SOG Vision ARC Knife Review

The story about SOG knife company begins long before there was even the thought of SOG knife company. This story begins in Vietnam, with a highly classified US Special ops unit. The unit was known as MACV-SOG, and the members had to carry a unique combat knife into the jungle on covert missions. It was years later that Spencer Frazer, a young knife designer, founded SOG Specialty Knives. The year was 1986 and his mission was to reproduce the original SOG Bowie knife and pay tribute to the special ops unit that created it. SOG Knife Company began as a single commemorative model, but quickly became a full line of innovative tools. These tools are field proven by US Special Forces and have even been honored as the Navy SEAL knife of choice.

Today, SOG knives are carried with confidence into the most demanding situations. So whether you are protecting others, leading an epic hunting expedition, tackling one of life’s everyday challenges, or facing your most extreme conditions yet, lead the way with SOG. These tools are forged out of tradition, hardened in the field, honed for you.

Spencer Frazer is the founder of this company as well as the chief designer. He has said, “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.”

Recently, SOG has released a new knife called the Vision Arc. This knife lives up to the SOG reputation and will be able to assist you through the challenges of your life.

 

The Blade:

The blade on this knife is forged out of VG 10 steel. This is a well-known, high end Japanese steel. It is considered to be a premium level steel. The G in the name stands for “gold”, which refers to the “gold standard” that his level of stainless steel is considered to have met. This steel has been designed for high quality blades and is often used in Japanese cutlery. And even though it was the high end cutlery that really put this type of steel on the market, many top of the line pocket, hunting, and tactical knives have used and are now using VG 10 steel. The reason that it makes such a good kitchen cutlery steel is because of how well it holds and edge as well as its ability to withstand rust. And while those are important characteristics of a kitchen knife, those characteristics will make your everyday carry knife stand apart from the pack. And because of how well this steel resists rust, you can often go longer periods of time without wiping or oiling them. The edge holding abilities are almost second to none. This steel is easy to sharpen, even a beginner will be able to pull it off, and you can get the finest edge on them. Not only that, but it holds that fine edge for very long periods of time. This steel also contains some vanadium, which is why this knife is so tough. This steel is also very durable and very hard without seeming brittle. The steel chosen for this blade is what helps to really set this blade apart.

This knife has been finished with a black TiNi coating. TiNi is short for Titanium Nitride. This is one of the best coating finishes that can be applied to steel. Not only does it provide the user with a smooth, black finish, it also works to increase durability. The TiNi finish is known to be both extremely scratch resistant as well as very peel resistant. This type of finish is actually applied to the steel through a unique process of plasma deposition performed in a complete air-sealed vacuum. Because it is applied in a vacuum, this finish is going to be one of the smoothest and most even coated finishes that you will come across. There will be no portions on the blade where the coating will have run or been applied to thick, especially around the edges. This is a top notch type of coating that won’t disappoint.

The steel has been carved into a clip point blade shape. This blade shape is one of the most popular blade shapes on the market today, and for good reason. You can use this blade shape for all purposes and it is extremely versatile. This shape of blade is most commonly found on the Bowie knife, but it is also very popular on pocket knives or fixed blades. To form this blade shape, the back, or the unsharpened, edge of the knife runs straight form the handle and then stops about halfway up the knife. Then, it turns and continues to the point of the knife. This portion looks as if it is “cut-out” or “clipped-out” and is where this knife shape gets its name form. This clipped out portion can be straight or curved, but on the Vision Arc, it is a very shallow curve. It almost looks straight, but it lacks the hard angles that would accompany a straight clipped area. The point on this blade shape is lowered, so you will have more control when you are suing this knife. Plus, because the tip is more controllable, sharper and thinner at the spine, this blade shape is perfect for quick stabbing, because it has less drag during insertion and faster withdrawal. Another reason that makes this such a perfect all-purpose knife is because of the large belly that it sports. The belly will easily assist you in your everyday tasks, which mostly include some form of slicing. The clip point blade shape is often confused with the drop point blade shape, because they are both pretty popular and great all-purpose knives. The biggest difference between the two different designs is the point. The drop point has a broader tip that provides you with more strength, but denies you the ability to pierce. The clip point blade shape has a much thinner point that lets you pierce very well. However, it doesn’t have as much strength behind it, and is prone to breaking fairly easily. This blade shape prepares you to perform all of the common, daily tasks that you might come across, such as opening boxes. But, it will also arm you to take on the unexpected challenges that you will come across as time goes by.

The Vision Arc sports a straight, or plain, edge. This style of edge is definitely the more traditional edge that can be found on knives. The straight edge excels at push cuts, slicing, peeling, and skinning. As a bonus, this type of edge is much easier to sharpen and you can get a finer edge on it. Some people are worried that if they don’t have a serrated edge, or a combo edge, that they won’t be able to cut through the tougher or thicker materials. While the serrated edge does help cut through the thicker materials because you can saw instead of slice, when the plain edge is sharp enough, it can also manage cutting through those tougher materials.

 

The Handle:

The handle on the Vision Arc is made out of black Glass Reinforced Nylon, or GRN. This material is a super strong, resistant to bending, abrasion, and is practically indestructible. Plus, it is relatively inexpensive. This is a similar material to G 10, Carbon Fiber, and Micarta, but it is much stronger. This is because in GRN, the fibers are arranged haphazardly throughout which means that it doesn’t matter which direction the handle is stressed, it is going to stand up to it. With the other materials that I mentioned, the fibers are all arranged in one direction, so they are extremely strong in that direction, but tend to fall apart when the fibers are stressed in other ways. This is why GRN is less brittle than the other materials. This is an inexpensive material because it can be injection molded into any desired shape and texture. Because of this, the manufacturer can produce high volume amounts at a lower price. However, many knife enthusiasts did not warm up to this material because they felt like it was cheap and plastic-y. One of the other drawbacks to this material is that it provides you with less grip than G 10 does.

To provide you with a stellar grip, SOG has added some intense texture throughout the palm portion of the handle. They have also carved “SOG” into the middle of the handle.

To keep your grip comfortable for long periods of use, SOG has added a medium deep finger groove. The rest of the handle is fairly straight. And to keep your grip safe and protected, SOG has added a finger guard to keep you from cutting your fingers.

 

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip is SOG’s classic style of pocket clip. It is skeletonized, with their logo in being carved out in the middle of the clip. This pocket clip is black to blend in with the all black knife and to match the black hardware. This is a low carry pocket clip, which means that it won’t be as snug in your pocket as a deep carry would. But, it is a reversible pocket clip, which means that you can carry it on the left or right side of the knife, helping ot make this an ambidextrous friendly knife.

 

The Mechanism:

This knife is a folding knife that sports the Arc-Lock. The Arc-Lock is ambidextrous. This locking mechanism uses a pivotal block to lock the blade into place. This is considered to be one of the finest locks available. This is a crazy strong locking system. SOG has tested this to withstand over 1000 pounds of force (measured at the lock), which far surpasses the conventional lock strength. This is also a very fast mechanism to use. Many people say that it is lightening quick, and because you can deploy this blade with only one hand, it helps everything go more efficiently. This is also a very safe locking mechanism to use. It uses spring action that securely retains the blade closed, and it keeps fingers safely clear while unlocking. This is also a very durable locking mechanism because it is self-adjusting over time and is easily cleaned for long term optimal performance.

 

The Specs:

The blade on the Vision Arc knife measures in at 3.8 inches in length. The blade has a thickness of 0.12 inches. The overall length of this knife is 8.5 inches, with a closed length of 4.7 inches. This is a slim knife and weighs in at 4.20 ounces.

 

Conclusion:

SOG knives and tools are built to last a lifetime. And not just a lifetime of performing the easy, daily tasks, but the unexpected tasks that accompany adventures. These knives have been field tested, so you can be confident when you are carrying a SOG knife. These knives are built to be durable, so that they can last with you through the ages. When you purchase a SOG knife, you are purchasing the only knife that you will need, but with the high quality that they are, you are going to want to buy a few more.

To perfect the Vision Arc knife, SOG started out with a premium steel that is durable, resistant to rust and corrosion, and can get a crazy fine edge that it holds onto for long periods of time. The handle is made out of the durable and lightweight GRN. Because the handle is so lightweight, you can easily have this knife with you at all times without it weighing you down. The reversible pocket clip and perfected locking mechanism are just the cherry on top of an already fantastic knife. Get yours today at BladeOps.