Knife Deep Dive: SOG SEAL XR & SOG SEAL FX Review

The SOG Seal XR and FX are just a few of the newer models representing @sogknives ability to adapt and keep up with the everchanging challenges of not only knifemaking, but of the world itself. SOG gets its name from MACV-SOG, a unique US Special Ops unit that was established in 1964 and carried out covert operations during the Vietnam War. The members of this unit conducted their mission with the help of a bowie knife. This inspired Spencer Frazer to reproduce that knife decades later. But one knife led to many and SOG Specialty Knives was born. Well known for their SOG Bowie and the Seal team 2000, SOG continued to push the limits and still creates knives for the toughest users in the world: special forces operators. The SEAL XR is a fixed blade designed with the help of extensive feedback from users. This ultimately resulted in a hard-use, go-to fixed blade option for professionals, by professionals. Boasting several carry options, the Kydex sheath will find it’s place on the belt, bag, vest or other creative solution. It can be carried left, right, horizontal, vertical, handle up or handle down. With a little tweaking, you can probably find more options. The glass-reinforced nylon handle has a grippy texture, providing you with a secure grip. Its full tang S35VN blade will surely keep up with all your cutting tasks. The powder steel by Crucible is known for its toughness and wear resistance and is further aided by a black Cerakote coating on the whole blade. The SEAL XR is the folding version of the FX and boasts many of its features, such as the GRN handle, S35VN steel and the Cerakote. The folder is also ambidextrous because it can be operated with either hand and the pocket clip is reversible. The SEAL XR is named so, because it features SOG’s XR lock. When deployed, a lock bar is automatically pushed into a notch in the blade, keeping it in place. The lock bar of the XR has been tested to withstand 1500lbs of pressure (or 680kgs). That’s super handy for when someone accidentally drops their 90’s Fiat Panda on it and you don’t want the blade to close on your fingers!