Considering purchasing a Emerson knife, but I have a few questions/concerns

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Ztmma

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Oct 9, 2012
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Ive been considering buying either an Emerson cqc-super 8 or emerson 15 but I have heard alot of negative feedback lately.
For the price I will want to carry this knife and use it, throughout the day I cut rope, cardboard, clothe, and other misc. items. There seems to be some concern that the emerson steel does not hold an edge very well. That and the lock slipping issues I keep hearing about are a bit trouble-some. Are the emerson locks weak in general? I dont plan to baton with any folder, but the knife may come under some light/medium stress and having a knife close on my hands during an emergency would be the last thing I would want to happen. Thanks in advance.
 
I'm not the biggest fan of Emerson as I think they're a bit overpriced for what you get, but I have to say that the liner lock on my Super CQC-8 isone of the best I own. No slip or play in any direction. It honestly sounds like they've had some QC issues with lock slip recently, but I still suspect that those are the vast minority, basically a few lemons slipping through. As for edge retention, they treat their 154cm a bit soft for increased toughness and ease of sharpening, which does cost some edge retention. I would put their edge retention about on par with good, hard AUS-8, so not great but not terrible by any means. It does mean that I avoid Emersons with recurves as those are more annoying to sharpen and you will have to touch it up a bit more often, but the chisel ground edge does make sharpening the more conventional blades a snap. I would say that unless you use your knife for hours at a time it will hold up fine, just touch it up with a ceramic rod 2-3 times per week and that should be more than enough.
 
I have a horseman and my lock up is solid. No lock slip and no stick. My lock up brand new was pretty early, but it settled in at 50% and has not moved. I have no fear of my Emerson closing on me. The edge retention is a little lack luster though. I lost my hair popping edge pretty quickly, but it stays working sharp for a good while. The good thing about heat treating the blade on the soft side is that it wont ever chip unless you bang it on metal or something.
 
I have only 1 Emerson and that's the Horseman. Emerson sure knows how to build a good liner lock. Mine has excellent lock up. Edge retention isn't the best, but it's not hard to touch up. I would recommend you look at the exchange and just buy used if you're ify about paying that kind of price. Used prices typically are more wallet friendly.
 
About 5 months ago I thought I hated Emerson knives. I had read about how rough the finish were on them and when I handled some at a local knife shop I agreed and thought that I would never get one. Well I started reading about them and finding out what they are all about and got an offer to trade for one. It is a mini cqc-15 and it is now one of my favorite knives. They have great ergonomics and a great warranty. The chisel grind is really easy to sharpen after you get the hang of it and the edge holds fine. It is my work knife and holds up great.
 
I've done the Emerson thing a few times. Of the 6 or 7 I've had, they have all been pretty good specimens with solid locks. My issues were always with bulk, fit/finish, loose detents, grinds and price. I think there are equal if not better knives out there for far less money. They have a strong following, but just about anything has followers. If you are going to be cutting lots of cardboard, get a thinner blade, as Emersons tend to be fairly thick blades and have steep bevels. The mini versions have the same thickness blades as the full size, so keep that in mind if you look at those. With all that said, it's up to you if you want to give them a shot. Maybe you will be a follower, or maybe you will decide they aren't all cracked up to be what the hype was about. Like I said, I've done it a few times and finally said, "Not again". Best of luck, there is a lot out there these days.
 
I like the CQC-15 as well. I'm currently torn between 3 knives: CQC-15, Roadhouse, and ZT0620CF. I think I'm going to wait for the ZT. I just love the idea of an Emerson design with M390 steel and an integral Ti frame lock (with steel inserts for wear). I can't wait for them to release these, and I'll definitely pre-order as soon as they open up.
 
I own 24 Emerson knives (of my 310 total knives) and have never had a single problem with a lock slipping. Some of them are older and some newer and some were purchased used but I have never had a problem with any of them. They hold an edge quite well, but I strop them after a few days use to keep a really sharp edge. Having said that I think the CQC-8 (and Horseman), CQC-13, CQC-7A, NOVA and the Journeyman are my favorite EDC knives for their cutting and utility capabilities. I do not carry the Commanders or the CQC-15 much because the recurve being harder to sharpen. I have a new ETAK-B that I can not seem to put down and will probably pick up an ETAK-A as well. I have many other knives in my rotation that are not Emerson but the Emerson's are some of my favorites.
 
With Emerson knives you never know what you are going to get. If you order online.

Best to buy in person and check issues.

But I like their steel and never had a problem with it.
 
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