SHOT Show’s Media Day at the Range is not a place at which knifemakers tend to rent space.  But in what is almost a tongue-in-cheek move, SOG had a knife and axe throwing lane–mimicking the gun guys!  I even saw some of the über-serious Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club range officers monitoring its safety, which came into question when I started tossing steel.

This is the second year in a row that SOG Knives was out with the rest of us in the dusty, cold desert of Boulder City, Nevada.  I spent a little time with SOG’s Chris Cashbaugh and his crew.  One substantial and seemingly familiar piece of steel on the table caught my eye.

SOG Knives is introducing a new fixed blade version of their Kiku Matsuda-designed folding knives.  As with the large and small folders, Mr. Matsuda’s hand was instrumental in bringing this cutter to the market.  It is so faithful to its brethren that it could be mistaken for another, bigger pivoting model.

This knife repeats Matsuda’s signature mixture of flat and hollow grinds on the clip point blade.   The recurved section and high swedge are here, too.  In my photos of the sample, the blade is satin finished, though in the tricky direct sunlight it appears blued.  Trust me, it’s satin.

Large green textured canvas Micarta scales have plenty of surface area and just plain feel like a handful of ruggedness.  A long section of jimping rides atop the blade.  The sheath is a thermoplastic and nylon affair that holds the knife securely with or without the snapped strap.

I am going to assume the blade steel will be AUS-8, as in the folders.  No MSRP was available yet.  Yeah, the guys made some guesses, but let’s wait for the blessing on that.  Chris said the knives would be shipping in about a month.  I really want one.  I found out I should just not throw it.

by Wilson