SOG Fulcrum I Fusion FL-11

[HMHaines]

Hi Folks!

I'm new to the forum, new to knife throwing, and pretty much a novice with knives as a whole. My apologies if I manage to say something dumb!

Anyhow, I'm here because of the knives pictured above.

Came across these SOG Fulcrum Fusion knives on eBay. After realizing they'd been discontinued and failing to find any measurable information about the line on the internet, I decided to order the set. They'll be here next week but, in the meantime, I'm hoping one of you could shed some light on what these blades were about.

Do you have experience with them? Any details on why they were discontinued? Other than the finish and brass counterweight, they appear to be exactly like the current SOG Fling knives.

This video is the single largest source of information I could find, didn't really tell me too much.

 

[zzyzzogeton]

I have no personal experience with them, but from the specs of 12.4" long and 12.5 oz, they meet the recommended criteria of "an ounce to the inch" weight to length ratio for reduced bounce back issues.. Unfortunately, if you loose the brass balancing nut, the weight ratio would drop.

I think the brass weight would have a tendency to come loose and shift - the inertia of a full speed throw would tend to cause the weight to loosen and shift.

The 2 negatives of these knives (to me, at least) that prevented me from even buying then just to check them out are the weight balancing slot and the steel - 420 stainless.

I dislike ANY holes in knives other than a "hanging hole" near the pommel. Holes and features such as the slot result in a stress point(s) that impact inertia would tend to cause the knife to snap on impact.

I have always disliked stainless steel for throwing knives. I have found them to be brittle and more likely to snap after some/many impacts. Some people like SS throwing knives but I don't.

 

[HMHaines]

The Fulcrum II is what you described, but I guess the Fulcrum I is only about 9.5". (Unsure of weight) I'm thinking of calling SOG tomorrow and seeing if they'll give me any more info on the model and its death.

I am worried that the brass is just going to play stupid with the knife and that's why they quit making these. I only paid $30 for them, so it won't be the worst thing if I end up removing the counterweight and using them just like the set of SOG Fling knives I also ordered. Curiosity has cost me more in the past. Hopefully they don't end up breaking because of the center line!

Whatever info I get I'll share, if people are interested. And maybe even if you aren't.

 

[HMHaines]

Spoke with a SOG rep today. Didn't get toooons of info, but a little is better than none. The rep said that they were "likely" discontinued because of the price point; apparently the MSRP was about $100 for the set of three and customers just didn't seem to want to bite on that. He didn't have an intro date for the model, but they were killed off at some point in '09. Once my set arrives I'll compare them to the extant Fling knives and share some photos.

 

[HMHaines]

They arrived yesterday! I'll try to take some detailed photos and compare the Fusion knives to the Fling knives over this weekend.

 

[HMHaines]

The Fusion knives arrived yesterday. I'll try to get some photos and compare the Fusion set to my Fling set over the weekend.

 

[DocJD]

I have no personal experience with them, but from the specs of 12.4" long and 12.5 oz, they meet the recommended criteria of "an ounce to the inch" weight to length ratio for reduced bounce back issues.. Unfortunately, if you loose the brass balancing nut, the weight ratio would drop.

I think the brass weight would have a tendency to come loose and shift - the inertia of a full speed throw would tend to cause the weight to loosen and shift.

The 2 negatives of these knives (to me, at least) that prevented me from even buying then just to check them out are the weight balancing slot and the steel - 420 stainless.

I dislike ANY holes in knives other than a "hanging hole" near the pommel. Holes and features such as the slot result in a stress point(s) that impact inertia would tend to cause the knife to snap on impact.

I have always disliked stainless steel for throwing knives. I have found them to be brittle and more likely to snap after some/many impacts. Some people like SS throwing knives but I don't.

Agreed ^^^ !

The only possible benefit of this type is to experiment with the balance to see how it effects your throwing . But as a beginner you don't have a baseline , so these things might only confuse your training . Normally , you just try and find a good one piece , high carbon throwing knife balanced for your style and grip size . You can alter your grip and release timing to adjust for balance somewhat .

Anyway , welcome and good luck . Mostly just keep at it and enjoy !