Customer Reviews

SOG Specialty Knives & Tools Tiger Stripe FSA-5 Flash II, 1/2 Serrated

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have used this knife on minor and major jobs alike. The knife is top notch on quality and just what you expect from SOG. And nothing beats that Lifetime warranty! The tiger stripe sets this thing off completely and your friends will immediately ask to see it when you pull it out. Even the pocket clip is tiger-striped too. I was worried about the Tiger-stripes fading overtime but that is not an issue anymore seeing how it has not happened yet out of all I put it through. The zytel handle is super light and is rock hard and will hold up to any abuse. This came Razor sharp from the factory and held it's edge through a lot of use.

PRO'S
- AUS-8 steel blade (Strong and sturdy)
- TiNi coated blade (Titanium Nickel compound coated onto the steel, adds toughness to blade)
- Fits in pocket great, I can barely tell It's there even with my wallet and keys there. (I even wear them in my dress slacks at work, hardly noticeable)
- Assisted open is super fast
- Lifetime warranty
- Great looks!
- Fits in hands great

Cons
-1/2 serrated edge. (I really wish they had this in the plain straight edge, but hey, the serrations are still cool even though I don't use them)
- I cut myself in the first week of having it.

Bottom Line: Look no further if you want an EDC (Everyday Carrier) knife. It doesn't get much better than this. I put it right up there with Kershaw & Benchmade knifes. It will handle the abuse of the tough jobs But will also do an accurate and precision cut on the small jobs. Buy it, you wont be sorry.

Sweet knife. The only reason i felt compelled to write a review of this knife is because when i unboxed it i noticed that it was the sharpest i have ever received a factory knife. I own Benchmades, Zero Tolerance , and Cold steel Knives and none of them came this sharp. Its a super light weight knife and the tiger stripes give it a great unique look. I specifically bought this model because it has a coated blade. I live in a very humid area and my knives rust very quickly and i hope that this knife will stay rust free, which i think it will.

Summary: Sharp as hell and well worth the money, made me a huge supporter of SOG knives.

This is my second SOG Flash II, and I love them both. The knife closes easily and opens flawlessly. Not to heavy and feels very sturdy in hand. Tiger stripe is awesome, straight up navy seal.

This is one of three assisted openers I've tried and is my favorite for daily use. It opens easily with the thumb studs and the lock release is convenient for one-handed closure. The mechanism is a bit of a long-term question for me as it is piston based and I think friction may take it's toll over time. That same friction also limits the speed of the deployment but it's still adequate. The clip is oriented for tip down carry (my preference) and is right or left changeable. The striping on the blade is a little hokey and I'll probably order one without but it's a minor thing. There is a safety lock for extra security but I have yet to use it as there is little chance of accidental deployment in most normal circumstances.

Overall this is a great knife and I recomend it.

This knife is very well built and quite robust.
The handle is thick and sturdy without being
heavy. The assisted opening has the blade out
very quickly and it is SHARP!! I highly recommend
this knife to anyone looking for an everyday carry
knife.

If I hate it then why 5 stars? Well it takes some explaining:

I'm a huge fan of assisted openers and when SOG announced this knife I had to have it. When I first bought the original version of this knife (circa 2003-2004, I think), I didn't like it immediately on arrival. I can't remember exactly if it was the zytel handles or the general feel of the knife, but it felt cheap to me and the balance seemed off in my hands. I meant to return it but I got busy, forgot about it, and left it in my garage for a few months. I then rediscovered the knife and because of my general dislike of the knife and the fact that it was too late to return, I decided to put it to heavy mundane around my house. After many years of consistent use/abuse I have to say my first negative impression couldn't have been more wrong.

Over the last 7 years this knife has taken abuse of all kinds, survived and has become one of my most-trusted folding knives. I have cut boxes and drywall, pryed cans, cut weeds and shrubs, dug, and even chopped wood with it and after all that then worst thing that has happened is the thumb stud fell off (I replaced it with a machine screw/nut along with some loc-tite). Of course, I resharpened it many times over the years (spyderco sharpmaker) and I have to say the AUS steel is tough and holds a decent edge. For less than 100 I can think of very few knives that can compete (spyderco, kershaw and benchmade make some good ones).

I have both the FSA-5 (camo 1/2 serrated blade) version of this knife and the original version of this knife. (black 1/2 serrated) FSA has an improved locking/release mechanism over the original and the handle seems more solid.

Pros
- tough AUS8 blade
- reversible low riding "tip-up" carry clip, completely conceals the knife in your pocket
- lifetime warranty (never had to use it)
- blade coating is surprisingly durable and looks good
- assisted opening is great and the tension is adjustable
- safety features - nice axis lock and safety lock
- I like the serrations... great for cutting cardboard, small branches, cables and cord
- price... unlike my chris reeve, crawford, strider, dwaine carrillo, hinderer and kirby lambert knives I won't complain it I break it... if that ever happens

Cons
- not sure about the origins of the knife (conspicuously absent on knife and packaging)... I'm assuming it was made in china or taiwan, assembled in US? This is typically a big deal for me but I'll let this one slide because this knife is so damn good
- terrible lanyard hole

Great Knife! Dumped it in sand, cleaned it out, and it still works great! I have had the knife for about a year now, and it i still working great!

I love this knife. It opens easily. Great coloring on the blade I love the tiger stripe. Fits in the hand nicely. I also like how it sits in your pocket nice and low. There is no way it it will fall out.