me, but now, I own a SOG Flash II, SOG Trident and a Kershaw Blackout, and have gotten used to opening assisted knives using flicking the thumbstud. I haven't really used my Twitch II, I've never owned a Blur, but like the Kershaw assisted openers I own, the Chive, Scallion and Blackout. The Twitch II appears to be more of a gentlemanly folder, not really for extreme hard use, but as an EDC, I think it would do a good job. I currently EDC a Blink from SOG, and I haven't had any complaints yet. As for the Blur, it looks a lot sturdier, and seems to be better suited for hard use.

On the flip side, I was going to buy a Kershaw Blur rescue, but decided against that for aesthetic reasons. Just my opinion.
 
Thanks Robbie for the EDC definition. :)

I just read a good article on the Twitch XL and am now really messed up. :) I work in an office environment, business casual dress mostly in khaki dockers. I also just got my CCW and have a sub-compact Springfield XD40 on my right hip and a Nuwai Q-III light in my left pocket. I am trying to be prepared but very concealed and hush about all of this in the office. I need a knife that is highly functional but not too evil looking, if you know what I mean. I am thinking the SOG Twitch series is the way to go. Functional, yet civilized. Did I mention that I am also a Seminary student and don't want to freak out my Prof and classmates. :) Thoughts?

Thanks again!
 
72shorty, if I am reading your message correctly, you are carrying a .40 cal. and a flashlight ? Obviously you are wearing a suit coat or jacket, so a clip exposed on your pants pocket should be well hidden or barely noticed.

I can tell you the Twitch XL is an awsome knife. It is razor sharp, and I mean RAZOR :eek: sharp. I have handled and looked at all of SOG knives and for some reason this knife seemed to be the absolute sharpest out of the box I have ever seen. (Trident is next). The blade grind is probably one of the reasons for this.

This knife is made very well, and opens very fast with flipper bar or thumb stud. I have opened it both ways and boy is it fun and addictive to play with. It comes with a lock that works very well and I highly recommend using it until you become familiar with it's carry traits. (you may want to keep it locked while in your pocket)

Did you take a look at the extra pics at the bottom of the web page (click to enlarge) ? This shows some great detail, one other thing, there may be a few people ask you what SOG means since it will be easily read on your clip. :D

Evil looking, far from it.........Classy and very functional is the word.

http://www.sogknives.com/Folding/Twitch/TWI-20.htm


Robbie Roberson ;)
P.S. Get ready to let lots of other people play with your knife, because once they see it open, they have to try it. :cool:
 
My .40 is a 3 inch model and tucks IWB fairly easily. The light is purposely very small, 3.5 inches and fits down in my left pocket where my tried and true Buck folding/multi tool used to ride. I don't like the batman utility belt feel so I try and go small keep things hidden and deep.

Yes, I too thought the Twitch XL looked very classy. The blade shape looks to me ( I am not expert ) like it would be easier to keep sharp. My brother collects trapper pocket knifes and has a Lansky sharpner and keeps my old Buck sharp, I am sure he could put an edge on a SOG as well, as if it needed one. My only concern about the XL is the size. I like the looks of the Twitch II and the size seems a little more "manageable" for EDC (just learned that one) :) but the clip would make the knife ride a little higher and be a little more exposed than the XL. The XL clip seems to be just right, hiding the entire knife deep in your pocket. Do you know of any retail stores that carry SOG...maybe I can try one for size?

Thanks again!!
 
I just received a Twitch 2 and a Scallion and I must say they are both very impressive little knives. Fit and finish are excellent on both. Both have great looking aluminum scales. I chose a blue Scallion and a gray Twitch 2 but they each come in a number of colors. The Twitch is a bit slimmer and has an industrial look to it. While the Scallion is curvy and a bit more artsy. The Scallion's handle is listed as 3.25" and the Twitch at 3.5" but they eyeball up pretty much the same.

Both have non-reversible clips that (IMO) look nicer than your standard Spyderco clips. Scallion is tip down, Twitch 2 is tip up. The Scallion's clip is a longer and is really tight. This knife will not accidentally come loose when clipped to a pocket. Both have lanyard holes. For some reason I was under impression that they were made in Japan or Taiwan. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that both are USA made. :D

Both knives seem to spring out with about the same energy. It is best to use the flipper on both. The thumb studs seem to be cosmetic on the Twitch 2 and act as stop pins on the Scallion. It is pretty easy to slice your thumb if the studs are used. If you have used thumb opening devices on knives before, it is a natural reaction for your thumb to try to keep up with the stud. The blade will most certainly be faster than your thumb and you might end up with your thumb pushing up against the blade. :( When opening the Scallion, if you leave your finger in the upper portion of the thumb rest area you may prevent the lock from fully engaging. This is because a grooved portion of the blade spine rises a bit above the back of the handle and acts as thumb traction. This is not a problem with the Twitch.

The safety switch on the Twitch is well engineered. The knife can be locked closed or even safety locked open. The Scallion safety switch is simply a plastic bar which blocks the tip of the blade and prevents it from swinging open. The Scallion is a liner lock but it seems very solid. I have no blade play in mine. As long as I hear it "clack" and know the lock is fully engaged, I have no doubts the lock will hold under usage. The Twitch is a lock back with a "pass through" lock bar, very ingenious. This makes it possible for the Twitch to have a flipper and still be a lock back. The Scallion gets a bit more play time because it's liner lock is better suited to one hand open and close. I'm sure someone with a bit more creativity and/or manual dexterity than me has figured out how to one hand a Twitch.

The Scallion's blade is listed as 2.25" 420HC and the Twitch 2's at 2.6" AUS8. The Scallion has a slight re-curve which will probably give me problems when I try to sharpen it. The Twitch 2's blade is standard drop point and is a bit longer, thinner, and narrower. The Twitch 2 performed a bit better out of the box in slicing up a Post-It. I selected plain edge for both knives but I think they both come in combo edges as well.

Both knives are great. I couldn't decide between the two so I got both. :p
 
Went on vacation this week and got to handle a variety of knives. I tried the Kershaw Blur and could barely make it work. The guy behind the counter made it seem VERY fast, but I have never used a thumb stud and found it VERY cumbersome for me. The twitch XL was way fast to open using the flipper. It is very classy and fit my pocket perfectly. The only downside for me, two handed closure. But probably safer that way. I also got to handle the Flash and really like it too. Very fast, and I like the one handed closure and the "safety". But it was a little thicker and "evil" looking for EDC in my world. Looks like I will be ordering the Twitch XL. Found it in the silver, or graphite, for $47.21 plus shipping here http://www.newgraham.com/sog.htm

Thanks again for all of the help!!

Shorty.
 
Who knows what the sheeple around you will think, but I have a Twitch XL, and it works great. Needs to be tightened up, but other than that no complaints. You can probably get one for a good deal cheaper than MSRP, and if you don't like it, I'm sure you could move it on the Exchange forum.
 
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