SOGFolding Knife SlimJim Slim Pocket Knife

The knife is all and very light weight. It is sharp. Easy to use.

I've purchased a couple of these... gifts etc. Very sharp from the box, AUS-8 steel takes a razor edge, it's easy to sharpen and holds the edge reasonably well. You'll want to remove the annoying, sliding lock on the back; it's just a piece of thin, bent metal and will pry off easily.It's designed to be a very thin, comfortable carry. Because of that, the ergonomics aren't such that it will be comfortable to use for long periods of time. It's a knife, not a pry bar and if you use it for that, you'll probably damage the edge or break it. AUS-8 steel is Japanese stainless, comparable to 440C... not tool steel.Like any metal object with moving parts, you'll need to oil and adjust it occasionally. I prefer the clip on it to Spyderco etc., because I've never had one break off.Like any knife, you'll need to sharpen it. The best sharpener I've ever found is the Lansky 5-stone kit.http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451657251&sr=8-2&keywords=knife+sharpeners+lanskyIt's manual, offers 4 different bevel angles and 5 stones and leaves a very clean, defined edge.If you own a knife, learn how to take care of it.

First off, I generally like SOG knives, especially for diving.I have owned the XL version of the SlimJim for a while and used it as essentially an EDC for really casual days where I just did not want a heavy blade. I misplaced the XL, possibly lost it, so I decided to try the shorter SlimJim version.The blade is very sharp, as is the point. It is small and light, so take that as you will. It is great for opening packages or making simple cuts.Here is the problem. because of the configuration of the clip and blade, the point of the knife while folded is pointing out of your pocket when not in use and clipped into your pants. But the tolerances of this knife are such that even with the lock activated, the point of the blade can release from the handle so essentially you have a near-razor sharp blade about 1/32 of an inch just sitting there waiting for you to put your hand in your pocket and you are sliced.Take a look at the photos.I'm a paramedic, I actually intended to use this knife as my left hand pocket knife (I'm right handed and keep a more substantial blade clipped to my right hand pocket). Sometimes I just can't get to my primary knife and need one on my non-dominant side. That was the idea. Sadly, this is not really a good idea because pretty much the first time I used the SOG SlimJim for this purpose I would up slashing my finger.For me that is a huge issue. Slash my finger means I slash my PPE glove, not not to mention both blood contamination and opening myself up to a potentially lethal infection.I considered returning this knife, but I will probably keep it to use as a pocket knife, not utilizing the clip, for extremely casual situations, such as wearing a bathing suit.It will also be a great letter opener I'm sure.Jeff

This knife should be the perfect EDC knife. It's very thin and light, goes completely unnoticed in you pocket, both by you and people around you (seriously, I carry it in the front pocket of dress pants and it simply vanishes, thanks to the dark finish, slim profile and perfect deep-pocket clip, no bulge, no pocket sagging), it is very solid when opened and locked, has a nice grip and it is razor sharp, more than enough for our ubanite EDC needs.The only thing that keeps the SlimJim from being the definitive EDC knife is it's assisted opening mechanism. It just DOES NOT WORK, period. When thumb-opening, the blade simply won't lock and will even bounce back, putting your fingers in danger if you are not careful, and the safety lock sometimes slides down to the locked position when inside your pocket, like others have mentioned in their reviews, which can be extremelly annoying when you pull it out and try to deploy the blade.That being said, I have developed a technique to use this knife properly. As I pull it from my pocket, I slide my thumb up the frame to pull the safety tab up in case it had slid down and I use my index finger to deploy the blade, instead of my thumb. The action even fells softer and smoother this way (it takes just a flick of the index finger) and the blade locks correctly 100% of times (so far anyway...).This is my go-to EDC knife for it's amazing portability and now I can use it properly, but I feel shouldn't have to figure out a specific technique to make it work as intended, therefore it looses one star. If SOG ditches the assisted opening mechanism and turns this knife into a manual blade, it will be the perfect EDC knife. Until then, if you want the portability (which, again, is really amazing), you'll have to get used to it's bugs.

Over all, I'm very happy with this knife. It came super sharp and has maintained it's edge well so far. At first, I was not that happy with the opening mechanism. Pushing on the post with just your thumb will not get the blade to open all the way. You have to push with both thumb and a finger in the other side.