-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Al Mar or Emerson
- Thread starter ODA-3712
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2013
- Messages
- 147
I own the Al Mar Mini SERE Operator.
It could have been my absolute favorite knife if not for one flaw:
The handle is too small for my hands.
Ok, so the Al Mar is 8" long, the blade is 3.75" which should leave 4.25" for the handle, except that the handle's usable length is smaller than that.
The handle has two grooves and the usable space on this handle starts below the guard where the groove is at its deepest and ends at its deepest before the "retention spur".
This removes about 1" of usable space which leaves 3.25"
The palm of my hand is over 3.5" wide...
The Al Mar Operator has the same construction but due to the handle being measured at 5.25", remove about 1" and you still have 4.25" left.
This one is absolutely perfect for me! It literally feels like an extension of my hand!
TLDR: if your palm is more than 3.25" it may not be comfortable. Shame because it was this close to being a perfect knife!
It could have been my absolute favorite knife if not for one flaw:
The handle is too small for my hands.
Ok, so the Al Mar is 8" long, the blade is 3.75" which should leave 4.25" for the handle, except that the handle's usable length is smaller than that.
The handle has two grooves and the usable space on this handle starts below the guard where the groove is at its deepest and ends at its deepest before the "retention spur".
This removes about 1" of usable space which leaves 3.25"
The palm of my hand is over 3.5" wide...
The Al Mar Operator has the same construction but due to the handle being measured at 5.25", remove about 1" and you still have 4.25" left.
This one is absolutely perfect for me! It literally feels like an extension of my hand!
TLDR: if your palm is more than 3.25" it may not be comfortable. Shame because it was this close to being a perfect knife!
You'd do better , IMO , with something from Cold Steel , Spyderco , or KAI (Kershaw /ZT ) . 
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2016
- Messages
- 450
3rd group? Shoot me a pm.
Depending on your intended use, I would steer you in a couple different directions.
I've had about 4 Emerson's. I only have one now and that's a completely worked over CQC 7. I think they are one of the most over rated knives out there. Very poor quality control. Almost all come with off centered blades, lock stick, hard opening blades and substandard materials for the price. Also hope your a fan of chisel grind depending on model. Still they have amassed a cult following so I'm sure you'll get plenty of positive reviews. Sorry I can't comment on Al Mar knives as I've never owned one.
Mike
Mike