Emerson liner lock vs frame locks strength?

Pivot screws loosen at times.
My Umnumzaan, along with a Spyderco Waved Endura, AND my ZT 0550 end up loosening.


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I had terrible problems with my ZT0801 doing that until I superglued one side & then wrapped about 6 layers of Teflon tape over the other side.

~John
 
Pivot screws loosen at times.
My Umnumzaan, along with a Spyderco Waved Endura, AND my ZT 0550 end up loosening.
Because I HATE Loc-tite...so I just tighten them back up. :)

And with Emerson, come on! It's a flat head screw.
I tighten the pivot to my liking with my thumbnail.

Aren't the pivots the same on the Umnumzaan as the 25? Or at least similar in design and function?

I bought my 25 about a month before CRK started shipping them with locktite.

Speaking of waved Enduras , I just traded mine away for an old school afck and I miss the heck out of it. That is one fantastically ugly knife!
 
I still have no idea what a spine whack test is supposed to prove. What possible situation would you ever use a knife in that way?
 
Tools are, and should be used. Abuse a brand new tool, put it past reasonable limit, and you have junk. I use to pick up cars from people who had judgements on them, and the people owed money, got a writ of exeucution to pick up the judgement debtors wheels. Many times I pick up some car with only a few thousand miles some jerk trashed. Almost new car that was a junker.
 
things happen but there are too many Rambo idiots out there. I had a CQC7 that I carried daily for 4 years and I don't even think the lock engagement ever move from its original place. I gave it to a good friend in need. That was about another 4 years ago and he still use it
 
things happen but there are too many Rambo idiots out there. I had a CQC7 that I carried daily for 4 years and I don't even think the lock engagement ever move from its original place. I gave it to a good friend in need. That was about another 4 years ago and he still use it

Good to hear, my super 7 is my new edc. So far, it is looking very good.
 
Never owned an Emerson but have other liner locks and don't really care for them. From what i've had the best locks are frame locks. Unbelievably solid. And I'm a Benchmade fan. The ADAMAS lock competes with the framelocks though.
 
2 of the 20 to 25 Emersons I used to own had lock failure from just applying a tiny amount of pressure on the spine. I believe another 2 of them also had lock slippage as well (which is the first step to lock failure).

Out of curiosity, how were you lubricating your knives?
 
I can make any knife fail, so what's the point? Even a fixed blade will fail if not used properly. Hell, I bet I can make a crowbar fail.

The point is, if you use these tools properly and are aware of their limitations, they will serve you well.

That said, I've never had a problem with any of my Emersons, or for that matter, any of my knives where I had to send them back (except maybe a couple of prototype customs, but those were tweaks).

Also, I find it hard to believe that a pivot screw fell out despite having loctite on it. I use that on my header bolts, and they stay in. Even if your pivot screw had no threads, loctite will hold.

Of course loctite holds, we all know that. I wished I was just a di#+ enough at times to call someone out (BFC) and say they are lying. But I don't want to say that from my keyboard because I know how I would feel if someone said that to me knowing there are no repercussions because they weren't in front of me.

Having said that. Some of the 'stories' I read from posters about what happens to them because they bought an Emerson knife makes me roll my eyes and shake my head. It's a wonder I don't have kneck and eye problems.
 
3 Emersons in a row with the same exact failures?

Did you send them in for warranty and what did they do to fix the issues?

Honestly, I never sent them in for warranty. The first model I tried I ended up just not liking, so I wasn't interested in sending it in, I wouldn't have been interested in carrying one even if it didn't have problems. I figured I'd get another I might like more, and assumed they couldn't all be that bad. The second had the same problems, plus a slightly warped liner on one side. The third I borrowed from a friend who complained of similar issues and found the same problems again. I ground off the wave (which I found more annoying and dangerous than useful) and bent in the lock to where I thought it should be (putting it in a comfortable "stiffness" similar to other linerlocks) on the one I thought I might keep, but that still didn't do it for me. I just didn't like the knives in the end, hated the wave, didn't like the left-hand chisel grind, loose pivots, gritty action, machine marks all over, etc.

It's entirely possible that I just tried 3 duds in a row, and I've heard that some years of Emersons are better or worse, etc. And Emerson may indeed have incredible customer service, but if I'm on the fence about a company and try 3 different $150+ models of their knives and not a single one meets my requirements for even a mediocre knife, I'm done trying. I gave them more than a fair chance in my opinion (and that's all that this is, my opinion). I ended up selling one (with full disclosure of my perceived problems with it) and ended up giving the other two away. In short, did I have a great experience with my Emersons? No. Do I trust the lockup on an Emerson as much as on a Sebenza, based on my experience? No. Would I still encourage you to get one if you're interested? Yes.

As with everything else, I encourage people to form their own opinions based on their own experiences. OP asked for mine, that's what I supplied. And in the end, the only way you're going to really see what one is like yourself is by trying one.

On a side note, I find it mildly amusing that you posted this in the Emerson forum. I didn't realize until now that this was posted in this forum, and I'm not trying to poop on anyone's parade, I just saw it at the top of the "new posts" list and thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. I don't have a place in mind that you should have posted it, but asking here is kind of like going to a VW Beetle owners meeting and asking if VW Beetles are good cars. :p

Cheers
 
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Aren't the pivots the same on the Umnumzaan as the 25? Or at least similar in design and function?

I bought my 25 about a month before CRK started shipping them with locktite.

Speaking of waved Enduras , I just traded mine away for an old school afck and I miss the heck out of it. That is one fantastically ugly knife!

AFCK huh? That is one knife I will eventually end up owning. It's funny- when that piece originally came out (from what I have read) it really wasn't given much fanfare compared to either other BM's or other knives that were released from other makers.

It seems to me the AFCK was almost an after thought? Would I be correct in thinking that? I want to see if it's what it's cracked up to be.
 
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I know one thing, it's not like all framelocks are infallible.

My ZT0801 will fail a hard spine wack test, I know because I tried it.

I don't know if my LG Sebenza will fail or not, I was never about to hammer on it and find out LOL

~John
 
things happen but there are too many Rambo idiots out there. I had a CQC7 that I carried daily for 4 years and I don't even think the lock engagement ever move from its original place. I gave it to a good friend in need. That was about another 4 years ago and he still use it

That is great to hear. Sadly not enough of those stories are told. I plan on using the piss out of both of mine.
 
That is great to hear. Sadly not enough of those stories are told. I plan on using the piss out of both of mine.

you guys will enjoy your knives and they will last a lifetime. Too many people doesn't take care of their stuff. I have seen it in every single hobby or thing they own. Call it knives, bicycles, cars, whatever. We all have seen them. The guys that don't do maintenance to their car and then they wonder why the gearbox is slipping. The guys that never change a bike chain and never change or adjust the cables. Then they b&t$% when they have to replace the chain, cogs and cassette because excessive wear.
Some people take care of their belongings and have a little of pride in what they own. Others are sloppy and careless. Those always think that is not their fault and that X Y Z should have to stand the abuse and or misuse ;)
 
AFCK huh? That is one knife I will eventually end up owning. It's funny- when that piece originally came out (from what I have read) it really wasn't given much fanfare compared to either other BM's or other knives that were released from other makers.

It seems to me the AFCK was almost an after thought? Would I be correct in thinking that? I want to see if it's what it's cracked up to be.

As much as I love my Ernies, the AFCK is my all time favorite and I have 3 now. One is a user of sorts and two may never see the light of day.

Whether or not they were/are an afterthought I really can't say, and always defer to my friend the expert (pbgc) for questions, he knows far more than I ever will.

The old school liner locks in good condition still go for around $200 and the highly sought after AXIS lock versions can fetch around $300.
 
you guys will enjoy your knives and they will last a lifetime. Too many people doesn't take care of their stuff. I have seen it in every single hobby or thing they own. Call it knives, bicycles, cars, whatever. We all have seen them. The guys that don't do maintenance to their car and then they wonder why the gearbox is slipping. The guys that never change a bike chain and never change or adjust the cables. Then they b&t$% when they have to replace the chain, cogs and cassette because excessive wear.
Some people take care of their belongings and have a little of pride in what they own. Others are sloppy and careless. Those always think that is not their fault and that X Y Z should have to stand the abuse and or misuse ;)


You post strikes a not I understand, as I also ride bicycles. Mine get taken care of, work when I ride it. Has not stopped working ever. My only road repair is fixing a flat tire. I carry a tube repair kit, and extra tube, so I go ride prepared.
 
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