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Thread: Sosby Blades Cub-EDC Defensive Blade

  1. #1
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    Sosby Blades Cub-EDC Defensive Blade

    For those of you not aware, Instagram is a dangerous dangerous place to lurk if you are a fan of custom built blades and all kinds of other sneaky implements. I recently purchased a production knife from maker MilMak out of Phoenix, AZ. I discovered his products through posts on Instagram and was imediately interested. I received my production blade from MilMak and made some comments in a related PF thread seen here: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ed-blade/page3

    I ended up reluctantly selling the the MilMak blade due to the handle being too small for my hands. During the process of selling the blade I discovered another previously unknown to me maker, Sosby Blades, through Instagram. Sosby Blades out of Georgia manufacturers some pretty amazing blades that are well thought out and very reasonably priced. They are made in small batches and sell out fast. The best way to find out when they may be available is to follow them through Instagram and get on their email update list.

    Sosby offers a G10 NPE blade as well as low profile reverse edge P'Kal tyoe blade. However the blade that really drew my interest is the Cub. The Cub is a low profile EDC type blade designed with defensive use in mind. The Cub is made from AEBL steel and features a "Jap Wrap" style handle. The blade is 3.25" long and the overall knife is right around 7". The knife comes with a black Kydex sheath and a Discreet Carry Concepts 1.5" clip. A steel trainer version of the blade is also available with a blue wrapped handle. The blade on the trainer is also approximately 1/2" shorter than the live edge on the cub. This is a trait common with Sayoc/Kali blades and purpose built trainers.
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    The thing that really attracted me to this blade is the larger handle design. I have extremely large hands (XXL) and big fat fingers. I have struggled in the past with finding low profile EDC type blades that fill the hand and allow a consistent, repeatable, grip in any position. This issue lead me to sell my previously mentioned MilMak blade as well as a Watson Magni. The Cub has a larger and wider handle that provides a solid purchase for even my big mits. It almost reminds me of a coffin style handle on a Bowie knife. The wide handle along with the "Jap-Wrap" really work well for me. I am able to get my entire hand on the handle without worrying about going past the choil and can easily place my thumb on the pommel as an assist if needed.
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    For reference, the Joe Watson HiTS collaboration knife has been my gold standard and the knife that I measure all others up against. I love the Ti HiTS for it's corrosion resistance and light weight and it pretty much lives in my vest at work, however the cub is a more traditional profile and material blade that I think will excel as an EDC knife and also a defensive option. Here are a few photos comparing how the HiTS fits in my hand as well as a bit of a size comparison.
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    The blade on the Cub has a thicker spine that tapers down to a spearpoint style tip that looks like it will penetrate exceptionally well. There is also a curved cutout along the spine that will fit the thumb well for doing a power assisted cut that I see a lot of bushcrafters do. The finish is more a subdued dark grey but I am unsure what the actual finishing process is. It did pick up kydex rubs and marks so time will tell if it holds. I am not particularly worried.
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    I am having a hard time coming up with negatives on this blade. Although I have not had it very long, I am a big fan of the Cub. Two minor criticisms would be that the steel trainer does not fit the Cub sheath and the retention is a little too passive on the live blade while in the sheath. I can fix the retention if I I decide its necessary and the trainer not fitting the provided sheath is not a deal breaker to me.

    If you are into purpose built, EDC/Defensive, quality knives then check out Sosby. I hope to one day snag a Spike from them as well as a Scrap Raptor.

  2. #2
    Awesome post. I too have xxl hands and have the same problem. So how did you get this knife? They are always out of stock on his website. I've subscribed but didn't get any recent updates they were available.
    Last edited by UNK; 09-27-2018 at 11:17 AM.
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by UNK View Post
    Awesome post. I too have xxl hands and have the same problem. So how did you get this knife? They are always out of stock on his website. I've subscribed but didn't get any recent updates they were available.
    I saw on the Sosby Instagram account that another batch of blades was in the works. I sent them a direct message and asked when they might be available and was told to sign up for the email notification list through their website. I received a date and time notification of when they would go live on the website, which happened to be a couple days later, and then basically stood by with a credit card and waited. Luckily I happened to be on a day off when everything went live. The blades all sold out within hours.

    I was talking with member @Kram and he was also trying to score a blade from Sosby. I know he didn't get a Cub, but was able to get a Scrap Raptor. I would be curious to hear more about that blade as well.
    Last edited by Whiskey_Bravo; 09-27-2018 at 11:36 AM.

  4. #4
    Member Hizzie's Avatar
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    @Whiskey_Bravo

    You still rocking the Cub? How’s it holding up?
    Quote Originally Posted by caleb View Post
    Oh man, that's right. I forgot that some people feel like they need light SA triggers in DA guns instead of just learning to shoot the gun better. You can get a Redhawk DA trigger pull down to 10 lbs, and if you can't manage that you suck and should probably just practice more.
    *RS Regulate Affiliate*

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hizzie View Post
    @Whiskey_Bravo

    You still rocking the Cub? How’s it holding up?
    Wanted to collect my thoughts before getting back to you.

    The Cub has proven itself worthy and continues to be my go to EDC defensive blade. The larger than most handle design with the large flared pommel area and cord wrap handle make it perfect for my hands in any fighting position.

    My only gripe would be the sheath. The sheath that comes with the Cub is serviceable, but lacks refinement and is not the easiest for a quick re-sheathing of the blade. Also the Cub Trainer does not fit in the factory sheath. These factors lead me to send both my Cub and Trainer to Blade Rigs to ave AIWB sheaths made for each blade.
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    I could not be happier with the finished products I received from Blade Rigs. They have made carry and training second nature. However this was a substantial investment. I am now all in on this deign for more than I could buy a RAT package for. That being said, I can live with this expense because I now have a blade package that does everything I need it to and is ergonomically the best I have ever had. My Watson HiTS Ti still lives in my patrol vest for it's corrosion resistance and a steel HiTS and a Gamboa take turns riding in my SWAT gear, but this Cub is my go to for EDC.

    I took my Cub and Trainer to a Defoor Proformance 2 day rifle class in May. Anyone who has trained with Kyle knows that you get a lot more than just rifle work in one of his classes. He spent a good portion of time on the second day discussing blade philosophy and use and we drilled it later on. During the blade "show and tell" portion of the day myself and another student both had our Cubs. The experienced blade people in the class, including Kyle, were all very impressed with the deign and the general consensus was pretty much Sosby "gets it".

    I am thrilled still with my Cub overall as you can see. I realistically don't need anything else, but I will be getting a backup cub eventually. Maybe even one of those awesome double edged ones.

    Another note to anyone looking to get into blades stuff, go to a training! If you are unsure which popular design is right for you, they will likely all be brought by the different students in the class. It's a great way to try before you buy. For instance, I got to check out basically the full line of Head Hunter stuff and confirmed that the RAT is just way too small and narrow for me. That would have been a costly mistake had I jumped on one earlier.

  6. #6
    Member Hizzie's Avatar
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    Awesome write up. Thank you.
    Quote Originally Posted by caleb View Post
    Oh man, that's right. I forgot that some people feel like they need light SA triggers in DA guns instead of just learning to shoot the gun better. You can get a Redhawk DA trigger pull down to 10 lbs, and if you can't manage that you suck and should probably just practice more.
    *RS Regulate Affiliate*

  7. #7
    Site Supporter Clark Jackson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Whiskey_Bravo View Post

    My only gripe would be the sheath. The sheath that comes with the Cub is serviceable, but lacks refinement and is not the easiest for a quick re-sheathing of the blade. Also the Cub Trainer does not fit in the factory sheath. These factors lead me to send both my Cub and Trainer to Blade Rigs to ave AIWB sheaths made for each blade.

    I am thrilled still with my Cub overall as you can see. I realistically don't need anything else, but I will be getting a backup cub eventually. Maybe even one of those awesome double edged ones.
    I'm also a fan of the CUB and that DE one is pretty slick. I second your assessment of the CUB's size and utility for big hands. I'll add it is not so large as to be unwieldy for smaller hands either.

    As far as the CUB's sheath goes I agree with you. But then again most knife makers are not sheath makers. I find it interesting that we (yes, I include myself) generally get irritated when we get a quality knife with a crap sheath, but don't think twice about how gun manufacturers either do not provide a holster or when they do it's worth less than a used Uncle Mike's nylon nightmare.

    I'd wager most don't expect to get a good holster with their next gun purchase let alone consider it as a deal maker/breaker. I'd be shocked if anyone on PF bought a gun in the last decade thinking about the manufacturer supplying a quality holster at all... well, maybe with the exception of SiG Legion nerds. I think most serious gun people buy holsters (or slings or cases) from people who generally do just that: make holsters (or slings or cases).

    You make a great point about getting training with edged weapons. It's nice to see a review/post of a knife with a trainer and quality "aftermarket" sheaths. I don't know if you got your CUB trainer from Sosby, but i think it is worth noting that if your chosen knife maker does not market or have a trainer in stock you can and should ask them to make you one. If they don't or won't - for whatever reason - there are plenty who will. Just something I wanted to point out to those who may be discouraged from whatever knife they're considering because they do not see a knife/trainer combo offered.

    I have never had much luck with sheath systems that claim to fit both a trainer and live blade. Usually those combo sheaths retain one blade well and the other much less so. Personally, I'm a fan of having two sheaths custom for the blade they carry. If I can, I make those two sheaths different colors (as you did) so it's easy to differentiate between the trainer and the live, which is useful for me and my training partners.

    Not to derail this thread about Sosby's CUB, but I highly recommend his Reverse Spike if you're into RE/Pikal style blades. It's great for big hands and has excellent blade/handle geometry. I usually have an excessively frustrating time finding RE/P blades that are big enough (with good geometry) so I'm comfortable and not cutting myself.

    I also highly recommend Sosby's "Shard" (steel version - I can't speak to the non-metallic). Regardless of whether you're a RE/P style dude the Shard is a great buy. They're inexpensive and work well if you need a low pro full grip knife that can be easily pocket carried. The Shard's standard sheath will support pocket carry and won't require an upgrade. If you're going to carry it IWB/OWB you may need to invest in an alternative sheath.

    Good thread @Whiskey_Bravo. Thanks for taking the time.
    "True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost." -Arthur Ashe

  8. #8
    I am another huge fan of Sosby Blades and have made them my go to for Fixed blades. I have a hard time deciding between the Spike and Cub as my favorite. Parker Sosby is a true craftsman who makes each blade himself in Georgia. Every time I show his blades to guys who really know knives, they are impressed. I have been using the standard kydex with zero issues but after trying out Whiskey_Bravo's Blade Rigs sheath I need to send mine and the trainers in for the upgrade.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Whiskey_Bravo View Post
    Wanted to collect my thoughts before getting back to you.

    The Cub has proven itself worthy and continues to be my go to EDC defensive blade. The larger than most handle design with the large flared pommel area and cord wrap handle make it perfect for my hands in any fighting position.

    My only gripe would be the sheath. The sheath that comes with the Cub is serviceable, but lacks refinement and is not the easiest for a quick re-sheathing of the blade. Also the Cub Trainer does not fit in the factory sheath. These factors lead me to send both my Cub and Trainer to Blade Rigs to ave AIWB sheaths made for each blade.
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    I could not be happier with the finished products I received from Blade Rigs. They have made carry and training second nature. However this was a substantial investment. I am now all in on this deign for more than I could buy a RAT package for. That being said, I can live with this expense because I now have a blade package that does everything I need it to and is ergonomically the best I have ever had. My Watson HiTS Ti still lives in my patrol vest for it's corrosion resistance and a steel HiTS and a Gamboa take turns riding in my SWAT gear, but this Cub is my go to for EDC.

    I took my Cub and Trainer to a Defoor Proformance 2 day rifle class in May. Anyone who has trained with Kyle knows that you get a lot more than just rifle work in one of his classes. He spent a good portion of time on the second day discussing blade philosophy and use and we drilled it later on. During the blade "show and tell" portion of the day myself and another student both had our Cubs. The experienced blade people in the class, including Kyle, were all very impressed with the deign and the general consensus was pretty much Sosby "gets it".

    I am thrilled still with my Cub overall as you can see. I realistically don't need anything else, but I will be getting a backup cub eventually. Maybe even one of those awesome double edged ones.

    Another note to anyone looking to get into blades stuff, go to a training! If you are unsure which popular design is right for you, they will likely all be brought by the different students in the class. It's a great way to try before you buy. For instance, I got to check out basically the full line of Head Hunter stuff and confirmed that the RAT is just way too small and narrow for me. That would have been a costly mistake had I jumped on one earlier.
    Whats the cost on sheaths like that? Also Ive noticed he has sheaths that are sewn or riveted. Do you know why the two options and why did you go with rivets?
    Have you tried a Cub pocket carry and if so what sheath would you prefer for pocket carry?
    I'll wager you a PF dollar™ 😎
    The lunatics are running the asylum

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by UNK View Post
    Whats the cost on sheaths like that? Also Ive noticed he has sheaths that are sewn or riveted. Do you know why the two options and why did you go with rivets?
    Have you tried a Cub pocket carry and if so what sheath would you prefer for pocket carry?
    Not cheap and Bladerigs seems to have gone dark, not sure if they're still open. Not sure if anyone else is making that style sheath, which I consider the best.

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