“We wanted to take an unconventional approach to the multitool,” says SOG project manager Ian Cobb on the label’s brand new Baton series, a multitool designed for everyday use.
Comprising of four different models, each tactical tool looks the part of a contemporary fountain pen. All but one — the Q1 — carry a three-inch blade that retains its edge. “We’ve already had people cut themselves on it,” says Cobb.
Others have LED lights and the Q4 comes with a ten-bit accessory set so you can change the heads on its screwdriver. Pocket-sized and capable of sliding into the dedicated pen section in your bag, the Q2 and Q3 are the office-worker’s everyday carry tool.
For the uninitiated, SOG started in the ’80s with a bowie knife based off of the one used by special ops teams during the Vietnam War. The knife was so well received by customers and the military that it helped the company build an entire business predicated on tactical field knives.
The Navy SEALs still use SOG knives, and SOG actually won a contest to receive the military contract. “It was an open contest to any knife maker testing durability and a variety of other categories, with the winner being granted authorization and approval from the SEALs,” says Cobb.
What makes the Baton series so radical is the form factor. Gone is the bulky multitool design of yesterday (think some SOGs, also Leatherman). Instead, you’ve got a discreet vertical design that’s still built to Navy SEAL standards.
And hey, if it works for them, it’ll probably save you in a pinch, too.
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
