SOG 2016 Product Info!!!!

zoidberg · **Reply #210 on:** February 20, 2016, 01:29:19 AM

That is a little disappointing.

sLaughterMed · **Reply #211 on:** February 20, 2016, 01:50:35 AM

Quote from: zoidberg on February 20, 2016, 01:29:19 AM

That is a little disappointing.

Its very dissapointing. Sadly not completely unexpected.

Tom Munch · **Reply #212 on:** February 20, 2016, 02:32:45 AM

Maybe I'm being too harsh on it. I want to like it, but it just seems to have some early-production quirks and average construction. I confess I've never been a big SOG fan, but I expected a little more for $55.

rdub934 · **Reply #213 on:** February 20, 2016, 04:05:54 AM

Cool! Awesome pics comparing it to the Skeletool! I am a little bummed to hear that it disappoints you. How would you say it compares to a Gerber Octane? Not so much in size and weight, but in feel? Does it have that sort of "slight" feeling to it. The Octane is my favorite pocket sized tool and the dainty-ness of it never bothered me - I feel that the Skeletool is WAY over-built for it's intended purpose and tool load.

Anyways, congrats on getting the Reactor! I can't wait to get one of my own. I looked at Academy Sports earlier this evening but they did not have it yet.

Tom Munch · **Reply #214 on:** February 20, 2016, 08:22:35 AM

I took apart the blade hinge and worked it a bit until I could get it to one-hand open. It's still pretty stuff, but it's useable now.

I also tried the bit driver. You have to squeeze the handles pretty tightly to keep the bit from spinning in the mount, and that's pretty uncomfortable and difficult when you have to change your grip to spin a screw.

Tom Munch · **Reply #215 on:** February 20, 2016, 08:25:56 AM

Quote from: rdub934 on February 20, 2016, 04:05:54 AM

Cool! Awesome pics comparing it to the Skeletool! I am a little bummed to hear that it disappoints you. How would you say it compares to a Gerber Octane? Not so much in size and weight, but in feel? Does it have that sort of "slight" feeling to it. The Octane is my favorite pocket sized tool and the dainty-ness of it never bothered me - I feel that the Skeletool is WAY over-built for it's intended purpose and tool load.

Anyways, congrats on getting the Reactor! I can't wait to get one of my own. I looked at Academy Sports earlier this evening but they did not have it yet.

I don't have an Octane to compare it to, so I can't comment on that.

I'd actually compare this more to a CRKT Zilla Tool and Zilla Junior for the feel of the tool overall and the lightness of the action and function.

Tom Munch · **Reply #216 on:** February 20, 2016, 04:15:04 PM

Actually I pulled out the Zilla and Junior. The Zilla is much more beefy, but the Junior actually feels quite a bit like the Reactor in fit and finish.

Additional tweaking on the Reactor included loosening the screw for the bottle opener so it could be pivoted. I'm surprised SOG doesn't have better Quality Control in their manufacturing.

Tom Munch · **Reply #217 on:** February 20, 2016, 04:16:25 PM

I also pulled out the Gerber Crucial for some comparison. It's more sturdy than the Reactor too.

balvenie · **Reply #218 on:** February 20, 2016, 08:00:07 PM

Now I'm curious about the quality of the powerplay.......

Tom Munch · **Reply #219 on:** February 20, 2016, 08:34:27 PM

The Powerplay looks like a much bigger tool in the video, so I doubt it shares many components with the Reactor. If you've seen the Powerduo you can see similar build quality to the Reactor.

Tom Munch · **Reply #220 on:** February 20, 2016, 08:38:43 PM

Wait, I watched it again, and I do see similar components.

Tom Munch · **Reply #221 on:** February 20, 2016, 08:40:46 PM

The Reactor is growing on me now that I have it set up right. I'll try to do a full review.

I fear I'm not giving it its due justice with my initial impressions. Mine just had some real problems out of the box.

Tom Munch · **Reply #222 on:** February 20, 2016, 08:54:07 PM

If you're familiar with the CRKT Carson M16 knife, the Reactor feels very similar to that too.

rdub934 · **Reply #223 on:** February 20, 2016, 09:19:40 PM

Quote from: Tom Munch on February 20, 2016, 08:54:07 PM

If you're familiar with the CRKT Carson M16 knife, the Reactor feels very similar to that too.

Okay. Now there is a good point of reference for me. The M16 is sturdy despite it's diminutive feel. I was really getting depressed about the Reactor until I saw this. Lol

Tom Munch · **Reply #224 on:** February 20, 2016, 09:59:42 PM

Quote from: rdub934 on February 20, 2016, 09:19:40 PM

Quote from: Tom Munch on February 20, 2016, 08:54:07 PM
If you're familiar with the CRKT Carson M16 knife, the Reactor feels very similar to that too.

Okay. Now there is a good point of reference for me. The M16 is sturdy despite it's diminutive feel. I was really getting depressed about the Reactor until I saw this. Lol

Good, that's why I added it.

Tom Munch · **Reply #225 on:** February 21, 2016, 01:37:51 AM

The little metal piece that holds the reversible bit in the end of the handle just broke off. I had bent it slightly in so that it could hold a different reversible bit that was more beefy. I glued a little ndyme magnet in there now.

Tom Munch · **Reply #226 on:** February 21, 2016, 01:39:22 AM

Tom Munch · **Reply #227 on:** February 21, 2016, 01:41:46 AM

Here's the original piece.

Padre · **Reply #228 on:** February 21, 2016, 02:09:20 AM

That piece of metal looks really weak. It should be more of an V shaped attached to both ends of that hole.

But I have to say that the tool looks really good still. Really good to me.

Tom Munch · **Reply #229 on:** February 21, 2016, 02:36:32 AM

The magnet is better in the long run anyway.

sLaughterMed · **Reply #230 on:** February 21, 2016, 03:43:30 AM

Quote from: Tom Munch on February 21, 2016, 02:36:32 AM

The magnet is better in the long run anyway.

Agreed, why they didnt go that route is beyond me.

Tom Munch · **Reply #231 on:** February 21, 2016, 04:05:42 AM

Especially since they have magnets to hold the bit in the driver section by the hinges.

balvenie · **Reply #232 on:** February 21, 2016, 11:14:08 AM

My idea was to buy a power play but now I'm a little bit disappointed.....the quality seems to be very low as the design $:-\$

Tom Munch · **Reply #233 on:** February 21, 2016, 05:56:16 PM

Quote from: balvenie on February 21, 2016, 11:14:08 AM

My idea was to buy a power play but now I'm a little bit disappointed.....the quality seems to be very low as the design $:-\$

I'd say go for it. I'd try it if it had a pocket clip.

Wanimator · **Reply #234 on:** February 21, 2016, 10:30:10 PM

Quote from: Tom Munch on February 20, 2016, 04:15:04 PM

...Additional tweaking on the Reactor included loosening the screw for the bottle opener so it could be pivoted. I'm surprised SOG doesn't have better Quality Control in their manufacturing.

Try the warranty dept. I don't want to trash SOG but maybe this is within their quality tolerances at the factory, hopefully it's a particularly sour lemon.

Tom Munch · **Reply #235 on:** February 22, 2016, 05:27:37 PM

Quote from: Wanimator on February 21, 2016, 10:30:10 PM

Quote from: Tom Munch on February 20, 2016, 04:15:04 PM
...Additional tweaking on the Reactor included loosening the screw for the bottle opener so it could be pivoted. I'm surprised SOG doesn't have better Quality Control in their manufacturing.

Try the warranty dept. I don't want to trash SOG but maybe this is within their quality tolerances at the factory, hopefully it's a particularly sour lemon.

I got it all working fine now. I've ordered another one to see if this one was just poorly set up.

Also ordered a Powerplay to see how it compares.

Kampfer · **Reply #236 on:** February 23, 2016, 09:22:51 PM

Got it today, I am not impressed.
The Reactor is small, at the same time feels very filmy. The blade lock is not only weak and thin, also it is difficult to fully engage .
Blade is not very comfortable to use, many hot spots, and liner lock is easily to accidentally disengage when squeezing the handle.
Pliers is awkward to use, and NOT more comfortable than the exposed sheet metal handles of PPP.
Bit retention in handle is weak, I can see the bit would be lost down the road. To use the driver, you must squzze the handles together as hard as you can or the bit will just end up spinning instead of driving the screw.

While the Reactor looks good on paper, after a few minutes in hand it turned me off.