Help needed choosing Sog knives, please.

My K-bar 1221 held up very well, although I have more difficulty honing & maintaning a sabre-grind (I'm a long-time fan of buck-110's. Thus, I'm very skilled at honing hollow-grinds, sabre-hollows, etc), & due to this & possibly the softer-steel, I couldn't keep an optimal edge. I can generally put a razor-like edge on any
knife & it will hold, & in all fairness, my 1221 held it well enough. Both the tang & blade were strong. 440-A, I later learned, is a softer steel, much like & similar to
in composition to Aus-6. This may be the likely reason it was able to handle the throwing & the fact I rarely missed (on the occassions I did, though, I lost the pommel, chipped the edge, & point--rocks) The pommel broke off rather easily, which irritated me (although it did do a number on my little finger!) A Sog Seal Pup (original) .165 (3/16th) would be the same thickness & generally same steel as the 1221. Would it be as tough as the 1221? Yes, more than likely. Would it be as able for chopping, hacking, pruning, battoning, splitting, hammering, absolutely NOT (Whichwere, btw, chores I chose the Ka-bar 1221 specifically for, & chores it absolutely excelled at.) (I recently handled & examined a Sog Seal Pup & found it seemed to be a stout little knife). I've also seen the *exposed tangs of all the Seal Series (past & present) & in being fair I will not lie--the tangs are just as substantial as the 1221's. Do I like the 1221 better--absolutely, I know it in & out. Also, in being fair:the 1221's tang was infact, as thick as the blade's spine, smooth, clean, there was no soldering, it was all one single, solid piece. It was also about 2/3rds of the blade's width & that is QUITE a substantial narrow-tang!)

(I believe the 1221's pommel broke due to the lanyard hole sticking out, it seemed to create a point for pressure to focus. I bet if it were for those little lanyard holes, that problem would be resolved).
*When I say 'exposed', I don't mean the little bit showing on the Elite versions--I mean INSIDE the handle. They're done much like the 1221--as thick as the spine,
as long or longer than the handle, & 2/3rds or a little bit more of the blade's width.

Bored-2-deth.
 
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Hmmm..thank you all for the replies. Yeah, I loved my Ka-bar 1221 (& my Ka-bar mule).
However, due to losing the knife at my throwing-range, & the fact that I'd be tempted to
throw it if I had another, I'll not buy another. Ka-bar is one of my favorite knife companies, but they mostly use 1095, & I'm not a fan of carbon-steel. I've seen far, far
too many pictures of broken carbon knives--Bks, Coldsteels, etc. I even saw a Coldsteel
Recon-Scout & a BK-9--both of which had broken during use, one's tang snapped, the other's had a chip half the size of the blade to pop out.. I know it happens, sometimes there is a dud or two. I also cannot, no matter how hard I try, hone my bk-11. I can get it hair-popping sharp easily enough, but it just won't hold that
edge. I dunno why.
The few things I disliked about the Ka-bar 1221 (Next-Gen)--

Very little relief-edge
Pommel (Especially that lanyard hole sticking out)
Fuller (a.k.a blood-groove)
The sheath

Other than that it was a fantastic knife. My pommel snapped off, which allowed the handle & guard to slide off. I glued the handle back on, minus the pommel. The pommel
& guard actually contributed quite alot of weight to the blade, they are surprisingly heavy. Oh, after I glued the handle back on, it didn't budge even after many, many dozens of throws (which, of course, I shouldn't have been doing in the first place).
 
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Have you considered a KaBar in 1095CV? Or the Cold Steel SRK? Recon Tanto?
It sounds like you love beating the hell out of your knives. I like Cold Steel knives for that.
 
1095 CV? I've never heard of that, actually, I'll look into though :). Cold Steel SRK?
Um..I think a buddy of mine had one, & he constantly complained about not being able to
hone the edge. I believe it's a V-Grind, & rather thick? I tried to help him..but it was much the same problem as my beloved Gerber Prodigy, edge was just way too think. I can hone V-grinds to a razor's edge but only on certain thicknesses. I can't re-profile
blades & I'm afraid to try. :D..Yeah, I do beat th hell out of my knives. Oh! I think you mean Cro-Van!! Yeah, I have a Bk-11 in 1095 Cro-Van, & even bought a short clip-point
ka-bar in 1095 Cro-Van for a buddy of mine. Problem is..I can't get an edge to hold on
either one of them. He can't either. I did look at the cold steel leatherneck. I've not seen
anything that appeals to me. I'm pretty picky. Blade-shape, geometry, grind, steel-grade & type, design, sheath--all these factor in when I choose a knife. I like the Gerber
LMF well enough, but I hate that sheath..the sheath I had with my prodigy, it was simply
held together by the same type of 'skin' as on the knife's handle, it came apart at nothing! LOL! I'm a warranty-departments nightmare! LOL! Yeah, I'm rough on my knives,
but I expect a good knife to be able to handle it all & laugh it off. But, generally, I'm not
super rough on them. I do take good care of my knives, & usually it's difficult to notice that mine have been used much at all.

My Mule has lost some coating & it's battoned through many, many blocks of wood, shaved many down to dust & so forth. My 1221 saw even far more action than the
Mule, & my Prodigy had just almost as much as the 1221. None of them really looked
like they had seen serious use. Just lost a little coating is all. :) Oh, I was napping a quartz stone this afternoon with the swedge of my mule. Barely nicked it. Good a few
sparks. I used to use my 1221's pommel for napping..it did pretty well. That was one
fine knife, that 1221 could do just about anything. Bah! I wish I hadn't taken up throwing
it during practice! Ah well. :) Thank you for the repy & the suggestions though, I'll look
into those knives when I get a chance to :)

Thank you!

Bored-2-deth
 
Ok, I thought maybe a little more elaboration might help.

I tend to go for steel that I can sharpen pretty easily, so as to avoid removing much material. I like hollow, saber-hollow, & SOME flat-grinds. I like plenty of relief-edge, since
I can't & will NOT attempt to re-profile an edge. I also don't have much money, so I can't
afford to send any in to get it done for me, unfortunately. The only steels I've ever had
any real experience with:440-A (Ka-bar 1221 & some others), 12c27 (Gerber Progidy),
420-HC (Gerber LMF, various buck-knives--119, 110, prince, omni, & others), 440-C (rambo-knives--I used to collect them), Aus-8A (Ka-bar Mule, & others). Also, I've had
limited experiene with 1095 Cro-Van (although, I believe it's a fine, good steel, especially
for it's relatively low-price & the excellent quality with which both Bk&T & Ka-bar manufacture it, it's really not for me).

I like both folding & fixed-bladed knives. Multi-tools as well. (As far as multi-tools, I'll go
with either Leathrman or SOG). (I LOVE leatherman's toolfiles! Especially the little ones you can order in the accessories page!)

Well, I have to say, though, that 1095 is pretty tough. But, to be honest, so again is
440-A & Aus-8A. Never really used my rambo knives--I traded them. Just this evening,
to get an idea of which steels I liked the best, I put one of each--440-A, Aus-8A, &
1095 through a variety of tests--battoning, shaving, drilling, chiseling, chopping (I used
assited methods with the 1095 make-up for it's size), etc. I even napped quartz--with
the edges! I whacked them against quartz (which is, pound for pound, alot harder than
concrete). I'm pleased to say all the knives survived this testing of mine. And, I have
to be completely honest, they all three came out around even. None OUT or UNDER performed the others. They all cleaned up nicely as well, with barely a scratch after clean-up & maintenance. After this was all done, I put the knives through controlled-cutting tests with ropes, cloth, meat, & the like. They cut & sliced as easily & keenly as
before the tests. So, any knife I buy, will have to be 440-A, Aus-8A, 420-HC, (Again, I
like 1095-CV alot, but I can't keep an edge on it. I've been trying to learn though :)

Thanks for the help,

Bored-2-Deth

(Sorry my posts are always so long, but I try to leave as much information as possible
so as to get the most help as I can :D)
 
Stick with the ol' stand-bys? huh? Yeah, you're probably right SilentJohn. LoL! These poor knives of mine have been through alot, I guess that proves (to me) that they are
worth having. :)

Bored-2-deth
 
It's all about trust and you will never truly trust a née
Knife, I don't care how expensive it is

Unless the knife is made out of titanium with a carbanium weave handle I will never trust a new knife fully

Ps: carbanium is a carbon/titanium weave fiber I heard about it on TOP GEAR some new crazy sports car is made out of it
 
Yeah some of the cold steel knives come with a think edge. Have you checked out the Becker BK5 or BK7? Or ESEE 5 or 6?
 
A SOG Seal or Seal pup and their newer counter parts are stronger then the standard USMC Kabar at the guard. Both are good knives and when used properly will out live us all. If you are going to be really rough with the knife, I'd get a SOG Seal or Seal Pup.
 
A bonus with the ESEE knives (and to a lesser degree KaBar Becker) is the spectacular factory warranty.
 
Yeah, I've checked out most of the ESEE & the Beckers, too. I Have a Bk-11, infact. Ah,
yeah, ESEE & Becker do have good warranties. :) So does Buck knives, too. Yeah, if I
go with SOG, I'll get a Seal Team & a matching pup--I know that steel pretty well. I recently read a post about a guy knocking three big dents in his BK-7 or Bk-9 when he
hit a little nail. That sucks :(. Thanks for the repies :D

Bored-2-deth
 
Well if you're worried about the dents in the Becker you shouldn't get a SOG. SOG has lifetime warranty, but if you really want to put a knife through some tough use you should consider ESEE.

SOG knives are not meant for batoning, as said by the company themselves. They do make good camping knives though.
 
nutz_about_knives said:
Well if you're worried about the dents in the Becker you shouldn't get a SOG. SOG has lifetime warranty, but if you really want to put a knife through some tough use you should consider ESEE.

SOG knives are not meant for batoning, as said by the company themselves. They do make good camping knives though.
Click to expand...

Hi nutz - I think he'll want to stay away from ESEE - In an earlier post in this thread bored2deth mentioned he had been throwing his previous knife.

bored2deth said:
Yeah, I've checked out most of the ESEE & the Beckers, too. I Have a Bk-11... <snip> ...

Bored-2-deth
Click to expand...

Hi Bored -

I have read this thread throughout. I read where you did not like carbon steel because you had read stories about it breaking, and realize that you have your focus on a SOG.

However, I have to ask if you could consider a custom made knife, made to your exact specifications? The knife you want could be made by many of the custom makers here on this forum and well within your budget depending on what options you choose.

I am a JK Knives fan, you might want to check out John's offerings on his forum here at BF -

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=830

I have never once heard of a JK knife breaking. For your purposes, maybe a Kephart customized to meet your needs, or a Combat/Survival knife?

Here are a couple of pictures of my JK's - and remember, JK's motto is "My design or YOURS".

Kephart -
DSC_8785.JPG


Combat/Survival - I had mine modified to leave extra steel at the end for hammering and prying etc.
DSC_9681.JPG


There are other custom makers who will work with you as well.

Good luck and best regards -

mqqn
 
I've asked custom makers..but they all said it'd be either too expesive or complicated. I even tried to talk some techs at Ka-bar and other companies into making me one..but they wouldn't.. Plus, I don't have alot of money. Thanks for the reply, though. That's a
very hansom knife.

Bored-2-deth
 
Actually, the guy with the Bk-7 wasn't battoning, he was chopping vines & hit nail someshow. Hmmm..I've seen pics of all sorts of knives broken through battoning, though,
I prefer a tomahawk for that now :D Thanks for the replies

Bored-2-Deth
 
Here's a idea for ya. Just get one of each, test it, then just keep the one you like. As for the others you can just send to me.... Lol
 
Wow Steve, you found my first post..LOL! This is an old one.. This is actually the thread that got me started thinking of starting SOG's DOGs..LOL! Uh-huh..send all the rest to you, you'd like that wouldn't ya :D

B2D..
SOG DOG 1..
Alpha Dog..
SOG FOR LIFE! NOTHING LESS! NOTHING ELSE!
 
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