My everyday carry knife for the last many years has been the Benchmade 630, which I absolutely love. Unfortunately, sometimes I’m a space cadet and forget where I put the knife and thus have no knife for the day. About a year ago I saw the SOG Specialty Knives and Tools TK-02 Toothlock Folder (1/2 Serrated) show up on Woot.com for a very low price. I thought it was worth giving a shot to potentially add it to my EDC (Editor’s note: EveryDay Carry) collection. I haven’t been disappointed.
The
TK-02 Toothlock served me well for many months until I completely lost the knife. I liked having it so much that I paid the current retail price (~$75) for another one. Even though I’m on my second TK-02, it hasn’t let me down — which is saying something.
See, I’m not exactly what you’d call “nice” to knives. The knives I have are tools; I use them for EVERYTHING. First, if there is something that require a sharp implement my knife is there boxes and letters are the most common victim. Of course, those “mundane” uses tend to dull the blades very quickly. After that I tend to find myself near plants that require trimming which is when the knives turn into tiny machetes. Don’t forget that any time there is a small-ish screw, the knife doubles as a screw driver (blades really love that, and they show their love by chipping). Need something pried apart? A knife is a great pry bar!
Are you a knife fan, and cringing with the above description? Good, because as I stated, I don’t treat my knives nicely. So when I say that the TK-02 hasn’t failed me yet, you understand a little more what that means. I’ll also add that I have a tendency to “fiddle” with my knives (they are my hand toy) by flicking them open and closed repeatedly. I’m sure the manufacturers test for repeated openings, but I’m not sure if their base line is flicking open the knife about a hundred times a day (or more; I do it unconsciously).
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Speaking of flicking the knife open that’s one of my requirements for a folder knife. I must be able to flick it open with a twist of the wrist/arm. It must flick open without a ridiculous amount of effort (or hitting some sort of catch release). It must NOT fall open accidentally (e.g. in my pocket, stabbing me in the butt/leg/fleshy parts). Lastly, the knife MUST lock open solidly. The TK-02 hits all of these requirements flawlessly. Though if you don’t care for the flick, the release “button” nudges the knife out just a little (when going from closed to open), and makes the open/close process smooth. I don’t like the fact that you have to hold the button down until the knife is fully retreated else that “nudge” feature will keep the knife from fully retreating.
Overall, the knife has survived me — which says a lot. It is very comfortable to hold, if you have regular to small sized hands (large hands may find it too small for their taste). The build is very solid with very little wiggle. Contrary to what I thought, the clip/spoon is reversible for those that have funny knife habits (like lefties). For a knife that is from a big name like SOG and only costs ~$70, I think it is quite hard to pass up, assuming you want a small folder.
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