HomeMiscMiscFusion Fixation Knife Bowie by SOG Knives FX-01 |
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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 10 customer reviews )
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11 of 12 found the following review helpful:
 A bargain, good basic value, not a replacement for a high-end fixed-blade knife Feb 15, 2010
By Lance
The SOG Fusion Bowie is SOG's entry into the value market for fixed-bladed multipurpose knives. As an all-purpose utility knife, it has excellent value. Let's not fool ourselves that it's the equal of premium knives of the same type, though. There are compromises.
In its favor are its handling characteristics (nice balance, doesn't tend to twist in the hand when you use it to cut, handle is long enough to fit into an adult male's hand), a very sharp factory edge, and rust resistance. The black oxide coating is a touch thin, and will wear on the edges of the facets of the blade over time, but will definitely do a good job of preventing pitting. The ballistic nylon sheath which comes with it is nice, with a pouch for a whetstone or other accessory, though the use of velcro on the retention strap means it will eventually wear out.
The limitations are partially in design and partially in budgetary compromise. The knurled thumb-rest on the back of the blade is not usable because the crossguard projects above the back of the knife and prevents your thumb from settling there. The ricasso (the part of the blade on the cutting-edge which isn't sharpened, just in front of the crossguard) is too small to use a finger-forward "trigger" grip. The blade steel is about 1/8" thick; 3/16" is recommended for true heavy-duty knives of this sort. The fuller (the groove in the blade some people mistakenly call a "blood groove") is just for show. The tang (the extension of the blade that goes into the center of the handle) is welded on instead of being integral with the blade, and this is a potential weak spot. Don't chop with it, as if it breaks the blade will snap at the hilt and go cartwheeling into an eyeball or something. Under ordinary use, however, it's not going to break.
Fit-and-finish is good, if not perfect; there is a slight mold-line on the hard rubber grip (okay, okay, Kraton). I would have liked to have seen a double row of stitching on the sheath, and as mentioned the retaining-strap isn't going to last. The cutting edge shows machining marks from a simple grind-sharpening. These are nitpicks, though, and are part of what separates value-knives from premium.
As for its uses? I cannot recommend it as a combat knife due to the previously-mentioned welded tang and problem with the crossguard; in any event, in most jurisdictions carrying a knife like this is begging for trouble with the local constabulary. I would also not recommend it as a skinner (wrong shape). As a general-duty camp-knife, it will excel, and if you are looking for an inexpensive gift for a backpacker who isn't going to be put off by a knife of this style, this is the one. Just keep in mind this is a BIG knife. Go find a foot-long ruler and heft it; that's precisely how large this beastie is.
Please check your local laws if you plan to carry this. Knife-laws can get very local, right down to the per-city or per-county level, and in some locales the penalties are more severe than for improper firearm carry. This is by no means a toy or "combat costume jewelry"; it is a serious knife and deserves respect.
10 of 13 found the following review helpful:
 Extreme Knife Fail Sep 25, 2010
By James Hammett
I was really happy with this knife when I first bought it. I've had it for almost a year but haven't really put it to use until the other day. I went camping with some friends. My one buddy was showing of his Gator Machete Jr. So I told him to behold my SOG Fusion Fixation. He and my other friend were impressed. Later that night we were gathering tinder for the campfire. I was batoning branches for maybe 20 minutes when I heard a loud ping and witnessed the blade of my knife fly past the right side of my face. I was left holding the handle. Upon further examination I observed it had snapped off at the tang. I looked up some reviews on it and discovered this seems to be a common malfunction with this knife. I wouldn't recommend this knife to anyone. Today I ordered an Kershaw Roughneck hopefully I'll have better luck with that.
7 of 9 found the following review helpful:
 Great Deal on a Solid Knife Jan 07, 2009
By J. Reece
"Book Ninja"
I just received this knife yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to take it out and really put it to use yet. I'll update the review when I have a chance to try some things with it on a camping trip or something. I can confirm that it will cut very narrow strips of paper with ease, so the factory edge isn't in question.
When I opened up the packaging, I could immediately feel the heft of the knife. It has a good, solid weight to it, and is balanced about one quarter to one half inch toward the pommel. This means it would work well for quick moves with finer control, but is not well-suited to chopping (I don't know that I would consider it a camp or utility knife at all, despite the size and weight of it). The knife is over 12" long, with a 7" blade that's pretty thick at the back, somewhere between 1/8" and 1/4" wide where it meets the grip. It comes down to an extremely sharp edge and a very fine point. I was astonished at how sharp it was right out of the packaging. Far sharper than any other knife I've purchased. This knife essentially screams "combat." It's crazy sharp, with a long blade and the balance makes it ideal for quick maneuvering. I'll certainly use it when I'm camping, but I don't think that's what it was designed for.
The other really nice thing about this knife is the grip. It's made of Kraton (like Cold Steel knives costing ten times more), and it has an exceptionally nice surface on it. This is a grip you can hold even with wet hands, and it's extremely durable as well. The shape is also nice, allowing for several different grip styles comfortably.
The price is also right. SOG suggests a price tag of $50 for this beauty and it would be well worth it even if you couldn't get it for $10-$15 less. If you are at all in the market for a light- to medium-use knife, I would highly suggest this one.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
SOG Fusion Jul 07, 2010
By Tyler K. Smith
The SOG Fusion Fixation is a pretty good knife but not really ground breaking. The "Fusion" series knives are the cheapest SOG series knives (Although far from bad)
Pros:
Has a SOG sheath (not up to the quality of the triple stitched Seal Team knives, but better than anything else on the market)
No blade serrations giving it a larger cutting surface
Pocket on sheath for a firesteel/multi-tool
Ultra durable Kraton handle (although not as good as SOG's Zytel in durability)
Easy to sharpen
FEELS durable
Cons:
Bad texture on the handle gives little grip
Can't tell if the blade is full tang or how thick the tang is (if its a thick full tang then its a pro, if not than definitely a con)
The steel of the blade is a little soft, its a cheap Chinese steel but is still serviceable
Uses black oxide as a blade coating which doesn't help protect from rust at all, only colors the blade (although the steel is a type of stainless so its hard to rust)
I haven't put this knife to a destruction test and I don't plan on it, but from what I've seen its a very durable and practical knife to own. Is it as good as a Kabar? No, but it does beat most bargain knives out there. This will work for your average person but the bottom line is THIS IS NOT A SURVIVAL KNIFE. ***NEVER trust your life to a 30 dollar knife***, this is no replacement for a military Kabar or a 70 dollar SOG.
*UPDATE* The more I use the knife the more I've grown to hate it, especially after I bought the SOG Field Pup for around the same price. The knife just feels like a cheap knock off Kabar 1211 and has no place on the field or even in my collection anymore. Also, the sheath is awful...It may be a SOG sheath but it is nothing compared to the Seal sheaths and is only slightly better than your average leather sheath. I plan on giving it away to a friend or just throwing in storage with my old clothes and CDs. It is only a problem in SOG's fusion series and none of their other knives.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Well Built and Well Balanced Jan 02, 2011
By Deidred A. Acosta
"#1 Dolphan"
Really impressed with this knife. The fixation series is supposed to be the "cheaper" SOG but it is just as good if not better than similar SOG fixed blades. The handle is easy to grip and the the entire knife is extremely well balaned. For being a big blade it feels very light. The blade itself is looks to be tough too. I used it to cut some bush and make a spear and it kept a perfect blade. Best black tini in the business too.
My only small qualm is that the blade is a little too long.
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