Knife Review: SOG Escape FF24 Folder

The SOG Escape FF24 Folding 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 eth SOG Escape FF24 folding knife.

The Blade:

The blade on this knife is made out of 9Cr18MoV steel. This is a high carbon chromium bearing steel that is very corrosion resistant. This steel is known to keep its cutting edge and has good corrosion resistance. Blades from this steel are easy to sharpen. 9Cr18MoV is one of the most popular knife steel sin the world and is a great value in terms of price and quality. This steel has been hardened to a RC 58-60 hardness level.

The blade has been finished with a bead blasted finish. The bead blasted finish is created when the manufacturer takes abrasive glass or ceramic beads and blasts them at the metal with a high pressure. This process results in an even, grey finish. A blasted finish is going to reduce reflections and glares because of its even matte finish. However, the blasting does create an increased surface area and the micro-abrasions are going to make the steel more prone to rusting and corroding. That being said, a blasted finish, even from a stainless steel such as this one, can rust overnight if left in a wet or extremely humid environment. This means that you are going to need to really keep the knife dry and try to not bring it into wet environments if you can help it.

The blade has been carved into a spear point blade shape. The spear point blade shape is known as a hybrid blade shape because it sports a lot of characteristics that give you an extended capability of performing tasks. The point is lowered, so you will be able to perform fine detail work with it. It is also a really good balance between being fine and being broad, which will allow you to pierce with some ability while also not having to worry about how fine and weak it is. There is also a relatively good-sized belly, which does let you slice somewhat. The spear point is good at a lot of things, but it is not going to specialize in any one thing.

The blade is a combo edge, which means that it is both serrated and plain. The upper portion is the plain edge while the lower half is the serrated half. The plain half is going to allow you to get cleaner cuts and perform finer detail work with it. The serrated portion is going to let you saw through thicker materials. The combination edge is designed to give you the best of both worlds. The biggest complaint is that neither portion is going to be large enough to fully utilize, but many people do appreciate the ability that having both gives you.

The Handle:

The handle on this knife is made out of anodized aluminum. Aluminum is a low-density metal that is often used in knife making. Because it is a softer metal, it is mostly used for just the handles, not the blade. A fun fact about aluminum is that it is the most abundant metal that can be found in earth’s crust. This material is used for its hardness and durability. Although it is a low-density metal, it does give a nice, hefty feel to the knife without actually weighing the knife down. This is a major benefit because you will have the heft that makes you confident in taking on your tasks, but you won’t feel like the knife is a brick. Of course, since this is such a large knife, it is going to have some significant weight to it. However, it would be considerably heavier if it were made out of something denser than aluminum.

When an aluminum handle is textured correctly, it is going to give you a secure grip that is not only secure, but also comfortable enough to use for long periods of time. The overall pros to an aluminum handle are that it is strong, light, durable, and is resistant to corrosion.

Unfortunately, like most materials, aluminum does have its drawbacks. For starters, it has very high conductive properties. This means that if you were planning on using this knife in colder environments or months, it can become painfully cold to hold. Aluminum can also be slippery, and it is susceptible to scratches and dings.

The knife has been anodized, which is a protective oxide layer which is applied in an electrolytic process in which the metal forms the anode. This process makes the knife tougher, more durable, and less prone to scratches. The handle has been anodized black.

The handle is not simple at all. The spine has two rows of jimping, one right where the handle ends and the blade begins, which is going to give you more texture while you are working with more delicate cuts. The other is a little over halfway down the length of the spine. This one is going to give you added texture for when you are working on the tougher things. Right after this second row of jimping, there is a line cutter, which is perfect or cutting cord, string, seatbelts, and other things. This is an indent that has been equipped with a blade inside of it. There is also a glass breaker for emergencies. The butt of the handle is mostly flat, which a lanyard hole that will fit nearly any lanyard.

The belly of the handle also has two rows of jimping. The first is in the slight finger groove that the handle has. Then the handle bulges out slightly, so that you have more control over it while it is also more comfortable. Then, there is the second row of jimping. With all the jimping that this handle sports, you will almost always have a secure grip on it.

In the center of the handle, there is a section that has been more roughly texturized, which will ensure that you have a quality grip on this in nearly any environment. This is a rough, rugged knife, which means that you will be able to do rough and rugged things with it. However, that does mean that you are going to need a good grip.

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip is statically designed for tip down carry on the traditional side of the handle. This does mean that it is not going to be ambidextrous friendly.

The clip is skeletonized so that it has “SOG” carved into it. This is going to cut down on weight slightly, but also add an element of character. The clip is the same size throughout the entire thing, except at the very end, one side does angle inward.

The Mechanism:

This is a manual folding knife that has been equipped with a thumb stud. The manual aspect of it is going to give you more legality in more states. However, it is also going to be less smooth to use and bring into play.

The thumb stud is a great opening mechanism because it is going to be easy to use and easy to get the hang of. It is a small stud that sits near the spine of the knife, all you have to do is push against it with your thumb and the blade will swing open and lock into place.

The Specs:

The blade measures in at 3.4 inches long with a thickness of 0.13 inches. When the knife has been deployed, the overall length of it measures in at 8.2 inches long. This is a pretty standard size of an EDC pocketknife. The Escape FF24 weighs in at 4.8 ounces, which is the perfect weight for an EDC. This is because it falls in the sweet spot, which is between 3 and 5 ounces. This is a weight that will give you enough heft that you feel confident while using it. But it also is not going to weigh you down as you go about your day.

Conclusion:

The SOG Escape is the perfect size for everyday carry. This easy to open folder can be opened with just one hand. Integrated in the handle is a line cutter (perfect for cutting cord, string, seat belts, etc.), a glass breaker for extreme emergencies, our patent-pending wire stripper, and extra line cutter blades (which are stored under the handle slab). All this combined with a stout partially serrated spear point blade and hard anodized aluminum handle, says I’m ready for whatever might come my way.

This SOG EDC is in stock at BladeOps right now, but it is going quickly. You can shop for SOG Folding Knives right here.