35th Anniversary SOG-CISO

C

crewhead05

Joined
Feb 28, 2014
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Folk, I see there have been a couple posts with questions on these anniversary knives over the past couple of years but I haven't seen much as far as information on them. Im looking for any info, background etc. I have been searching the web for a while to no real avail so I thought I would ask the question here. Thank you for any input you have.

I was gifted these about 15 years ago by a former Marine sniper and Vietnam vet. He was always quiet about what he did during the war but over time I learned he was usually involved with the units we dont hear much about and spent time working with Hathcock. He was a huge knife collector and I never saw his full collection. Here are a pair of SOG (studies and observation group) dedication knives he gave me.

I have read the book titled "SOG" from which I learned most of what I know about the unit.

If anyone has any more history on these knives I would love to hear it.

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If you are asking about those knives specifically they were made by Gary Hicks for Beck's Cutlery as
a special anniversary edition.
GaryHicks_zps6zegnfvp.jpg


If you are asking about CISO-SOG knives in general, the top is the first model made by Yogi Shokai Japan for Ben Baker.
http://www.specialforceshistory.com/engine/inspect.asp?Item=172&Filter=Field+Gear

The 6 incher of which there are several variants including blade/grind differences is the more common one made by Yogi Shokai and Japan Sword as well.
Generally considered that these were subcontracted out resulting in the wide variation.
http://www.specialforceshistory.com/engine/results.asp?Category=SOG Weapons&Filter=Field Gear
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16830-vietnam-sog-knives/page-4

BTW, this subforum is actually for SOG the knife company, which took it's name from CISO SOG and started by introducing a replica of
the 6 inch model.
 
Thanks KenHash. Any info helps. Im trying to hopefully find out more about Conrad Bakers involvement in the project.

So to clarify these two were not actually produced by the SOG knife company?

Thanks
 
That is correct your knives are customs made by Gary Hicks. A couple of knifemakers made CISO SOG knives, Steve Voorhis and Ed Martin come to mind. They were not made by SOG the knife company.
The SOG knife company contracted with Ichiro Hattori of Seki to make the S1 and S2 bowies, and Kinryu Seki for the Recon Bowie and Scuba Demo. Hattori also made CISO SOG knives for Germany's Boker. Other than that I can only think of G.Sakai Seki making SOG knives for Al Mar, and Tak Fukuta Seki for Jim Parker.
If you haven't read this already, it's good reading on Conrad Ben Baker.
https://www.sogknives.com/productattachments/index/download?id=19
 
I realize that this isnt a SOG produced set but I thought I would update what I found out. Once again I appreciate the guidance from this forum.

I tracked down and emailed becks cutlery, which is now a sharpening operation I believe, about these knives and this is the response I got.

"We sold 100 of the sets. It's a project that we created with Ben Baker ( designer of the knives for soldiers in Vietnam) and Gary Hicks of Texas . Gary made the knives. We sold the sets through our Cutlery Store. We have closed our store now. All the sets are sold. Each set came in a shadow box that you are missing. but you have the important sheaths and Certificate with the knives. There was a magazine article on the sets in " Tactical Knives Magazine" in January of 1999. Don't know the current value, but the sets sold for $650. Ben Baker made sure that these replicas were to the specs of the original knives but with some slight differences so they couldn't be sold as original. The Certificate will tell more of the history of the knives.
Thanks for contacting us and if you have any questions, just let us know.
Ron Beck"
 
KenHash explain what took me years to learn in a nutshell.. However throughout all the SOG COMMENRITIVE knives i have own.. Oh so many
AL MAR SMALL GUARD(VERY RARE)
AL MAR larger guard--many made
SOG S1 EARLY NUMBERED- with lowered SEKI JAPAN stamp and JAPAN stamp on butt
other SOG S1
EK KNIVES VARIATION(that was a joke)
even a real VIETNAM VER(it was a mess of the knife--beat to hell

IN BY OPINION THE GARY HICKS WAS MADE THE BEST.. I never used it, but how it felt in the hand was simply deadly.. I still own the larger version...
I loved all the versions, but unfortantly could not keep em all!!!

I would love to get a copy of the COA for the HICKS.. I appreciate the very well quality posted pic.. I will use it with my knife
 
Dax,

I was able to find a copy of the tactical knives magazine that Ron Beck mentioned. Here is what was published on the knives.

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CREWHEAD!!!!!! WOW!!!! Thank you so much!! i will try and get his printed on glossy paper work keep with my Hicks.. Love this stuff!!!

THANKS!!
 
Also... I never understood why the demand for a MACV stand sheath was so hard to come by.. I would tthink there is enough interest in these knives to have someone make a bunch of them with the riverts.. love the old style
 
I was gifted this Vietnam SOG by Capt Dan Marvin from the 5th Special Forces many years ago. He was in country at AnPhu Province with his A Team. We were very good friends, however once retired from the Army he became very religious and would write and say controversial things and would call it a "crusade". Unfortunately I believe he succumbed to Agent Orange. The knife still has a beautiful plum color to it.



<a href="http://s1265.photobucket.com/user/josephbvitale/media/IMG_2577.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj502/josephbvitale/IMG_2577.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_2577.jpg"/></a>







 
Thanks, he initially gave it to his son-in-law who threw it in the bottom of his fishing box, once he saw what his son-in-law did with it he took it back and and he showed me it, I knew exactly what it meant to him and the pride he had being an A Team leader in the Green Beret. He gave it to me to preserve the history of it. I believe he received this knife in 1965 or 1966.
 
Here is a version of the CISO made by Alan Blade. I have another one that has a stacked leather handle. They are very well made.

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