www.bladeops.com

This is the blade I’ve been carrying daily since 2003. It’s the Microtech SOCOM Elite in 154-CM steel. This is an automatic knife with a positive locking safety for the release. The handles are of aluminum with 180 grit emery cloth inserts for a very positive grip. The clip is non adjustable and set up for right handed, tip up only carry. The locking mechanism is very solid, essentially making the knife a fixed blade when open. The blade still carries the same shaving sharp edge it had when I purchased it. The only thing I’ve ever had to do is the occasional stropping. www.microtechknives.com

The SOG Fusion Fixation Bowie knife achieves quite a lot for its reasonable price and will connect with a lot of knife enthuisasts. SOG has wisely answered the trend of high value, high quality blades with their Chinese-produced “Fusion” line of blades. The Fixation Bowie is a favorite of mine in the series. Measuring out at the same as a KaBar Combat knife (7″ blade), the Fixation looks to be a good choice as a deployment, light survival, or all-around outdoor blade. The 8Cr13Mov steel, similar to AUS-8, should hold an edge adequately (like the Spyderco “Byrd” models do), be easy to sharpen, and offer some rust resistance. Other upsides include: a hammer-capable pommel (love those!), nice long handle, excellent jimping on the thumb ramp, good quality Cordura nylon sheath with a sharpener pocket, and excellent fit and finish throughout. All this weighs in at a very packable 12.8 ounces… great job SOG! Downsides might include a delicate tip, less-than-sharp factory edge, and a handle material that is reminiscent of vinyl (but has sharp checkering). Nevertheless, the SOG Fixations -ish pricetag makes it a steal and it will attract cash-strapped knife addicts like Rosie ODonnel to free donuts. ////////////////////Nutnfancy Likeability Scale: 9 out of 10 (price considered)

Overall: 8.04″ Blade: 3.44″ Blade Material: D2 Tool Steel Blade Design: Nemesis Double Edge Handle Material: 6061 T6 Aircraft Aluminum Weight: 3.5oz

The camera cut out again, so expect a part 3 soon. I apologize for the minor inconvenience of clicking a link If anyone wants to send me a bigger SD card it would be appreciated, but I will be getting a bigger one soon for future reviews. Questions and comments are welcome, there are a few things not mentioned in this review. Part 3 should be out by the end of October, most of the important stuff is in 1 and 2 already.