Spyderco TUFF vs Microtech SOCOM Elite

NjHart

NjHart

Joined
Jan 4, 2013
Messages
715
Hello again!

In my ever evolving quest to find my next knife (and my funds are getting closer), I have a new matchup for yall. I think these two knives emphasize what I'm looking for- large EDCable, a nice thick blade, hard(ish) use capable, not something everyone carries, and, let's be honest, I think they are both very aesthetically pleasing tactical knives. I know both knives have their issues (the TUFF may have lock up issues in a few cases and microtech is not a very popular company around here), but I'm a fan of both knives. So, my question to everyone at large here is: If you had to select one of these knives to EDC and work as your every day knife while you built up a collection (and either one will be my first higher end knife), which would you choose and why?

P.S. the socom elite would likely be a chisel ground tanto of s35v, but not necessarily- haven't researched that aspect enough yet.

P.P.S. sorry for the incessant "which knife threads," one of these days hopefully I'll be able to contribute as much to the community as I'm getting now!
 
I'd go with the Spyderco TUFF. :D I honestly don't really like the way the Socom Elite looks (handle doesn't look comfortable to me). The only Microtech I really like is the Select Fire Manual.
 
Hey buddy!

This is an interesting comparison. I don't know what you're EDC tasks typically are, so it's hard to say which is the better of the two. Obviously the Tuff can take a little more abuse, probably doesn't carry as well as the Socom. and I know for sure it doesn't cut as well.

I like a knife that cuts well for me EDC tasks, so I'd pick up the Socom. I will say the Tuff is one sick knife though, so really it comes down to personal use/taste.
 
Zookie said:
Hey buddy!

This is an interesting comparison. I don't know what you're EDC tasks typically are, so it's hard to say which is the better of the two. Obviously the Tuff can take a little more abuse, probably doesn't carry as well as the Socom. and I know for sure it doesn't cut as well.

I like a knife that cuts well for me EDC tasks, so I'd pick up the Socom. I will say the Tuff is one sick knife though, so really it comes down to personal use/taste.
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You actually correctly isolated my exact problem- EDC tasks. I work in an office, and frequently go places that carrying too obtrusive or visible of a knife would be frowned upon (though I generally wear jeans so weight and size are less of an issue that visibility, and I live in Texas so it's less an issue of law than propriety), but I also live on a ranch. I don't always have other tools on me, so its very nice to not have to worry about my knife not being robust enough to handle whatever task may arise. I tend to err on the side of overkill just in case, but I don't baton with my knives or pry boards apart. So long as the knife can cross the threshold of occasional limb chopping, maybe occasional whittling when I'm bored, general package opening etc, and constant opening and closing while I'm thinking, I generally feel ok with its durability. I tend to lean towards the tuff at the moment simply because I prefer overkill to under performance, but I find the microtech's crazy cutting ability and beautiful aesthetics very hard to ignore. I'm sort of at 51 to 49 in favor of the TUFF, but I've gone back and forth a few times here.
 
Chisel ground? You want to pay Microtech prices for a knife that is only half ground. If you're a righty then the grind is on the wrong side anyway. It's hard to cut in a straight line with a chisel, half ground, knife. I don't believe that either knife is entirely appropriate for an office environment, but I would go with the Tuff over that MT chisel ground Elite every single time. Hell, I would just go with Spyderco over MT every time.
 
Tony8179 said:
Chisel ground? You want to pay Microtech prices for a knife that is only half ground. If you're a righty then the grind is on the wrong side anyway. It's hard to cut in a straight line with a chisel, half ground, knife. I don't believe that either knife is entirely appropriate for an office environment, but I would go with the Tuff over that MT chisel ground Elite every single time. Hell, I would just go with Spyderco over MT every time.
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It depends on the chisel grind. Though I'm left handed which is a bit uncommon, so at least the grind is on the correct side for me. So that helps a lot. My Snody Boss is an odd ball knife in more than one way. It's one of the few knives that I like/can use right handed and the edge is somewhat unique on it. It's ground as a chisel, but has a normal double sided V-edge on it. I got it used, so I'm not sure if it was like this originally or if the edge was modified by the previous owner. Either way, it's a sweet blade and cuts like a demon. But I agree, a chisel ground blade at Microtech prices? :eek:
 
I would pick the Socom. Easy choice for me, one of my favorite folders. But if you are in an office where they're iffy about knives, maybe not. It's big and stabby looking.
 
Get the Tuff.
I doubt you'll take it out a whole lot at work, just for the occasional use, so it won't be so bad.
Maybe carry a second not so scary looking blade at work.

But I would go for the Tugg.
 
I would go with a Tuff if you weren't going to get a drop point or a Tanto that isn't a chisel ground version.
 
With your situation, I'd probably go for the tuff. Also I like spyderco over microtech as well.
 
I've handled two Microtech Elites and they had nearly no closed detent. You could lightly shake it or even just sneeze in its direction and the blade fell out. To be fair the blades were both centered and had no blade play, but I wanted to tighten the pivot to see if that helped with the loose detent - except no, I can't since it uses proprietary screws for the pivot.
 
Tuff is one of my favorite EDC knives! It isn't the most fun for 'playing' with when bored and flicking your knife open and closed... But not having to worry about lacking enough knife for any job is a very nice feeling.
 
I am planning to buy a Tuff at some point in the near future, but for EDC tasks I'd probably lean toward the Gayle Bradley over either of your options. Sorry to confuse the situation. If I was to choose between the Tuff and the Socom I'd pick the Tuff.
 
There's a thread on "GB hard use", and the M4 steel really shines with the uses shown by posters on that thread. Not sure if Tuff is a better choice, but it's definitely thicker and should stand abuse (read: lateral stress) better.

Don't have either, just forming an opinion based on reading a lot here. If I have to spend some big bucks on them, either GB or Tuff. Never a Microtech. I'm biased by owning 2 Resilience, and reading a lot about Spyderco and their 'shiny foot print' values.
 
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Actually unless bladehq's measurements are off, the SOCOM is the thicker of the two blades, but I certainly think the TUFF is better for hard use. I'm a little disappoint that I can't find any videos of the SOCOM in harder use scenarios- the select fire has a crazy series of them, but I'm left handed to the select fire is out. I've looked at the GB quite a bit and its certainly a great knife, but I'm not sure its for me. I'm actually sort of shocked at the anti-chisel grind sentiment. There really isn't any reason I was going to choose one over a traditional V grind, except that I had read that they can take a ridiculous edge easier and maintain it a little longer thanks to the geometry. If it really is that much of a negative, the chisel really isn't a definite (or the tanto versus the drop point, but I do think I prefer the tanto).

I probably should have explained better. I do work in an office, but I'm in and out quite a lot and I'm the only person there so I could keep one of those massive cold steel blades (I forget the name) on my desk if I wanted and no one would notice. Just occasionally through the course of a day I may have to go to meetings or the like, and having an inch and a half of large tactical folder sticking out of my pocket is a little less than desirable. It isn't a deal breaker, but looking nice and not too intense in the pocket is a definite plus. I keep going back and forth between the two knives. I have slight worries about edge retention with the 3v. I enjoy sharpening quite a lot so maintenance is not a negative, but I can say that I am disappointed in 14c28n. I know its a totally different league of steel, but the lack of wear resistance in my JYD severely limits my enjoyment of it. Likewise I worry that I haven't seen the microtech do anything harder than rope cutting (the socom at least), and I sort of worry about the difficulty of deployment of the thumb studs (especially in gloves).
 
I've had 2 socom elites and for an office environment I would say they would be a no go , they are way to weapon looky and you might scare the sheep, the tuff on the other hand while ugly as hell doesn't really have a pointed blade, so the sheep may not be to terrified if you haft to take it out and use it , just remember 3v isn't stainless so your gonna hafta either let a patina form on your blade or keep it coated with oil or my preferred coating for non stainless blades is marine tuffglide or tuff cloth, personally for office use I would go with something smaller as well, maybe a gayle bradley air or spyderco techno, those would probably suit you better in an office environment, just my opinion though. Socom elites are great knives , just hope you don't want to or ever haft to ever adjust your knife ever, that's what turned me off of MT is their screws, those stupid little screws that you haft to have a special tool just to adjust anything on your knife, rather than the standard torx screws that every other friggin knife maker on the face of the earth uses .
 
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