SOG‘s Key-Knife, which I obtained from sponsor Base Camp Echo, is one of those brilliant little tools that makes you wonder out loud, “Why didn’t I think of this before?” Specifically, I’m talking about how handy it is to have a cutting blade right on your keychain. It’s possible to leave the house without any number of personal preparedness items because, simply put, you forgot them. If you attach a tool to your keys, you won’t leave without it because, hey, you aren’t going to get very far without the keys to the car that’s transporting you.
The idea of a key-shaped blade isn’t new. There are a number of generic knives on the market that are the size and shape of keys with fold-out blades. The SOG Key-Knife, however, is the first of these I have owned that locked open. Easy to deploy and easy to disengage, this is the first keyring knife I’ve owned that wasn’t so large it was a second key fob.
That’s the problem, usually, with carrying knives on your keychain. Either they’re too easy to remove or they’re just too bulky. The Key-Knife, being the size of a key, is physically convenient, while the fact that it locks open means it’s safe to use for those minor utility chores that always seem to come up.
Nobody is going to mistake this thing for anything but a knife; it is not a stealth ninja-tool. It also doesn’t need or try to be. This is just a folding, locking utility knife that will absolutely always be wherever you are as long as you had to bring your keys to get there.
The blade is a drop-point of relatively soft but rust-resistant 420J2. The whole thing is 4 inches overall, while the knife blade is roughly 1.5 inches. SOG says the Key-Knife weighs just .7 ounces. It has a brass finish, which wears off over time, producing an aesthetically pleasing patina-like appearance.
The blade was nicely sharp out of the box, ground on both sides. It exhibited very little play when locked open (and it locks open positively). The lock is easy to disengage. When closed, the blade is retained nicely; there is no danger of it coming open in your pocket and poking you. The key-shaped handle is also large enough that even my large mitts found it comfortable. With the blade open, the “teeth” of the key form a series of grooves that improves traction, while the texturing on the flat of the handle also helps in this regard.
A tool like this is really a put-it-0n-and-forget-it proposition. Once it’s on your keys you’ll find yourself using because you have it with you all the time. The bonus here is that the SOG Key-Knife is of good quality and more than worthy as an EDC cutter (although, given its size, it should be used for light duty only). Other versions of the Key-Knife replace the blade with a nail file and a pair of scissors, separately. Any of these is probably worth consideration as a low-cost, light-weight addition to your keys and thus your daily kit.
Pick up your SOG gear through Base Camp Echo and tell them we sent you.
