Hi Derek -
Like everyone else, I'm glad to see you here, since it is invaluable to have input from the company on many of these issues. Regarding your question, I am probably in the minority but I am very disappointed about this turn of events.
The advent of EKC with its own separate line of knives (i.e., Raven, SpecWar, and the hugely and deservedly popular production version of the CQC7) was great. It allowed an enormous number of people to get an Emerson designed knife at a reasonable price. But a wrong turn was taken by using a logo that is almost identical to the handmade knives of Ernie Emerson.
Then, introducing a knife - the Commander - that is very nearly indistinguishable from the ES1M (size notwithstanding, they are twins)further elevated a blurring of lines that should have been kept distinct. It's a great knife, no arguement there, rightfully awarded many kudos, but no one else makes a custom and a production version with such slight varience under such similar names. Just look at the custom and production versions of the CQC7 - no one, not even a five year old, would confuse the two.
More recently, that distinction has been further eroded by the custom knives' being finished differently than in the past, with methods that mimic the production knife stylings. For example, until EKC began, there never was a custom knife with a secondary grind bevel or bead blasted finish. Now that is the standard. Similarly, the CQC8 handle changed dramatically with the Commander's introduction. Thus another distinction lost.
You now say that production knives can have customization, which leads me to wonder if there will be any lines left. The majority of the population here see that as a good thing, and applaude the introduction. After all, actual custom knives are currently backordered for at least five years (mine is!)so here's a way to get the next best thing. I disagree because of Gresham's Law: if I may paraphrase, it essentially states that the lesser knives will corrupt and drive out the greater ones.
Who will make the customized EKC knives? What, if any, role will Ernie play in their creation/production? Is a damascus and titanium handled EKC knife a production knife (like a Benchmade), a semi-production knife (like a Sebenza), an Emerson Made knife (like a Randall),or a custom Emerson? Why should it matter? Because of the impact it has on the fully custom knives. As limned above, nearly every opportunity to demonstrate a delineation between the two entities has been ignored. This new announcement just ices that particular cake.
If EKC is going to become the Randall of folders - great. But first make the announcement, then start making the knives in a collective; don't go farther down the road to oneness and then declare it.
I went on for longer than I expected to, sorry. But I don't believe handmade customs and customized production can co-exist, and obviously the custom knife is the loser. As such, so are we.
