Emerson Knives

L

L2bravo

Joined
Jun 14, 2013
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Ok, before I put my flame suit on, I want to ask a couple of questions. What is the attraction to Emerson? I am not bad mouthing, but here is my take on the couple that I took in trade, and let go. They are not smooth, they have blade play, F/F is not what I would call at the top end, The steel is "ok", not great, they have a relatively mediocre liner lock, they use hardware that I would pick last (like the tiny phillips screws, as opposed to hex/torx).

I realize the astronauts used them, SF guys use them, LE uses them, and many other people. I only want why! I am missing something.
 
I have a Mach 1 that I bought used at a very good price. it is a sturdy knife-nothing fancy and not particularly pretty but definitely a good user knife. You don't have to worry about getting it scratched or dinged up with hard work which is exactly what I was looking for. I have found Emerson CS very good-responsive and through. They stand behind their product. I don't think that I would pay full price for one but I am happy with the one that I have and the price that I paid for it
 
The only answer I have for you is the hardware. I believe they use it so it can be fixed in the field with a simple screw driver or even a coin. They never appealed to me so I can't comment on the F&F and other issues.
 
After years of hearing this topic brought up I will give you the simplest answer:

Either you like them or you don't.

Production Emersons aren't meant to be pretty, or fancy, or super high tech. They are well built knives that you are supposed to be able to use, service, sharpen, take apart and put back together with the most readily available tools. They are function over form. Also everything is 100% made in america, right down to the screws and washers. Ever try to take apart a benchmade axis lock? You aren't supposed to. My 940 has like 10+ tiny ass torx screws and then some. I gave up after I stripped one.

Emersons are meant to be used. The steel is left intentionally soft so that it is more resistant to breaking (snapping) under hard use and it is easier to sharpen in the field. Remember, every knife dulls no matter what the steel is.

As for the blade play, you can just tighten the pivots and put loktite on them, problem fixed. To smooth the action, take the knife apart, wash it in warm water and dish soap, scrub, lube and put it back together again. Takes 10 minutes and the knife should be completely serviceable again. Thats the kind of the whole point of these knives.

But like I said, either you love them or you don't.
 
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The attraction to Emersons is that they are Emersons.

I want one, I have just never been able to pull the trigger on one. Other knives usually supplant it.
 
I think it is more the price point versus materials than actual critique over the knives themselves. EKI is a long standing business that obviously is solidly planted, so why the high prices? Please don't tell me it takes $200 for an established company like that to make a profit on a knife with those materials.
 
Very well made knives and I've owned about every prod. model out there plus numerous "modified" models and years ago a custom which I stupidly sold. Now that being said they are not the toughest nor the best I wouldn't think when you consider what is out there available today , but indeed the simplest in design for what they are. User type knives. And because of Emerson's attachment to different groups of Special Warfare folks many people buy them for that reason alone. All this being said for me it is handle ergonomics cause I have defective mitts. The best out there bar none. The two best in design and function he has done imho are the 7a and the 11. Especially the 11. He didn't make that one for very long but extremely comfortable and robust. Thick tough tip, recurved blade shape and handle ergo's that you have to feel to appreciate. Plus like everyone else has said simple to service and use in the field and I think his heat treatment is pretty decent for 154cm. keepem sharp
 
CLE said:
After years of hearing this topic brought up I will give you the simplest answer:

Either you like them or you don't.

Production Emersons aren't meant to be pretty, or fancy, or super high tech. They are well built knives that you are supposed to be able to use, service, sharpen, take apart and put back together with the most readily available tools. They are function over form. Also everything is 100% made in america, right down to the screws and washers. Ever try to take apart a benchmade axis lock? You aren't supposed to. My 940 has like 10+ tiny ass torx screws and then some. I gave up after I stripped one.

Emersons are meant to be used. The steel is left intentionally soft so that it is more resistant to breaking (snapping) under hard use and it is easier to sharpen in the field. Remember, every knife dulls no matter what the steel is.

As for the blade play, you can just tighten the pivots and put loktite on them, problem fixed. To smooth the action, take the knife apart, wash it in warm water and dish soap, scrub, lube and put it back together again. Takes 10 minutes and the knife should be completely serviceable again. Thats the kind of the whole point of these knives.

But like I said, either you love them or you don't.
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Joe Watson said:
You answered your own question :)

They are good knives. Smoothness, blade play and hardware choice are not only subjective, but not really areas of critique for military, LE and others who just want something solid that can take a whoopin'. There is also much to be said for a company who can deliver on their promises.

They also have an impressive manufacturing capability and history of taking care of clients mentioned above.
Click to expand...

Well said, Gentlemen. I quit trying to explain EKI knives some time ago and simply default to, "Either you get them, or you don't."
 
Emerson gives you a mixed bag. The good, as I see it, very good grinds, ease of sharpening, ease of assembly/disassembly, good to great ergonomics and in-hand comfort, fairly tough, excellent warranty/CS and, of course, the wave feature. The bad, as I see it, subpar F&F in general, chisel ground edge on the wrong side, pivots may or may not smooth out (I've handled smooth Emersons, but I've also owned, carried and cleaned one for two plus years that's still gritty and stiff), pivot is poorly fit to the point of absolutely requiring loctite on every model I've owned or handled, very high prices for what you get.

I honestly feel the argument that, "You like them or you don't," is a bit too simplistic to be really useful. I like many thing about Emerson knives, the designs, ergos and wave have caused me to purchase three after all. There are other things that I dislike, and I won't ignore the shortcomings in their products.
 
The main reason I love my Emerson knives is because they are so darned ugly.
Many folks like to collect pretty things that they can admire and appreciate for their beauty, and that's great, I have some pretty knives too, but as has already been mentioned, Emerson chooses function and ease of maintenance over good looks.

Not sure about weak locks but the 8 I own haven't moved since they settled in at 50% or sooner and none have failed.

As far as price, I don't mind paying a premium for 100% American made not to mention when a company has a two year back log on production, they are probably priced just about right.

Ergo's are the best for me, from the A-100 to the Super Commander they are the most comfortable in hand and pocket of any knife I own.
 
I see that folks still use term functional to justify poor quality control of emerson knives...
 
The ergos are great on most, and I like the half satin/half SW finish on the SF models.
However, The finishing is very rough and I really dislike the chisel edges they give you.
I even got a brand new CQC-15 that literally had not been sharpened for a good portion of the blade.
Warranty is not something I consider when buying a knife either, since I can do pretty much any repairs myself.

You can get the same materials with better fit/finish in a sub-$100 Benchmade.

I do still love the designs though, in fact I have an Emerson on the way right now... :)
 
Recent production EKI's have IMHO shown considerable FF improvement. A well broken in Emerson is to me much like a well broken in Les Baer 1911. In both cases there are competitors that put considerably more effort in aesthetics/finish, but there's really not any I'd prefer to use the hell out of more than an Emerson or Baer.
 
Wait astronauts use them?! I better go buy one right now, cause we all know the US Govt [NASA] only uses the best of the best regardless of price.
 
Blade play overrated, seriously, Emerson makes simple reliable tools. After breaking in and pivot adjustments they can be very smooth.
 
I own about 10-11 Emerson knives, and over half are users. They are 100% USA made, have a great warranty if needed, effective performance, and simple design. I like them, and have no problem with them. Say what you will, they work. Oe thing to note is that they are made to be user tools, not pocket jewelry. Give them a try.
 
I don't know what it is about EMERSON knives. I don't particularly love anything about them but I keep buying them, using them and they work. The mini 15 is my favorite. Like Rev said give them a try.
 
I own four emersons. I like them okay, but they are just knives. Decent materials, design and assembly, but nothing great. Just G10 and average steel. Like half the knives on the market.

So what is it that really attracts people to these knives? As I have brilliantly (<< joking) stated before about Striders, CRKs and Emerson, its not the knife itself that makes people buy one, but how it makes them feel.

Ernest Emerson acknowledged as much in a recent thread. He noted that his knives represent "a lifestyle that people identify with" and "the brand itself becomes a symbol of status much as wearing a Rolex watch became the symbol of personal success." He said that "[O]ver the years, . . . the name Emerson developed this cache . . . ." Link.

So lets keep it real here, as I have done with other "status symbol" knives. Almost no one on Bladeforums uses their Emerson or their Strider deep behind enemy lines in a covert search and destroy mission. No one here has had to sharpen their Emerson on a rock while leading an assault team on the Kremlin. The guys who buy and use these knives - at least the guys on Bladeforums who buy them - work at Home Depot and drive a Camry. They buy Emersons to feel good. And that's it. When they cut their ham and cheese sandwich while on a break at work, they feel good doing it. But a Delica or whatever would cut it just fine too. So maybe its not the performance that attracts them. It's something else.

So my thesis is that guys buy these knives to feel good, and they try to justify it by saying "I can sharpen the chisel ground soft steel on a rock" and all of that kind of stuff. "I can use it hard and it never let me down". Well, a $30 Buck 110 will never let you down either. But Buck 110's aren't tacticool, and they
don't represent "a lifestyle that people identify with" and a "status symbol", to use Ernie Emerson's words.

There is nothing whatsoever wrong with buying and using and loving a knife because it makes you feel good. I do it every single day. But its not the soft steel or the waved shape feature that sells the knife knife. Its the way the knife makes you feel. And when a guy says "you either get it or you don't", that's really what he is talking about.

 
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For 200 dollars and more I want my knife to be set to go from the box. For that and more money I dont want to waste time by finishing their poor quality knives.
 
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