SOG Fusion Throwing Knives (review)

Are SOG throwing knives worth the money?

Yes and no. If you’re a serious knife collector, then yes, absolutely, go ahead and buy the SOG Fusion throwing knives.  But if you’re a serious knife thrower, then no…these knives kinda suck.

I mean, they’re balanced just fine, and they look great.  Very unique design.  So if you love how they look, then go ahead and buy a set.  And who knows?  If you DON’T throw them, they might be worth a fortune one day?  Why?  Read on…

But their unique look – particularly the handle – is actually their weakness.  Literally.  The “S-O-G” cut out of the handle weakens the knife’s structural integrity and leads to the handle snapping in half.

SOG throwing knives are not built strong enough to survive thousands of throws.  If you throw every day against wood targets, you’ll be lucky to get through the first month without one of them breaking.

The S.O.G.P.O.S. Lifetime Warranty

So what happens if your throwing knife breaks when you throw it?  Don’t all SOG knives come with a lifetime warranty?

Yes, they do.  But don’t forget to read the fine print.

Here’s an excerpt from the SOG website’s warranty page:

This guarantee is voided (as determined by SOG) by misuse, abuse, improper maintenance, or alterations of the product and does not cover any normal wear or tear that might occur. Using your SOG folding blade or fixed blade knife for any purpose other than cutting or puncturing is considered abuse and may void your warranty.

What did you notice there?  If you use your knife for “any purpose other than cutting or puncturing,” they can void your warranty.  That means they can theoretically void your warranty on your throwing knife if it breaks from you throwing it.  Sounds kinda shitty, doesn’t it?

Here’s another excerpt, this time listing what SOG’s warranty will NOT cover:

• rusted/spotted/stained blades or handles (coated or not)
• broken or bent knife tips
• dull/chipped knife blades
• scratched blade/tool coatings

Hell, that list describes the way just about every throwing knife I’ve ever owned looks like within 24 hours of me taking it out of the box.  Some knives even look spotted/scratched right out of the box, so what SOG is saying is that they reserve the right to void your warranty for practically any reason.  If they sell you a crappy throwing knife that breaks on the first day, they don’t have to do anything about it.

For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend buying directly from SOG.  As you know, I buy most of my commercial blades from Amazon; one reason for that is their return policy, and their drastically lower prices is the other reason.  If you get a throwing knife on Amazon and it breaks, you can return it within 30 days for a refund.  SOG may or may not refund or replace your throwing knives (it’s at their discretion), and at almost $60 per set (SOG’s prices) plus shipping, that’s a gamble I’m not willing to take.

So if you’re going to buy them, don’t get them direct from SOG.  Go through Amazon or some other trusted retailer that offers a good return policy.  Beware of cheap knockoffs on eBay, though.  It’s true that SOG knives are now manufactured in China (and Taiwan and Japan), but their genuine knives are assembled and shipped from the USA.  So if a seller is shipping from Asia, it’s almost guaranteed to be a counterfeit.

Why Knife Collectors SHOULD Buy SOG Throwing Knives

So why would a knife collector or knife enthusiast buy them? Well, first of all…if you just like how they look, then why not buy them? For every single knife I ever bought, aesthetics was part of my decision. So go buy it if you like it.

But for collector’s value, I think that the SOG knives could end up being a worthwhile purchase because as the years go by, it’s going to be PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE to find SOG throwers that are still intact! If you buy a set, keep them in mint condition and never throw them, you’ll have a rare collectible on your hands.

So What Throwing Knives SHOULD You Buy, Then?

For large knives, Cold Steel throwers are currently my favorites.  If you prefer smaller knives, then maybe Flying Steel…