Whenever I think about SOG knives, I find it difficult to narrow down which ones are the most efficient at what jobs. They have such a great line of products, and all of their top knives pretty much match up to each other in terms of performance. Here I will be giving you a review of each SOG product I feel fits into each category.
Of course, this list is completely subjective, taking into account my own experiences with using these EDC SOG knives. My email address is provided on this website if I missed anything in the commentary for each product, and remember to subscribe to future knife reviews.
1. Twitch II
To start this review, let’s look at the best SOG knife overall. The Twitch II is often referred to as an EDC knife, meaning it’s okay to carry on an everyday basis. It’s easy to open, safe, and sharp as a folding knife. It’s a perfect tool for fulfilling your cutting and chopping tasks with little fuss.
The sole purpose of this knife is to cut things, and I’m hard-pressed to find a task that it hasn’t excelled at yet. This blade was designed by Spencer Frazer, and it easily stands out as an excellent deep-carry folding knife with various blade shape and handle materials.
The blade measures 2.65″ long on the SOG Twitch II, which makes it simple enough for everyday chores. It also has a drop point shape, and it’s incredibly sharp. The steel of the blade is the standard AUS-8 which we see in many SOG knives. While this steel doesn’t have great resistance to stains, the bland coating protects it from any moisture or scratches.
They use anodized aluminum to make the handle which is what the bikes’ frames are made from. It’s very light to carry and won’t rip your pockets during a deep carry. The overall shape and size of the handle make it comfortable to grip.
The SOG Twitch II comes at a great price and is the right size to be legally carried anywhere in the United States. The ergonomic shape of the knife makes it excellent for daily use. For a lightweight, easy-to-carry, small pocket knife, the Twitch II is the go-to option from SOG.
Pros
- This blade could shave hair, and it’s that sharp when you take it out of the box and this is due to the cryogenic heat treatment that SOG puts this blade through
- Twitch II has a wide range of handles available, and that makes this knife so affordable because if you go with the wooden version, then the blade itself is relatively cheap to buy
- The knife has the awesome addition of its namesake twitch that adds an extra aspect of safety to the product so that you can carry the knife tip-up
Cons
- For bigger hands, this blade will be a little bit of a problem because while its whole idea is to be small, it makes it almost unusable for bigger people
- Like most of its similar models, the twitch II suffers from an awfully designed pivoting system that is not only stiff but also very prone to abrasion and corrosion
2. Tomcat 3.0
The Tomcat 3.0 has a smart and simple design that makes it easy to use for a number of different applications. It was awarded the overall knife of the year award back in 1988 because of how many features the VG 10 steel blade has. This Japanese steel folding knife comes with all the benefits of a fixed blade by being thicker at one end but enables you to carry it easily because of its narrow tip.
All of the Tomcat 3.0 strength lies in its versatility. The overall design has been finished well, giving you the necessary functionality for heavy use. To protect the user, the blade has an Arc-lock system that keeps the knife locked into the open position when used, making it almost a fixed blade. The handle has a stronger grip as well, so when the high-quality steel is mounted into this, it gives the user speed and maneuverability.
While this SOG knife is a bit on the expensive side, it’s definitely worth the money to have such a reliable blade at your disposal. The number of applications it has, plus the sharp Japanese steel blade, offers functionality and an aesthetic value that is hard to beat. Most of the products from SOG are being moved over to this material, but it is increasing the price slightly of these already expensive blades.
Unlike other Tomcat knives that are available from SOG, this blade will conform to the shape of our hand, which is why it’s so popular for tactical purposes. I didn’t think I would enjoy the rubber on the handle itself, but it was much more supple and soft than I first thought it would be, providing an excellent grip for the user.
The product doesn’t come with a pocket clip included, but I didn’t find this an issue as I prefer to use pouches and sheaths for mine, although it ends up being a deal-breaker for some people.
Pros
- The Tomcat 3.0 has a smart and simple design that makes it easy to use for a number of different applications
- It is the predecessor of the popular tomcat blade that won e overall knife of the year award back in 1988 because of how many features the VG 10 steel blade had
- To protect the user, the blade has an Arc-lock system that keeps the knife locked into the open position when used, making it almost a fixed blade
Cons
- While the pocket clip is a pretty nice addition to the overall blade, it is too stiff in the beginning, and it will require a couple of openings and closes to loosen it up
- Its folding mechanism is animal. It is Steel-on-steel pivoting, which is going to cause massive abrasion and allow rust to enter the pivot when the steel wears down enough
3. SOG Aegis
Sometimes the greatest tools for the job are the ones that come with no frills, no bells, and whistles and are just simple in their design. This is exactly what you get with SOG Aegis. Unlike the SOG SEAL Pup, this blade delivers everything you need from an EDC knife and makes it more accessible at a lower price.
Instead of an assisted opening which is the norm for many SOG knives, the SOG Aegis has a manual deployment that is both smooth and easy to use. There’s a flipper tab to the rear of the blade as well as two thumb studs so you can open the folding knife from either side.
The SOG Aegis features a stainless steel handle, and the blade is also made from steel. The blade is practical for slicing with a drop point shape, flat grind, and full belly. I loved that the flipper tab of the knife also doubles up as a finger guard that allows you to get a better grip on the knife.
As well as all of the other features, the Aegis has been made for deep carrying with a tip-up pocket clip. The profile of the whole tool is slim, so it’s easy to carry around with you. If you’ve wanted to try SOG knives but wanted to do so on a budget, this tool is definitely worth a look.
One thing I found this brand of knives to be lacking is the blade’s unenforced tip. While it isn’t a negative for the product, if you want to have a tool that can help you pry something open, this isn’t the one. However, the blades are super sharp on these knives, and the shape makes them highly efficient for many other uses.
There are a couple of different options on the finish for this blade, and there are various handle designs as well. Whatever handle design you choose, all of them are easy to grip and beautifully designed.
It hides fingerprints well, and the coating is durable, so it doesn’t wear off, even with continued use. I personally feel that the grip would be better if the jumping of the blade faced in the opposite direction, but the way it’s configured now still provides enough traction to get the job done.
Pros
- Instead of an assisted opening which is the norm for many SOG knives, the SOG Aegis has a manual deployment that is both smooth and easy to use
- The SOG Aegis features a stainless steel handle, and the blade is also made from the same durable steel but a lot sharper
- As well as all of the other features, the Aegis has been made for deep carrying with a tip-up pocket clip, and the profile of the whole tool is slim, so it’s easy to carry around with you
Cons
- The blade is very bad when it comes to rust, and even if you leave small beads of water on it, it will develop corrosion over a couple of hours
- The blade is made so that if you try to sharpen it yourself, you will just fail. Instead, the whole idea is to send it back to SOG for them to sharpen it, and you can imagine how inconvenient this is
4. Twitch II
I’ve already mentioned this knife earlier in this review of SOG products, but it really can’t be beaten in price by the rest of the range of tools from SOG. This blade could literally shave hair, and it’s that sharp when you take it out of the box.
I would put this down to the cryogenic heat treatment that SOG puts this blade through, where the steel temperature is reduced to -300 degrees. Then it is slowly reheated again to room temperature. The entire process ensures that the blades are strong and retain their edges well, even with extended use.
What I liked about Twitch II was the range of handles available. The handle makes this knife so affordable because if you go with the wooden version, then the blade itself is relatively cheap to buy.
It’s not the kind of tool I would take with me to use in extreme conditions like rain and mud because the handle can be quite slippy. However, the price, which is well below other designs from the brand, such as the SOG Trident and the SOG Flash, makes it reliable enough for your general EDC tasks.
The unique part of this tool is the switch located behind the lock, otherwise known as the twitch, which the blade is named after. The idea of this twitch was to add an extra aspect of safety to the product so that you could carry the knife tip-up. While it’s usually the case that a knife won’t accidentally close on you, it can accidentally open, especially if you don’t have a fixed blade, so the twitch comes in useful to stop the blade deploying in your pocket clip.
Pros
- This blade could literally shave hair, and it’s that sharp when you take it out of the box and this is due to the cryogenic heat treatment that SOG puts this blade through
- Twitch II has a wide range of handles available, and that makes this knife so affordable because if you go with the wooden version, then the blade itself is relatively cheap to buy
- The knife has the awesome addition of its namesake twitch that adds an extra aspect of safety to the product so that you can carry the knife tip-up
Cons
- For bigger hands, this blade will be a little bit of a problem because while its whole idea is to be small, it makes it almost unusable for bigger people
- Like most of its similar models, the twitch II suffers from an awfully designed pivoting system that is not only stiff but also very prone to abrasion and corrosion
5. Ultra C-Ti
For anyone that wants to carry an EDC blade as well as a money clip, the Ultra C-Ti could be a brilliant solution for both of these combined. SOG has produced some of the greatest knives available on the market today, such as the SOG Trident and SOG Flash, so I’m always excited when a new blade hits the market.
Steering away from the fixed blade SOG brand knives, this product still has the multi-use functionality that we have come to know and love from the company (I even signed up for their new product release update that gets sent to my email address).
Utilizing a brilliant combination of carbon fiber and titanium, this small blade weighs a mere 1.3 oz which is so light for carrying in your pocket. The flat carbon handle of the product also means it has an ultra-low profile when you are carrying it, barely being noticed if you choose to use it with a pocket clip.
The flat surface of the handle is where it serves up as a money clip as well as a standard SOG blade.
The reason this knife doubles as a money clip is that on the handle, there is an extra-wide titanium fitting that can be used as an attachment for your pocket or to secure some cash and cards before you head outdoors.
Sometimes what we wear doesn’t lend itself to carrying the standard EDC knives, but the low profile of this product makes it easy to conceal and practically disappears when it goes into your pocket. However, even though these knives are small, you should never underestimate the strength of the fixed blade.
These SOG knives also have the Arc-Lock mechanism, which means the blade won’t collapse no matter how long you use it because it’s been tested under 1000 lbs of force and hasn’t warped. To the side of the handle is a spring-loaded mechanism that deploys the blades quickly without having to put your fingers in the way.
Overall I would say this is a reliable choice for anyone looking for multi-functional knives that can handle a different range of functions without becoming dull or warping the blade.
Pros
- The Ultra C-Ti could be a brilliant solution for combining two very good and functional tools – the money clip and the pocket folding knife
- Utilizing a brilliant combination of carbon fiber and titanium, this small blade weighs a mere 1.3 oz which is so light for carrying in your pocket
- The flat carbon handle of the product also means it has an ultra-low profile when you are carrying it, barely being noticed if you choose to use it with a pocket clip
Cons
- One of the most important parts of the whole piece of gear, the clip, seams prone to breaking off, and the company isn’t interested in replacing it most of the time
- While this is the best money clip and blade on the market, no doubt about that, this doesn’t justify its huge price even a bit
FAQs
What is the greatest EDC SOG knife?
The greatest SOG knife out of all of them is the SOG Twitch II. Its simple design makes it versatile for many different uses, and the spring-assisted opening means it’s there and ready for action whenever you need it.
Is SOG a good knife brand?
They are a very reliable and good knife brand for EDC needs. However, every knife brand has its highs and lows, so there are tools from this brand that don’t match up to the best SOG knives available.
Do Navy Seals use SOG knives?
Yes, many Navy Seals use the SOG SEAL Team Elite and the SEAL Pup as well. These knives honor the name of the Navy Seals and are good-looking knives, too.
What does SOG stand for in SOG knives?
Originally SOG stood for Studies and Observation Group, which was an elite service in the military during the Vietnam War. They were sanctioned to make their own equipment, and this is where the first SOG knife was made.
Final Words
A SOG knife is a brilliant option for your everyday needs. What this tool truly excels at is being a tactical knife because of what it was originally designed for. There are many more spectacular blades to see from this brand, so make sure to check out their full range.