Black Finish on Commander

[Holden]

How durable is Emerson's black finish on the Commander series? I really want a black Mini-Commander but I just wanted to see what y'all had to say about this first.

Thanks,
-H-

 

[Gator97]

It won't last long if you are going to use your knife for utility tasks. Gets scratched real easy. It is Teflon based I think, and probably not very different form Benchmade BT-2. At least in my experience both coatings get worn out very quickly.

If you plan to use your Mini Commander for self defence exclusively then I assume you have nothing to worry about, at least coating-wise.

 

[Hawkins]

be prepared to wait a while... i'm waiting a month already for mine.

not as bad as these guys waiting for customs, or people wanting the supercommander, but heh.

 

[Cosmic Superchunk]

Originally posted by Holden
How durable is Emerson's black finish on the Commander series? I really want a black Mini-Commander but I just wanted to see what y'all had to say about this first.

Thanks,
-H-

The coating is there to help protect against rust and provide a subdued look. The black finish does look very nice, but like Gator said, it will show wear if you use the knife day in, day out. If you use the knife casually, you really have nothing to worry about, but over time, the coating will show wear. Al knives are prone to get scratched or scuffed if you use them regardless of the blade finish.

Until recently, I like many others, just outright refused to buy a black coated blade because of the fact that most coatings don't last long. I foolishly complained about coatings wearing off amd making the knives look crappy, but you have to realise that Emerson knives are meant to be used. Looks are a factor, especially when you first decide to buy a knife, but the most imporant thing about any knife is it's performance. If the knife is built like a tank and keeps a good edge, don't be afraid to use it.

Get the Commander and enjoy it. Use it and get your money's worth. If the knife get's scratched or scuffed during use, don't worry about it. In the end, you'll have a knife that will have served you well and have the battle scars to prove it.

 

[USAFSP]

I love the Black bladed Emersons. My Mini-Commander and my CQC-7B are both black bladed. I bought the Mini-commander with the soul intention of using it, so I don't think twice about the finish. After 3 weeks of all around use to include preparing my new salt water aquarium, it has performed flawlessly. The black is wearing a tiny bit on some of the corners, but nothing at all alarming. Best part is cleaning. I just run it under HOT water for a minute to get the gunk off. Dry it with a hair dryer to get all the small areas likethe pivot. Put a tiny bit of oil at the pivot, and it's time to rock and roll all over again. I even used it to pry (SHHH don't tell anyone) the pivot pin out of my M-16 after firing last week cause it ws gummed up. No problems there either. If you are looking to collect and not use the knife, the Hard chrome looks nice. It also offer a bit of corrosion resistance as well, but you can't beat the black for performance. If it's a user who cares what it looks like. If you are that worried, go out and hunt down a 99' spec CN commander. They are the bomb. I know I love mine.