Knife Review: SOG-TAC Automatic Knife ST-01

The SOG ST-01 SOG-TAC Automatic Knife

SOG Specialty Knives, Inc. is a United States knife and tool manufacturing company famous for their reproduction SOG Knife from the Vietnam era. SOG manufactures a variety of knives other than the original military inspired designs, many designed for everyday carry. The company also produces a line of multi-tools.

The company was founded in 1986 by Spencer and Gloria Frazer and was inspired in its choice of name by the Joint Services Special Operations unit known as the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group or MACV-SOG who developed their own knife during the War in Vietnam.

Changes were made to the original design of the MACV SOG Fighter, like resin-impregnating the leather handle, utilizing thicker stock and new grind lines, Spencer and Gloria launched their product and company with a one-page, black and white ad in Soldier of Fortune magazine for the S1 Bowie, a replica of the SOG Knife used by the SOG groups operating in South-East Asia. They also produced the SCUBA/Demo knife, which is a replica of one of the rarest military knives to date (only 1 of the original 39 knives produced has survived till this day). Author Greg Walker considers knives such as these and many of the SOG models produced prior to the shift of production from Seki City, Japan to Taiwan to be the best knives SOG had ever made.

A second "maritime" version of the Bowie (S2) was made utilizing a black micarta handle and stainless-steel blade known as the Trident.It was decorated with the US Navy SEAL emblem as opposed to the Special Forces Crest found on the Bowie. The original S1 and S2 classic bowies were manufactured for SOG by Ichiro Hattori of Seki Japan until 2006. The other models were manufactured by Kinryu Corp. also of Seki until 2007.

OG Specialty Knives manufactures an array of tools available for military personnel and casual outdoor users. SOG also makes several other military style knives including a tactical switchblade which is only available to military/law enforcement personnel. SOG has developed fixed blade knives for survival and outdoors such as the Tech Bowie as well as folding knives, many of which feature assisted opening technology such as the Aegis, Twitch and Trident. SOG also manufactures multi-tools including the Paratool, PowerLock, and PowerAssist.

Many of SOG's folding knives and multi-tools are made or assembled in the United States, with the higher priced folders being made by G. Sakai in Seki City. The fixed blade models that were originally made in Seki are now made in Taiwan. Some of SOG's lesser priced tools, such as the Fusion line are manufactured in Taiwan or China.

SOG says, “Forged out of tradition, hardened in the field, honed for you. So, whether you're protecting others or leading an epic hunting expedition, tackling one of life's everyday challenges or facing your most extreme conditions yet, lead the way with SOG.”

Today we will be discussing one of the newer releases, the ST-01 SOG-Tac automatic knife.

The Blade:

The blade on this knife has been made out of AUS-8 stainless steel. This is an upper mid-range steel that is made in Japan. If you are looking to compare it to another type of steel, your best bet would be to 440B. However, AUS-8 is going to be slightly more corrosion resistant. It is also similar to 440C, except that it is a little bit softer than 440C. The extra softness does mean that you are going to have to sharpen the blade more often. This is because AUS-8 stainless steel does have less carbon than some of the higher ranked steels. The more carbon there is in a steel, the better it is going to be able to hold its edge. However, it also means that it is going to be much easier to sharpen when you do need to. It is also a breeze to get a razor-sharp edge on this steel. This steel is tough enough to get the job done.

The blade has been finished with a satin finish, which is the most common blade finish that you are going to find in today’s cutlery industry. The finish is created when the blade is repeatedly sanded in one direction with an increasingly fine level of a very fine abrasive. The most common material used to create this finish is a fine sandpaper. This process does a few things. The first is that it shows off the bevels of the blade. The second is that it shows of the fine liens of the steel. These two characteristics are going to give the blade a traditional look that cannot be found with any other blade finish.

Another reason that the satin finish offers such a classic appearance is because it falls in the middle of the luster-spectrum. You are going to find plenty of finishes that are more reflective than the satin finish, as well as plenty that are more matte. This also means that the satin finish is going to cut down on glares and reflections slightly. The last major benefit that the satin finish offers is that it does work to increase the corrosion resistance of the blade ever so slightly. Although AUS-8 does have a good amount of corrosion resistance, the satin finish is going to make the steel even better.

The blade has been carved into a clip point blade. The clip point blade is a great all-purpose knife. This is also one of the most popular blade shapes that is in use today. The shape is formed by having the spine of the knife run straight from the handle before it stops about halfway up the knife, interestingly enough, on this SOG, the first portion of the blade only extends about ¼ of the way up. This portion is also finished off with a fine jimping, which is going to give you added control over the ST-01.

At this point, it turns and continues to the point of the knife. This area looks as if it has been cut out and is known as the clip, which is where the knife shape got its name from. The clip can be straight or curved. On this version of the SOG-TAC, the clip is completely straight. Because of the clip, the point is lowered, which gives the knife more control when you are trying to use it. Plus, because the tip is controllable, sharp, and thinner at the spine, a clip point is going to excel at stabbing. This is because it is going to have less drag during insertion and faster withdrawal.

Clip point knives also feature a large belly area that is perfect for slicing, which is one of the reasons that the knife is so versatile. There is one major disadvantage though: because the point on the clip point is relatively narrow, it does have a tendency to be weak and can break fairly easily. With the ST-01, you really should be prepared for nearly anything that does come your way.

The Handle:

The handle on this SOG has been made out of 6061-T6 aluminum. Aluminum is a common knife handle material and 6061-T6 aluminum is the most common alloy that is used. Aluminum is commonly used because it is a low-density metal. This means that it is not going to weigh you down too much. While this is a medium sized knife, you won’t even have to worry about the weight, because the aluminum will keep it so low. Even though it is a low-density metal, it is still going to give the heft that many people look for; especially in a tactical knife.

Aluminum is also very durable and highly resistant to corrosion. These aspects of the handle are going to lead to very low maintenance time. This way, you won’t ever have to worry about if your handle is clean enough or if it is going to continue looking as nice as it originally did.

6061-T6 is the most commonly used aluminum alloy in the cutlery industry because it does offer the highest tensile strength of any of the alloys. This means that while aluminum is a strong material, with this alloy of aluminum, it is hard to go wrong.

The handle has been anodized black. The anodization process is unique because it is a chemical process that actually alters the first layer of the aluminum. This means that it is going to apply the black color, but unlike a coating, this color is not going to peel off. While the aluminum can still get scratched, which would scratch off the color, because the first layer would be removed, it is harder to scratch an anodized aluminum. This is because not only does the anodization process add a solid black color to the handle, it is also going to make the material stronger, more durable, and even more corrosion resistant.

The handle has been textured, which is an advantage with an aluminum handle. It does have “SOG” carved into the face. There are also four finger grooves, each of which are short and thick. These will give you a more comfortable grip while using this SOG. Near the butt of the handle, there is a lanyard hole.

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip that comes on this SOG is a reversible, deep carry pocket clip. This clip is designed for tip up carry only, but it is eligible for either a left or right handed carry option.

The deep carry aspect of the pocket clip is going to ensure that it stays securely inside of your pocket while you move about the day. This is going to help eliminate some of the worry about losing your knife, because it will be safe and sound inside of your pocket. This also mean that it is going to sit lower in your pocket, which leads to a more concealed knife. This is the perfect option for a knife like this one that was designed with tactical needs specifically in mind.

The Mechanism:

This is an automatic knife, which does mean that it is going to fall under a strict set of laws in the United States. This SOG is not going to be legal in all states, cities, or areas. It is your responsibility, as the user and purchaser, to know your local knife laws. BladeOps is not the responsible party.

The benefit of having a tactical knife be an automatic knife, is that you will be able to get it open in the nick of time. You won’t have to fumble with it when every second counts.

The Specs:

The blade on this SOG-TAC measures in at 3.5 inches long with a handle that measures in at 4.5 inches long. This means that the overall length of the knife when the blade is deployed measures in at 8 inches even. This EDC falls into the perfect level of weight for a knife that you are hoping to have with you every day. It weighs in at 3.4 ounces, which is ideal. It is going to give you enough heft that you feel confident in relying on this knife, but it is also not going to weigh you down.

Conclusion:

The SOG-TAC series is an invigorating new design that offers a fully functioning automatic knife with the added benefits of a slim profile. Specifically tailored for the tactical user, the blade deploys quickly and locks up with plenty of security. The black anodized aluminum handles were machined with insets for increased control and grip and there is an integrated slide safety on the back side of the knife that allows the blade to be locked in either the open or closed position. This full-sized model features a black anodized aluminum handle, a clip point style blade in a satin finish and the reversible deep carry pocket clip is designed for tip up carry only but is eligible for left- or right-hand carry option.

This knife is currently in stock at BladeOps. Click here to purchase it today.