SOG Aegis (Black TiNi AE-02 Model)

The SOG Aegis, in black titanium nitride blade coating, is a sleek and extremely attractive tactical knife.  I was impressed by it the second I took it out of the box.  It is light and feels extremely taut, which means it moves quickly and well in the hand while feeling solid in operation and application.

The knife is equipped with SOG’s “S.A.T.” (SOG Assisted Tecnology) coil-spring assisted opening system.  You push the ambidextrous, graduated thumb post part of the way and the spring takes the blade through the remainder of its arc.  Locking is positive and firm. The knife has SOG’s Arc-Lock™, which is released by pushing a bolt in a semicircular groove in the handle.

The blade has the tiniest amount of vertical blade play (great force must be applied to the knife to get it to move vertically) and some lateral play. You cannot expect a plastic-handled knife that lacks substantial metal liners not to have lateral play; this is a limitation of the Zytel handle material, which is of course more flexible than the metal blade it sandwiches.

The reversible “bayonet” pocket clip is designed for “deep” carry, positioning the knife low in the pocket.  Out of the box, it had good tension.  The single point of mounting at the end of the plastic handle means the clip will shift a bit from side to side, though not excessively.  The Aegis can be carried in the tip-up position only.

The ergonomics of the knife are exceptional.  It locks into the hand primarily because of its shape.  The DigiGrip™ handles have tacky rubber inserts and provide good traction overall, while the swell below the locking mechanism forms an integral guard of sorts.  There are grooves cut for the thumb in the spine of the knife (although there is no true “thumb ramp”) that, while they could be deeper, get the job done.  Thoughtful grooves molded into the plastic here and there further enhance traction.

The AUS 8 blade cuts deeply and well.  It has a needle-sharp tip and penetrated deeply in test cutting media like stacked coardboard.  The shape of the blade gives it a nicely curved belly for slashing and slicing.  The blade is also retained securely while closed in the pocket, which will please those who otherwise prefer “tip-down” carry for safety.  The blade has a notch of the type I don’t prefer, for reasons previously stated, but that would not prevent me from buying it.  Performance of the AUS-8 in terms of edge retention were what you’d expect from an unremarkable steel of this type, which is to say, perfectly adequate.

The safety mechanism is something I could do without; were it up to me, no knife would have additional, unnecessary points of mechanical failure added to it.  Still, there are those who consider a safety a desirable feature.  I have not experienced any major problems with the safety switching on inadvertently (a problem if you draw your knife in an emergency and can’t open it immediately), but a drop of super-glue would permanently settle that issue.

I could also do without the SOGSOGSOG imprinted on the handle inserts or the SOG cutout in the clip. I understand the need for marketing and I’m an old hand at branding standards… but this detracts from the knife’s overall appearance a little bit.  This is a minor quibble and wouldn’t stop me from buying, enjoying, and showing off the knife with pride.  It really is a very aesthetically pleasing folder.

A product information brochure for the Aegis, including maintenance information, is available on the company’s website.  Overall length is 8.25 inches, while blade length is listed at 3.5 inches and weight at only 3.1 ounces.

While this knife doesn’t conform to all of my personal preferences, it is an excellent tactical folder that could perform both utility and self-defense functions ably.  I am struck by just how light and secure it feels in my grip.  The low weight contributes to the knife’s feeling of… integrity, I guess I would call it, as I’ve already used the word “taut.”

The Aegis is subtle in some ways, overt in others, but overall it’s just a superb pocket knife. It has some quality to it that I can’t describe; you just want to carry it, play with it, and find chores to perform with it.  Given that, I can’t help but think SOG has got me — and its customers — pegged pretty well.