What model SOG is this?

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KniferLifer

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I cannot find it their on-line catalogue.

BTW, it's 8 1/4' long, extended, lock-back, with steel bolsters and rubber grips.
 
It looks pretty close, but mine doesn't have the thumb stud or the serration above the thumb stud . . .
 
KniferLifer (first picture) is showing the original Tomcat (Tomcat 1...I guess it could be called).

huugh (second picture) is showing the Tomcat II.

In the most basic of descriptions, you can tell the difference because the Tomcat II adds the thumbstud. Also, it has "uglier" (in the eyes of the beholder) grindlines.
 
huugh said:
That's what I said :)
BTW the pic is from the link in my first post...
Click to expand...
Sorry huugh. I had noticed you were correct and meant to say as much. The purpose for my post was to give a clear, definitive answer to KniferLifer. Sorry I didn't follow all the way through.
 
No problem, important is Kniferlifer has his answer :)
I know I sometimes make ambiguous formulation, I just don't realize it at the moment. Sorry for my poor English.
 
Two things:

Is my near-mint original Tomcat more ore less desirable than a newer version in similar condition? It is a very impressive piece.

Secondly, Huugh should never apologize for his English as it's way better than our Czech.
 
Hmm....I'm still not 100% convinced. I had an opportunity to purchase a Tomcat in about 1986. I purchased the SOGWinder II instead. Both knives had 3.75 blades. If I recall, and that could be a problem since it was 20 years ago, the Tomcat (II) had no serrations on the top(I am sure of that)and I am not so sure but I think that it had ambi thumb studs that were brass. I didn't notice the lack of thumb studs in the first picture. My SOGWinder II has the brass thumb studs and no serrations on the top. The SOGWinder II is not longer manufactured, there is only the SOGWinder I. I don't remember seeing a SOGWinder I when I purchase the II. If you send SOG an e-mail they will respond and let you know which one it is.
 
It is a Tomcat I - I have an original, and still carry it in one of my day packs, The Tomcat II Has the thumb stud.

"In the most basic of descriptions, you can tell the difference because the Tomcat II adds the thumbstud. Also, it has "uglier" (in the eyes of the beholder) grindlines."

You will not find a more informed individual on any of the forums than Ron Anderson, when it concerns SOGs - both new & old.

IMHO the original Tomcat, (pictured by the OP) is more valuable, as it represents one of the earlier SOG folders & was selected as "Knife of the Year" in either 1988 or 1989 by one of the knife magazines being published in that time period.
 
theoldawg said:
It is a Tomcat I - I have an original, and still carry it in one of my day packs, The Tomcat II Has the thumb stud.

"In the most basic of descriptions, you can tell the difference because the Tomcat II adds the thumbstud. Also, it has "uglier" (in the eyes of the beholder) grindlines."

You will not find a more informed individual on any of the forums than Ron Anderson, when it concerns SOGs - both new & old.

IMHO the original Tomcat, (pictured by the OP) is more valuable, as it represents one of the earlier SOG folders & was selected as "Knife of the Year" in either 1988 or 1989 by one of the knife magazines being published in that time period.
Click to expand...

Knife of the year in 1986. At any rate, a cool looking knife!
 
KniferLifer said:
Is my near-mint original Tomcat more ore less desirable than a newer version in similar condition?
Click to expand...

I don't know if it is more desirable but it definitely is rarer. And I think it is cooler too :)
 
What are the requirements to post on the Trade forum?

I may want to sell this one as it's too nice to use . . .
 
indeed this is the good old SOG Tomcat.

Being used as edc for some years the "rubber" inlays in the handle fell off (still have them though). i don't know whether to glue them back on, or to replace them with pear wood (the fruit that is shaped like a lightbulb, did i get the correct name :confused: ) and polish it up for the display stand. I fell the tree myself, so this is the most personal thing i could come up with. What about you guys, how would you choose?
 
I would choose wood. Natural material has something "special" compared to artificial ones.
 
There are a few knives in this family and they all can be confusing, so let me try my hardest to clear it up. What all these knives have in common is that they basically look the same with only small differences. They are similarly made with similar/identical materials. In some cases, the casual observer wouldn't know the differences. And in pictures, without the ability to see scale, it is VERY difficult to see the difference (basically between the first two groups of knives). Think if you will in the terms of "big knife" and "small knife."

  • Tomcat (Big Knife) - 3.75" blade, AUS6, no thumbstud, no serrated thumb ramp on back of blade. It has stainless steel bolsters on both the "butt" end and the blade pivot end. This IS the first Tomcat pictured in this thread.
  • Stingray (Small Knife) - 2.75" blade, no thumbstud, no serrated thumb ramp on back of blade. It has stainless steel bolsters on only the pivot end, but otherwise looks identical; just smaller. [Note: It would have been must easier if SOG would have called this knife the Tomcat I and the prior knife the Tomcat II, for that would have followed the same naming model as the Sogwinders.]
There were cocobolo (wood) versions of both these models. These two are the longest running, original knives in this series, starting back in 1986 (the Stingray came out possibly the following year).

  • Sogwinder II (Big Knife) - Same handle, materials and dimensions as the Tomcat listed above. Instead of a bowie style blade, it featured a spearpoint (drop point) style blade and a two sided brass thumbstud.
  • Sogwinder I (Small Knife) - Similarly, an identical knife to the Stingray above, but featuring the same spearpoint blade as the Sogwinder II, but his one had only a one-sided SS thumbstud.
There were NO cocobolo versions of the Sogwinders and they were introduced a couple/few years later. The Sogwinder I is still in production (according to the SOG website).

  • Tomcat II (Big Knife) - Replaced the Tomcat above. It kept the same handle, dimensions and steel type, but changed the blade shape, added a thumbstud, and the serrated/ridged thumbramp on the back of the blade. This is the second Tomcat pictured in this thread. The transition to this model happened back around 2001/2002.
And up to the present.
  • Tomcat 3.0 (Big Knife) - As seen and described here. This replaces the prior Tomcat II. This is being introduced for this year and does make a very noticeable change from prior models.
I hope this helps. If I've only screwed this up more, let me know.
 
I'd like to see the Tomcat 3 with G10 instead of Kraton handles. Kraton is a bad choice for pocket knife handles, because it tends to stick the knife in your pocket. It can also be damaged (torn) pretty easily. Not so with G10.
I'd buy it in G10 or micarta (sculpted and polished green canvas?)
 
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