Try searching “original issue sog knife”.
The two copied & pasted posts below are from HERE . Interesting reading I thought……
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SOG is the term given to them by collectors as this is who used them the most.Men attached to Special Operations Group or as it was also known as Special Observation Group earlier in the War.A friend of mine who carried one of these called it a “throw away”knife.This being if you lost it or threw it away it wasnt like loosing your Randall.Most of the issue ones were sterile for the purpose of not being traceable back to the US Forces on missions across the fence.If memory serves me correctly Ben Baker is the one credited for development and early procurement of these knives through the CISO program.There is various models and styles but they all have similiar style hand guards,leather grips,black or white spacers in the grip,and similiar blade grinds. The two main model differances are shown above.The first type having a longer,narrower blade which I think is an earlier model( or have been told)then the second style with the shorter wider blade.With in this series you will encounter variations in blade finninsh(blue or plum),variations in cross guard thickness(narrow and fat…fat guard)also the material varied in guard and pommel construction materials.These being brass,alumium,or steel.These second types are often the ones seen and used for presentation pieces.The knifes as far as I know were produced by a firm in Japan.There also exsists another style that is referred to as a Marine Recon.Same basic handle configuration but with a broader more bellied blade and it has a blood groove on each side of the blade of the ones I have seen.
There has been several articles done on these knives and books too.Frank Trzaska has done arcticles on them as well as Mike Siveys book and Tom Clinton put out a book on the Special Forces knives.
Im sure there are other forum members who can give you a better run down on the SOG knives.I hope this helps.Take care,
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Hi guys.
I will try to help throw some more light on the SOG knives allong with Doyler. http://www.usmilitar…tyle_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif
The SOG knives were made and issued to SOGs (Studies and Observation Group) clandestine and cross-border
recon teams (RT) and Spike teams (ST) for their across the fence missions.
The knives were made by CISO (counterinsurgency support office) stationed at Okinawa.
Founder of the knife was Conrad Ben Baker.
The longer model was the SOG 7” Recon and the shorter more common one is 6” SOG Bowie.
The 7” RECON, had made total of 1,308 knives.
The 6” SOG “Bowie” was made by many different makers and that is one of the reasons to why the guards, spine patterns, ricassos, etc., can be different from knife to knife.
The hilt and pommel can be of aluminum, iron and brass that is the mainly used material.(if I´v been told right)
The 6” SOG comes in 3 type of blades.
The blade was dark blued but some knives can be seen with the unique plum colored oxidation, and came about because the dark blueing attained by some makers required a longer, hotter dip, which ruines blade temper.
Plum-colored blades were coincidental to manufacturer. Some knives were allso chromed and used for presentation.
There are 4 different type of leather sheaths.
In 1966 SOG ordered 1,200 sterile SOG knives.
In 1967 another 3,700 sterile SOG knives was ordered (numbered 1-3700).
1967 the 5th Special Forces Mess Association ordered 1,700 knives for presentation.
These were dilivered with Dark blued or Plum colored blade and engraves/etched with SF crest and wording,
5th SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (Abn) VIETNAM.
In 1972 50 SOG knives were ordered and sent to Joint Casualty Resolution Center in Thailand.
There allso exist a SCUBA/DEMO model knife, and there were 39 made.
Books and article about the SOG knife and photos an be found in:
-KNIVES OF THE U.S. SPECIAL FORCES, by Tom Clinton.
-KNIVES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY IN VIETNAM, by Mike Silvey.
-UNITED STATES MILITARY COLLECTORS GUIDE, by Gary Boyd and Mike Silvey.
-SPECIAL FORCES OF THE U.S. ARMY, by Ian Sutherland.
-MACV STUDIES AND OBSERVATION GROUP, Volume IV, by Harve Saal.
-in FIGHTING KNIVES Fall 1991, article by, Ben Baker.
I hope that there will be shown more SOG knives in this thread. http://www.usmilitar…tyle_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif
Best regards,
Martin
(Im allways interested in buying SOG knives, mint, used or abused all of interest)