Powerassist

[Medic82]

I have had the Powerassist for a couple of weeks now and I have some mixed feelings when it comes to the flagship of the multi tool department at SOG Knives. I will try and dispense my feelings and experience with you and hope that someone will find this useful.

My first impression when I got it out of the box was that this is truly a high quality multi tool that is built with precision, every part of the tool opens and closes smoothly with no play on the tools or the plierhead. The knives snap out really quick thanks to the SOG Assisted Technology and the compound leverage technology gives you the most powerful pliers in the multi tool industry.





Let’s start with looking at the one thing that makes this a really special multi tool from SOG. The first thing (OK it’s really 2 things) is that it have outside opening blades, nothing really special about that since the other big companies have done that for years but this is the first multi tool from SOG that have this function. The second thing is the SOG Assisted Opening Technology, now this is something really special in the MT industry and will give you something to play with, much to the frustration of the significant other that can’t see the coolness of a MT with S.A.T.

How does S.A.T work? Here is how SOG explains it on their web page
“SOG Assisted Technology works through the balance of opposing high-tension coil springs. As one opens the blade the force to propel the knife open becomes greater than the closing force and the blade will open on its own. The end result propels the blade out once the operator has initiated the one-handed opening action.

S.A.T. works so well that right-handers can use their left hand equally well to open a folding knife (of course this works oppositely for lefties)”

The downside to having S.A.T is that the box housing the mechanics takes up the same space as 3 tools and you have major sideways play on the blades, on my Powerassist it was as much as 3 mm. Also one thing that I don’t like about having assisted blade opening is the locking mechanism and that’s you will most surely need to use 2 hands when closing the blade. Yes you can close the blade using one hand but not as easy as a Leatherman with outside opening blades. If you need Assisted Opening knives on a MT is up to you but it’s sure one nifty little feature and fun to play with.

<sub>The box that houses the S.A.T


Me comparing the outside opening blades on the Powerassist and the Surge</sub>


The pliers on the Powerassist and all the other multitools in the Power series from SOG are some of the most powerful pliers in the industry thanks to SOG’s compound leverage technology. What that means is that the hand pressure you use will generate twice the wire cutting and gripping power than a multitool without the compound leverage. The pliers on the Powerassist are from the Powerlock 2.0 series, they are more needle nose than the previous version plierhead and they have a big cutting section that is 1 cm long while the old design had just 5 mm. In my humbled opinion SOG have THE best pliers in the industry.

Also taken from the Powerlock 2.0 series is the locking mechanism. The piano locks have cured the clumping issue that SOG have had with the older Powerlocks, this have been achieved by giving every single implement an independent lock if you can call it that, while on the older Powerlocks you just had one big lever for all the tools. Some prefer the piano locks and no clumping while some like the old system with clumping. I myself am a clumping man and prefer the old version.

The piano locks




_{The old style looking mechanism and piano locks}


The tools on the Powerassist are standard from SOG and can be found on their other multitools. On my Powerassist I got the SOG v-cutter, combo can opener/small screwdriver, large flathead screwdriver that also can be used as a pry bar, nr 1 Philips screwdriver that almost everyone would like to be a nr 2, combo bottle opener/medium flathead screwdriver and a file. The genius thing about multitools from SOG is that if you are not happy with the tool lineup then you can buy the parts you want from SOG and swap it out and arrange it as you please. This also means that multitools from SOG are some of the easiest to clean.





To sum it up the Powerassist is a quality multitool like all the other tools from SOG and if you are looking into getting a multitool from SOG the Powerassist is not a bad choice but you got to ask yourself if losing 3 tools is worth having 2 assisted opening knife blades or not. If you like the Powerassist but really don’t need the assisted opening blades then perhaps the Powerlock 2.0 will be the choice for you.

[MultiMat]

Mediman how does the PowerAssist compare with the Powerlock in regards to ease of use when using the pliers. I found the PowerAssist is a bit of a handful for my average sized hands when using the pliers . The thing is a beast when cutting wirer though 

I holey agree with you on the quality of the SOG PA, but I think the assisted open is more novelty than function  . Does not stop it being very cool though 

Nice write up mate 

[Chako]

I agree with everything you have said other than that this is their flagship line. I just don't see it as their top MT. Not sure why, but I have always assumed that the PowerAssist and the PowerLock are equal in SOGs lineup.

Great review! 

[Medic82]

Mediman how does the PowerAssist compare with the Powerlock in regards to ease of use when using the pliers. I found the PowerAssist is a bit of a handful for my average sized hands when using the pliers . The thing is a beast when cutting wirer though  

I holey agree with you on the quality of the SOG PA, but I think the assisted open is more novelty than function  . Does not stop it being very cool though  

Nice write up mate  

Thanks Mat.

It’s baiscly a PL 2.0 with assisted blades so if you have a PL then you aren’t missing out on much

I do believe that the Powerassist is just a stepping stone for something much greater from SOG

I agree with everything you have said other than that this is their flagship line. I just don't see it as their top MT. Not sure why, but I have always assumed that the PowerAssist and the PowerLock are equal in SOGs lineup.

Great review! 

Thanks Chako
I don’t believe that the Powerassist is their flagship either

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Fine review that mate

[jekostas]

Nice review and and interesting tool.

SOG really doesn't do "finesse" on their MTs, do they?

[Kmarr]

I liked the pretty pictures and nice angles

TBH I didn't read the review.....yet   I'm on a time crunch but I'll read it in the next few days

[DaveK]

Nice write up Medic

Does your main blade have any side-to-side play in it?

[Medic82]

Does your main blade have any side-to-side play in it?

A total of 4 mm play in them, not 3 mm as I said earlier.

[jekostas]

Does your main blade have any side-to-side play in it?

A total of 4 mm play in them, not 3 mm as I said earlier.

Wow, that would be a major deal-killer for me...

[Medic82]

Does your main blade have any side-to-side play in it?

A total of 4 mm play in them, not 3 mm as I said earlier.

Wow, that would be a major deal-killer for me...

It's not 4 mm each way, but 4 mm from way left to way right. But there is a lot of play in the PE blade, on the serrated blade there is almost no play at all, bearly 1 mm.

[jekostas]

It's not 4 mm each way, but 4 mm from way left to way right. But there is a lot of play in the PE blade, on the serrated blade there is almost no play at all, bearly 1 mm.

I understand that the play is likely because of the assist tech and that having assisted opening is undeniably cool, but it's still kind of a tough pill to swallow when paying for a $100 MT.

[DaveK]

Does your main blade have any side-to-side play in it?

A total of 4 mm play in them, not 3 mm as I said earlier.

Wow, that would be a major deal-killer for me...

It's not 4 mm each way, but 4 mm from way left to way right. But there is a lot of play in the PE blade, on the serrated blade there is almost no play at all, bearly 1 mm.

That's pretty much what I'm getting. You can tighten it so that the play disappears - but then the assisted opening barely works. I've always wondered if it was just mine, but maybe not

[Kmarr]

I think its cool that they pioneered the assisted-opening MT but they should make a model without assisted opening and perhaps make use of the middle space.  Like a wave design with outside blades and inside tools?   or all outside opening? Or one handle outside opening for most used tools and one inside?    

just thinking out loud

[Benner]

Nice review pal. 

[Dunc]

Very good review    Guess who's just pulled the trigger on one 

Dunc

[ryan1835]

errr tony?
 

[Medic82]

Very good review    Guess who's just pulled the trigger on one 

Dunc

I guess that it's YOU. Can't wait to hear what you think of it!

[FrankenPC]

Nice review!

I LOVE the compound leverage.  But, frankly, you will have to pry my Kershaw AO Leek from my cold dead hands.  So, I'm really not interested in this specific SOG solution.  Also, the play is ridiculous.  Kershaw has no play whatsoever.

Kershaw Leep 1660CB: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rlz=1C1AVSW_enUS379US379&q=Kershaw+Leek&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=7017634408670754100&ei=8Ny0TOW7GoOgsQO81uyOCA&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD8Q8wIwBA#

[sawman]

Nice review!

I LOVE the compound leverage.  But, frankly, you will have to pry my Kershaw AO Leek from my cold dead hands.  So, I'm really not interested in this specific SOG solution.  Also, the play is ridiculous.  Kershaw has no play whatsoever.

Kershaw Leep 1660CB: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rlz=1C1AVSW_enUS379US379&q=Kershaw+Leek&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=7017634408670754100&ei=8Ny0TOW7GoOgsQO81uyOCA&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD8Q8wIwBA#

[soapboxpreacher]

I did a review a while back on several MT and added the Sog PowerAssist to it, it was really a mixed bag.  The leverage design is a love hate for me, for it adds a ton for grip strength but the handle requires it to be open so much that it is almost impossible to get your hand around it.  Check out more here:

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,18823.msg358773.html#msg358773

Sorry no pictures I had several on my Pre before my son thought it was a good Idea to see if it floats in the toilet...oh boy!

[J-sews]

I did a review a while back on several MT and added the Sog PowerAssist to it, it was really a mixed bag.  The leverage design is a love hate for me, for it adds a ton for grip strength but the handle requires it to be open so much that it is almost impossible to get your hand around it.  Check out more here:

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,18823.msg358773.html#msg358773

Sorry no pictures I had several on my Pre before my son thought it was a good Idea to see if it floats in the toilet...oh boy!

That's the biggest issue with SOG's alright.

[ryan1835]

Can't wait for mine to arrive!

[sawman]

The power assist is an addictive multitool and if you do have any significant blade play be careful tightening it too much or it may not open at all.  I got lucky with mine as it has a nice fairly solid lockup