SOG's Official Response

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Don't slip joints have common patterns that every knife company that makes slip joints use? I'm not a slip joint person but this is how it has always appeared to me. They are traditional patterns that everyone makes their variation of.

Maybe a trapper lock is something different but it sounds like it falls into the above practice?

There have been threads in the past about knife copies and similar traits between models. This isn't the first thread on the issue.
 
I own a SOG Flash II and SOG Flash I. Both are excellent knives, and I can recommend the Flash II to anyone who wants a high quality knife in the ~$40 ballpark. This is the first time that I've seen these comparison pictures, and I definitely see the resemblance in some of them. The most obvious is easily the Tomcat. And I am against that type of blatant copying. Some of the other ones were not that bad. For example, I'm pretty sure nobody is going to buy a SOG Toothlock thinking that they're getting a BM 950.

However, I am interested in handling one of Sog's Arc-lock knives in person and seeing how similar that lock is to the Axis lock.
 
For those of you predicting the demise of SOG, I just picked up the April 2019 issue of Blade. On the cover: the SOG creed, and a picture of Gunny, a major publicity coup. Followed by a multipage article on this relationship, including these quotes:

From R. Lee Ermey (Gunny):

“The two companies I’ve involved myself with, as far as I’m concerned, have the best products money can buy.”

On SOF multitool: “as far as I’m concerned it’s the best dog-gone product of its kind made.”

From the article:

“Part of Gunny’s deal with SOG is to do some design work with Spencer Frazer…to create a ‘Gunny-approved’ line of cutting tools….
’The objective of me joining up with SOG is to be able to stand behind a brand that I can believe in and some good knives….You’ll see when they come out. They’ll be first class, top quality, top drawer.”

There was also an article on SOG and Gunny in Tactical Knives.

My point is not to condone this company’s practices; I don’t. But while I think they have lost some sales from their bad publicity here, they are playing in a large market, and have some other strategies, some of them quite potent. My hunch is that their sales are about to increase.
 
experimentjon said:
I own a SOG Flash II and SOG Flash I. Both are excellent knives, and I can recommend the Flash II to anyone who wants a high quality knife in the ~$40 ballpark. This is the first time that I've seen these comparison pictures, and I definitely see the resemblance in some of them. The most obvious is easily the Tomcat. And I am against that type of blatant copying. Some of the other ones were not that bad. For example, I'm pretty sure nobody is going to buy a SOG Toothlock thinking that they're getting a BM 950.

However, I am interested in handling one of Sog's Arc-lock knives in person and seeing how similar that lock is to the Axis lock.
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To be fair, it's my understanding that the Arc lock is used with the permission of Benchmade. Sog pays royalties to use it.
 
Kaizen1 said:
To be fair, it's my understanding that the Arc lock is used with the permission of Benchmade. Sog pays royalties to use it.
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Really? I figured the designs are different enough that SOG wouldn't have to pay any royalties.
 
Vege-Taco said:
I'm not sure why Spyderco would have SOG's MSRP's on their website. :D
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I mean if they are going to copy everything else about the Endura, I guess I can just look up the MSRP off the Endura knock off on the Spyderco site. It should be the same. :barf:
 
I am no marketing expert but I think SOG made a mistake by their new designs. Ever since I got into SOGs there have been serious haters of SOG just like Beretta M9 haters,Glock,Ford,etc. The haters were always looking out for SOG to maek a mistake which this may be the time they are waiting for. I do not believe that this new SOG approach to business or knife designs will be successful. It seems the gimmickly mall ninja attitude is being used by SOG. I do still think the SOG bowies are awesome and will keep mine and get some more.
 
dberry said:
I am no marketing expert but I think SOG made a mistake by their new designs. Ever since I got into SOGs there have been serious haters of SOG just like Beretta M9 haters,Glock,Ford,etc. The haters were always looking out for SOG to maek a mistake which this may be the time they are waiting for. I do not believe that this new SOG approach to business or knife designs will be successful. It seems the gimmickly mall ninja attitude is being used by SOG. I do still think the SOG bowies are awesome and will keep mine and get some more.
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Prior to the introduction of the latest models, I was always a supporter of anyone who was looking into SOG. The Arc lock doesn't feel as natural for me compared to the Axis, but I know it's the opposite for others. I always planned on getting Tomcat, it was always on my "to buy" list. Of course, it isn't anymore. Though I didn't see them as trying to keep up with technological/material advancements of BM, Spyderco and Kershaw, I considered their products to be perfectly sufficient for any reasonable task one could ask of an EDC. It's a shame they would throw away a good reputation like that.
 
I don't see the big deal. If the knife is good, the knife is good. They have several very original designs as well. If you prefer the original, than stick with the original, but if the sog versions of the same design are better...
 
Silverdagger said:
I don't own any SOGs but I did notice Nutinfancy loves their assisted openers. I might have bought one because of his recommendation at some point.

However now, if I can get a SOGGYCO rip off copy for about $10 I might get one. It'll have to be real real cheap knock off to temp me away from a real innovative knife company, Spyderco. Sorry that a $10 SOGGYCO Endura might sway me but hey, I'm human. Been wanting to try an Endura for a while and a SOGGYCO would be better quality than a true Chinese knockoff.

For the record I only own one Spyderco, a Native, but follow thier product line. Great company.
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If SOG just took these knives off the back of a benchmade/spyderco/etc truck and was offering them to you for 10 dollars would you still buy one?

How far can the excuse of being "only human" take you? Guess that's something you have to decide for yourself. To me, IP theft for profit isnt that far removed from physical theft.

P.S. I owned a Twitch II, when I got it I was appalled at how crappy it was. If I had not bought it from a reputable dealer I would have thought I had gotten a counterfeit. Instead of bothering with warranty (lol, I think this thread speaks to the quality of their company) or returning it I just gave it away, a little poorer but much wiser.
 
jeffreyliu838 said:
I don't see the big deal. If the knife is good, the knife is good. They have several very original designs as well. If you prefer the original, than stick with the original, but if the sog versions of the same design are better...
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Based on your post, you seem to concede that the knives are obvious copies and that it's okay. Well, one thing that's interesting is that SOG seems to take the position that what they've done is wrong (unethical). SOG's response is a denial that their new models are copies of knives from other companies and makers. So if they honestly thought that what they did wasn't wrong, then they would've simply admitted that the models are blatant copies.
 
I have been on a downward spiral with SOG, a few years ago i really liked their sog2000, the navy seals knife. I read some reviews and it sounded great. Then i joinned here and learned that aus8 is not the cream of the crop. I was planning on buying a trident. but i saw to many reports of bladeplay. Then i got really pissed off when they introduced their fusion line, a total bullshit line of products made in china in 420 stainless. This is the frosting on the cake. SOG really needs a new manager
 
Blah Blah Blah, bury the horse all ready. Move one. Time heals all wounds. Yes they resemble other brands of knives. If this upsets you ~kaizen1~ then pass on the purchase of one and forget about it. Six days plus with this thread alone and your basically advertising for S.O.G. as far as I'm concerned. SOG has it's fans and then the folks who don't know any better. They will continue to sell knives. I am sure there are folks out there who are happy they can acquire a Spyderco lookalike at a discounted price, so these knives will be bought. But again, let it go, you made the point...;)
 
Kaizen1 said:
Based on your post, you seem to concede that the knives are obvious copies and that it's okay. Well, one thing that's interesting is that SOG seems to take the position that what they've done is wrong (unethical). SOG's response is a denial that their new models are copies of knives from other companies and makers. So if they honestly thought that what they did wasn't wrong, then they would've simply admitted that the models are blatant copies.
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I think the fielder might be a stretch, but yeah, you'd have to be retarded to not see the similarities in some of the knives. But the same can be said about many other companies. I've seen a few benchmades that look like a few other knives I've seen...

Frankly, I don't care about their position. If the knife has good reviews and is better than the original, I will take the sog. Otherwise, I will take the original. I have no interest in the politics of knife manufacturers.
 
babakanoosh45 said:
Blah Blah Blah, bury the horse all ready. Move one. Time heals all wounds. Yes they resemble other brands of knives. If this upsets you ~kaizen1~ then pass on the purchase of one and forget about it. Six days plus with this thread alone and your basically advertising for S.O.G. as far as I'm concerned. SOG has it's fans and then the folks who don't know any better. They will continue to sell knives. I am sure there are folks out there who are happy they can acquire a Spyderco lookalike at a discounted price, so these knives will be bought. But again, let it go, you made the point...;)
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Dude, I'll continue to respond to any post in this thread that I want to, like yours for instance. If I'm the one having trouble "letting things go", why can't you stop yourself from looking at this thread? There are plenty of threads on this forum that I'm not interested in. Let me give you my secret, don't read them if you don't like what's in them. I know this might be difficult for some to realize, but it's not my fault that you can't stop looking at this thread- it's your own. Take some responsibility for your actions. ;):thumbup::cool:;):D;)
 
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