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REVIEW

Please note that this review is one person's opinion and is meant simply to provide information and a viewpoint to the reader and is not meant as an endorsement of the product by the KnifeCenter.

SOG POWERLOCK MULTITOOL

By Peter Ervin,

I own or have used just about every multi tool on the market and each one seems to fall down in some area, whether it be bad tool selection, lack of strength or design problems. The latest multi tool on the market is the SOGPowerLock and it addresses nearly all of my concerns with previous offerings. It has the strength that SOG multi tools have displayed in the past, with some innovative and welcome improvements on previous models.

The first thing I noticed was the heft and finish on the PowerLock. It is one solid tool, around the same weight as the Swisstool, and the finish is more polished than before. The pliers are of true needle nose design, not quite as thin as the Leatherman tools, but probably capable of stronger use. They are very well finished and the grip contours don't seem to wear and dent like some other tools do when gripping hard materials. They have the same gear driven compound leverage system as previous SOG tools which I have come to like.

The PowerLock has an impressive selection of tools, all of which lock in plane and are easily unlocked by pressing a strong, flat, steel spring in the back of the handles. The phillips head screwdriver locks in 2 places a 90 and 180 degrees for added convenience. This feature would also be welcome on the other screwdrivers as well.

The list of tools/features include needlenose pliers, wire cutters, a good crimper, 3 flathead screwdrivers, phillips head, scissors, 50/50 plain serrated blade, fine/course file, wood/bone saw, bottle/can opener, and inbuilt 1/4 inch socket drive for all 1/4 inch sockets and with the additional adapter, all 1/4 inch hex drive bits! All this adds up to a very useful multi tool.

This is the first tool to my knowledge with a 1/4 inch socket drive actually a part of the tool, no bulky adapter is needed unless you want to use 1/4 inch hex drive bits and then the adapter is similar in size to the Gerber version. The scissors are also another first for a SOG tool and they seem to be just as good as any others on the market. The flat head screwdrivers are all squared off and finished nicely as is the phillips head.

The file, saw and blade are the same as those offered on the Power Plier. The blade still has the chisel ground edge which may not be to everyone's liking but I always carry a one-handed opening folder in my pocket so the blades in my multi tools don't see much use. The handles are slightly longer than the Power Plier and have an inch/cm ruler and a lanyard hole. The steel in the handles are of a thicker gauge than the Leatherman tools, not by much , but the difference is notable and hence the PowerLock feels stronger than its rivals to me.

Everything is held together with 1/4 inch nuts which means this tool is totally user-friendly, you can pull it apart, clean it, rearrange the tools with ease, ,no more weird screws that only the manufacturer can undo. A definite plus! The PowerLock also comes with 2 steel removable handle covers that clip into the handle to make them more comfortable. I've never had a problem with any tool digging into my hands so I took the covers off mine, they tend to get in the way when accessing the tools.

The sheath supplied is made out of a soft rubber, similar to wet suit material and is closed with a snap button. I prefer to use the sheath offered by the Knife Center instead. It is made by Timberline and has a thinner profile the SOG sheath.

All in all the PowerLock is a very strong, well finished, and very well thought out. SOG have addressed the problems with their previous tools and have come up with a design that can be used hard without fear of breaking/bending. Combine that with a great selection of tools and innovative features and you have a multi tool that my be the best on the market.

Peter Ervin

Please note that this review is one person's opinion and is meant simply to provide information and a viewpoint to the reader and is not meant as an endorsement of the product by the KnifeCenter.

See the KnifeCenter's Index of Other Knife Reviews

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