[Sheldon]

Its finally time for my first thread, after months of lurking in the shadows. :grin:

After quite a bit of internet research on forums, youtube & local stores (Price point, quality & selection) I've decided to purchase some SOG knives.

I'm a chef by trade and love my blades currently owning around 15 knives. I own Global, Porsche Croma, Fiskars & Wusthof blades. I know each knife and what they are great at, but for me one knife can't do everything.

So applying my twisted logic to the SHTF, I think I'll need minimum of three different blades to bug out with and this is where advice is needed.

Knife One. The last line in self defense, a fighting knife. I've already taken a shine to the 'Agency.' (Possibly starting Krav Maga Classes soon.)

Knife Two. A utility survival knife. Something that's at home with the general knife tasks.

Knife Three. A folding knife. More aimed at the skinning and preparation of game (& possibly road kill )

I intend to team these up with a camp axe/tomahawk too. For a little extra redundancy.

Any advice on blade brand/selection would be great, its something new for me and I look forward to your comments.

Cheers

Sheldon

 

[roy]

I like knives and have a bunch. For kitchen knives I use Dexter-Russell because they are decent quality and cheap.

You probably don't want to hear what I have to say but just file it away for use later.

Nobody needs a fighting knife. We can always tell the new guys by the Rambo knives they are carrying. Most of the special op guys carry something practical like a Swiss Army knife or a locking folder.

One knife is all you need. It can be something like a locking folder or a fixed blade skinner. The mora that you folks developed is an excellent knife.

If you only have one knife you gotta make sure you don't lose it. I carry a small (tiny) Gerber LST clipped to a D ring on my pack with a mini-caribiner. You might want something a bit bigger with a 2 - 3" blade.

A hatchet is nice to have but heavy. Gerber/Fiskar makes a small one that has a hollow plastic that I carry when weight is not a concern. I have a short Machete (18") that serves the same purpose that I ocassionally carry. The plus side of it is that it is actually a short sword that would serve better than any fighting knife.

As far as SOG knives go, they are O.K. but overpriced and made in China.

 

[Verteidiger]

I collect and own knives, and SOG makes some excellent knives.

The SOG Seal Team is a superb fixed blade knife, chosen for carry by the US Navy SEALs, as the name demonstrates. If you are choosing a fighting knife, this one has been carried in combat by America's best. And it is made in Japan. I own two of these, and it is my favorite knife.

For a utility/general use knife, the SOG Seal Pup is a knife chosen by many outdoor magazines as the best knife for outdoorsmen. It is medium length fixed blade. They come with kydex or ballistic nylon sheaths and are perfect as an all-around knife.

For my everyday carry knife, l use a SOG Pentagon Elite I spearpoint locking folder. It can be flicked open one-handed. No flex when opened. Partially serrated. Great pocket knife, and it fits in the mag holder on the SEAL Team fixed blade's sheath.

I also like Gerber knives, Benchmade knives, and Victorinox Swiss Army Knives, and Leatherman and Gerber multi-tools.

I also own a couple SOG Tactical Tomahawks, which are great for camping and hunting.

You might want to also look at the SOG Tsunami tanto point fixed blade - I use that knife for camp cooking and cutting up game, and it fillets fish very well because of its blade design.

In my opinion, SOG makes truly great knives for the outdoors, and it is the weapon of choice for elite units of our military. Good enough for them, more than good enough for me.

P.S. For kitchen knives, I use Tramontinas.

 

[Sheldon]

Thanks for your input guys.

I'll try n pick up a knife (or two) this week. The store have the Mora Bushcraft survivial & the Seal Pup in stock.

Time to hold a few & make a decision.

Thanks again

 

[roy]

I'm a buy American kinda guy. If I were Swedish I would be a by Swedish kinda guy.

 

[Verteidiger]

It's a global economy. I buy from American companies if I can find decent products, or NATO allies if I can....

Here is a review on the SOG Seal Pup Elite from a website I read from regularly:

SOG Knives: SOG Seal Pup Elite Knife Review

 

[roy]

Again, made in China. You can buy about the same knife that is actually made in the good ole USA from Dexter-Russell for about 15 bucks. You can even get it with a black handle and sheath SG136PCP 6" wide boning knife.

 

[Nathan Jefferson]

The mora is a very good knife for the cost, I have several on hand to use as wampum if the need ever arise.

I will have to diverge from the crowd here though, the seal pup was one of my two first 'real' knives, along with the Bear Grylls survival knife. Both are decent knives, but IMHO not worth what you pay for them. I'd rather spend less and get a mora or glock knife, or more and get a better knife.

Depending on your budget and needs there are a lot of other really nice options out there.

I don't know your budget or your intended use, but on the low end the Scrapyard 411 is an amazing all around knife for ~$80 USD Scrap Yard Knife Company
If you want something bigger and budget conscious you can look at Ka-Bar Becker BK9 Combat Bowie Fixed Blade Knife : Amazon.com : Sports & Outdoors

For me I carry a BIG knife with a leatherman inside the pouch on the sheath. With those two items I can do a *LOT* in the wilderness. I try to build my BOB/GHB/INCH etc around a good knife, it just has so many important survival uses. YMMV.

 

[Verteidiger]

Again, made in China.

None of the SOGs I own (all nine of them) are made in China; they are either made in Seiki, Japan; Taiwan; or in the USA.

Some of their knives are made in China, either because they are titanium nitride coated, or they are their bargain priced models....

 

[Nathan Jefferson]

None of the SOGs I own (all nine of them) are made in China; they are either made in Seiki, Japan; Taiwan; or in the USA.

Some of their knives are made in China, either because they are titanium nitride coated, or they are their bargain priced models....

I'd bet that you didn't buy your SOGs at walmart . They used to make all good knives but over the past ~2 years they (and kershaw, fwiw) have dropped quality and started pushing chinese junk to sell at walmart

 

[Verteidiger]

Yeah, you're right - I didn't buy them at Wally World.

I bought them from an outfitter that is local. Disabled veteran. Cool guy.

 

[Infidel]

I've got a SOG Flash II that's my EDC knife. I've had it about 9 months or so and it's been a great knife. Holds an edge reasonably well and with the assisted opening, it's fast. I like the blade locking system which seems to lock the blade open very well (I've had a lot of issue with the popular liner locking system). Yeah the plastic handles cause a little flex at the blade pivot point but for what I use the knife for it's not really an issue. If I were looking for a dedicated fighting knife, I'd probably look at the Boker Applegate Fairbairn. For a general purpose/fighting knife I think you'd be hard pressed to beat the old USMC standby the Kabar.

-Infidel

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

I own only three knives. I have a Fillet Knife, a SOG Spirit and a Winchester fixed blade about 5 inches long. My bread and butter knife, the Winchester was the cheapest, its made in China and it holds an edge surprisingly well and does about 90% of the things I need a knife for. I just don't look real cool using it thats all. The Fillet knife...do we rally need to go there? I mean they are pretty self explanatory. The SOG Spirit, I didn't get it cause it looked cool or had a cool sounding name. I got it cause of its shape and the fact that the handle will screw off and allow me to screw it on the end of a aluminum painters pole creating a spear/lance. I figured that might make it pretty useful as a weapon or a tool not that I cant think of too many reasons to use it in that way. And of course I have a Missouri River Tomahawk which I absolutely love and find so many uses for. No big or Whambo Knifes here for me...

 

[randy grider]

I like my SOG seal pup that I bought at wally world, dont really care where it was made, its a good solid knife, the perfect size, and sharp as a razor. It will go elk hunting in the rockies with me this fall.

 

[Rigged for Quiet]

I have a bunch of sharp pointy objects, some of them are even shiney

My primary knives are a Seal Pup and a USMC issue Ka-Bar that has been with me far too long to abandon. Dance whith who brung ya, I say.

I have a folding Boker I tend to use as an EDC, a folding Winchester of cheap import stock I use at work since they give them to us and replace if we break them, although mine has yet to break. I also have the obligatory Swiss Army knife that has been with me about as long as the Ka Bar has. There has to be a 50 cal ammo can worth of this and that folders in addition to the old friends.

Oddly, one of my favorite knives is a flea market pick up and is best described as what the muzzle loaders would call a patch knife. Spiffy little guy with attitude.

I need to replace my Mora, may it's adventures be grand, where ever it is... For some reason I don't have that many fixed blades. I hardly count a filet knife as a knife, but it does have an important purpose and life without one would be the suck.

I do not have any spiffy tomahawks. I need to correct that.

 

[roy]

If y'all are looking for good utility knives you might want to check out Dexter-Russell commercial kitchen stuff. The original Bowie Knife was just a big butcher knife. After the Sand Bar fight Bowie had it refiitted with a hand guard and dressed up. You can get a very heavy duty, stainless, made in the USA knife for $20 -$25 off ebay.