CQC7A: Opinions?

J

James Y

Joined
Feb 18, 1999
Messages
6,504
I asked this a while back in the general forum. Since then I've had a chance to handle the drop-point version at a store and was surprised at the quality.
Is this offered with a black coating? I like the hollow-ground drop point better than the chisel-ground tanto version.
Does anyone have one of these and maybe give details as to their experiences?
Jim
 
I just got one about two weeks ago with the satin finish, like you said it has a good quality feel to it.

They are listed in the Emerson catalog as available with a Black T (or similar) finish, but I have been waiting for a couple of months and still havent seen any for sale and so I broke down and bought the satin model.

I havn't really used it for any heavy cutting so I cant report on any edge holding or resharpening info.

One question I have, is my knife is sharpened on one edge like the B models. Isn't that a chisel grind? Or does Emerson just sharpen all their knives like that even the double beveled designs?
 
My shop had both the tanto and clip point shapes up until we sold out. Getting more has been troublesome, apparently. I don't do the buying, but I'm sure they were reordered. Anyway, all versions we had stocked had been chisel ground and bead blasted, save one black-ti tanto that we special ordered for a guy. Proof that I don't do the buying: we only got one. I'd have ordered at least 12, since we have four stores. I only got to play with it a short time, but I really liked the black-ti finish. My only beef is that I don't like slotted screws on tactical knives. Torx screws can be tightened significantly more. If there's one thing I've found about anything that's hard use (knives, guns, trucks, etc.) it's that screws will back out. Happens on all of them. How catastrophic that proves to be is a matter of how much time you spend on checking them. That's why I love my Police Model (Spyderco) so much-only three screws on the whole thing.

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A flute with no holes is not a flute, but a donut with no holes, is a danish.
 
James, I don't know why you would be surprised at the quality of the CQC7s or any other knife from Emerson. I have never seen anything out of there that was less than expected. They are far superior to the BMs.

As far as the slotted screws are concerned, I see no problem with them. Torx heads aren't needed on screws this size. If you use the proper screw driver there should be no problem getting them to the proper torque. One certainly doesn't need to cinch these screws down to the point of seizure. If you tighten them too much the knife might not function properly, especially the pivot screw. If you are worried about them backing out, just put some locktite on them. Aesthetics are one thing but, for function, they are just fine.

I have had black blade CQC7s on back order for a long time and haven't been able to get them. I don't know why they are so slow.

I just got some Commanders in the other day and was told that there probably won't be any more for awhile.

I only have a couple of the "A" models left and a few of the "B" models in the beadblasted finish in the CQC7s and don't know when I'm getting any more.

I only got a couple each of the SPECWARS (A and B) and Lagriffes in too. Delivery seems to be a real problem with them.

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Dennis Wright
Wright Knife & Sporting Goods
Buy a gun....Piss off a liberal!
La Mesa, Kalifornica
wrightknife@ixpres.com


 
Emerson used the slotted screws for ease of maintainance in the field. Not everyone will have easy access to Torx drivers, especially when they are in field. Flat head screw driver can be found almost anywhere and the average outdoors type usually has a small kit or a multi-tool. Torx drivers are becoming easier to get, but try getting a size 6 Torx driver at your local convience store or at a crossroads town in the middle of nowhere.

[This message has been edited by Dirk (edited 02 August 1999).]
 
Besides that torx screws look better, they make sense as handle screws. How many times have you seen screwed together knives come loose, even with lock-tite? If you've not seen this happen, then ya haven't been looking. My shop keeps a set of screwdrivers- torx, allen, phillips and slotted- because it happens regularly. And it happens on just about every brand of knives. For some reason, the Benchmade Sentinel seemed to be the main culprit for this. Perhaps that's why Emerson started Emerson Knives, and the Sentinel has been D/C'd? Probably not, but it makes for an interesting story. As per Dennis's experience, we've been out of Emersons for a long time. We called the distributor we get them from today-looks like it'll be a while. At least Wright Knife has 'em-looks like more biz comin' your way, Dennis!

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A flute with no holes is not a flute, but a donut with no holes, is a danish.
 
I appalaud the use of slotted and phillips screws on these knives. When I modify the Benchmade or make my own knives, I ask the customer if they want to disassemble the knife often. If they say no, I use pretty Torx screws. If they say yes, it's slotted and phillips because darn near everyone has a leatherman or similar these days. An added benefit to the slotted pivot screw is that you can easily see if it has loosened on its own. It's easy to rememember what position that slot was in, but I dare you to rememember what position a Torx was in.

For my $0.02 on the blade issue, I can see no reason to choose a tanto over a drop-point of similar point thickness, and certainly no reason to choose a chisel-grind over a double-grind. The blade of the CQC-7A turned one of my least favorite designs into one I think very highly of.

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-Drew Gleason
Little Bear Knives
 
Great knife, great QC. Worth 90 USD hands down.

Only gripe is when moving the clip to the pivot end, the clip butts up against the pivot, and doesn't allow the clip to be screwed flush. But if you leave the clip at the butt end, knife is tough to beat at the price.

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"Women bring life into the world
and much death, for they sway the
destinies of men." -Anneas
 
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