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- Oct 11, 2013
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Warning: entirely too much typing ahead. Smart folks will just skip to the pics. 
Ok, so, a few weeks back, I showed my ass in some Emerson thread, where I trash-talked the knives, the brand, and their (to me) questionable business practice of marketing their knives with the idea that they're made for super close quarters combat, used by Delta SWAT SEAL Spec-ops snakeeaters worldwide. I'd held Emersons before and wasn't impressed. Then, a friend of mine, John (Grownstar, because hell yeah!) sold me his Emerson Horseman, and I told him I would give this knife a fair shake.
Full disclosure: For the last few days, I've carried and used this knife in the same capacity that 99.99% of owners will: cut some boxes, opened some mail, shaved some arm-hair, took some sweet pics, and have carried it around in my pocket. Unfortunately, no opportunities in which to use it against terrorists or zombies arose, so I'm unable to speak objectively on any added "close quarters combat" options or value this knife may have given me. Your mileage may, however, vary.
So, let me just get this out of the way. This Horseman is just stupid. Its basic construction. Its silly little pirate cutlass blade shape, its minimal design, its minimal adornments, its hilariously BS grinds, and there's one other issue: I'm actually starting to like this knife.
Looking at this knife just lying here closed, it doesn't look like much. The others I briefly handled in times past fooled me in similar fashion. But carrying this knife around, taking it out and handling it, examining the knife closely opens up all sorts of observations that have served to change my mind concerning Emerson knives. One quick remark, I don't personally mind 154cm, though I probably would, had I paid full price for this knife.
The blade shape is clownshoes, but it's growing on me. The scales with the standoffs are a decent feature, because if I got this knife dirty, or muddy, or hell, bloody, I should be able to clean it out with little effort. Also, I do like the thumb-disk, which is good, because I'm going to go ahead and get the blasphemy out of the way: the patented "Wave" feature? Garbage. Worthless. It's worthless. I have not had a single complete Wave deployment any of the times I've tried. Garbage. Your mileage may vary, and for those of you for whom it works, you're to be commended because I sure as hell can't get it to work. So, I'll just stick with my assist-open knives and manual flippers. Those work better for me. Even worse, and here your mileage WON'T vary, is that you can't even use the Wave feature to open a bottle of beer!!! TERRIBLE.
Shown here, a bottle of beer NOT opened using the Wave feature.
The handle for me is where my biggest understanding was reached. This knife is basic. It is. Rough G10 scales, stand-offs, no back-spacer, and a basic liner lock. Nothing special, especially given what these cost new. BUT. Then I really started gripping it. I'm here to tell you. This knife LOCKS into your hand. I have plenty of knives with great choils. They feel great. But this knife, it locks into your hand, thanks to that choil, and that grippy G-10, and that perfect thickness, and that is it. It's ready to Make It Happen. Like, the only way this knife is coming out of my hand if I let it go, or I'm in the middle of a dramatic death scene like in a movie where my hands open as I drop to my knees, the camera pans to a shot of my knees hitting the ground, and then this knife hitting the ground. That's how that would go. Me: "KILLING ME WON'T BRING HER BACK!!!!!" (BlaKOOOWWWWWW) and then I'm down, rifle-shot to the chest. Bad guy walks away "No....no it won't!" Maybe even flicks a cigarette at my lifeless body. Screw that guy, amirite?
Last point I want to touch on, is the blade. These grinds are terrible. Like, hilariously bad. They're almost a millimeter on one side, and juuuuuust a smidge on the other. I didn't have my macro lens with me, so I don't have any up close pics of the edge. Now. That said. This thing is shaving sharp. So, hell, maybe equal-on-both-sides, beautiful grinds don't matter. Hell if I know. This knife is just Sharp. That edge just works. Secondly, the quality of the knife itself is apparent when opening and closing the knife. Perfectly centered, and if you are looking closely at the pivot while you slowly close the knife, a sweet little metallic "snick" sound is heard as it closes fully.
So, in conclusion, if you get a good deal on a lightly used Emerson, I say get one. I take back what I said about these knives not being very good. Part of being a grown-up is being able to admit when I'm wrong, after all. Emerson knives by all observations I've been able to make seem to be quality knives. I may add another to my collection at some point, although again, it'll be used so I'm not paying what these cost new.
For the record, I STILL don't like Emerson's marketing tactics, though it obviously works for these products' target demographic.
One last shot of the Horseman, and its current riding partner:
Thanks for reading.
Ok, so, a few weeks back, I showed my ass in some Emerson thread, where I trash-talked the knives, the brand, and their (to me) questionable business practice of marketing their knives with the idea that they're made for super close quarters combat, used by Delta SWAT SEAL Spec-ops snakeeaters worldwide. I'd held Emersons before and wasn't impressed. Then, a friend of mine, John (Grownstar, because hell yeah!) sold me his Emerson Horseman, and I told him I would give this knife a fair shake.
Full disclosure: For the last few days, I've carried and used this knife in the same capacity that 99.99% of owners will: cut some boxes, opened some mail, shaved some arm-hair, took some sweet pics, and have carried it around in my pocket. Unfortunately, no opportunities in which to use it against terrorists or zombies arose, so I'm unable to speak objectively on any added "close quarters combat" options or value this knife may have given me. Your mileage may, however, vary.
So, let me just get this out of the way. This Horseman is just stupid. Its basic construction. Its silly little pirate cutlass blade shape, its minimal design, its minimal adornments, its hilariously BS grinds, and there's one other issue: I'm actually starting to like this knife.
Looking at this knife just lying here closed, it doesn't look like much. The others I briefly handled in times past fooled me in similar fashion. But carrying this knife around, taking it out and handling it, examining the knife closely opens up all sorts of observations that have served to change my mind concerning Emerson knives. One quick remark, I don't personally mind 154cm, though I probably would, had I paid full price for this knife.
The blade shape is clownshoes, but it's growing on me. The scales with the standoffs are a decent feature, because if I got this knife dirty, or muddy, or hell, bloody, I should be able to clean it out with little effort. Also, I do like the thumb-disk, which is good, because I'm going to go ahead and get the blasphemy out of the way: the patented "Wave" feature? Garbage. Worthless. It's worthless. I have not had a single complete Wave deployment any of the times I've tried. Garbage. Your mileage may vary, and for those of you for whom it works, you're to be commended because I sure as hell can't get it to work. So, I'll just stick with my assist-open knives and manual flippers. Those work better for me. Even worse, and here your mileage WON'T vary, is that you can't even use the Wave feature to open a bottle of beer!!! TERRIBLE.
Shown here, a bottle of beer NOT opened using the Wave feature.
The handle for me is where my biggest understanding was reached. This knife is basic. It is. Rough G10 scales, stand-offs, no back-spacer, and a basic liner lock. Nothing special, especially given what these cost new. BUT. Then I really started gripping it. I'm here to tell you. This knife LOCKS into your hand. I have plenty of knives with great choils. They feel great. But this knife, it locks into your hand, thanks to that choil, and that grippy G-10, and that perfect thickness, and that is it. It's ready to Make It Happen. Like, the only way this knife is coming out of my hand if I let it go, or I'm in the middle of a dramatic death scene like in a movie where my hands open as I drop to my knees, the camera pans to a shot of my knees hitting the ground, and then this knife hitting the ground. That's how that would go. Me: "KILLING ME WON'T BRING HER BACK!!!!!" (BlaKOOOWWWWWW) and then I'm down, rifle-shot to the chest. Bad guy walks away "No....no it won't!" Maybe even flicks a cigarette at my lifeless body. Screw that guy, amirite?
Last point I want to touch on, is the blade. These grinds are terrible. Like, hilariously bad. They're almost a millimeter on one side, and juuuuuust a smidge on the other. I didn't have my macro lens with me, so I don't have any up close pics of the edge. Now. That said. This thing is shaving sharp. So, hell, maybe equal-on-both-sides, beautiful grinds don't matter. Hell if I know. This knife is just Sharp. That edge just works. Secondly, the quality of the knife itself is apparent when opening and closing the knife. Perfectly centered, and if you are looking closely at the pivot while you slowly close the knife, a sweet little metallic "snick" sound is heard as it closes fully.
So, in conclusion, if you get a good deal on a lightly used Emerson, I say get one. I take back what I said about these knives not being very good. Part of being a grown-up is being able to admit when I'm wrong, after all. Emerson knives by all observations I've been able to make seem to be quality knives. I may add another to my collection at some point, although again, it'll be used so I'm not paying what these cost new.
For the record, I STILL don't like Emerson's marketing tactics, though it obviously works for these products' target demographic.
One last shot of the Horseman, and its current riding partner:
Thanks for reading.
