USA Made SOGS?

True, Ken.

I have several of the Recondo models: RC 60, RC 62 and the RC60 "Black Coated" version.
I also have the BG-42 Field Knife which was made in the USA, too.

I am a firm believer in "buy what you like."
Life is too short to worry about what other people think about how you spend your money.

I really enjoy the conversations and vast knowledge on the forum.

Regards,
d-1
 
I have the Flash II previously mentioned. 3 Seal Pups, one is Elite ...and Seal Team Elite, all Taiwan.... one Tech Bowie black tini, Taiwan, And older Tech 1 & Tech 2, both made in Seki. Those last two are among my all time favorites. Such beautiful lines. and feel close to perfect in the hand.
 
EDCanAdamas said:
So is SOG "assembling" products in the USA or not...
If I have to buy something made with a high degree of automation, and the materials/specs are the same, I'd rather it came from the United States.
Click to expand...

We're all ordinary sog knives enthusiast here.
It is unfortunate that representatives from sog knives
Are not presently active to reply to specific questions related
To new or future developments in their product range.
Who would know better than sog?
Perhaps such questions could get better response in the social media
Rather than this sadly forsaken forums...
https://www.facebook.com/SOGKnivesAndTools?fref=nf
 
GIRLYmann said:
We're all ordinary sog knives enthusiast here.
It is unfortunate that representatives from sog knives
Are not presently active to reply to specific questions related
To new or future developments in their product range.
Who would know better than sog?
Perhaps such questions could get better response in the social media
Rather than this sadly forsaken forums...
https://www.facebook.com/SOGKnivesAndTools?fref=nf
Click to expand...

Well, I can't agree more. If SOG thinks they're gonna keep in touch with luddite curmudgeons on facebook, they may have another think comin'....or not. I've been forced into this techie shit before, by my daughters and others. Sometimes one has no choice. But I fight it as long as its absolutely necessary. I mean I'm here...right? LOL I think its pretty clear that I'm a SOG fan. I mean, I have what, 7 SOGs. I regret that little minor skirmish with KenHash. I've generally liked and agreed with his posts. That may have been a two six pack day, so its not impossible that I simply rubbed him the wrong way and...it mindlessly escalated...as it often does. Sorry Ken.
 
It is definitely a shame that SOG is not represented here on this forum. But, at the risk of being thrown off this forum, the reason
lies not with SOG, but with some the members of this forum AND the unwillingnes of its moderators to actually moderate it. The result is
what we now have, no access to a SOG rep on the board at all and we suffer for it. This "hating" certain manufacturers on this forum
is really really out of hand. You see the same thing with Cold Steel still going on today. I have about 10 years experience moderating an
outdoor activity forum so I have a basis for my criticism. I am talking aout that old thread of crazed SOG bashing over the SOGziilla.
No problems Ichor, no hard feeligs. We are all knife enthusiasts and to varying degrees "SOG fans". Everyone mentioning what SOG they have started me thinking and I have,,,most are discontinued,

S1 Bowie *Seki) Government (Seki) Seal2000 (Seki) Visonary II (Seki) Tomcat 3.0 (Seki)
S2 Trident Bowie (Seki) Tech Bowie SK5 (Seki) Seal Pup (Seki) Vulcan Tanto (Seki) AirSog (Seki)
Recon Bowie (Seki) Tsunami (Seki) Seal Pup Elite (Taiwan) Vulcan Tanto Mini (Seki)
Scuba Demo (Seki) NW Ranger (Seki) Vulcan VL-05 fixed (Seki) Spec Elite II (Seki)
 
WhenI visited Seki City last month I was able to further my understanding of SOG's relationship with it's knifemakers.
It turns out that SOG approached Hattori in 1985 to produce the original S1 and S2. Hattori made these two models from 1986
to about 2006 when SOG terminated it's Seki manufacturing contracts. He also made the SOG knives for Boker, the commemorative,
the Son Tay Raider, and Marine Recon. While this information has been around on the internet for a while if one digs deep enough, it was a totally "another experience" to be sitting across from Ichiro Hattori himself telling me which ones he made and which ones he didn't. Or perhaps "definite confirmation" is the term. The rest of the Seki SOG fixed blades were made by Kinryu (Suzuki family).
Kinryu is the largely unknown Seki factory that made most of Cold Steels pre-2006 models and stlll makes their SRK. It has a long history with US knife companies, having made all the Seki Condors (Phil Hoffman) and Blackjacks (Mike Stewart). The other Knifemaker I visited was G.Sakai (Sakai family-duh..) who has and continues to make SOG's Seki folder models.

DSC_0387_zpsclagsxzm.jpg


DSC_0389_zpsxxeajrae.jpg


I finally managed to see an example of one of the 'Plum" colored S1s.
The sign in Japanese says Hattori Cutlery Co., Ltd.
 
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ichor said:
Well, I can't agree more. If SOG thinks they're gonna keep in touch with luddite curmudgeons on facebook, they may have another think comin'....or not. I've been forced into this techie shit. I regret that little minor skirmish .... Sorry Ken.
Click to expand...
Thumbs up! On that.
One can almost say that
Those who most frequent this particular sog forum
Are largely left over old f@rt seki sog groupies
from as far back as the 90's or even beyond??!
Who all just absolutely love taking about ye good olde days,
when owning brand new sog models then
Was considered a thing of great pride
And honored by all
As a respected past time of over indulgence for all things seki.
Oops! Sorry 'bout that, or should that be "sake" for the sake of peace?! ;-)
sake_emo_2.jpg

Jokes aside,
I do think that everyone who frequents this forum
Do so with hopes of not having to run into complications
Over trivial personal opinions which they so express as a form
Of exercise in the pursuit of personal happiness related to their passion.
One can only try their best to assist their fellow soggies,
At these very trying times
When no corporate appointed authority on sog knives
Seems to exist in enlighten the lost and bewildered sog newbies.
In particular, on current products.
So kudos to ken# for keeping the faith here.
Damn! I would forsake valhalla
Koskenkorva_Valhalla.JPG

Just to have that collection for a day.
Absolutely mouth watering beauties!
 
As for SOG made in the USA knives, the following was posted on the forum in 2013 by member "barkgar" at this location: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1035041-Sog-knives-made-in-usa?highlight=usa+made


Portion of "barkgar" posting below:

SOG Country of Origin:

Taiwan Made SOG Knives:
- A (Agency)
- C (Creed)
- D (Daggert 1 & 2, Daggert 1 & 2 [2005 Special Edition])
- F (Field Pup)
- G (Gov-Tac, Gov-Tac [2005 Special Edition])
- K (Kilowatt)
- N (NW Ranger)
- P (Pentagon, Pentagon Mini)
- S (Seal Pup Elite, Seal Team, Seal Team Elite, SOG Bowie 2.0, Super SOG Bowie, Swedge I, Swedge II, Swedge III)
- T (Team Leader [AUS-8], Team Leader Survivor [AUS-8], Tech Bowie, Tigershark 2.0, Tigershark Elite, Trident 2.0)

Seki, Japan Made SOG Knives:
- A (Access Card, Access Card 2.0, Arcitech, Arcitech - Damacus)
- B (Blunto)
- D (Desert Dagger, Desert Dagger [Leather])
- F (Facet, Fatcat)
- G (Government, Government [Leather], Government Agent)
- K (Kiku, Kiku Dagger, Kiku Tanto, Koji)
- M (Midnight Tigershark, Mini-Tsunami)
- N (Northwest Ranger, Northwest Ranger [Cocobolo], Nite Tech)
- P (Pendulum, Pentagon, Pentagon [Cocobolo], Pentagon Elite, Pentagon Elite II)
- R (Recon Bowie, Recon Bowie [Damascus], Recon Government, Revolver - Hunter, Revolver - Seal)
- S (S1 Bowie, S1 Bowie [Tigerstriped], S1 Bowie [Damascus], S1C Bowie Commemorative, Seal Knife 2000, Seal Pup, SCUBA/Demo, SCUBA/Demo [Damascus], Spec-Elite I, Spec Elite II, Stingray)
- T (Tech, Tech II, Team Leader Folder, Tech Bowie, Tigershark [SK-5 steel], Tigershark [Powdered], Tomcat,Tomcat II, Tomcat 3.0, Tomcat 3.0 - Carbon Fibre,Tomcat 3.0 LTD - Carbon Blade, Toothlock, Trident [S2], Tsunami)
- V (Vision, Visionary 1, Visionary 2, Vulcan, Vulcan Fixed Blade, Vulcan Mini)
- X (X-Ray Vison, X-Ray Vision Mini)

*Note that most models that appear to be made in Taiwan as well are the later version of the Seki Japan models. (ie Discontinued Seki-Made 'Pentagon' is now made in Taiwan)

USA Made SOG Knives:
- A (Aegis)
- B (Bi-polar, Blink)
- F (Field Knife, Flash I, Flash II, Flash Rescue)
- M (Meridian Topo)
- S (SOG-TAC Automatic, SOG-TAC Mini-Automatic)
- T (Team Leader [Duratech 20CV], Team Leader Survivor [Duratech 20CV], Trident Folder, Twitch I, Twitch II, Twitch XL)
- X (X-42 Recondo)
* All SOG Multitools

China Made SOG Knives:
* All SOG 'Fusion' series products (Battle Axe, Contractor 2x4, Fish On, Fixation Bowie, Fixation Dagger, Fulcrum I, Fulcrum II, Jungle Primitive, Micron, Micron 2.0, Muscle Car, Salute, Spirit, Throwing knives)
- A (Aura - Camping, Aura - Hunting, Aura - SEAL Black TiNi)
- F (Fielder)
- M (Micro Toolclip [2010, Black, Blue, Green Pink])
- W (Woodline Folding Knife, Woodline Small Fixed Blade, Woodline Large Fixed Blade)
- S (SOGfari Machete - 13", SOGfari Machete - 18", SOGzilla - Small, SOGzilla - Large)

This comes straight from SOG


Regards,
d-1
 
It's a good list. All of the fixed blades under "Seki" have been discontinued.
However the Forge, which is not on the list, is the sole fixed blade still made in Seki.
 
Being fairly new to the SOG brand (bought my first one roughly 3-4 years ago) I have always taken "assembled in the USA" to mean "assembled in the USA from domestic and imported parts" as I've seen stated by other brands, be it on knives or other sorts of products entirely. Seeing some of you post some of the company's history and the gradual shift in overseas production from Japan to Taiwan and/or China is just like what I've seen on my past forums of choice, namely those dedicated to electric guitars, amplifiers, etc. As American guitar manufacturers reached the point of needing to expand production, Japan was often the first choice, and the level of workmanship was such that the Japanese models often surpassed the US-made "originals" in short order. However, either due to cost-cutting measures, contract expiration or various other reasons, Japanese production usually ended up being scaled back to limited editions while most volume shifted to Taiwan, India, Indonesia and - more recently - China and Vietnam. Meanwhile, a lot of the previously US-made guitars started being more or less manufactured (at the component level) in Mexico and shipped across the border for final assembly and QC checks in the US. The same is often true of amplifiers.

As a fairly new SOG knife owner who started with a Salute, I don't have the same perspective as some of you in terms of seeing that shift from country to country, but I definitely get the sense of disappointment. I like my Salute for what it is, but once I bought a Spec Elite and a Vulcan, I could definitely see that they were a different breed of knife.
 
ichor said:
Let's face it guys....ALL large companies are gonna lie to us when they think they can get away with it. You don't really believe all that horseshit on the side of a box of cereal is true...do you???
Click to expand...

Considering that it's regulated by the FTC and lying is HUGELY illegal, yes I believe them.

If something says Made in USA without qualifiers, it must legally be "all or virtually all" US components.
 
KenHash said:
Whenever the discussion turns to SOG and "Made in USA" comes up, I find it kind of ironic that SOG Knives as a company was founded on knives made in Seki.
Which were in turn "copies" of the original MACV-CISO knives that were made in Japan, and very possibly in Seki as well a couple decades earlier.
I can only recall one or two models that SOG carried that were made in the US, the Recondo being one.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure the S30V Huntspoints are US-made.
 
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