How do you feel about Emerson knives?

I’m not too keen on that wave feature but I wouldn’t say that it would be a dealbreaker for me. I’m sure some people really like it.
I’m not a big fan of the wave either but I don’t hate it. After owning more then of a handful of Emerson’s I’ve learned to move it at a certain angle when Pulling it from the pocket which allows it to null the wave action. It is fun though to rip it out of your pocket and have it fire open once in a while for entertainment purposes lol.Also the grind as some have mentioned is perfect for me since I’m a lefty and if I may add the best rope cutter to date out of any knife I’ve ever owned ! Cut some rope at work that will give many other sharp knives I own a workout And this Emerson cut threw it effortlessly and was a joy to use.
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I always wanted an Emerson knife. I had my first oportunity when a pristine Aftershock showed up in the Exchange and bought it. After my not so nice affair with the Spanish Customs ended up costing not a lot less than if I had bought it in Europe. Oh well, it is expensive but nice. The blade shape is somewhat utilitarian, cuts well and despite the thick blade and grind is usable. The wave works well. Lockup is ok and lockstick... well, I don't care much about it.

A year or two after that I found a Commander (half serrated, coated blade) on the Exchange that had just came back from SPA treatment, so besides some scratches in the black coating, the blade was supposed to be in great shape. Well, I bought it, customes screwed me again and after receiving it I realised that I should have passed... Combo blades of this size don't work well, besides Spyderco is the king of serrations and I already have a few. Action is on the gritty side. But the worst about it is that the SPA treatment basically ground a 100% new edge on it... and given the obtuse saber grind of the original blade, that means that the edge now is extremely thick. Live and learn I guess. I got to say I DONT'T LIKE MY COMMANDER.

Another thing I don't quite like about Emerson is that there seems to be a bunch of blade shapes, a bunch of handle shapes and then they mix and match in every possible combination along with coated/non-coated, plain/half-serrated verions. Some are ok, others don't just appeal to me at all.

I should say that their G10 and handle ergos offer great retention (if you were to use it for fighting that is) but that from an utilitarian perspective they are on the rough side.

Mikel
 
Ya never know if things like QC and manufacturing processes have changed and improved over the years. But it sounds like they haven’t in this scenario.
I actually had thought the same thing, so I bought a 2018 model to confirm it. That one ended up being the worst of the bunch, and was immediately returned.
 
M Mikel_24 I agree the G-10 is very aggressive but after time they do smooth out and aren’t as aggressive. But I also found you’ll go threw some Jean pockets pretty fast lol. After a while you’ll see threads flying from your pocket when deploying the knife. So what I do is take a little sand paper lightly hit it under the pocket clip and were the pressure points are that contact the pockets and that all but eliminates that issue. That way I can still enjoy that high traction non slip grip of a Emerson :thumbsup: and save my jean pockets.
 
Love Emerson designs. Their execution leaves something to be desired though. I got a ZT/ Emerson collaboration that is very nice though. Search the for sale section for a used one.
 
I actually had thought the same thing, so I bought a 2018 model to confirm it. That one ended up being the worst of the bunch, and was immediately returned.
The last 4 or 5 I’ve owned have been perfect examples including the one I just got. Nice action, blades centered with perfect lock up and rock solid . The fit and finish was perfect everything lining up nicely on the grips to .
Others mileage may vary but mine have been exceptional.
 
I've had a Mini A100 for several years now and it's become my official mountain biking knife due to its rugged build, strong detent (the old system in which the detent ball wasn't on the lockbar), firm clip that'll hold it in my pocket no matter what and its slim profile. Idid have to send it back due to the lock not staying locked and they replaced the backstop pin with a slightly thinner one that rattled a bit but only when in between open and closed positions which it's only in for a split second ordinarily. For the second and third reasons I don't carry it when not biking. I've had a CQC7A and a Mini CQC7 but sold both. I'd say an Emerson is worth it's cost as all but the bigger brands are capable of manufacturing knives in numbers sufficient to make them cost effective.
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M Mikel_24 I agree the G-10 is very aggressive but after time they do smooth out and aren’t as aggressive.

Maybe I didn't explain myself properly. I am not complaining at all aboug the G10 texture and I know that it will eventually take a toll on my pants, but I like it like that. What I mean is that they could have taken a chamfering router bit to the edges of the handle scales and give them some radius. Same thing happens with the praised Spyderco Paramilitary, it is squarish as a frigging brick.

I am handling right now my Endura 4 saberground at the office (not subtle, at all, but they don't look at me funny any more at work for that) and I would say the handle scales have a 2mm radius chamfer on them. They don't dig into your flesh when you exert pressure on it!

Mikel
 
... I agree the G-10 is very aggressive but after time they do smooth out and aren’t as aggressive. But I also found you’ll go threw some Jean pockets pretty fast lol. After a while you’ll see threads flying from your pocket when deploying the knife. So what I do is take a little sand paper lightly hit it under the pocket clip and were the pressure points are that contact the pockets ...

That's an issue on a lot of knives. I suppose having a file-like texture under the clip helps with pocket retention but it beats the heck out of pockets. It's always fun to see who else sands/files their G10. I sometimes take down hard edges or transitions on scales to increase user comfort. Just don't breathe the dust!
 
That's an issue on a lot of knives. I suppose having a file-like texture under the clip helps with pocket retention but it beats the heck out of pockets. It's always fun to see who else sands/files their G10. I sometimes take down hard edges or transitions on scales to increase user comfort. Just don't breathe the dust!
Great minds think a like on all of the above :thumbsup:
 
Maybe I didn't explain myself properly. I am not complaining at all aboug the G10 texture and I know that it will eventually take a toll on my pants, but I like it like that. What I mean is that they could have taken a chamfering router bit to the edges of the handle scales and give them some radius. Same thing happens with the praised Spyderco Paramilitary, it is squarish as a frigging brick.

I am handling right now my Endura 4 saberground at the office (not subtle, at all, but they don't look at me funny any more at work for that) and I would say the handle scales have a 2mm radius chamfer on them. They don't dig into your flesh when you exert pressure on it!

Mikel
No not at all Mikel and totally get it and everyone’s hands are different and is why different knife’s patterns and textures will feel different to different folks.
There’s no right or wrong imo.
 
This one developed lock rock from beating the crap out of it.
I spine whacked it super hard and pried down on it and the lock didn't fail but it still rocks noticeably.
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Emerson knives hold up to abuse but they are kind of rough cut otherwise, but even Emerson himself says his knives
are meant to hold up and cut things that don't require a razor edge. He's thinking more for Fire, EMS, Police working a house fire or highway wreck
or military guys on a deployment. Emerson's list of folding knife requirements is different from the list most on BF would have.
They're hard to break, fit large or gloved hands well, maintain a working edge, are easy to sharpen, easy to work on, and are more concealable than a fixed blade.
Any and all design elements and tweaks seem to fit into or support one of these categories.
Also I really like their clip designs. It's a tough clip and with that g10 scale the knife will definitely stay put to whatever it's clipped to.
 
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The Kwaiken has been a whole different story. It's design has the right balance of rough cut military to smooth and refined style.
I was easier on it and gave it a good 2 week break in period of just opening and closing and light use.
The action is super smooth, feels like a cross between Benchmade's free flowing axis and Chris Reeve's hydraulic feeling frame lock.
It's also a really tough blade like most of the lineup, if you get an Emerson, just get one of the newer designs and you'll probably be happier
if you haven't owned one before.
If you happen to dig the overall Emerson style you'll probably appreciate older designs like the CQC 7 more.
I'd buy the stonewashed, plain edge Kwaiken again for sure, but I see a lot of places where they're already sold out again.
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Im not trying to be sarcastic, just generally curious. If the shit were to hit the fan, a fixed blade would be the first cutting tool I’d grab. Why would you grab a folder?
Lol, even among folders though. I can't imagine wanting a liner lock folder for SD, where severely stressing the lock or hitting the spine is an actual possibility
 
Lol, even among folders though. I can't imagine wanting a liner lock folder for SD, where severely stressing the lock or hitting the spine is an actual possibility

Stop questioning the lore. Remember what the bards have taught us: something something Navy Seals came to Sir Ernest to lay a request for aid at his feet for a folding knife with which to dispatch sentries something, and thus the Commander was born or whatever*. Navy SEALs bro. SEEEAAALLLLSSSSS....

AKA: the guys who aren't using friggin' linerlock pocket knives for self-defense, sentry removal, or bad guy evisceration. But that stuff sure does make for good ad-copy.

It's all part of the myth, man.


*Or the CQC7, I forget how the story goes.
 
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I've owned 7 or 8 Emerson knives over a several year period, from the late '90s into the early 2000s, so I really did give them a chance. I really wanted to like them (probably due to the hype), but in the end, they weren't for me or my purposes for using knives. I liked the concepts, but the knives didn't work for me. Plus, the liner locks on two of them felt "mushy" (for lack of a better word) and would slip (but not completely unlock) with light hand pressure on the spine.

I'm not anti-Emerson Knives, though. That's why there's so many different knives from different makers to suit different preferences. To each their own.

Jim
 
Im not trying to be sarcastic, just generally curious. If the shit were to hit the fan, a fixed blade would be the first cutting tool I’d grab. Why would you grab a folder?
No sarcasm taken :thumbsup:
I was talking folding blades just to be clear and it would be a secondary grab anyway because you never bring just a knife to a possible gun fight :D
Thought we’re talking folders guys if we’re talking guns then my choice would be AR15 and a hand gun to help me get to it lol.
 
If shit hit the fan I'm grabbing my Glock.

Lol absolutely. I’m with you. But I’m talking about cutting tools specifically. A fixed blade would be first on my list. A liner lock folding knife would be the last thing I’d grab in the zombie/nuclear/end of civilization scenarios.
 
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