Knife Review: SOG Contractor II Knife

The SOG Contractor II Knife

“SOG started some 25 years ago in my apartment with a simple mission: To create innovative products that stand apart from the pack. While SOG has grown, our commitment to that original mission has remained the same. Today, it's one of my greatest satisfactions to receive letters from SOG enthusiasts the world over, expressing the fact that our products have lived up to their highest standards. It inspires us to continue to build superior products that last... knives and tools that help you meet the challenges of a demanding world."

Born in 1955, Spencer Frazer was a creative kid with a great curiosity for how things worked. As he grew older, while in the Boy Scouts, he gained an affinity for knives and axes. But it wasn't until much later that this interest would be channeled into actually creating knives and tools.

After graduating from UCLA as a math and science major, Spencer started his own company in the professional audio industry, designing a whole new style of speaker system.

"I learned to work with many different materials as I built models and prototypes," he says.

Then Spencer went on to work in the aerospace defense industry - in the Top Secret Black Projects Division - as an R&D tool/die and model maker. He recalls, "I saw things there I still can't talk about."

At about that same time, while becoming involved in the modern art movement and meeting with top artists, Spencer learned a lot about scale and color. He went on to work in product development, creating toys and consumer products. All these life experiences converged the moment Spencer saw his first Vietnam SOG Bowie: "The knife was magical in how it looked and felt. You could see the history as well as the functional aspects of the knife." That single knife spawned the birth of SOG Specialty Knives & Tools, Inc. His one goal: to reproduce the mystical knife... the SOG Bowie.

"We started our company by having to sell a one-knife line at the very high price of $200 retail!" Today, SOG is a true innovator in the knife industry. Having won many industry awards, SOG was one of the first companies to be synonymous with a high-tech modern image. "SOG was the first company," says Spencer, "to produce a sculptural faceted folding knife. We called it the Tomcat. With the Paratool, SOG became the second company ever to produce a folding multi-tool. And we remain the only company that uses compound leverage in our multi-tools; the only company to have adjustable lock-on clips on our folding knives; the only company to employ one of the strongest locks in the industry with the Arc-Lock; the only company to use exotic BG-42 steel cost effectively in the production of our knives; and the first company in the world to offer an automatic opening multi-tool."

But those are just a few of the landmarks Spencer Frazer has helped SOG achieve. "I design each one of our products," he says, "to be functional and comfortable to use, as well as aesthetically pleasing. If I personally don't like them or wouldn't use them, they don't make it into production."

Today, SOG is distributed and sold throughout the world. Law enforcement specialists, military, hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, industrial professionals, and everyday carry knife enthusiasts have come to rely on SOG in the most extreme conditions. "We don't settle for ordinary," says Spencer. "We never did, and we never will."

Today we will be discussing the SOG Contractor II knife.

The Blade:

The blade on this knife is made out of 6Cr13MoV steel. This is a line of steel that originates from China. This is a budget formula of steel. This means that it is going to be a softer steel. So, while you will be able to get a very sharp edge on it, it will need to be sharpened more often than a harder steel. 6Cr13MoV is a stainless steel, but it is a lower end stainless steel. It will be able to resist rust well, but you will need to keep up on the maintenance behind it. Basically, this steel is definitely going to get the job done, but it will not do anything after getting the job done. When compared to a newer steel or a super steel, it pales in comparison. However, this steel is not all awful—remember, it keeps the cost of the knife down and it does work.

The blade has been finished with a satin finish. The satin finish is the most popular blade finish that is in the market today. This is because it does offer a very traditional blade look that is not going to go out of style any time soon. Not only does it give the knife a very sleek look, it is also not expensive, and does offer some other advantages. Some of these advantages include how it cuts down on glares, reflections, and even increases the corrosion resistance levels that the steel was going to provide. This finish is created when the manufacturer repeatedly sands the blade in one direction with an increasing level of a fine abrasive, which is normally a sandpaper. The finer the sandpaper that is used and the more even the lines, the cleaner that the finish is going to look. This finish is really used to showcase the fine lines of the steel while also showcasing the bevels of the blade.

The blade on this knife is a modified sheepsfoot blade. While a regular sheepsfoot blade really can't be said to have a point, because the spine curves down to meet with the straight edge. They can be safely used as a rescue knife or in situations that don't require a point. However, this is a modified sheepsfoot blade. It does have a very small point that you will be able to pierce a little bit with. That being said, it is a very small point that may break or chip when used on harder targets. However, you do still get a little bit of the false point, which is an advantage when you are using this knife as a contractor and don’t want to accidentally pierce through anything. Also, like a regular sheepsfoot blade, it does not have a belly. Instead, it flares out toward the “point” of the knife but has a straight angle the entire way there. Because of this, there isn’t going to be much slicing you can do, but you may be able to get some slicing done with it. Of course, it is not going to make a good all-task knife. That’s not the purpose of the Contractor II.

The blade does have a plain edge, which is perfect for a knife that is supposed to be working throughout the contracting field. The plain edge is going to allow you to take on a wider variety of tasks because it does give you cleaner cuts while also allowing you to slice, skin, and shave with it. The plain edge is definitely going to be easier to sharpen, which is a good thing because of how often this knife is going to need to be sharpened.

The Handle:

The handle on the SOG Contractor II has been made out of G-10. G-10 is made out of fiberglass that has been soaked in resin, compressed, and baked. G-10 is also incredibly lightweight, which is nice to keep the overall weight of the knife down. G-10 is strong and tough, which can be really important when you are working with this knife. You don’t want your handle breaking, and you won’t have to worry about it breaking.

This is not a metal, so it is not going to be able to rust or corrode. This means that the handle is going to be very low maintenance. You won’t have to worry about using the handle in a variety of environments, because it can stand up to a lot of different ones.

However, G-10 has been known to be brittle. This means that it should not be subjected to hard or sharp impacts, as it may being to crack or break apart.

One of the biggest benefits of G-10 is that the texture can be applied in the manufacturing process. This keeps the overall cost of the material down, and it allows the handle to be textured with a vengeance. This is exactly what the SOG Contractor II has—a very textured surface, so that you feel confident in a variety of different environments.

The handle is simple, both the spine and the belly are straight, but they do angle outward to create a flared butt. The butt is rounded. On the surface of the face of the handle, “SOG” has been applied, in grey. There is a lanyard ring that is attached to the butt, allowing you to hook this onto a key ring.

The Mechanism:

This is a manual folding knife that has been equipped with a nail nick. The locking mechanism of this knife is a lock back mechanism. This locking mechanism is essentially made of a spine on a spring. When the knife is opened, the spine locks into a notch on the back of the blade. To close the knife, push down on the exposed part of the spine to pop up the part of the spine in contact with the blade. This disengages the lock, allowing you to swing the blade to a closed position. The benefits of a lock back include reliable strength and safety. The unlock “button” is out of the way of your grip when using the knife, meaning you’re unlikely to accidentally disengage the lock and have it close on you. It also keeps your hands clear of the blade’s path when closing, minimizing the risk of cutting yourself. One disadvantage is that while using both hands to close a lock back is safer, it can be inconvenient when you need to keep one hand on whatever you’re cutting. Although it’s possible to close a lock back with one hand, it isn’t easy. You’d likely need to switch grips and take extra care when closing the blade.

The nail nick is one of the most basic opening mechanisms in the cutlery industry. It has also been around since nearly the beginning of folding knives. It is a small indent near the spien of the blade. When the knife is closed, this indent extends out of the spine of the handle. You can use your thumb nail to get a solid grip on it, then pull the blade open, where it will lock into place. This is really easy to use and has no way that it could break. It also is not going to get in the way, because it is in accident, instead of extending out of the blade.

The Specs:

The blade measures in at 2.5 inches long with a thickness of 0.1 inches. When the blade is opened, the overall length of the entire knife measures in at 5.75 inches long. This is an ideal length for a knife that you are going to want to have with you throughout your working day. It is definitely not going to get in the way, but it is going to be able to hang when you need it to be working. The Contractor II weighs in at 2.1 ounces.

Conclusion:

The SOG Contractor II knife understands that a craftsman is only as good as his tools. The Contractor one is built tough enough to handle the demands of a contractor or a DIY handyman. This knife features a lifetime guarantee. The Contractor series is designed specifically for tradesmen, including electricians, handymen, and for those who take pride in a job well done. Modernizing traditional patterns, this knife features: lockback design, sheepsfoot blade shape, aggressive G10 grips, one hand opening, as well as a razor-sharp edge.

This knife is currently in stock at BladeOps, although there aren’t many that are left. To secure this fantastic knife for yourself, click here to order yours today.