A good pocket knife of some sort is just one of those things any self-respecting individual should carry on their person. Whether on the trail or just for daily use, a good pocket knife comes in handy more than you'd think. So, I thought I'd order a couple affordable knives, carry 'em around for a few days, and report my honest impressions. To kick things off, I'm beginning with one of my favorite blade manufacturers, SOG Specialty Knives & Tools.
I admit to being a bit biased in my review of SOG's new Aegis AE-01 knife since I sorta consider myself a "SOG guy." I've carried a SOG blade or multi-tool in my pocket just about every day for the past ten years. The Aegis is slightly larger than what I'm used to carrying, but the adjustment to the larger folding knife was quick and painless.
For starters, the Aegis feaures a 3.25-inch blade length and a 8.25-inch overall length. The straight blade is chunky and the whole knife has a very solid, substantial feeling. The Zytel handle doesn't feel cheap or plasticy, but does help shave the weight down so it doesn't feel like you're carrying a brick in your pocket. The handle is checked in small, raised "SOG" lettering that give good grip whether wet or dry. Because of SOG's Assisted Opening (more on that below), there is a small color-coded safety latch that will lock the blade closed. You don't need to engage the safety, but it's nice to have it to prevent accidental opening. Green is locked, or safe and red is unlocked, or open.
For everyday carrying, SOG features its bayonette pocket clip that can be reveresed for right- or left-side carry. Despite the twin-sided opening knob on the blade, the Aegis isn't a true ambidextrous knife since the safety latch and blade closing release are set up for right-hand use only. Despite this, however, one-handed use is possible and fairly easy with the left hand.
One of the nicest features on SOG folders is SOG's Assisted Technology, or S.A.T. Basically, the blade is partially spring-loaded. Flick the Safety off and begin opening the knife with your right or left hand. After opening the blade only a very small amount, the S.A.T. takes over and the blade flicks open, locking open crisply and securely each time. The sound and feel are sorta addictive. To close, pull back the blade closing release button and fold the blade back down.
While serrated blades seem to be all the rage at the moment, I really appreciated going back to the simple straight blade of the Aegis. As delivered, it's really razor-sharp. I mean it. As goofy as it sounds, I tried shaving with the Aegis and it really worked. Wild. And if I ever do dull it, the straight blade will be easy and quick to put an edge back on. Most serrated blades require a trip back to the manufacturer to properly resharpen. At a retail price of $90, the Aegis packs a lot of value for relatively little money. It's a real cool workhorse that I'll be hanging on to for a long time to come.