Emerson Commander

Revenant · Mar 14, 2001

I've been offered a NIB Emerson Commander, blackened blade, Wave technology, etc. The seller is asking $169. Is this a good offer? I would like to use it as a "user" knife. Is this a good choice, price?

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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

Gator97 · Mar 14, 2001

Originally posted by Revenant:
I've been offered a NIB Emerson Commander, blackened blade, Wave technology, etc. The seller is asking $169. Is this a good offer? I would like to use it as a "user" knife. Is this a good choice, price?

I think I've paied approx the same for mine.
You can check the trading forum for more info.
However regarding the intended "user knife" use of the commander, I have my opinion against it

First of all it's a chisel grind and I don't think it's gonna do well as a utility knife. May be good for something else but not for that.
What else, in 1 year my commander despite of being in the box for most of the time developed loose pivot screw, thumb disk, blade play, both horizontal and vertical.
I like it's look though.

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Kdarmy · Mar 14, 2001

Id have to go with Gator on this one. There are much better choices out there...Trust me on this, I finally traded mine off at a loss, I was really just happy to be rid of it. For the $$$ The commander is a piece of junk, It was by far the biggest mistake I ever bought.

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Keith D.Armacost
If At First You Don't Succeed,
Skydiving Is Not For You.

Revenant · Mar 14, 2001

Thank you all for your advice. Armacost, I just realized that I have unwittingly duplicated your motto. Sorry about that, I will stop using it immediately. I guess great minds think alike!

Originally posted by Kdarmy:
Id have to go with Gator on this one. There are much better choices out there...Trust me on this, I finally traded mine off at a loss, I was really just happy to be rid of it. For the $$$ The commander is a piece of junk, It was by far the biggest mistake I ever bought.

ptpalpha · Mar 14, 2001

If you are seriously looking for a daily utility knife, I would personally shy away from the black coated (or any coated) blade. Once it's scratched, and it will definately scratch, it looks like heck. Personally, I love my Commander and have had no problems with it. That being said, I would hardly consider it a piece of junk. It's a '99 Mil-Spec, and I'm quite happy with it.
-Paul

Pergatory · Mar 14, 2001

The coating will wear off, but that never stopped me from getting it on a user knife. I actually prefer to get the coating on a user knife, because it gets that "broken in" look faster, and I'm much less hesitant to use it. It might sound silly, but that's how I feel

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Bugs3x · Mar 15, 2001

Spent quite a bit of time the other day in the Emerson Forum. Quite interesting. Most of those participating are kind of fanatical about their adoration of anything Emerson.

To me, one of the kind of surprising things I read was how some screw -- I think the pivot -- comes loose with great frequency. The members have all the dope on using LocTite, and fixing it. Believe there was another common problem, maybe blade not being centered. Anyhow, nobody there seemed to perceive this as a quality control thing.

Following is a quote from an earlier thread. Sorry, but already forgot the name of the forumite. I'd have to say that from my perspective, this brief statement does an excellent job of summarizing the jist of reactions to the knife:

"Warning!....Be sure to check out a few first before you buy, I have one and am happy with it, but I did have to go thru 5-6 before I found a good one. The QC at Emerson is VERY inconsistent. The one that I deceided on was even missing the detent ball on the lock side, which was OK by me, It still has the one on the other side. One I looked at I couldnt hardly close it past the ball without it catching very badly. Another the clip screws came thru so far that they rubbed the blade. Yet two other's the liner went ALL the way to the far edge of the blade upon lock up. I hope this helps all who consider one in the future...It is a good knife, just very sad QC."

Of course, many praised it to high heaven, while others referred to it as junk, and maybe worse.

Sorry if I interjected inappropriately, but before I got to BF, I was tied in my mind as to which knife I wanted more, the MT LCC, or the Commander. Had I known about the single bevel, believe I'd have only LCCs in my fantasies.

Bugs

[This message has been edited by Bugs3x (edited 03-15-2001).]

2Sharp · Mar 15, 2001

Hi!

Just wanted to add my idea on the Commander. (i have three, bought my first one in 1998)
True that Emerson knives sometimes display some QC issues, that's why it's a good thing to check'em out before buying.
I do not consider a loose pivot screw to be a QC issue, Emerson knives are meant to be easy to disassemble, how difficult is it to add Loc-Tite? i'd rather do that then not being able to take my knives apart.

Besides being a "Emerson-aholic" i'm also a "Microholic", got quite a few Microtech knives that i really like, they are great and fit and finish is awesome.
BUT, the knife that i just won't stop carry is my Commander, it's just so very comfortable to my hand and the wave opening device ROCKS.
I'm not too fond of the chisel ground edge, mainly 'cuz i suck at sharpening it, but when sharpened...it eats anything...

So, my love for the Commander is because it's the most comfortable knife i've handled yet, quickest to open of any knife i've seen and i really like the looks of it.
The LCC is a great knife, especially when looking at the price, but it just don't fit my hand as the Commander...
I've bought/traded many knives and thought that they now would be my carry pieces, but always end up carrying the Commander.
End of rant!

hope that it was of some value.

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Be well!/Jonas aka 2Sharp

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[This message has been edited by 2Sharp (edited 03-15-2001).]

Kdarmy · Mar 15, 2001

Just wanted to add, Bugs is right about the QC problem. It funny he said that his was even missing the detent ball...So was mine, and it too was the pick of the litter that I had to go with because the others had worse problems. I still believe that there are much better knives out there in the $150 range to choose from.

And Revenant, if you want the motto, its yours...I need a new one anyway.

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Keith D.Armacost
If At First You Don't Succeed,
Skydiving Is Not For You.

Revenant · Mar 16, 2001

Thank you all for the hard earned experience and advice. I've decided to get a Nimravus Cub instead of a folder, anyway. Kdarmy, thank you also for the use of your motto. I always liked that saying, whoever said it. So I'm not averse to "hand-me-downs."

Originally posted by Kdarmy:
Just wanted to add, Bugs is right about the QC problem. It funny he said that his was even missing the detent ball...So was mine, and it too was the pick of the litter that I had to go with because the others had worse problems. I still believe that there are much better knives out there in the $150 range to choose from.

And Revenant, if you want the motto, its yours...I need a new one anyway.

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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

The General · Mar 17, 2001

Man Bugs, it was missing the ball dentent? God almighty, that is more than sloppy it is criminal.

W.A.

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Bugs3x · Mar 17, 2001

Kdarmy -- for all I know -- poor memory, remember? -- it may well have been you I quoted, if you posted something about it. I just copied the post and pasted it here.

I believe it was since I made the earlier post in this thread that I saw a thread, believe on BFD, where on his web site Ernest Emerson has self described himself as the "most respected knifemaker in the world" or something like that, and that he is leading the knife world into the 21st century. I gotta tell you, even if all 10K forumites swore up and down that the Commander, or any other Emerson knife, was by far the best that money could buy, I'd never put a dime of my money in his pocket. Will cheerfully settle for something a bit down the list.

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Bugs