Does anyone make aftermarket SS liner lock for Emerson? Heard horror stories of their Ti liner lock. How are Emerson’s in general?

I wouldn’t call it a lock failure, but had a CQC-8 that quickly wore the liner lock to the point of nearly touching the opposite liner. This was in a time frame of about 2 months of carrying and wave opening.

Ergonomics were great, the fit and finish otherwise were fine with me. Wanted to like it, and bought 4 Emerson’s around that time. The lock stick was real for the 3 CQC-8’s I had and not a huge deal if it weren’t for the traveling liner lock on the one I carried.

The Sheepdog was the best of the bunch, with no issues at all. I just decided if I wanted a hard use waved knife, that a Recon 1 with an added wave feature was better in the long run. Of course, I could have just received poor examples of the CQC-8.

Picture of a what I consider a better knife in the waved hard use folder category than what Emerson was aiming for:
B9A644EA-FA81-4CB0-9852-8AB88CFD9717.jpeg
 
I have a handful of Emersons.. fit & finish, centering, lockup, etc. is generally pretty good in my experience. Most do have a touch of lock stick, but it normally works its way out after a break in period. They are not the most refined knives in the game, but they work great as tools. 154CM because it's been a good steel for decades. Chisel edges because they're robust, cut well, and sharpen easily. The knives cost what they cost because they are 100% made in the US by a small, family-run company. The Emerson aesthetic appeals to someone or it doesn't.. either is ok. Personally, I like 'em quite a bit.
 
ricklikesknives said:
I have a handful of Emersons.. fit & finish, centering, lockup, etc. is generally pretty good in my experience. Most do have a touch of lock stick, but it normally works its way out after a break in period. They are not the most refined knives in the game, but they work great as tools. 154CM because it's been a good steel for decades. Chisel edges because they're robust, cut well, and sharpen easily. The knives cost what they cost because they are 100% made in the US by a small, family-run company. The Emerson aesthetic appeals to someone or it doesn't.. either is ok. Personally, I like 'em quite a bit.
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Very well said.
 
I've had a lot of Emersons, and still do. I've had to modify all of them to make me like them enough to keep them.
 
The brand I hate to love to hate.

That said, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Emerson hater and, from all I can determine, their QC does seem to have improved over the years. That said, they're still wildly expensive for what they are and their F&F is below budget Chinese brand levels.

I wouldn't be afraid to buy one if I were you, but I'd be more inclined to spend the money on brands that give you more for your cash than stories about badass ninja street cred, black G10 and 154CM.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
The brand I hate to love to hate.

That said, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Emerson hater and, from all I can determine, their QC does seem to have improved over the years. That said, they're still wildly expensive for what they are and their F&F is below budget Chinese brand levels.

I wouldn't be afraid to buy one if I were you, but I'd be more inclined to spend the money on brands that give you more for your cash than stories about badass ninja street cred, black G10 and 154CM.
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🤣 Richard you cracked me the hell up. Dyed in the wool 🤣

I have to agree though. I want to love them but... so many better knives that I can mod to wave.
 
mitchnola said:
Don’t see why that’s an issue, I actually like that it’s different and he has his reasons. However I do agree and wish he would do a right handed chisel grind on right handed knives.
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I chose my words poorly. I didn’t mean “issue” as something negative. I should have said “variable” or “option”.
 
shinyedges said:
🤣 Richard you cracked me the hell up. Dyed in the wool 🤣

I have to agree though. I want to love them but... so many better knives that I can mod to wave.
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I first saw one when I didn't know a Kershaw from a hole in the ground and I thought just holding one would probably turn you into a ninja master 'cause it was so damn cool. Then I bought a couple, still couldn't disappear in a smoke cloud and started buying other knives.

And now that my state laws have changed I blame you in part for my new fixed blade kick! 😉
 
Their g10 ruined some of my favorite pockets, the pants I didn't care about, but I really loved those pockets, I'm a lefty so their right sided only chisel grind made their knives basically incompatible with me
 
jux t said:
I wouldn’t call it a lock failure, but had a CQC-8 that quickly wore the liner lock to the point of nearly touching the opposite liner. This was in a time frame of about 2 months of carrying and wave opening.

Ergonomics were great, the fit and finish otherwise were fine with me. Wanted to like it, and bought 4 Emerson’s around that time. The lock stick was real for the 3 CQC-8’s I had and not a huge deal if it weren’t for the traveling liner lock on the one I carried.

The Sheepdog was the best of the bunch, with no issues at all. I just decided if I wanted a hard use waved knife, that a Recon 1 with an added wave feature was better in the long run. Of course, I could have just received poor examples of the CQC-8.

Picture of a what I consider a better knife in the waved hard use folder category than what Emerson was aiming for:
View attachment 2311230
Click to expand...
I actually own this exact knife with the snaggletooth and I love it lol.
 
jux t said:
I wouldn’t call it a lock failure, but had a CQC-8 that quickly wore the liner lock to the point of nearly touching the opposite liner. This was in a time frame of about 2 months of carrying and wave opening.

Ergonomics were great, the fit and finish otherwise were fine with me. Wanted to like it, and bought 4 Emerson’s around that time. The lock stick was real for the 3 CQC-8’s I had and not a huge deal if it weren’t for the traveling liner lock on the one I carried.

The Sheepdog was the best of the bunch, with no issues at all. I just decided if I wanted a hard use waved knife, that a Recon 1 with an added wave feature was better in the long run. Of course, I could have just received poor examples of the CQC-8.

Picture of a what I consider a better knife in the waved hard use folder category than what Emerson was aiming for:
View attachment 2311230
Click to expand...
I have a few with the same thing on the lock over traveling. Just a heads, they do cover it under warranty
 
jbmonkey said:
aren't emersons left sided chisels?
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Mm, not what I remember of them. I had the HUK and overlander, PUK, and Mule, great knives but the edge wasn't in a cutting direction that worked for me, it's been a while, it's hard to explain and the knives are long gone
 
ShaiHulud said:
Mm, not what I remember of them. I had the HUK and overlander, PUK, and Mule, great knives but the edge wasn't in a cutting direction that worked for me, it's been a while, it's hard to explain and the knives are long gone
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pretty sure emerson does a left side chisel. all my folders are this way. I find they cut better in my left hand than my right hand. I'm ambi on knife using. now the liner lock is right-handed so that's a bit tricky with my left hand
 
jbmonkey said:
pretty sure emerson does a left side chisel. all my folders are this way. I find they cut better in my left hand than my right hand. I'm ambi on knife using. now the liner lock is right-handed so that's a bit tricky with my left hand
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Agreed, that’s one of my complaints that he doesn’t do right handed chisels on right handed knives. I think he does left so its on the presentation side but would much rather he did right handed. I don’t even think it would hurt the look of the presentation side that much.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
I first saw one when I didn't know a Kershaw from a hole in the ground and I thought just holding one would probably turn you into a ninja master 'cause it was so damn cool. Then I bought a couple, still couldn't disappear in a smoke cloud and started buying other knives.

And now that my state laws have changed I blame you in part for my new fixed blade kick! 😉
Click to expand...
I feel you, before I started waving my own knives I was torn on emersons. I tried a few, and I had their frame lock the iron dragon. I wanted to like them. I finally said screw it and started waving other knives that I liked more. (Channeling my inner Matt)

I still have a fixed blade almost everywhere I go though lol glad I could help enable.
 
They are left hand chisels unfortunately.
jbmonkey said:
pretty sure emerson does a left side chisel. all my folders are this way. I find they cut better in my left hand than my right hand. I'm ambi on knife using. now the liner lock is right-handed so that's a bit tricky with my left hand
Click to expand...
 
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