Confused, would like your opinion

mromeo23

mromeo23

Joined
Jan 22, 2013
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I'm looking to make my next knife purchase and I'm leaning towards my first emerson. I've only owned benchmades and spydercos up until now. I have a ZT on the way, but still can't say that I own it yet until it's in hand. I've done plenty of research and got so confused between all the different cqc variations that I honestly don't know which to go with. It seems like the 7's are the most popular (?), but I'm just curious to see what everyone who reads this and wouldn't mind taking a minute to reply which blade you would go with if you were buying your first emerson. I'm sure this question has been asked and posted before but I'd still like to know for those that wouldn't mind answering.

as an added question...my price range is about $150ish give or take a few bucks...what knife would you buy with that amount, emerson or not...any brand, model, just curious. I'm new to collecting so ANY suggestions on what to research would be greatly appreciated. It seems each day I learn about a new brand or model and I spend hours every night researching reviews, opinions, prices etc. Last night I discovered emerson cqc's (don't laugh...i said i was a rookie hahaha) so I spent a few hours researching them and I'm not sure if I gained knowledge or just got more overwhelmed.

Thanks to anyone reading this and for your responses!
 
My answer would depend on the size of your hand and where you plan to carry this and what to use it for. I mention this mainly because some of the Emerson models have "mini" models which fall in close, if not below, your pricepoint.

Full/mini CQC7, Mini CQC8 (Horseman, my first Emerson), Mini Commander: all are 150 or less brand new. You may be able to find full size models used for your budget, but i'd advise buying new if you can. The mini's may or may not fit your hand depending on its size. I wear an XL glove and the Horseman(mini8) barely makes the cut.

Many would consider the CQC7 the way to go. It put Emerson on the map as far as I'm concerned. There are many variations of the 7. A or B. Waved or unwaved, plain edge or combo. Stonewashed or coated. Check out Bladehq. They have a decent amount in stock right now.

I'd advise looking for a local shop to handle the knives personally if you can. If you have to order online, and for whatever reason your decision didn't work for you, all you have to do is return it.

Best of luck to you.
 
A Horseman (Mini-8) or a Spyderco Military. Both can be had for $150 'ish.
 
I agree that the first question that comes to mind is - what would be the primary purpose for the knife? (EDC, self-defense, etc.)

Truth be told, the CQC-7 is what put Emerson Knives on the map. My very first Emerson knife was his collaboration with Benchmade which is known today as the CQC-7. I love this blade and if feels like a mini-sword in the hand. I do however have one personal problem with his knife and it is the lack of a deep finger choil. I also have a Karambit and a CQC-8 and I'll say that the Emerson/Benchmade jimping is a lot more aggressive than the the other 2 which help out with maintaining a good hold on the knife. I wish that Mr. Emerson kept the same concept with aggressive jimping on his blades. Even so, I am an Emerson believer.
If you are looking for a general purpose knife, I really like the CQC-10. The ergonomics of the handle and blade shape make this knife hard to beat. If you're looking for a more self-defense oriented blade, that's a whole different story. Let us know what you're looking for.
 
Thanks for the responses so far guys!

I always prefer full size versions compared to minis. I plan on edc'ing this blade and using it for just everyday typical tasks. I was curious what you guys prefer in your emersons and why. For exsmple do you like black blades or do they scratch easily? I know ill go with a plain edge becsuse to me they look more difficult to sharpen.
 
My opinion and merely an opinion....I'm not sure that I would utilize an Emerson as a utility EDC. I've found that Emerson knives are purpose built. What I can decipher is that the "purpose" he had in mind is not to cut cardboard/envelopes or to pry with. Those tasks will dull/damage a blade in a hurry. The "things" that his knives are designed to cut are a little softer with an occasional bone obstruction (or approximately 206) :) I like my Emerson's to be razor sharp and ready to take care of business. I've researched and purchased the knives that I feel will perform in battle (for me that would be the urban jungle). The only knives that I will trust this task with are Emerson's.
I personally like the stonewashed finish as the black does chip away. (one of my Emerson's is the "La Griffe"...some of the finish has flaked off...oh well) The finish is all in the eye of the beholder. As far as an EDC, if you look on the discussion board, it seems that Emerson will be offering a multi-tool any day now. (the YouTube clip says February-ish 2013) That might be the only Emerson that I would EDC. My .02
Hope this helps and best of luck!
 
I did a lot of reading and research and ended up with the mini 15. I am a newbie to emerson.

I can tell you the mini 15 blade shape is a combo of the 7 and commander. I find it does a lot of different tasks well. I am sure I will pick up a few more. The 7 and the Journeyman are speaking to me..

Pay attention to the different handle shapes, blade shapes. Then ask yourself which knife will be best for your tasks.
I am really digging the grind and ease if sharpening on my new Emerson.
Good Luck!

It's a treat to find a new knife maker you that you like.
 
Like harleyguy2, I ended up with a mini-15 as my first Emerson. It's still my fav and is a daily carry for me (except in dress stuff... pants are too thin and flexible). I dislike pure American-style tanto blades because of the sharp transition so 90% of the 7s don't work for me although they feel good in hand. The mini-15's blade is modified just enough to make it work well and the V-grind is more what I'm used to for sharpening, even though only one side really needs attention. Most of Emerson's mini sized handles are perfect fits for my hand. I'd recommend the mini-15 unless you want to jump straight into what Emerson is best known for, tanto blades and chisel grinds, then I'd say go with one of the 7s. Either of these are likely going to run you slightly more than your budget amount, but you can scout around for deals on BF or one of the other knife / EDC forums. A lot of Emersons move around on different boards.
 
My suggestion would be a Horseman, but all of the cheaper Emersons (CQC7's, Horsemans, Mini Commanders) all have gone up in price drastically on GPKnives. I wonder why?
 
Misanthropia said:
My suggestion would be a Horseman, but all of the cheaper Emersons (CQC7's, Horsemans, Mini Commanders) all have gone up in price drastically on GPKnives. I wonder why?
Click to expand...

I noticed that too. I think that it is a supply/demand issue, as almost every site I go to has far more 'Out of Stock' on Emersons than 'In Stock'.
 
My suggestion would also be to check out the Horseman (Mini CQC-8) for that price range. If moving up $50-$70, I'd go Journeyman, CQC-10, or Gentleman Jim.
The Horseman is not small despite the "Mini" part of its namesake-- I have a regular sized CQC-8 but find that I reach for the Mini more often. It is plenty large enough for any tasks.

One reason I lean towards these models is ease of sharpening... no recurves.
I am not a fan of American-style tantos nor a lack of choil-- so the CQC-7 does not really appeal to me these days (though when I was younger, the Benchmade collaboration with Ernie was the first folder I ever drooled over).
 
Thanks for all your replies. They are much appreciated. It's frustrating having to order knives online without handling them first. I only know of a couple shops in my area that sells knives and some knife collectors on the board own more knives than they sell. There's no choice but to order online.

I thought my perfect knife would be a benchmade 943. It looked like everything I wanted in a blade. But the minute I held it I knew it was way too small and nothing like what I was looking for. The Pm2 was the opposite. Looked like an ok knife til I held it and haven't put it down since. So I guess I won't know which emerson is best for me til I hold them.
 
mromeo23 said:
Thanks for all your replies. They are much appreciated. It's frustrating having to order knives online without handling them first. I only know of a couple shops in my area that sells knives and some knife collectors on the board own more knives than they sell. There's no choice but to order online.

I thought my perfect knife would be a benchmade 943. It looked like everything I wanted in a blade. But the minute I held it I knew it was way too small and nothing like what I was looking for. The Pm2 was the opposite. Looked like an ok knife til I held it and haven't put it down since. So I guess I won't know which emerson is best for me til I hold them.
Click to expand...

That is one of the nice things about an Emerson, every model I own is ergonomically outstanding. There are some that stand out for me, but every one is a keeper.
 
harleyguy02 said:
...Pay attention to the different handle shapes, blade shapes. Then ask yourself which knife will be best for your tasks....
Click to expand...
mromeo23, I like the "banana blades" of the Horseman and the CQC8 but if you are going to use it as an edc you may want to look at spending a few extra dollars and get a Journeyman because of the blade shape. That being said, I know one guy who uses a Commander as his EDC and I think I recall Ernie carrying a well-used Commander as his EDC in one of Nutnfancy's SHOT videos. So, it's really just a matter of preference. Hopefully you will be able to handle some Emersons prior to your purchase, so you can know how they feel.

Hmmm. I think I just talked myself into CQC8.
 
To be honest, I see little to no difference in the profile of the cutting edge between CQC-8 variants and the Journeyman.
I know the 8's are "banana," and I see it... but I also see more scimitar and less fruit as the days go by hehe.
You won't regret acquiring one :thumbup:
 
I love the regular 15 because the the recurve does awesome work on any long drawing cuts. For example last night I opened a big bag of dog food. Once you hook the blade over the bag and start to draw the blade back it just does the work on its own. Plus imagine hooking it on someones forearm and pulling down lol. The tanto is awesome for push cutting anything, rope or abdomens. Perfect blade shape in my opinion. I cant believe no other knife company uses this blade shape. Great edc and defensive blade.
 
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