PMCI - March 2021

carrying it inverted and just to the rear of the hip. I found this to
be the most comfortable and allowed me to easily draw the blade
from a concealed manner with little overt movement. I’ll have a
picture showing this attached to the article, this position gave me
a nice sturdy grip and a smooth draw.
This is my first article knife review, so I sat and thought of
how others would be using this blade, such as environmental
factors, field uses etc. To test the blade’s sharpness, I went out
to the wooded trail behind my residence and started using it to
shave bark off several types of trees ranging from soft to hard
woods. I did this to emulate finding what one would need to set
up camp to make a fire, and make a shelter. I found this blade to
be exceptional in its performance, as it was able to shave each
type with minimal effort. I also used the clip point to work on
hollowing out a piece of wood in which the tip kept its shape
and sharpness. There wasn’t any chipping and rolling that I could
see or feel. After this test, I then tested the edge retention by
slicing a piece of 8x11.5 inch printer paper, the Pillar performed
exceptionally well.
To account for some environmental factors, I added liquid soap
and water to the handle to help give the feel of a blood soaked
blade and handle that one could experience from using this blade
to cut several types of game ranging from fowl to deer as well as
inclement weather such as heavy rain. I wanted to see how the
textured handle would perform. The Pillar also has a nice serrated
part on the spine that is at the top portion of the handle, I found
this as well as the textured grip to perform extremely well. The
blade stayed tight in the hand with little to no slippage while
performing tasks; using my thumb on the serrated spine while
conducting cutting movements worked very well, as it kept the
blade in place in my hand.
I then decided to place the blade in the freezer for a few hours in
order to account for some winter type temperatures and then see
how it would perform as well. The Pillar again performed better
than I could anticipate.
The blade still looks new, no issues. I then spent some time
on the sharpening block to see how this blade will take to the
block. I found it somewhat easy to manage, being a harder steel
than most, I expected it to be a little difficult. If you’re new to
sharpening blades, I would recommend starting this blade on a
leather strop before attempting to use a block. This blade will not
only sharpen well, it’s designed to take a beating and beyond.
The chromium is what gives steel its ability to resist corrosion, but
it is less tough and wear resistant than other metals. CPM S35VN
is made with 14% chromium to maximize stain resistance and
corrosion without giving up too much toughness. The addition of
molybdenum also helps to keep away corrosion, specifically the
type that causes pitting in the steel. After these tests and leaving
it out in the elements of North Florida, I haven’t seen any signs
of corrosion which is a great sign for future owners of the Pillar.
Final Thoughts
After spending over 3 months of regularly carrying the SOG Pillar, I
have decided this variant is by far one my favourites. I really loved
the aggressive look and feel of this blade. As I stated earlier, I
have carried many types of blades for different jobs throughout
my career and as an outdoorsman. SOG has really caught my eye
over the years, after my Benchmade foldable broke years ago, I
went to carrying the SOG on duty and it performed over and over
again without a hiccup.
Having the opportunity to test the Pillar and seeing how it
performed just continues to show that they are on top of their
game. They also offer a lifetime warranty which is a nice thing to
have in the back pocket when you invest in one of their blades.
Again, SOG has really accomplished something great with this
blade. Its ability to perform really impressed me as it didn’t
disappoint. The price point is about average in my opinion for
blades of this caliber and is well worth the extra cents to have a
quality blade added to your EDC that can accomplish many diverse
tasks and can handle the rugged terrains one may encounter. This
blade is built for the everyday outdoorsman to the
knife fighter as this balanced and aggressive blade
can most definitely be the difference maker in a
violent encounter.
As always, train the mind, train the weapon. Hope
is not an operational plan. Stay sharp and continue
the fight!
KNIVES: SOG PILLAR