Emerson knives

love my emersons, customs and productions, i bet i have had at least one of most every model in the line, my fav production is the '12 followed by the CQC13, SOCFK, I&I tanto, CQC8 & the CQC7.

they are great knives, the only cons ya ever hear about them is that they have a funky grind (well maybe different is a better word) and liner lock issues, you rarely hear about LL issues anymore and though the grind is different it still cuts just fine, gets plenty sharp, and is no harder to sharpen than anything else, once ya get used to it.

though the F&F is a little bit less than BM or spydie its still right up at the top, they offer the wave, have excellent CS, ernie and mary are good folks, its made in the USA, they offer imho some of the best designs around, with excellent grips that ya can really get ahold of, i just really love mine,

though i have lots of BM's, spydies, etc i like EKI more than any other brand, and have more EKI's than any other brand,
 
SIFU1A said:
love my emersons, customs and productions, i bet i have had at least one of most every model in the line, my fav production is the '12 followed by the CQC13, SOCFK, I&I tanto, CQC8 & the CQC7.

they are great knives, the only cons ya ever hear about them is that they have a funky grind (well maybe different is a better word) and liner lock issues, you rarely hear about LL issues anymore and though the grind is different it still cuts just fine, gets plenty sharp, and is no harder to sharpen than anything else, once ya get used to it.

though the F&F is a little bit less than BM or spydie its still right up at the top, they offer the wave, have excellent CS, ernie and mary are good folks, its made in the USA, they offer imho some of the best designs around, with excellent grips that ya can really get ahold of, i just really love mine,

though i have lots of BM's, spydies, etc i like EKI more than any other brand, and have more EKI's than any other brand,
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Took the words out of my mouth! :thumbup:
 
I'm most likely getting a plain super 7 next month off the bay. Last EKI I had was back when they were having lock issues. From what I've heard here, I think its safe to wade back into that pool. On the flipside, if I have issues, I'll send it to STR and have it made into a framelock. Win win situation.
 
I have 4 Emersons; 2 LaGriffes, 1 CQC-7B and 1 Waved CQC-7B. My current EDC is the Waved CQC-7B and it has been my EDC since sometime in 2002.

My original CQC-7B's opening was perfect right out of the box. The Waved CQC-7B was a little tight at first, but a little adjustment and breaking in fixed that. One thing about Emerson folders that is a bit unusual is that they use normal screws so they are easy to work on yourself.

I've recently added a LaGriffe to my EDC, carrying it on my keychain.
 
3mptin3ss said:
do you other guys have smooth opening ones?
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My Mini 7 was a despicable creature out of the box: rough, gritty, stiff, and slow as can be. I stripped it down, cleaned it out with WD-40, and lubed it with Hoppe's (all I had at the time). I have no idea how so much black junk and steel shavings got in there, but afterwards the difference was dramatic. It was still a little hesitant, still a little slow, but super smooth and no grittiness whatsoever. After another week of breaking-in and a second clean/lube session, it was smooth as glass. It will never be as fast as a Benchmade because the pivot fit and washers just aren't designed that way. But I can quickly sweep it open with the thumb disk, or easily flick it with just a little roll of the wrist, or of course Wave it.

You'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't thoroughly clean and oil your Emerson immediately after receiving it. One of EKI's biggest benefits is that their knives are so easy to disassemble, so take advantage of it.
 
hwpaintballer said:
I am debating whether or not to get an emerson folder, I've heard some good things about them and I checked out their website and it seems to me that they stand behind their product 100%. Does any one have any experience with emerson knives or customer service. Also does anyone know of any good (good meaning detailed) reviews of some emerson production knives?
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If you have a few hundred bucks to spare, you cannot go wrong with an Emerson. Keep in mind a few things:

- Most (all?) Emersons are chisel ground, which means the edges are ground only on one side. This provides enormous strength, since the blade can be thicker and still stay sharp. It also means that you will not be able to cut in a straight line, since the asymmetrical grind will push your blade off to one side.

- Emersons have thick blades. Again, this contributes to their great strength. It also means they are not great slicers. You will not be using your Commander or your CQC-7 to slice tomatoes. You can, however, probably put it through the hood of a car.

- The Americanized tanto of the CQC-7 is not good for a lot of things. It's not good at opening mail, and it's terrible for food prep. Long slices are out of the question. It is good at small precision cutting- the sharp point and straight secondary edge give you a lot of control at the tip. It's also great for opening boxes, since you can use the secondary "tip" where the belly would usually be to quickly slice through packing tape without worrying about the primary tip penetrating too deep into the box. And of course, the tanto shape provides incredible tip strength. This is one of the few knives you could confidently use to drive through steel or thick wood if you had to.

- The handles are G10 with a fairly grippy textured surface. If you wear designer jeans or delicate dress pants, the belt clip and G10 scales will eventually destroy your pockets- faster if you use the Wave.

- The Wave is the fastest opening mechanism ever incorporated into a folding knife. Period. It does take some practice, and it does not work with all types of pants- but if you wear any normal style of fairly durable jeans, and you can spare a little time to practice, a Waved Emerson will be significantly faster than even the best-designed auto. I cannot stress what a great benefit this is if you will be using this knife in an emergency or self-defense capacity. Just make sure you have a good grip on the thing and don't drop it in a spasm of overenthusiastic Waving.

- The pivot will be stiff, gritty, slow, and disgusting out of the box. This seems to be normal. Emersons are very easy to disassemble, so take down your knife, clean it out thoroughly, oil the pivot point and washers, and put it back together. The action will immediately feel better. Break it in for another week, and it will be better still. Your knife will eventually settle into a kind of rhythm that is silky-smooth but still a little bit slow, nothing at all like a Benchmade or Spyderco. That's normal, and it's probably a function of the pivot design and tight fit of the washers. You should easily be able to open it either using the thumb disc, wrist flicking, or the Wave.

- The titanium lock bar will wear down, and it will stick. That's normal too. Releasing the lock will be a monumental undertaking when the knife is new, and once broken in it will still be a little rough on your thumb. It's not the most elegant design, but I consider it somewhat of a benefit, as it also makes the lock much more difficult (almost impossible) to release accidentally.

- Customer service is excellent and responsive. I've never had to send a knife back, but the two times I've emailed EKI, I got personal responses from Ernie Emerson. Not bad.

Bottom line: Emersons, in general, are not subtle knives. They don't look pretty, they're not smooth and sleek, they don't have fine piercing tips. They are thick, chunky, heavy, beefy folders with invincible lockup and enormously durable blades. I don't know much about specific steels, but the 154CM Emerson uses seems very good: gets sharp, holds a decent edge, quite tough, not too difficult to sharpen, good corrosion resistance. In the end, this is not a gentleman's folder or even a fighting knife- it is a tool made to be used hard. If you're not going to abuse this knife- cut thick rope, saw through boxes, etc.- then you won't be happy with it. You won't understand why it's so terrible at paring fruit, or opening envelopes, or slicing paper. You won't understand why the tanto fails miserably for most knife-fighting applications. You have to use an Emerson to appreciate it.
 
actually EKI's are designed primarily for SD and really only the '7b is a CG though none are a std "V" grind.

as far as slicing i dont think you have ever seen a ZBG or a krein regrind or ya would know EKI's can slice just fine, really the '8, '12, & '13 will all slice just fine as is from the factory.

i dont think they are really what i would call thick bladed either especially when compared to say a strider folder, or really even a lotta BM or spydies.

they also will work just fine for edc stuff, maybe not for fine cutting, but even the '7b will work ok, i edc'd a SOCFK tanto for over a year and didnt once think "gee i wish i had my std "V" grind for this".
 
I only have one Emerson, the cqc7a, but its one of my favorite folders. Simple, comfortable, and sturdy, its the one I choose when I need a heavy duty knife and don't want to take along a fixed blade. It seemed to want a bit of a break in period when I first got it, which had me a bit nervous at first, but after a few weeks use, everything seemed to settle in, and I feel I can rely on it for pretty much whatever I need now.
 
SIFU1A said:
actually EKI's are designed primarily for SD and really only the '7b is a CG though none are a std "V" grind.

as far as slicing i dont think you have ever seen a ZBG or a krein regrind or ya would know EKI's can slice just fine, really the '8, '12, & '13 will all slice just fine as is from the factory.

i dont think they are really what i would call thick bladed either especially when compared to say a strider folder, or really even a lotta BM or spydies.

they also will work just fine for edc stuff, maybe not for fine cutting, but even the '7b will work ok, i edc'd a SOCFK tanto for over a year and didnt once think "gee i wish i had my std "V" grind for this".
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Almost any sharp knife can serve as an emergency self-defense weapon, but Emersons, regardless of their design, are not optimized for knife-fighting. The Karambit/La Griffe are notable exceptions, but they are dramatically different from most other Emersons. A purpose-built fighting knife does not need a strong blade- it needs either a thin, narrow dagger shape with a very fine piercing tip; or a long, smooth single edge with a lot of belly for slashing. Emersons will serve their purpose in knife fighting due to their strength, because they will survive more abuse than most other knives. However, they are not the best fighters- too thick to penetrate easily, and generally not enough belly for slashing. The Al Mar Ultralight series are good defensive folders: scalpel-sharp, fantastic piercing tips, and super thin blades for deep penetration. But my Falcon Ultralight will snap in half at the first sign of twisting or prying, whereas my Emerson will shrug it off and keep on going. Different knives for different purposes.

Yes, my opinions are based on my experience with the Mini 7B, which is what I have. Emersons "will work" for EDC tasks, and I have used my Emerson in just that capacity. It is just not optimized for that sort of thing. Every knife is a compromise, trading some functions for others, and Emersons generally give up "light duty" versatility for "heavy duty" ruggedness and strength.
 
Ive been EDCing a CQC-8 everyday for almost two months now and i have nothing but good to say about it, ergos are fantastic lockup is awesome blade shape it brilliant,IMO. etc...

They will tear up your pockets though, I took some super glue and put it in the seam of the pocket where the knife sits, and kinda clamped it a little, let it dry. so now the seam is thin and rigid and my emerson sits perfectly and goes in and out great.
 
No love for the CQC-10! My favorite Emerson model.

All the Emersons I've tried brand new were noticeably smoother after I took them apart for cleaning. I'm not a fan of the chisel grind, but the Emersons are so viciously sharp I overlook it.
 
As much as I hate to do so, I'm going to say I'm not a big fan. I think Ernie is a great guy and deserves a lot of respect--and the wave feature is a stroke of pure genius. I'm a huge fan of the man and his business--just not the product.

I don't like that even with the explaining away that can be done regarding the chisel grind, it's still a left handed chisel with a right-handed lock. This will make (as noted above) cutting with any accuracy a bit of a headache. Also for the money I'm confused as to why one should have to disassemble the knife and clean it out of the box just so it works properly. The examples I've played with at the shop I work at in the summers have all had pivots that would loosen and develop blade play with just a few openings.

I'm glad that others are able to be so enthusiastic about Emerson knives, but I'm afraid they just aren't for me. However, I'm glad they're around. Nothing wrong with more choices on the market. I just choose differently. :)
 
I have 6 Emerson folders and I like them all.[ the Persian has got to be one of the sleekest, deadliest looking SD knives of all time ] I treat my knives gently and have never needed any service. I'm sure I"ll buy more Emersons as time goes on although Ernie's politics make me GAG! Hey Ernie, maybe I'll run into you one day when you're wearing your' Conservative and Proud' T-shirt and I'll kick your right-wing ass...er, on second thought, a confrontation of that nature would probably go the other way.

Anyway, even if I was delusional enough to think I might prevail, I wouldn't touch a hair on his head as I need him to keep making those very cool knives. By the way, when are we going to see a fixed blade Persian along the lines of the fixed blade Karambit?
 
I have 4 Emersons and plan on adding to them very soon. I was hesitant for a long time on getting one but when I finally did I see why the have a great following. Great ergonomics, Good designs and outstanding warranty all add up to a fantastic product by Mr. Emerson. I usually always have at least one Emerson on me all the time and they fill the EDC role very well. They are definately worth the money IMO.

Good luck.
 
mrpinkbullets said:
If you have a few hundred bucks to spare, you cannot go wrong with an Emerson. Keep in mind a few things:

- Most (all?) Emersons are chisel ground, which means the edges are ground only on one side. This provides enormous strength, since the blade can be thicker and still stay sharp. It also means that you will not be able to cut in a straight line, since the asymmetrical grind will push your blade off to one side.

- Emersons have thick blades. Again, this contributes to their great strength. It also means they are not great slicers. You will not be using your Commander or your CQC-7 to slice tomatoes. You can, however, probably put it through the hood of a car.

- The Americanized tanto of the CQC-7 is not good for a lot of things. It's not good at opening mail, and it's terrible for food prep. Long slices are out of the question. It is good at small precision cutting- the sharp point and straight secondary edge give you a lot of control at the tip. It's also great for opening boxes, since you can use the secondary "tip" where the belly would usually be to quickly slice through packing tape without worrying about the primary tip penetrating too deep into the box. And of course, the tanto shape provides incredible tip strength. This is one of the few knives you could confidently use to drive through steel or thick wood if you had to.

- The handles are G10 with a fairly grippy textured surface. If you wear designer jeans or delicate dress pants, the belt clip and G10 scales will eventually destroy your pockets- faster if you use the Wave.

- The Wave is the fastest opening mechanism ever incorporated into a folding knife. Period. It does take some practice, and it does not work with all types of pants- but if you wear any normal style of fairly durable jeans, and you can spare a little time to practice, a Waved Emerson will be significantly faster than even the best-designed auto. I cannot stress what a great benefit this is if you will be using this knife in an emergency or self-defense capacity. Just make sure you have a good grip on the thing and don't drop it in a spasm of overenthusiastic Waving.

- The pivot will be stiff, gritty, slow, and disgusting out of the box. This seems to be normal. Emersons are very easy to disassemble, so take down your knife, clean it out thoroughly, oil the pivot point and washers, and put it back together. The action will immediately feel better. Break it in for another week, and it will be better still. Your knife will eventually settle into a kind of rhythm that is silky-smooth but still a little bit slow, nothing at all like a Benchmade or Spyderco. That's normal, and it's probably a function of the pivot design and tight fit of the washers. You should easily be able to open it either using the thumb disc, wrist flicking, or the Wave.

- The titanium lock bar will wear down, and it will stick. That's normal too. Releasing the lock will be a monumental undertaking when the knife is new, and once broken in it will still be a little rough on your thumb. It's not the most elegant design, but I consider it somewhat of a benefit, as it also makes the lock much more difficult (almost impossible) to release accidentally.

- Customer service is excellent and responsive. I've never had to send a knife back, but the two times I've emailed EKI, I got personal responses from Ernie Emerson. Not bad.

Bottom line: Emersons, in general, are not subtle knives. They don't look pretty, they're not smooth and sleek, they don't have fine piercing tips. They are thick, chunky, heavy, beefy folders with invincible lockup and enormously durable blades. I don't know much about specific steels, but the 154CM Emerson uses seems very good: gets sharp, holds a decent edge, quite tough, not too difficult to sharpen, good corrosion resistance. In the end, this is not a gentleman's folder or even a fighting knife- it is a tool made to be used hard. If you're not going to abuse this knife- cut thick rope, saw through boxes, etc.- then you won't be happy with it. You won't understand why it's so terrible at paring fruit, or opening envelopes, or slicing paper. You won't understand why the tanto fails miserably for most knife-fighting applications. You have to use an Emerson to appreciate it.
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This is one of the best "treatises" on Emerson Knives. This should be a sticky in the Emerson forum.:thumbup:
 
After having to send back my new CQC14 twice because the liner lock started slipping/failing and it's slipping again I'm done with Emersons. I really love the ergos of the CQC14 but I don't trust the knife at all. I'm thinking of using it for my first framelock conversion attempt.
 
Larry Turko said:
By the way, when are we going to see a fixed blade Persian along the lines of the fixed blade Karambit?
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The Persian folder is based on the original fixed blade. It's a custom only piece and about as rare as chicken lips.
 
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