The Takeaway: It might not look like anything special, but the Twitch II fits the mold of a great pocket knife.
- 2.7-inch stainless steel blade excels at a wide range of tasks
- Spring-assisted mechanism speeds deployment
- Secure, user-friendly locking mechanism
Price: $44.99
As a kid, I was constantly bugging—er, asking—my dad for his knife when I needed to open boxes and packages, cut ribbons off of gift boxes, or whatever other odd job required something sharp. He’s been a life-long knife carrier (well, at least my whole life), so I knew he would always deliver. Somewhere along the line, I inherited a Swiss Army knife, but as I couldn’t exactly bring that to school, the EDC habit didn’t stick.
These days, having a knife handy is essential whether I’m on or off the clock. If I’m not using it to open packages for work, I’ve got it with me for whatever tasks I encounter while hiking and camping. Most of the time a pocket knife does the trick, and the most impressive one I’ve tested is SOG’s Twitch II. It’s not flashy, and there are other knives out there that weigh less or are made with steel that holds an edge for longer. But it’s a nice size, sharp, and easy to operate.
Manufacturers have a lot of decisions to make concerning a blade’s design, and chief among is which type of steel to employ. (Here, SOG opts for Japanese-made AUS-8 stainless.) But a choice that receives much less scrutiny is length. A blade too small limits a knife’s utility, but one too large makes it cumbersome to tote around. The Twitch’s blade measures 2.65 inches; by my estimate, it’s right in the sweet spot. It can handle cutting into thick plastic packaging or deconstructing several cardboard boxes in one sitting, but when it’s on my waistband or in my pocket, I tend to forget the sub-3-ounce knife is there.
By choosing stainless steel over a premium high carbon metal, SOG keeps the price in check and reduces the amount of maintenance required to keep the Twitch in working order. It has a higher threshold for rust and corrosion—a good thing if you’re frequently using it with food or near the water—though you’ll need to sharpen it fairly regularly. I got a good two months of moderate use in before needing to touch up the edge, which gets razor sharp. Combined with its full flat grind, the knife made even, smooth cuts under relatively little pressure. And when I did need to lay in, the smooth aluminum handle was comfortable in hand and just big enough for my grip. (If you’ve got larger hands, you might consider the Twitch XL, which is slightly bigger in its dimensions.)
SOG Twitch II Specifications
Weight: 2.6 oz
Closed Length: 3.55 in.
Blade Length: 2.65 in.
Blade Thickness: 0.1 in.
Blade Steel: AUS-8
Blade Style: Plain drop-point
Handle Material: Aluminum
Locking Mechanism: Lockback
There are a few ways to open the Twitch. The substantial kick on the end of the tang has a series of grooves that lent nice purchase. Pushing down engaged a coil spring mechanism, so the blade flicked out from the aluminum handle rapidly. (If you don’t use enough force, you might have to give the blade a small tug upward before it clicks firmly into place.) There are also two large thumb studs—a nice ambidextrous touch—but they were positioned a little too close to the handle for comfortable use. SOG installs a sliding lock on the handle for extra assurance that the blade won’t deploy accidentally. It was so small I found myself forgetting I had engaged it more than once.
A lockback keeps the blade fully extended and allowed for easier closures. Pushing down on part of the handle’s spine to close the knife was faster and felt safer than fiddling with a liner or frame lock that leaves fingers more exposed. The downside is that a lockback could eventually wear out, causing the tang to wiggle when extended. But SOG backs all its knives with a lifetime warranty, so should you have a problem, there’s an easy fix (even if you end up having to cover some of the cost).
If you’re not a fan of the standard gray aluminum handle, SOG makes a sleek-looking black Twitch (the black handle is paired with a dark titanium nitride coating on the blade) or a more traditional version with a rosewood handle. And plenty of retailers still carry limited edition models: choose from green aluminum, coral aluminum, or brass handles. Its performance, more than its looks, have earned the Twitch many fans over the years, but its understated appearance wasn’t too plain to catch my dad’s eye. Now he’s the one asking to borrow a knife all the time. I guess I owe him a few thousand favors there.
Pros
- Great for slicing and cutting
- Fast blade deployment
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Blade dulls faster than some
Adrienne Donica tested hiking, camping, and other adventure gear as Popular Mechanics' outdoors editor, before going on to edit gear reviews for Popular Mechanics, Runner's World, and Bicycling as Expert Reviews editor. Find her on the trail, working on her latest cocktail project, or eating mint chocolate chip ice cream.
