Cold Steel vs. Emerson

I've always wanted a Cold Steel AL, but never could justify paying more than $35 for a knife with AUS8 steel. I will have to look into these upgraded models.
 
The Cold Steel upgrades have made me glad I've waited to buy one. I'll buy one soon. It was the best move they could make and much needed. I think they will get a lot of new customers now and it will prove to be a good move if they can maintain and continue to improve quality control. Pricing will tell the tale.

I wish them luck with it...a lot of people will be watching.
 
EChoil said:
The Cold Steel upgrades have made me glad I've waited to buy one. I'll buy one soon. It was the best move they could make and much needed. I think they will get a lot of new customers now and it will prove to be a good move if they can maintain and continue to improve quality control. Pricing will tell the tale.

I wish them luck with it...a lot of people will be watching.
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Agreed!
 
onojoe said:
Cold steel.... because of their videos :D:barf:
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Their videos IMHO are infomercials sale tools to suck in unsuspecting buyers. I would be more impresse if the videos were shot as a continous film. Not those cut and paste productions. That did not much to make mesay wow.
 
Emerson -Lock Strength -> Cold Steel :thumbup:
:thumbup: Emerson <- deployment -> Cold Steel (tie!) :thumbup:
Emerson -Build Quality -> Cold Steel! :thumbup:
Emerson -Materials -> Cold Steel! (CTS XHP):thumbup:
Emerson -Fit & Finish -> Cold Steel :thumbup:
Emerson -Price -> Cold Steel! :thumbup:
Emerson -Value For Money -> Cold Steel! :thumbup:
Emerson -Real World Toughness -> Cold Steel! :thumbup:
:thumbdn: Emerson! <- Over Priced -Cold Steel.
Emerson -Intimidation Factor -> Cold Steel! :thumbup:
Emerson <-Karambit Folder -> Cold Steel! (tie!)
and its clear which karambit ill be getting, its a knock out for Cold Steel. :thumbup:
 
BellaBlades said:
Nothing to compare really. Cold steel knives are more durable and reliable IMO and cost less. Designs are both great but not comparable. USA made v.s. Taiwan. The steels are not all that comparable. Emerson has great 154. The new XHP that I used on the AK was of high quality as well. The Triad Lock is much more secure and reliable than any liner from Emerson from what I have seen, used and repaired. They offer things at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Both good but totally different. Just like most other names.

What in particular are you getting after with making this thread?
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I'll agree with Matt...
I have owned some pretty nice knives, ( been fortunate) and I STILL own my ti-lite. First and foremost, it's saved my life (no joke) in more than one situation and has NEVER failed me.
This is before I really knew anything about knives and to me, buying a ti-lite was making a high end knife purchase....

I've had issues with emersons before and yet, I still find myself attracted to the ergo's and designs however I would NEVER consider an emerson a hard use knife. Granted, I'm certain I'll get flamed but my ZT's out of the box have just ran away (550,560 etc) with the ability to cut over and over and take punishment.


People get way too caught up in the marketing... and while some of the knife snobs might get turned off by Lynn's approach, the THOUSANDS over armchair commando's he impress continue to purchase due to his marketing... I say kudos.

P.S.,
This week, I received a custom emerson commander, Im receiving a custom emerson horseman and I am awaiting my first Cold Steel Hatamoto... So I'd say I'm a fair source for neutral opinion.. just my .02
 
I'm on a strict USA made kick right now. Though I like what they're doing, CS knives are a pass since they're made outside the US. I've owned a few Emersons and never found them to be all that great, with lock issues, blade play and the chisel grind. Emersons, like a couple of others, have created a man's club of sorts with the skulls, black shamrocks, coins and calling each other "Bro". There are surely some real operators/first responders there but most are probably wannabes, people who can't or won't make the commitment to be "bad" but will pay the price of a knife to be in the club. At least Ernie doesn't make false claims about his own history to gain followers.
 
GronK said:
I'm on a strict USA made kick right now. Though I like what they're doing, CS knives are a pass since they're made outside the US. I've owned a few Emersons and never found them to be all that great, with lock issues, blade play and the chisel grind. Emersons, like a couple of others, have created a man's club of sorts with the skulls, black shamrocks, coins and calling each other "Bro". There are surely some real operators/first responders there but most are probably wannabes, people who can't or won't make the commitment to be "bad" but will pay the price of a knife to be in the club. At least Ernie doesn't make false claims about his own history to gain followers.
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Bro, that was hilarious!!!.... aghh crap.. I messed up.
 
J-Utah said:
It is sort of like comparing a Harley with a Honda. Both are solid. With a Honda there is nothing to do other than to push the start button, and it will cost you less. With a Harley there will be a longer break in period and during this time you might get to know the finer points of your bike wether you like it or not, for a slightly higher price. In the end it comes down to personal style. If you want an extremely reliable, hassle free, foreign made product you go with Cold Steel. If you want an extremely reliable (albeit with a little more commitment in the beginning), American made, iconic product you go with an Emerson. Which is "better"? The one that you choose based on the qualities that matter most to you.
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Sounds about right to me. Both are good, both companies sell a lot of knives.
 
GronK said:
I really dislike CS because of LT. It makes me jealous as heck when I see his videos. Looks like a lot of fun but when I try dancing around in bike shorts swinging my battle sword they lock down the ward and call security. ;)
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Haha that was pretty good :D
 
I own both and frankly you can't beat a CS folder for different sizes, variations, and just plain being an all around good using knife that you can actually sharpen if you have to and get it sharp. I've one EKI left and that is a 7a but that will being going down the road as well a few of my other CS knives, just to wait for the CTS made knives. keepem sharp
 
I just saw a new spec Recon 1 clip point on the bay... 4 inch CTS-XHP blade with DLC and the strongest lock there is for under $100? Two words. NO. BRAINER.
 
Emersons use better steel, but the crappy heat treat (154 is impotent that soft), makes them have worse edge retention, than Cold Steel's working of Annealed AUS8. Put in a puny lock, a crappy edge bevel, crappy fit and finish for a near CRK price, and a warranty that is voided if you sharpen the knife, and what you end up with a knife in an Emerson, that someone has to do some serious lying to themselves, to defend their purchase in.

PT Barnum called it a long time ago...
 
J-Utah said:
It is sort of like comparing a Harley with a Honda. Both are solid. With a Honda there is nothing to do other than to push the start button, and it will cost you less. With a Harley there will be a longer break in period and during this time you might get to know the finer points of your bike wether you like it or not, for a slightly higher price. In the end it comes down to personal style. If you want an extremely reliable, hassle free, foreign made product you go with Cold Steel. If you want an extremely reliable (albeit with a little more commitment in the beginning), American made, iconic product you go with an Emerson. Which is "better"? The one that you choose based on the qualities that matter most to you.
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Buy a Harley, buy the best. Ride a mile, and walk the rest.
 
I collected info about Emersons in use before buy CQC-7 and found that:

[video=youtube;Gf4EnAENZZ4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf4EnAENZZ4[/video]

[video=youtube;68JiL8Y9BOU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68JiL8Y9BOU[/video]

Anyone had such issue?

Some guy who used and carried CQC-7 told me about liner lock in his piece - lock is very much worn and he used it less than his Benchmade linerlock which is still like new. Even if here is customer service and you can sent knife to repair - I would like it as an option not necessity after 3-4 years. Especially when someone is outside USA and knife cost much more than for US citizens and shipment to repair cost too.

I'm torn a little bit. I like triadlock, that new G-10 facture and I'd like to try CTS-XHP, but Emerson CQC-7A or Mini A-100 are very nice designs [ so expensive too]...
 
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ourgon said:
I collected info about Emersons in use before buy CQC-7 and found that:


Anyone had such issue?

Some guy who used and carried CQC-7 told me about liner lock in his piece - lock is very much worn and he used it less than his Benchmade linerlock which is still like new. Even if here is customer service and you can sent knife to repair - I would like it as an option not necessity after 3-4 years.

I'm torn a little bit. I like triadlock, that new G-10 facture and I'd like to try CTS-XHP, but Emerson CQC-7A or Mini A-100 are very nice designs [ so expensive too]...
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I could create that with two of the four Emersons I have owned.

I had screws on the scales give problems, and that made me the maddest initially (two fell out of a brand new CQC10 within 5 hours of opening the box) and I posted a rant on another forum and the militant fanboys had a stroke that I DARED have the gall to badmouth Emerson. I've met Mr. E twice and he's a great guy-I never meant it was intentional-likely just a mass manufacturing issue-but the fanboys for Emerson are the most militant I've ever met...

But yes-I could grip a couple of them tightly enough to cause the lock to fail. I showed this to a couple of my buddies and posted some references to it back then.
 
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