That gold “paint” isn’t paint at all. It’s a PVD coating called titanium nitride (TiN). It is only a few microns thin and adds a good bit of wear and corrosion resistance to the steel, as well as make it significantly more lubricous. So if anything it will improve the action, not make it any stickier/clunkier. I actually have a Glock with a TiN coated barrel from Agency Arms and it is WAY easier to clean and its finish is WAY more durable than the stock black nitrided barrel. From what I understand the process is quite expensive as well (my barrel was $300), so in addition to the S35VN and carbon fiber, that would EASILY account for the price difference between the two knives.
Titanium nitride coatings aren't very expensive, you can buy a pack of titanium nitride coated drill bits that individually cost less than a buck a piece. It's an amazing technology but the equipment is a 1 time purchase and the operating costs are actually fairly low so long as you are mass producing the coated items.
@@peterisrael2012 He claimed it is an expensive process, I generally agree with everything else in the OPs commont just not the claim that it is expensive.
I have an AR I swapped a TiN coated bolt carrier into, not only does it add lubricity but it takes and hold a thin coat of oil forever it seems. I like it so much I had it done on the action and bolt of my old 870 wingmaster, I thought it was glassy smooth before but I was wrong, now it’s glassy smooth.
You should really try raising your seat or lowering the table. It will help fight the repetitive the motion pain you get after a long bout of cutting. Please try it. You'll be surprised.
I own the od green one and bought my Dad the red D2 one, and over a year or so they've been good knives. I put a small piece of paracord with a knot through the clip to not let it stick in/to my pocket. 👍🍻
Very interesting. I did not expect the results to be that close. 25% more edge retention for twice the price?! Not something I would invest in. Goes to show that D2 isn't as bad as many people want to make us believe. Thanks mate & Cheers from Germany
25% more edge retention plus being stainless and having significantly higher toughness as well as far more even and finer grain structure. edge retention isn’t all that matters.
@@jamesstephenson2346and? still more expensive to make, but the expense is in the blade steel which as i already said is not only significantly higher edge retention, but is extremely stain resistant and has MUCH higher toughness than d2. it’s a direct upgrade in every physical way, even down to ease of sharpening and possible edge angles/edge stability.
I got my Terminus XR in Red G10 and D2 like you have and i really really like it! Its like all the best things of the last 20 years of knife development boiled down into one knife! Who would have guessed that would make a fantastic knife!
I have both of these exact knives including the AT and the Pillar... The Carbon fiber Terminus is my current EDC and it's light and tough... SIG has really stepped up their game...
@@airadaimagery692 going by how often the SOG ones seem to break I'd guess not. I've had a Bugout and a mini-grip with me at work for a couple of years, and they're absolutely fine despite regular use and abuse. The fact that there's multiple people in these comments who have had broken springs, I'd see that as decent evidence that they're not as good quality as Benchmade's
@@peteg22397 yeah totally agree I fidget so much with my knives and I've only had one Omega spring break on my 940 and it's still usable with one spring but this both of them broke it's sad and it took me a month whereas on the 940 it took me a year
@@peteg22397 well... I may just have even more evidence that might support that assumption, or not.... I too have also owned an authentic Benchmade 940, as well as a Bugout for a couple of years now. And I also own a clone of both of those knives that I have had for even longer than the authentic ones, and I have abused the clones even harder than I have my authentic pieces, and I still have never changed a spring on any of these knives.... I’m starting to wonder if there might be some sort of defect within the design of the SOG knives that is causing these springs to break? Because, how could they possibly be using a lesser quality spring than that of a $25 clone?! Go figure....
I got a Terminus XR in S35VN with G10 scales (and Peel Apply Carbon Fiber) and Satin Blade Finish for $57 US. It's the same weight at the D2 version here. The D2 version is going for $47 US. No brainer.
"spyderco an coldsteel have got it right" man couldnt have said it better myself, got a little spyderco slipjoint i use for my edc and that thing has taken a hammering, used for wood, rope and even using it as a screwdriver on the odd occassion and somehow that bugger has still kept a damn good factory edge. wish other knife manufacturers would learn from them that a good factory edge is really worth it for customer satisfaction
You’re an absolute beauty of a reviewer! No babbling crap just straight to the point of what works or don’t! The rope test is what makes a real impressive impact.. and just a quick question where can I get one of the coats? The way it’s pockets just kept on spitting out knives was a thing of beauty 😉.. have a beautiful day stay safe and healthy 😘👍
From the thumbnail, i thought the red one was the higher end one because it looked less pretentious/ridiculous/gasstationesque. Also, i thought the clip was nicer looking on the red one,... what a twist!
I realize this is 2 years old, but nice comparison! My experience with both steels used as edc is that the D2 is significantly easier to resharpen and I haven't had any corrosion, considering I often rinse it in the sink with some soap, wipe off the blade and put it back in my pocket without getting every drop off.
@@hancle8915 I feel like when people say this, they're talking about those double sided cinder block sharpening stones from the dollar store. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a great quality stone than can sharpen every steel currently available. There's a whole lot of mental gymnastics going on to fault a steel for your stone not sharpening it. If I'm framing a house and my saw isn't cutting the lumber well, I get a better saw. It sounds like you'd rather switch to softer wood.
@@CNYKnifeNerd That wasn't really my intention, no. What I meant to say is that it's a very beginner friendly steel, which for me also includes easy sharpening, even on a low budget stone, if that's what someone wants to or has to use. I like D2 and I think this video clearly shows that with the right treatment you can get a reasonably long lasting edge.
I am so glad I started out with gas station knives, an have in the last three years have started buying better knives, like the bark river Highlander, the PM3, the police an such, an yet I 99 out of a hundred times pick up my fav the Kubey KB245 Raven, a Civivi Asticus, or the tried an true Rat 1, great knives. An have never had one fail me at all!
@@bothompson4911 I bought a handful of nice and expensive Cold Steel pocket knives but as often as not a Rat 1 in Aus 8, $25 on Amazon, are as sharp, smooth, and handy as you ever need in a pocket knife. Such a value
I don't own the terminus, though I do have the tac xr in d2. And i have to say this is the first time I've been actually impressed by d2 and sog as a whole. The d2 is well heat treated. The knife although heavy has a very smooth action. And the blade geometry is very slicey. Even the pocket clip is decent. Its not deep carry but its kinda like a flat version of spydercos wire clip. All in all i really like it.
I like that the clip is so secure . If all my knives where like this I would never lose one. I just put a little toggle from my sog backpack in clip to pull it and its great.
I have the original XR, a slip joint with BD1. I also have the original XR with DT ($79 Cdn at Cabelas). Then I got a S35Vn version with carbon scales, ($69USd from Whitemountainknives). The carbon version has a black version of the big billboard SOG clip, while the DT version has a silver one. They weigh the same. I really don't see the point of the Lite version, especially for $139USd (WMK). I'd recommend the non-lite S35Vn/Carbon one if they are still available. I always remove clips anyway.
I have a CRKT Pilar (small) in D2 and it didn't take much work on fine stones to get it to an almost perfect full taper without a bevel, and it can really power through some cardboard with a hair-popping age. It does lose it's zip after a while but is easy to touch up. Not as big of a difference as I expected comparing these two, I thought the S35vn would do amazingly better but it is only somewhat better. Obviously more corrosion resistant. But good D2 is no slouch.
Guess I'm the odd man out. I like the gold & really like the real all carbon fiber handle. The budget/D2 version's clip is disappointing but not a deal breaker IMO. Great knives review Pete.
I don't know what 85 USD is in Australian dollars, but that is what the Terminus in S35VN with satin blade costs at KnifeCenter (I did see it a few months ago for 67 USD on sale).
I think d2 can be a great steel if you know what you are doing with it. You have to nail the heat treat and not burn it up grinding and buffing. It can be made tough, but honestly I like d2 that is on the chippy side of the chippy bendy spectrum.
I bought the red G10 D2 version about a year ago and they no longer have the branded clip. It's the same as the skinny clip on the gold model in the video.
Honestly my main takeaway form this is that D2 is still the budget steel king, no matter how much some people like to complain about it. S35vn provided only 25% more edge retention for 50% more (if you get the "standard" S35vn model instead of the PVD/CF model). If this had been a "D2 equivalent" Stainless (14c28n/440c/etc) vs S35vn test I wouldn't have been surprised if paying 50+% more didn't also get you 50+% better edge retention.
FYI I am pretty sure the gold stuff is titanium nitride not a paint, it should be kinda like a poor man's DLC it prevents rust(a silly thing to worry about on a blade) and is extremely durable.
Pretty much all the SOG knives have designs that are about as appealing to me as a shit sandwich, but your content is entertaining enough that I am going to watch regardless.
Bunch of my knives are g10 and D2 I'm a knuckle dragger I'm just getting the hang of sharpening them to where they perform very well especially considering the money they are tough blades tough Steel they're just finicky when it comes to sharpening I don't think they like to be over sharpened they can take a keen thin edge but I think since the carbides are in theory and from what metallurgical tests I have seen the carbis are larger and can probably benefit from the addition of nitrogen or Cobalt in the formula to shrink the carbide size even though there is over 1% vanadium in the mix the s35bn I saw on knife steel nerds is similar to D2 with a better edge retention. I don't know if it's worth twice the price on a knife maybe so however I was lucky enough to get a Kershaw link in 20CV for only $80 American this holiday season, yeah it's a great knife steel, it's a great knife especially for the price it's three times as much as I paid for my D2 blades, is it worth it? I'm probably more apt to abuse my D2 blades more than the 20CV blade even though the 20CV blade is technically stronger. I'm on the fence all I know is that D2 seems to be middle of the pack and I'm okay with it. Thanks for the great test Pete the information is useful, aloha
I have both. The sheepsfoot is way better IMO. The problem I have with the drop point is it sometimes opens like an Emerson or Cold Steel when pulling it from your pocket and I’ve cut myself pretty bad
@@BrutalJuice138 I think I'm going to go with the sheepsfoot. I have dozens of drop point style knives and only a couple sheepsfoot. Thanks for the input
The fancy lad clip is way better that silver fat clip on the red knife if you look at the tip it sticks up so you can feel a hot spot in your hand if you're using that knife pretty good and pretty hard doing some serious cutting after a while that thing and dig into your palm of your hand yeah actually have to kind of bend it down like they did on the fancy lad clip cuz that one doesn't dig into your hand so yep that one goes to the fancy lot clip for sure but it's an easy fix if you're a little bit of a MacGyver you can bend the tip of it down and it'll be just as good
Woo hoo ! I caught this one fast ! Yeah those deep carry clips are not my favorite especially when they're too deep. Swimming against the tide of YT knife reviewers, but I push up on the outside of the pocket on the pivot end. Works for me & knife is in much more natural hand position when it comes out.
I bought me self a SOG Terminus XR in s35vn before they introduced the LTE version. It was great and I really enjoyed the knife until an omega spring broke on me... Had to wait like 4 months to have a new spring delivered to me in Russia until I could flick the knife again. Still love the knife - but I should have probably bought a bucket of omega springs in advance to be able to use it for a good long time 🥲
Привет. А они пружину тебе с оф. сайта выслали? Я им писал недавно - сказали мол не высылают как то отдельно пружины. У меня не сломалась, но на Ультре она слегка подогнута неправильно...
Sorry to hear that! I've a bunch of knives with axis-style locks and its one of my biggest fears too. I hear that it is possible to buy springs on Etsy that are more robust than most stock benchmade springs (and by extension SOG) that should fit into a range of Axis-style lock knives. Perhaps it might be something worth looking into.
Love your content brother! You are one of the best in the game right now. Great steel testing, reviews and comparisons! I definitely look up to you as a knife content creator. 💯👊🏼😁
At least 3 edge's if you want to see what you get out of it cause that factory edge test tells me that s35vn was overheated in grinding (if they didnt screw up entire HT protocol) and to remove that fatigue steel 1 sharpening wont fix nothing
@@BenoJ3000 Its mass produced stuff so its not better or worse than "other" s35vn in the same category.. But s35vn (in custom set up) can do a lot better but its no longer economically viable to make it for the price you are paying but even with that in mind , its not very appreciated steel by custom makers..Its never gonna beat M390 (not 120-150$ chinese scheisse) Appreciate your comment😉🙏
I've now installed 3 omega springs in my SOG terminus. The last one just broke right after I put a mirror edge on the blade. Love the knife but I hate these springs.
I don’t like coated knives. I can feel the coating drag when I cut. No matter what the price, it drags on the blade. That gold makes the SOG look like a pimp knife.
Neither are much fun to heat treat, but D# die steels usually involves an all-day and into the night of 3 x 2hr cycles, at least with S35 its 2 x 2hr which just means pack a lunch Alls said and done, the D2 is a fairly conventionally made steel and the other is a 2nd gen or so powder metallurgy concoction, so just on the materials tech side of things its probably not a really fair comparison
Quite a difference in price for the steel itself, the process for hardening and tempering is different but not such that it would change the price much I think. Coating is another thing.
I think it’s mainly the carbon fiber liners along with the steel. Even still, to your point still a bit higher than I would expect. it is an ounce lighter which even with the original at around 3 oz I don’t feel people would be able to tell a huge difference.
You're great as usual Paul, 👌, music sucks as usual Paul, 👌😅, and your profanity is most welcome and suits you very well, you now sound like a hard bastard user of knives! 👌👍! I've followed your cut tests for years and have the utmost respect for your dedication, diligence, and your striving to keep the playing field equal in your comparisons of two makers knive with the same steel alloy vs the other. You have a very well founded knowledge of steel, and I believe in metalurgy also, although you are a such an honest to goodness modest fellow that I believe egotism is a trait that you have no evidence of possessing, and it's extremely refreshing to learn from a man who is so humble and works so hard. I constantly refer fb knife group members to check your results on steel cut tests and you are most definitely the go to guy for that information and also a lot more besides. I believe that the knife users and collectors of the world owe you a debt of gratitude, and I for one would like to say thank you so much for all your accomplishments and achievements, and your altruistic attitude as the purchasing of a knife as you often mention is not only for those with deep pockets but also for those who are of modest means and who obviously really benefit from your advice as to the choices of knives and steels that will provide them with a knife tailored to their needs and their wallet. You have my greatest respect and sincerest thanks Paul, and please pass on my sincerest thanks to your wife for her support and participation in your activities and pursuit for knowledge and truth, as she is owed a great deal of thanks also. I send my very best wishes to you and your wife and children, and to all your of your family and friends. Yours faithfully and the very kindest of regards, Western W49 Boulder Colorado 1967
imo this is probably one of the more attractive offerings from SOG aside from their TAC-XR and Pentagon-XR, I own both and I can testify that the bearings on the TAC actually run on separate steel rings in the liners where as the bearings of the Pentagon run on the coated stainless steel liners directly. It took a brief break in period for the Pentagon to be smooth but the TAC was just perfectly drop shut out of the box. Just wondering if anyone else that owns the Terminus LTE CF, do the bearings run directly on the CF liner or on stainless steel rings? I cant find any disassembly posts on the matter so thanks in advance!
Do the marked up prices for knives in Australia match the cost of import + exchange rate, or do you guys just get hosed down there? Cause it seems like Australia and New Zealand really get taken advantage of price wise.
Great video. The key question for me remains: can the LTE version beat the benchmade bugout? For me for the handle at least it's a yes. And the gold brings a bit of pocket bling that personally I quite like...
Love me some Terminuses's...? Termini? Termina? I suppose with all the S35VN floating around, someone was bound to do some gold plating just to mix things up. Perhaps the illustrious Studies and Observations Group should come out with an entire line of "gilded tactical" blades.
Actually Pete I do believe that they use the real German D2 and this is why they're able to get such great edge retention and hardness without it being quite brittle... but all in all great video I personally think I'd go for the D2 one myself I mean hell you c6buy two D2 knives for the price of the one gold one and I'm not a huge fan of the gold flashy blade anyway....
Hi, nice comparison and Video, thank you. I like the look of the golden One. But how tough is the coating. I don’t like coatings, when one of the suggested uses is to cut food. How does the coating stands your rope cut test? Do you recommend the coating? Greetings Marcel
I always hated SOG because of their crappy deep carry pocket clips. They might have updated their steels. But they still use a clip design that doesn’t let you draw your knife easily. They don’t even have lanyard holes on many of their knives. Come on SOG, get some real knife users on your design team!
I didn't like s35vn because my recon 1 tanto came with a bad HT so i thought all the rest s35vn is the same but after i bought Cold steel Kobun signature in s35vn I've changed my mind.Zero tolerance 0540 is good HT as well on their s35vn
I love this idea of comparing the base version versus the high end version
Me too
That gold “paint” isn’t paint at all. It’s a PVD coating called titanium nitride (TiN). It is only a few microns thin and adds a good bit of wear and corrosion resistance to the steel, as well as make it significantly more lubricous. So if anything it will improve the action, not make it any stickier/clunkier. I actually have a Glock with a TiN coated barrel from Agency Arms and it is WAY easier to clean and its finish is WAY more durable than the stock black nitrided barrel. From what I understand the process is quite expensive as well (my barrel was $300), so in addition to the S35VN and carbon fiber, that would EASILY account for the price difference between the two knives.
Titanium nitride coatings aren't very expensive, you can buy a pack of titanium nitride coated drill bits that individually cost less than a buck a piece. It's an amazing technology but the equipment is a 1 time purchase and the operating costs are actually fairly low so long as you are mass producing the coated items.
@@garethbaus5471 what’s your point ? He’s just saying it’s not just paint .
@@peterisrael2012 He claimed it is an expensive process, I generally agree with everything else in the OPs commont just not the claim that it is expensive.
I have an AR I swapped a TiN coated bolt carrier into, not only does it add lubricity but it takes and hold a thin coat of oil forever it seems. I like it so much I had it done on the action and bolt of my old 870 wingmaster, I thought it was glassy smooth before but I was wrong, now it’s glassy smooth.
What? I was literally talking to my kid about getting him a D2 Terminus 2 days ago. Stalker!!
lucky kid!
Hahahahahaha @Case16710 excellent stuff, thank you very kindly for the laugh 😘👍
You should really try raising your seat or lowering the table. It will help fight the repetitive the motion pain you get after a long bout of cutting. Please try it. You'll be surprised.
I own the od green one and bought my Dad the red D2 one, and over a year or so they've been good knives. I put a small piece of paracord with a knot through the clip to not let it stick in/to my pocket. 👍🍻
Great idea with the paracord.
What happened to your pinky finger??
@@Oozy9Millimeetah I cut it off with a folding pocket knife. Don't play with knives kids, lol. 👍🍻
@@jimholliman2822 Thanks Jim. I'm fairly certain I'm not the first one to do it but it definitely works. 👍🍻
Robo's theme from Chrono Trigger. That took me back
I felt that
Very interesting. I did not expect the results to be that close. 25% more edge retention for twice the price?! Not something I would invest in. Goes to show that D2 isn't as bad as many people want to make us believe. Thanks mate & Cheers from Germany
25% more edge retention plus being stainless and having significantly higher toughness as well as far more even and finer grain structure. edge retention isn’t all that matters.
plus the s35 in this video has carbon fiber scales which are more expensive
@@acid6urnsi own this. "Carbon fiber"... sure. Its plastic laminated with cf.
@@jamesstephenson2346and? still more expensive to make, but the expense is in the blade steel which as i already said is not only significantly higher edge retention, but is extremely stain resistant and has MUCH higher toughness than d2. it’s a direct upgrade in every physical way, even down to ease of sharpening and possible edge angles/edge stability.
50 bucks original... vs 67 for the better one right now.. so I also bought the s35 one
I got my Terminus XR in Red G10 and D2 like you have and i really really like it!
Its like all the best things of the last 20 years of knife development boiled down into one knife! Who would have guessed that would make a fantastic knife!
I have both of these exact knives including the AT and the Pillar... The Carbon fiber Terminus is my current EDC and it's light and tough... SIG has really stepped up their game...
I have that exact red sog terminus and both Omega springs broke within a month
Do you know if it is the same springs that are in the 940?
@@airadaimagery692 going by how often the SOG ones seem to break I'd guess not.
I've had a Bugout and a mini-grip with me at work for a couple of years, and they're absolutely fine despite regular use and abuse.
The fact that there's multiple people in these comments who have had broken springs, I'd see that as decent evidence that they're not as good quality as Benchmade's
@@peteg22397 yeah totally agree I fidget so much with my knives and I've only had one Omega spring break on my 940 and it's still usable with one spring but this both of them broke it's sad and it took me a month whereas on the 940 it took me a year
@@peteg22397 well... I may just have even more evidence that might support that assumption, or not.... I too have also owned an authentic Benchmade 940, as well as a Bugout for a couple of years now. And I also own a clone of both of those knives that I have had for even longer than the authentic ones, and I have abused the clones even harder than I have my authentic pieces, and I still have never changed a spring on any of these knives.... I’m starting to wonder if there might be some sort of defect within the design of the SOG knives that is causing these springs to break? Because, how could they possibly be using a lesser quality spring than that of a $25 clone?! Go figure....
@@peteg22397 TWO people out of 180 reported that. I have two XRs and a Mini Griptilian. No problems with any of them.
I have the same red D2 version. One of my favorite edc. Thanks for the review.
I've got it in green.... it's a great knife
Weapons raid, final fantasy 7....the music you choose always hits the deepest parts of my memory
i couldn't hear him cause i kept getting distracted by the tracks familiarity
I got a Terminus XR in S35VN with G10 scales (and Peel Apply Carbon Fiber) and Satin Blade Finish for $57 US. It's the same weight at the D2 version here. The D2 version is going for $47 US. No brainer.
I almost shit my pants on that South Park clip.
Almost.. 😁
I didn't come close at all. I was nekkid.
"spyderco an coldsteel have got it right" man couldnt have said it better myself, got a little spyderco slipjoint i use for my edc and that thing has taken a hammering, used for wood, rope and even using it as a screwdriver on the odd occassion and somehow that bugger has still kept a damn good factory edge. wish other knife manufacturers would learn from them that a good factory edge is really worth it for customer satisfaction
You’re an absolute beauty of a reviewer! No babbling crap just straight to the point of what works or don’t! The rope test is what makes a real impressive impact.. and just a quick question where can I get one of the coats? The way it’s pockets just kept on spitting out knives was a thing of beauty 😉.. have a beautiful day stay safe and healthy 😘👍
"A whisper of a SOG..."
- Pete, 2021.
I bought the d2 as a beat it up working knife and it’s been great. I like having the 3 deployment methods
From the thumbnail, i thought the red one was the higher end one because it looked less pretentious/ridiculous/gasstationesque. Also, i thought the clip was nicer looking on the red one,... what a twist!
I realize this is 2 years old, but nice comparison! My experience with both steels used as edc is that the D2 is significantly easier to resharpen and I haven't had any corrosion, considering I often rinse it in the sink with some soap, wipe off the blade and put it back in my pocket without getting every drop off.
I have busted my omega springs on my terminus…..twice. Need to send it back to SOG.
Or buy them on ebay.
@@theknifeconnection9571 Just bought some for Terminus and Bugout! Thanks. We will see if they work. Supposed to receive by September 😢
I bought 8 for 12 bucks and got them in 3 days. Yes they work
Maybe you could pick up a Ritter Hogue. They are supposed to have very good Omega springs.
@@jayr526 double it
Ordered the s35vn with g10/cf handle for $75 US on Monday and was delivered today/ Friday. Shipping was $2.99 US. What a deal.
A gold knife? Does SOG really think there's that many hairy chested Persians looking for a knife made of premium steel?
“I too wear DRAKKAR NOIR” - hairy chested Persians
ua-cam.com/video/eeUsWaiXKb8/v-deo.html
At first I read Parisians 😂
@@BenoJ3000 😂
Love how cheap D2 is. It's still steel, it's not trash. It will work as a knife. You just might have to sharpen it every once in awhile.
And when you sharpen it, you can do it with your standard whetstone, not like some of those super fancy and extra hard steels!
@@hancle8915
I feel like when people say this, they're talking about those double sided cinder block sharpening stones from the dollar store.
You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a great quality stone than can sharpen every steel currently available. There's a whole lot of mental gymnastics going on to fault a steel for your stone not sharpening it.
If I'm framing a house and my saw isn't cutting the lumber well, I get a better saw. It sounds like you'd rather switch to softer wood.
@@CNYKnifeNerd That wasn't really my intention, no. What I meant to say is that it's a very beginner friendly steel, which for me also includes easy sharpening, even on a low budget stone, if that's what someone wants to or has to use.
I like D2 and I think this video clearly shows that with the right treatment you can get a reasonably long lasting edge.
I am so glad I started out with gas station knives, an have in the last three years have started buying better knives, like the bark river Highlander, the PM3, the police an such, an yet I 99 out of a hundred times pick up my fav the Kubey KB245 Raven, a Civivi Asticus, or the tried an true Rat 1, great knives. An have never had one fail me at all!
@@bothompson4911 I bought a handful of nice and expensive Cold Steel pocket knives but as often as not a Rat 1 in Aus 8, $25 on Amazon, are as sharp, smooth, and handy as you ever need in a pocket knife. Such a value
I don't own the terminus, though I do have the tac xr in d2. And i have to say this is the first time I've been actually impressed by d2 and sog as a whole. The d2 is well heat treated. The knife although heavy has a very smooth action. And the blade geometry is very slicey. Even the pocket clip is decent. Its not deep carry but its kinda like a flat version of spydercos wire clip. All in all i really like it.
Best knife review/test on the net!
watching this post REBIRTH is a vibe lol. dig your videos man
Yeah if you could just do like a two hour long video of petting and loving on that pookie-bear, that would be fantastic.
I like that the clip is so secure . If all my knives where like this I would never lose one. I just put a little toggle from my sog backpack in clip to pull it and its great.
There is a intermediate version of the Terminus XR knife with CF/G-10 handle scales. Blade steel is S35VN at around $85 USD.
I also got that one, from WMK a year ago for $69, but I don't see it there now. $139 for Goldie is crazy.
Your tests reveal my ongoing decision to dismiss all SOG products out of hand. Thanks for the vid Pete!
I have the original XR, a slip joint with BD1. I also have the original XR with DT ($79 Cdn at Cabelas). Then I got a S35Vn version with carbon scales, ($69USd from Whitemountainknives). The carbon version has a black version of the big billboard SOG clip, while the DT version has a silver one. They weigh the same. I really don't see the point of the Lite version, especially for $139USd (WMK). I'd recommend the non-lite S35Vn/Carbon one if they are still available. I always remove clips anyway.
Good luck getting your hands on a TRM folder tho.
Ha, I just got one
Came for the interesting knife comparison, stayed for the quality time with Ada.
Great video as always and that is a horrendous Pocket clip.
I have a CRKT Pilar (small) in D2 and it didn't take much work on fine stones to get it to an almost perfect full taper without a bevel, and it can really power through some cardboard with a hair-popping age. It does lose it's zip after a while but is easy to touch up. Not as big of a difference as I expected comparing these two, I thought the S35vn would do amazingly better but it is only somewhat better. Obviously more corrosion resistant. But good D2 is no slouch.
That gold is too much. Makes the expensive one look like a cheap corner store knife.
Ultra tacky
Corner store knife with custom gold hardware…? Hmm?!
Blade was a bad choice
Guess I'm the odd man out. I like the gold & really like the real all carbon fiber handle. The budget/D2 version's clip is disappointing but not a deal breaker IMO.
Great knives review Pete.
I don't know what 85 USD is in Australian dollars, but that is what the Terminus in S35VN with satin blade costs at KnifeCenter (I did see it a few months ago for 67 USD on sale).
I find that SOG clip tears up my pocket.
The pocket clip on the D2 version on mine broke v quick. Broke it while trying to loosen it off, so mostly my fault but it was a piece of crap too
Study and Observations Group was an actual highly classified special operations unit during the Vietnam conflict.
I had to file down the flipper/finger guard on mine. It was wicked sharp.
For those who don't like the standard sog d2 pocket clip, note they now sell with more subtle pocket clip like the gold upgraded version
I liked the D2 pocket clip better 🤷
"...the two Terminuses..." Termini? Terminae?
Either way, it brings an end to a long-standing mystery. Thanks!
Terminaughties
How about ends? And would an old, obsolete one be an Exterminus?
The flipper delete on the terminus is money, it gives you a forward position for bigger hands and you still have 2 deploys.
I think d2 can be a great steel if you know what you are doing with it. You have to nail the heat treat and not burn it up grinding and buffing. It can be made tough, but honestly I like d2 that is on the chippy side of the chippy bendy spectrum.
D2 really is great, but in my experience they're literal rust magnets, so I'm just afraid of using it outside
Nice video, I like both steels.
I agree the pocket clip blows.
I bought the red G10 D2 version about a year ago and they no longer have the branded clip. It's the same as the skinny clip on the gold model in the video.
When taking this knife out of my pocket, I pull up from the bill of the pocket clip to it get around the fabric
Yeah, I hate the gold which is why I bought the graphite colour option. I was surprised how robust the full carbon fibre handle felt.
Honestly my main takeaway form this is that D2 is still the budget steel king, no matter how much some people like to complain about it. S35vn provided only 25% more edge retention for 50% more (if you get the "standard" S35vn model instead of the PVD/CF model).
If this had been a "D2 equivalent" Stainless (14c28n/440c/etc) vs S35vn test I wouldn't have been surprised if paying 50+% more didn't also get you 50+% better edge retention.
yep, D2 will not be going anywhere as the default budget steel
FYI I am pretty sure the gold stuff is titanium nitride not a paint, it should be kinda like a poor man's DLC it prevents rust(a silly thing to worry about on a blade) and is extremely durable.
Dang it looks cold over there for end of July!
Australia is in the southern hemisphere so the seasons are reversed from North America. July is winter in Australia.
Pretty much all the SOG knives have designs that are about as appealing to me as a shit sandwich, but your content is entertaining enough that I am going to watch regardless.
Ironically, the gold makes it look way cheaper than the standard offering.
Agreed. Looks tacky.
Good review(s), thank you! Otherwise, just an obligatory comment to push those algorithms!
this guy gets it!
Comment!
Bunch of my knives are g10 and D2 I'm a knuckle dragger I'm just getting the hang of sharpening them to where they perform very well especially considering the money they are tough blades tough Steel they're just finicky when it comes to sharpening I don't think they like to be over sharpened they can take a keen thin edge but I think since the carbides are in theory and from what metallurgical tests I have seen the carbis are larger and can probably benefit from the addition of nitrogen or Cobalt in the formula to shrink the carbide size even though there is over 1% vanadium in the mix the s35bn I saw on knife steel nerds is similar to D2 with a better edge retention. I don't know if it's worth twice the price on a knife maybe so however I was lucky enough to get a Kershaw link in 20CV for only $80 American this holiday season, yeah it's a great knife steel, it's a great knife especially for the price it's three times as much as I paid for my D2 blades, is it worth it? I'm probably more apt to abuse my D2 blades more than the 20CV blade even though the 20CV blade is technically stronger.
I'm on the fence all I know is that D2 seems to be middle of the pack and I'm okay with it.
Thanks for the great test Pete the information is useful, aloha
RE: good factory edges, gotta hand it to Hogue. I don’t know that I’ve had a better factory edge on a folder.
Facts: my Deka make me bleed on the reg.
@@BrutalJuice138 I'm getting a Deka ordered this weekend. Debating on the blade style still. I was leaning toward the sheepsfoot
I have both. The sheepsfoot is way better IMO. The problem I have with the drop point is it sometimes opens like an Emerson or Cold Steel when pulling it from your pocket and I’ve cut myself pretty bad
@@BrutalJuice138 I think I'm going to go with the sheepsfoot. I have dozens of drop point style knives and only a couple sheepsfoot. Thanks for the input
@@GBall_Vision got the wharncliffe version and don’t regret it !
The fancy lad clip is way better that silver fat clip on the red knife if you look at the tip it sticks up so you can feel a hot spot in your hand if you're using that knife pretty good and pretty hard doing some serious cutting after a while that thing and dig into your palm of your hand yeah actually have to kind of bend it down like they did on the fancy lad clip cuz that one doesn't dig into your hand so yep that one goes to the fancy lot clip for sure but it's an easy fix if you're a little bit of a MacGyver you can bend the tip of it down and it'll be just as good
Woo hoo ! I caught this one fast ! Yeah those deep carry clips are not my favorite especially when they're too deep. Swimming against the tide of YT knife reviewers, but I push up on the outside of the pocket on the pivot end. Works for me & knife is in much more natural hand position when it comes out.
Do you get much wear on your pants at the lower end where you're pushing the knife up?
@@jimholliman2822 not so far. Thepla e my jeans wear is the pocket hem
I bought me self a SOG Terminus XR in s35vn before they introduced the LTE version. It was great and I really enjoyed the knife until an omega spring broke on me...
Had to wait like 4 months to have a new spring delivered to me in Russia until I could flick the knife again. Still love the knife - but I should have probably bought a bucket of omega springs in advance to be able to use it for a good long time 🥲
Привет. А они пружину тебе с оф. сайта выслали? Я им писал недавно - сказали мол не высылают как то отдельно пружины. У меня не сломалась, но на Ультре она слегка подогнута неправильно...
Sorry to hear that! I've a bunch of knives with axis-style locks and its one of my biggest fears too. I hear that it is possible to buy springs on Etsy that are more robust than most stock benchmade springs (and by extension SOG) that should fit into a range of Axis-style lock knives. Perhaps it might be something worth looking into.
Love your content brother! You are one of the best in the game right now. Great steel testing, reviews and comparisons! I definitely look up to you as a knife content creator. 💯👊🏼😁
At least 3 edge's if you want to see what you get out of it cause that factory edge test tells me that s35vn was overheated in grinding (if they didnt screw up entire HT protocol) and to remove that fatigue steel 1 sharpening wont fix nothing
Very true. I don't think most Chinese oems do s35vn well at all either.
@@BenoJ3000 Its mass produced stuff so its not better or worse than "other" s35vn in the same category.. But s35vn (in custom set up) can do a lot better but its no longer economically viable to make it for the price you are paying but even with that in mind , its not very appreciated steel by custom makers..Its never gonna beat M390 (not 120-150$ chinese scheisse) Appreciate your comment😉🙏
I've now installed 3 omega springs in my SOG terminus. The last one just broke right after I put a mirror edge on the blade. Love the knife but I hate these springs.
What the hell do you use your knife for? lol
Maybe don't use three at once next time🤷🏻♂️😎
@@lordnicenstein5105 we've got a comedian ladies and gentlemen.
@@ihave7sacks EDC. These omega springs are crap, and you roll the dice each time you open and close your knife.
@@-_-_-_-318 Not my experience with two of them.
I don’t like coated knives. I can feel the coating drag when I cut. No matter what the price, it drags on the blade.
That gold makes the SOG look like a pimp knife.
Pimp knife, I think that's an excellent observation.
I wanna see you review some more Lt Wright knives those are always fun. I just got the bushcrafter the genesis and the daily carry all awsome knives.
I believe the gold is titanium nitride like some drill bits have.
I mean d2 can really perform, if its heat treated properly.
yeah dude it holds an edge reall well
I have a Flash AT, and I guess SOG has the best D2 I have seen so far.
Only problem with most d2 is that it usually isn't heat treated well. Nice to see SOG possibly know what they're doing
@@BenoJ3000 I am sure they do!
Neither are much fun to heat treat, but D# die steels usually involves an all-day and into the night of 3 x 2hr cycles, at least with S35 its 2 x 2hr which just means pack a lunch
Alls said and done, the D2 is a fairly conventionally made steel and the other is a 2nd gen or so powder metallurgy concoction, so just on the materials tech side of things its probably not a really fair comparison
Quite a difference in price for the steel itself, the process for hardening and tempering is different but not such that it would change the price much I think. Coating is another thing.
I think it’s mainly the carbon fiber liners along with the steel. Even still, to your point still a bit higher than I would expect. it is an ounce lighter which even with the original at around 3 oz I don’t feel people would be able to tell a huge difference.
Its all marketing. Other manufacturers with similar materials sell their knives for x, we can get x too.
You're great as usual Paul, 👌, music sucks as usual Paul, 👌😅, and your profanity is most welcome and suits you very well, you now sound like a hard bastard user of knives! 👌👍!
I've followed your cut tests for years and have the utmost respect for your dedication, diligence, and your striving to keep the playing field equal in your comparisons of two makers knive with the same steel alloy vs the other.
You have a very well founded knowledge of steel, and I believe in metalurgy also, although you are a such an honest to goodness modest fellow that I believe egotism is a trait that you have no evidence of possessing, and it's extremely refreshing to learn from a man who is so humble and works so hard.
I constantly refer fb knife group members to check your results on steel cut tests and you are most definitely the go to guy for that information and also a lot more besides.
I believe that the knife users and collectors of the world owe you a debt of gratitude, and I for one would like to say thank you so much for all your accomplishments and achievements, and your altruistic attitude as the purchasing of a knife as you often mention is not only for those with deep pockets but also for those who are of modest means and who obviously really benefit from your advice as to the choices of knives and steels that will provide them with a knife tailored to their needs and their wallet.
You have my greatest respect and sincerest thanks Paul, and please pass on my sincerest thanks to your wife for her support and participation in your activities and pursuit for knowledge and truth, as she is owed a great deal of thanks also.
I send my very best wishes to you and your wife and children, and to all your of your family and friends.
Yours faithfully and the very kindest of regards,
Western W49 Boulder Colorado 1967
D2 is a beast at the middle of 8cr and such and S35vn and such.
That deal with my pants getting cought in the clip like that makes me not like it at all
Great comparison, great video.
BSB..... had the flu also Pete, 6 fugging days
Love my red D2 Terminus. Hate my red D2 Terminus pocket clip
imo this is probably one of the more attractive offerings from SOG aside from their TAC-XR and Pentagon-XR, I own both and I can testify that the bearings on the TAC actually run on separate steel rings in the liners where as the bearings of the Pentagon run on the coated stainless steel liners directly. It took a brief break in period for the Pentagon to be smooth but the TAC was just perfectly drop shut out of the box. Just wondering if anyone else that owns the Terminus LTE CF, do the bearings run directly on the CF liner or on stainless steel rings? I cant find any disassembly posts on the matter so thanks in advance!
I modified my d2 models clip. I have the cts bdz1 version and the older s35vn version but don't carry them. The bdz1 isn't made anymore.
Gold: Pumpkin Pimpin’!
Waiting patiently m390 vs m398
The Bling Thing!
Do the marked up prices for knives in Australia match the cost of import + exchange rate, or do you guys just get hosed down there? Cause it seems like Australia and New Zealand really get taken advantage of price wise.
Sweet Ada ❤❤
Great video. The key question for me remains: can the LTE version beat the benchmade bugout? For me for the handle at least it's a yes. And the gold brings a bit of pocket bling that personally I quite like...
great video! great music!
Look at that ambidextrously flipping about…..
Thank you for sharing.
Love me some Terminuses's...? Termini? Termina?
I suppose with all the S35VN floating around, someone was bound to do some gold plating just to mix things up. Perhaps the illustrious Studies and Observations Group should come out with an entire line of "gilded tactical" blades.
Nice Mule in the background 😆
It’s a nice enough knife. I’m never crazy about pieces that have a flipper tab and a thumb stud for some reason.
Goldmember approved
Interesting....i bought both. Came across the original, then found out it had a better steel. twenty bucks more... So bought it awesome. Curious
seeing this, i miss winter
Actually Pete I do believe that they use the real German D2 and this is why they're able to get such great edge retention and hardness without it being quite brittle... but all in all great video I personally think I'd go for the D2 one myself I mean hell you c6buy two D2 knives for the price of the one gold one and I'm not a huge fan of the gold flashy blade anyway....
Hi, nice comparison and Video, thank you. I like the look of the golden One. But how tough is the coating. I don’t like coatings, when one of the suggested uses is to cut food. How does the coating stands your rope cut test? Do you recommend the coating? Greetings Marcel
I always hated SOG because of their crappy deep carry pocket clips. They might have updated their steels. But they still use a clip design that doesn’t let you draw your knife easily. They don’t even have lanyard holes on many of their knives. Come on SOG, get some real knife users on your design team!
Nice oxidation on that saw hanged on a wall. Are you doing a makeover anytime soon?
I didn't like s35vn because my recon 1 tanto came with a bad HT so i thought all the rest s35vn is the same but after i bought Cold steel Kobun signature in s35vn I've changed my mind.Zero tolerance 0540 is good HT as well on their s35vn
No way
can you please make a video about a good d2? and also unleash to the max?
Review the vision xr I love mine and want to hear your thoughts