Unsat Recon Bowie...

LoneWolf X

LoneWolf X

Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Messages
169
Hello all,

I recently purchased 2 SOG Recon Bowies NIB from 2 different sellers on ebay. The first one I bought is a beautiful example of perfection but the second one has some disconcerting flaws. (if I can I'll try to take some pictures of said faults when I get a moment.)

The most glaring flaw is with the edge grind; it sweeps extremely wide up to and at the tip point on both sides of the blade, eliminating the termination of the centerline at the point, which creates a strange geometry to the tip and absolutely destroys what should be an "extraordinary" knife. It really looks bad,especially if you've seen a proper example of the model. IMO it should have been culled by Q.C. as a factory second at best (it isn't a second because it has no "X" maked upon the blade's "SOG" stamp).

The other fault I see with the knife is the blueing isn't as deep and rich as my first Recon and there is a distinct cloud in the blueing on the left side of the ricasso.

I'd like to get some input directly from SOG since it clearly isn't a normal example of SOG's typical quality and I'd be interested to hear their explainationof these types of defects.
 
I'm sure Chris will be along shortly to help you out. I also have two SOG Recon Bowies. Did you do the same thing as me, buy one to use and one to look at until the first one (if it does) fails? Normally I don't buy more than one of the same knife unless it's extremely collectable, but with the Recon Bowie, it's just so sexy that I had to get an extra as a "looker" and eventually the looker will be on display somewhere in my weapon and toy room.
 
Dylside you are absolutely correct! LOL. I was so taken with my first Recon Bowie that I just had to get a second one. Yep, one will be a "safe queen" and the other will be my "carry companion". But this second one which was purchased to be that very "carry companion" isn't one I'd feel proud to show off :(
 
LoneWolf X said:
Dylside you are absolutely correct! LOL. I was so taken with my first Recon Bowie that I just had to get a second one. Yep, one will be a "safe queen" and the other will be my "carry companion". But this second one which was purchased to be that very "carry companion" isn't one I'd feel proud to show off :(
Click to expand...

Yeah. Understandable. If you can, I'd really like to see pictures of the flaws.
 
Here are some pics of the flawed Recon Bowie in question... I'm including like pics of the normal model for comparison. These photos really don't show these flaws as truly as they should; to the live eye they are much more markedly apparent.

FLAWED SRB 1
2125220047_18840a8cc5_o.jpg


FLAWED SRB BLADE TIP LEFT
2125220269_95ea242bf0_o.jpg


NORMAL SRB BLADE TIP LEFT
2125997468_8731e53552_o.jpg


FLAWED SRB BLADE TIP RIGHT
2125996814_59b7ac6417_o.jpg


NORMAL SRB BLADE TIP TIGHT
2125284537_0cf882f36b_o.jpg


FLAWED SRB BLUEING
2125220559_4edf20cc88_o.jpg
 
Something not right about that knife. Check the return policy of the seller. The best thing you could do is post who the seller was so we don't get bit as well. I've been seeing a lot of Scuba/Demo on Ebay priced below retail. I can't figure out where these dealers are getting these knives and selling them at wholesale. In fact, that goes for other SOG models as well. One seller on Ebay has a website called sogoutlet.com. They also sell MTech knives in Ebay. Any outfit that will sell MTech copies of discontinued SOG knives as well as so-called current SOG models has to be a rig up. That blade tip looks like something from Pakistan or China.
 
I hear ya Culpeper, but, in this case I'm confident that this is a genuine SOG and not a knock-off. The packaging and everything is genuine (SOG barcode and all), the SOG brochure included sure looks authentic too... and the seller is located here in the U.S. , not an over-seas seller.
 
That is really a weird looking blade and should have been culled out. Did the blade come greased with a plastic cover as well as a cardboard sheath as part of the protective packaging? If not, then someone has been messing around with it.

Another hypothesis could be that there is some corruption going on during the manufacturing process. Bad knives are finding there way to the market. Whatever the reason, the knife you got doesn't meet SOG quality standards. The question is how did the knife survive all the way to retail? I'm not kidding, I have been watching these SOGs on Ebay very closely. These same sellers are offering knives at wholesale. it just doesn't fit the invisible hand of supply and demand. There is just too many of them on the market. I have been personally advised by an SOG sales representative to be very careful with Ebay dealers. This was in response to my question why are SOG seconds so much higher than what is being offered on Ebay. There is good reason why the forum rules include not posting links to Ebay. Ebay is flooded with junk knives. Interspersed between all this junk is where you will find a legitimate deal.

A.G. Russell, which has been around since 1964, isn't even carrying the Recon Bowie right now. Probably because of these Ebay shenanigans.

I think your grievance is with the seller and SOG "may or may not" replace the knife. This falls under the manufacturer's discretion. And on the other hand, I also think the manufacturer has an obligation to offer some sort of explanation on what is going with prices on Ebay undercutting such retailers as A.G. Russell. Right now under their own "SOG Dealers" link all they have are direct factory seconds. Increasing volume at the cost of quality should not be a going concern for the manufacturer unless they want to be regarded as just another same old tired production knife company. Personally, I think SOG has a big problem on their hands. I can only speculate what that problem might be. But if they can't stand by dealers on Ebay what else is there to speculate?
 
Interesting points there Culpeper. In answer to your question; yes the knife came packaged exactly as it should, with greased plastic and cardboard protective cover over that with a desicant pack inside the bubble wrap.

I can only venture to guess what may be going on with the SOG products... Is there an inside man over in Seki City acquiring unmarked seconds and selling them to ebay sellers at a below wholesale rate??? Who knows? I've found quite a few legitimate discount internet sellers offering SOG (as well as all the other Brand names knives) at really good prices, most at exactly the same price range as this one on ebay.

Perhaps I do need to just deal with the seller about this knife and see what happens... my intent to seek consideration via SOG directly is simply a desire to give them an opportunity to address this particular quality problem, from the horse's mouth so to speak.
 
UPDATE: Well, I've still heard nothing from SOG directly; neither Chris here on this forum nor from my personal emails to SOG... I believe it's due to "Holiday Hours". The good news is I contacted the seller and they graciously offered to exchange the Recon for another.
This seller has been a genuine professional from day one and the knive's defects have nothing to do with them. I know Dylside wanted me to post their ebay ID so others could be forewarned of trouble but I refuse to do that because this seller has been very helpful and asked to know specifically what the defects were in order to check his stock and avoid selling others with these problems as well.
I still want to hear from SOG and know their explaination of the issue.
 
Thanks for the update but I'm still a little concerned about supply and demand stuff I mentioned above. I ordered a dealer kit from SOG and their wholesale prices are virtually the same as what these Recon and Scuba/Demo knives are going for new on Ebay through the Ebay stores. I don't like it and it is turning SOG knives into Frost knives. Go to SOG's own online store and you pay over $300 for one of these knives. It's ridiculous. Either they are manufacturing cheap and inexpensive knives or they're not. They can't have the cake and eat it too. Soon it will be MTech, SOG, Frost, what the heck is the difference. They are making too many knives and selling below wholesale to the highest bidder no different than cheap Pakistan and Chinese products brought to you by such fine American companies such as Taylor Brands LLC. You're not the first to question a particular knife not meeting quality control standards on this forum. Personally, SOG needs to know that the jig is up and the loyal consumer is the fiddler.
 
LoneWolf

I received your email to me over the weekend. I am glad to hear that the seller is going to replace the knife for you. I was also going to offer that to you. If you have not already returned the knife to the seller, you can send it to me and I'll get it swapped out for you.

You can send it to me at

SOG Knives
c/o Chris Cashbaugh
6521 212th St SW
Lynnwood WA 98036
 
Thank you Chris.

No, I've not yet returned it to the seller yet due to being away for the holidays. I would prefer to send it back to you guys at SOG so as to permit you the opportunity to inspect the knife personally as well as to insure that a replacement won't be coming from the same batch as this one.

I'll be returning home today and will get this knife on it's way to you on Friday 12/28/07.

Regards,

Don
 
FINAL UPDATE: Well, I sent the SRB back to Chris at SOG. He kindly emailed me that he had recieved it and had personally seen to it's replacement. The replacement SRB arrived today and it is beautiful and flawless! A heartfelt domo arigato to both Chris and Mike at SOG!
 
Maybe I'm not a discerning as the rest of you "knuts", but I never would have noticed any of that. My KABAR USMC has the same grind, I thought that was normal.
 
Can I have the returned knife? I promise to write a complete review with pictures from Central Washington.

Never hurts to ask.
 
My apologies for reviving an old thread, but just curious, does anyone here know what caused the flaws for the grind? I recently bought one in an knife store where I live, and it has been sitting in that store for quite some time (import documents place the import date at 2001) and after coming across your thread I realized that my blade has almost the exact same edge grind as your flawed knife, as well as a similar bluing. So I got a bit curious as to how these flaws came into being.

The only difference between my knife and the one shown in the picture is the SOG logo, instead of the one depicted on the last image mine has SOG specialty knives in a rectangle(oh and the white leather on the handle isn't as white but I can live with that :p).
 
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