FOLDING KNIVES-SOG VS COLD STEEL

[Obi one]

Which is better folding knives company? SOG or Cold Steel?
I want a really sharp knife,with quick/assisted opening,that can be used by left handed person,and a knife I will not need to sharp after any using (because I am not have any sharp equipment and I am not know how to sharpen a knife...)
thanks advance

When you get your knife examine the blade grind and try to keep your flat (fine) Ceramic sharpener in line with the way the company sent it out, do small gentle swirl motions and remember to touch up the edge each time you use it. Its easy to keep a sharp blade sharp, but harder to sharpen a dull used blade. Hope this helps...

 

[eebowler]

MT7, I owned a spyderco sharpmaker (a darn good sharpener) for a couple years and could not get a knife shaving sharp on a regular basis. I discovered a guy on youtube, murray carter and his videos helped me understand sharpening better and now, with 2000 grit sandpaper, I can get a knife sharp enough to shave fine hairs with. (Haven't touched the sharpmaker since.) Sharpening is something you SHOULD learn to do regardless of knife quality.

Tell us what you intend to use the knife for (mainly) and we may be able to suggest types of steel too.

 

[redline8k]

I dont have a sog assisted knife but I do have a very low end auto clip. its has lasted one year of EDC and cutting everything from rope to wire to cardboard...it has a nice edge still and is super light...not bad for 10 bucks. On a side note I will be ordering a spyderco soon to add to the rotation...
-nick

 

[Zechs00GT]

As stated above Spyderco.

I have Sog, Spyderco, Cold Steel, CRKT and Kershaw knives.

While I have uses for all of them, I find day in and day out I reach for my Spyderco (Manix2 Translucent) over the rest.

If you forced me to choose Cold Steel vs SOG, I would pic SOG. I enjoy their assisted opening knives a lot.

 

[cbxer55]

Go to an actual knife site, such as BladeForums. SOG gets no respect at all there. Cold Steel is controversial, but they get way more respect than SOG does. Myself, I have a bunch of knives, over 100. Not one SOG iin the mix, and never will be.

Four Cold Steel's though. All big knives, as I do not like girly-knives (knives with blades less than 4 inches).
Vaquero Grande with 6 inch blade.
Espada XL with 7.5 inch blade.
Espada L with 5.5 inch blade.
Black Rhino with 4.25 blade.

 

[knifeowningguy]

Kershaw is better than either of them, while still remaining in the same price range (unlike Spyderco, Benchmade, etc.). If you want a really solid EDC knife, get a Leek.

 

[tjswarbrick]

I have one SOG - not an assisted opener. And no experience with Cold Steel.
The SOG steel is fairly soft. The knife is actually quite decent, but doesn't hold a candle to my Kershaws and Spydercos.

If you want a solid, affordable knife you may want to look at an Ontario RAT (1 or 2, depending on size) or ESEE Zancudo.

If you want a dependable, quality affordable blade you can hardly go wrong with a Spyderco Tenacious or Delica.

If you must have assisted opening, take a look at Kershaw's Leek, Blur or Cryo. I picked up blems (seconds) of the first two within your price range. I discovered that I don't really care for assisted opening, so I don't carry them daily, but they are quality product.

None if these are "super steel" - all will need sharpening sooner or later. My recommendation is to use it until it NEEDS sharpening, then get a Worksharp Knife and Tool Sharpener. It's not necessarily the best thing for your blade, but it includes angle guides and is near idiot-proof (not implying anything here - it took me mere minutes to put an arm-hair-shaving edge on knives that I could not achieve in hours on waterstones or sandpaper-and-mousepads.) Just practice on something cheap the first few times to learn how to not over-grind the tips.

The only affordable knives I know of with a top-notch near-super-steel are the S30V Buck Vantage Pros. They have their own shortcomings, in my opinion, but the blade steel is not one of them.
Best of luck to you.

(I don't have hundreds, but do have dozens of knives and spend a lot of time on BladeForums. My EDC is an M390 steel Spyderco Paramilitary2. It's out of your specified price range, and not assisted, but I just keep going back to it and only sharpen once a month or so.)

 

[Roguehk]

I would get a coldsteel. The knives I've seen look pretty sharp. I personally want one of the biggest folders they make just for giggles.

 

[ZNickey]

My personal vote is neither (tho you probably made a purchase by now)...there are too many other options that push up the performance and value factor.

The steels used are generally unimpressive with heat treatments that are not all that great, using many grinds such as the tanto with minimal usefulness for general usage, and with edge geometries that, in most cases, just aren't very good relative to the competition. Their budget knives often have locks which are strong, but also that tend to develop blade play over time as components wear...many of which are not user-adjustable. Like many modern makers, both companies have gone in the "tactical" direction by making things such as "world's strongest lock" or "a blade that can piece a car hood" or "a blade so thick it's shaped like a chode" and they have advertised using that base...the trade off is that it often results in a knife that is terrible for normal EDC cutting usage, and a knife that is bulkier, heavier, and less nimble. Almost all modern folders from good makers have locks that are more than capable for any work the folding knife will see...when makers get too caught up in the lock strength wars, they overlook more important aspects like blade geometry, ergonomics, or practicality.

Both makers do have some nice lines...but they are quite expensive compared to other options. Spyderco makes a knife family that in a value vs performance sense, it is incredibly difficult to find such a nice knife for so little money: that is the Delica and Endura family. An [Emerson patented] waved Spyderco Delica or Endura is far faster than any automatic or assisted...plus it uses VG-10 stainless which is an excellent steel, with a good heat treatment, with a robust sabre ground blade (which =s a very strong edge), and fantastic edge geometry...at a price that is significantly less than many of the SOG and Cold Steel folders made to compete in that class.

The Kershaw Thermite is an extremely inexpensive knife, but is assisted, uses a frame lock and G10 (premium components), has a reasonably good grind, and is in pretty good steel...all for under $30.

But if you are left-handed, the Spyderco Delica/Endura or Benchmade AXIS are arguably your best bets.

 

[Zeruel]

OP asked this 2 years ago, but I guess it might be relevant to others asking the same question.

I have 4 SOG knives and it's either my luck or their QC is a sheer disappointment. 3 out of 4 have individual issues; blade play (can't be fixed because of the assisted opening spring system), coating on blade pops off, blade off-center so much it rubs the handle, blade protrudes in folded position. To be honest, it's going to be hard to convince me to get a fifth SOG. And I own more Cold Steel than SOG, none of the Cold Steel has an issue. Having said that, SOG is more innovative as a company.

 

[Samlittle]

Both are junk that cut corners every possible chance.

Every knife will get dull, the two companies youve picked will get dull faster than most.

Learn how to sharpen a knife.

Buy a Spyderco, or a Zero Tolerance.

Wisdom spoken here!