upcoming new SOG Multitool Spring 2022: Flash MT

[Demel]

The Flash arrived yesterday. I'm going to carry it for awhile to really "review" it. But my initial impressions are somewhat confusing. Based on the pictures it's in a similar weight, size and thickness of the power access and the skeletool. The pliers do rub a little when opening or closing the tool, which isn't great. It's bigger than the reactor and fills the hand better.

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[bobartig]

The more I see about the SOG flash, the less I like it. The handle design is confusing and that really narrow small handle has me worried about durability. It probably operates comfortably due to the gear assisted pliers, but I'd be worried about breaking it. The assisted blade in a multitool seems like the wrong place to be trying to add value. What user pain point did they think they were addressing here? It *would* be faster to deploy than a LM tool due to the assist but *whoops* there's a fiddly safety here. Which you *need* because it's assisted. 

The plastic and foam parts for bit retention - *hard pass*. That's going to break first and the bits will be lost forever.

All that said, this tool is hitting that size sweetspot of the LM Juice series. And, since LM refuses to make a tool in that size range again, if SOG is into that space, they deserve to reap whatever marketshare is being underserved there.

[GearedForwards]

The more I see about the SOG flash, the less I like it. The handle design is confusing and that really narrow small handle has me worried about durability. It probably operates comfortably due to the gear assisted pliers, but I'd be worried about breaking it. The assisted blade in a multitool seems like the wrong place to be trying to add value. What user pain point did they think they were addressing here? It *would* be faster to deploy than a LM tool due to the assist but *whoops* there's a fiddly safety here. Which you *need* because it's assisted. 

You're looking at this from the wrong perspective.

This isn't SOG setting out to make a multitool from the ground up to please fans, it's them making a multitool out of one of their best-selling knife models, that is iconic for being assisted.

If they made it the same but without the assist, it just wouldn't be a Flash.

[Demel]

You're looking at this from the wrong perspective.

This isn't SOG setting out to make a multitool from the ground up to please fans, it's them making a multitool out of one of their best-selling knife models, that is iconic for being assisted.

If they made it the same but without the assist, it just wouldn't be a Flash.

I agree with the assist being unnecessary, but in practice it's been fine so far. It's my only assisted tool so I obviously prefer manual.

As far as the handle goes this is a very light use multi-tool. So I would not be expecting to cut fence wire with this thing, but simple pliers for when you need something around the office.


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[ElevenBlade]

The more I see about the SOG flash, the less I like it. The handle design is confusing and that really narrow small handle has me worried about durability. It probably operates comfortably due to the gear assisted pliers, but I'd be worried about breaking it. The assisted blade in a multitool seems like the wrong place to be trying to add value. What user pain point did they think they were addressing here? It *would* be faster to deploy than a LM tool due to the assist but *whoops* there's a fiddly safety here. Which you *need* because it's assisted. 

The plastic and foam parts for bit retention - *hard pass*. That's going to break first and the bits will be lost forever.

All that said, this tool is hitting that size sweetspot of the LM Juice series. And, since LM refuses to make a tool in that size range again, if SOG is into that space, they deserve to reap whatever marketshare is being underserved there.

The assisted opening addresses the issue of washers vs ball bearings in a knife that has a liner lock.  Since each of these has their upsides and downsides when it comes to environment (durability in grit and grime, for example), the assisted opening alleviates the need for the designers to choose one or the other and still have the knife opening in a flash in most cases.  When they have an assisted opening, it really doesnt matter how they construct the pivot.  It's supposedly why SOG uses assisted opening in so many of their knives - it's so that they always open in a flash even when they are dirty.  Then theres the Flash. 

[Alan K.]

I appreciate innovation as much as anybody but SOG is not showing me the new and improved that I'm looking for.  I know they're going for knife users who only might occasionally need pliers and drivers, but the PowerDuo I bought years ago still seems the better option over its replacements, the Reactor and now the FlashMT.  The PowerDuo is essentially a Vic Adventurer without the awl, but with SOG's geared pliers added. What could be bad about that? It wasn't a great seller, and had problems with the scales cracking, so it was discontinued but I like it sitting on my desk where I use it or fiddle with it all the time and I wish SOG would fix the scales and bring it back. The fit and function from 10 years ago are excellent and every SOG back then came scary sharp.  I don't know what happened to them.

[NetsNJ]

re: the discussion on assisted opening.  I have a reactor and it's downright dangerous.  The lock is super easy to disengage.  It goes "in" rather than "out" to unlock if that makes sense, so you can accidentally unlock it just by reaching into your pocket.  I've had the reactor fly open just by dropping it.  I would never carry it and I hope the lock is better on this one.

I am totally perplexed by the move to 4mm rather than standard bits.  What a pita.