There's a fine balance to be had with knives and weight. We often have an inherent connection between mass and quality where tools are concerned - there's something reassuring about heft in your hand.
But SOG have a reputation for pushing boundaries and striving for constant improvement, and when looking at ways to build on some of their best-selling knives, they turned to carbon fibre.
ULTRA INSPIRATION
It was the success of SOG's Ultra XR, which tips the scales at just 34g, that served as the impetus for further work with carbon fibre. Maintaining the tried and tested XR locking mechanism, the Ultra is a capable tool that has more than just an air of 'gentleman's knife' about it. It proved that such a knife could instill confidence in the user, while looking amazing and being a better carry option due to its lightness.
LTE - Light Edition
To make 'skinny' versions of the Terminus and Kiku XR, SOG's engineering team made the liners (the parts that sit between the blade and the handle, designed to protect the separate parts from rubbing and damaging each other) of both folding knives out of strong but lightweight carbon fibre. SOG were the first major knife manufacturer to do so, and they found it to be the perfect way to improve the carrying ability of a knife without sacrificing performance.
While the Terminus, as SOG's best-selling knife, was an obvious choice for the LTE treatment, the Kiku XR presented an opportunity to really push the boundaries. The most common feedback from the outdoor users, campers, hikers and hunters who love the short and beefy Kiku was: “Please make it lighter!” And that's exactly what they did!
A standard Terminus XR weighs 91g - the LTE version weighs 62g
A standard Kiku XR weighs 159g - the LTE version weighs 116g
Where every gram matters, the LTE versions provided the solution.
MEAN AND LEAN
SOG's biggest concern with replacing the steel liners in the Terminus XR and Kiku XR was that it would compromise some of the lockup strength of the XR lock, which has routinely tested at above 1,000 pounds of lockup strength. They needn't have worried - just as the Ultra XR had demonstrated, what carbon fibre lost in weight it more than managed to retain in strength.
SOG have since extended their LTE range to their professional models, such as the Pentagon XR and Vision XR - knives which are relied upon by military and law enforcement personnel to perform under the most extreme conditions.
No longer is carbon fibre just for decoration. Grab yourself an LTE edition today and feel the difference - not just in weight but in the confidence you gain!
