Emerson CQC-15: Is there a problem with my Knife?

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rxq

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May 19, 2009
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I have just received my second Emerson CQC-15. The feel of it is great. However, like my previous CQC-15 that was returned, it seems there may be a problem.

Please clickEXHIBIT 1
This is a picture of my first CQC-15. Notice the linear lock does not appear to fully engage the blade. I have had this knife replaced with a new one

Please clickEXHIBIT 2
This is a picture of my second CQC-15, the replacement to the previous one. It appears the linear lock only partially engages. While I can say it does prevent the blade from closing, I'm unsure on it's reliability. This knife was allegedly "checked out" before being shipped to me as well.

I have seen an Emerson Commander with a similar problem as well. It leads me to wonder, is this just normal for Emerson? I would appreciate it if someone else could post of a picture of the linear lock engaged against the blade from their own Emerson Knife. I am a Canadian, so I prefer to send it back to the place of purchase instead of back to Emerson for service since the postage fees are pretty high.

For reference here is a picture of the linear lock of a FOX knife. Please click EXHIBIT 3.
This is what I believe a linear lock should be like, where the lock engages against the middle of the blade.

Edit: I have read that Emerson's linear lock tend to have this problem but the knife will eventually "break in" and lock deeper in the tang handle. Is there any truth to that?

Thank you
 
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I have the 15 and yes that is normal for that titanium liner to engage at that point on a new
knife. The same thing happened with my Super Commander and my CQC 13.
 
All four of my Emersons have come like that brand new. All four of them have broken in over time, usually a day or two of steady opening. If you want it to break in a lot faster, try waving it a few dozen times and you should see a more engaged lock.
 
Confirming that one of my Emersons (cqc-7b) has come like that and since settled in to a more full engagement after breaking it in. My other Emerson (mini-15) wasn't quite as extreme, but certainly didn't fully engage right out of the box and has since moved to this position:

Picture4-6.png

Thats the mini-15 on the left and a ZT 0350 on the right for comparison.

What you are experiencing is normal, and I would only be alarmed if the lock strength itself is severely compromised or the lock bar does not properly "break in" as I have experienced and others have described. Emerson knows how to make a good liner lock and all mine have been fine. I wouldn't worry.
 
As others have mentioned, the knife is new, so it may need a little break in time. Waving it open a few dozen times should engage the lock farther. I have 4 Emersons and they all engaged VERY early when I first received them.
 
Thank you all for informing me. Is the material of the linear lock relatively soft so it breaks in or is some of the material filed off each time the knife opens?
Edit: The material of the lock is titanium so it pretty far from soft. What causes it to "break in"?
 
rxq said:
Thank you all for informing me. Is the material of the linear lock relatively soft so it breaks in or is some of the material filed off each time the knife opens?
Edit: The material of the lock is titanium so it pretty far from soft. What causes it to "break in"?
Click to expand...

Titanium is softer than steel. So the lock will slowly wear down and engage further and over time. You will see the same thing with titanium frame lock knives.
 
Are you sure its not the other way around where the titanium lock cuts a bit into the blade?

I was also wonder, does emerson send out replacement clip and screws?
 
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