They are kind of like a harley or an old muscle car. They aren’t the most technologically up to date knife but most people seem to either love them or hate them with little in between. They are kind of expensive for what you get in terms of material but they are super rugged and tough. The blades are usually ground with tips that will let the knife shrug off use that would snap most knives tips off. In short there is very little I won’t do with my Emerson short of heavy prying or things a folding knife isn’t designed for. (Like batoning) Also the chisel edge is actually very sharp and easier to sharpen imho. The commander comes with a V main bevel grind but a chisel edge.
Personally I love them, the cqc7 linerlock is an all time favourite knife of mine. I got the cqc7 framelock (hd7) and that has become my all time favourite knife as it is thinner in the pocket than the liner locks. I love the cqc7 series because I like the way the straight handle makes the knife comfortable in any grip. Also the size is ideal for me, small enough to edc comfortably but large enough to double as a fighting folder. The commander is a great knife just make sure you can sharpen recurves. It is more comfortable in most standard grips due to its ergonomic handle.
Cqc7 family (cqc7f, cqc7v, cqc7k [kershaw collab] ZT 0620)
Hd7 given to me by a generous member. This one has virtually no detent but still has never opened in my pocket and I carry it every day. Still going strong.
They don’t have a snappy detent for flicking the blade open but rather a softer detent. Emerson linerlocks also have a double detent, one on the lock bar, one on the opposite side. That said none of my Emersons will shake out of the handle unless you were forcefuly trying to shake it out. (Won’t open by accident) That said most Emersons except the flipper tab ones seem to come kind of grimey inside with a copper flecked grease. I find they are much smoother once you take them apart and give them a cleaning and relube them with mineral oil or your lube of choice.
The wave is one of the best features of an Emerson and lets them be some of the only folding knives that are practical as a self defense knife in a pinch. (Fixed blades are usually way better for self defense. In some cases though I can get a waved knife out faster for example if a heavy winter jacket is covering my fixed blade. Also I reverse wave and practice practice practice.)
Here is a pic of me reverse waving my Spyderco Pikal from my left pocket. The opposite direction of a regular wave draw. Emersons come tapped for right hand carry so that means they will regular wave from the right pocket and reverse wave from the left pocket. (Except the folding karambits which are set up to reverse wave from the right pocket)
So finally they are expensive for what you get. However imho there is no other knife on the market that compares to an Emerson or has that Emerson feel.
Edit: btw I have never seen a more recent Emerson with a weak detent.
