Emerson Lock Slip

R

redbird063

Joined
Aug 28, 2012
Messages
156
I've had an Emerson Mini Commander for about a month and the lock has settled in to about a 50% lockup with zero stick. If I attempt to close it with the lock engaged the lock slips unfortunately. I do have to apply a decent amount of pressure, to do this but my other liner locks, like my zt 0350, don't slip under the same conditions. Could this be caused by the fact that the liner is made of titanium instead of steel? Should I send it in for warranty? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
I'm assuming that this movement is under a steady pressure and not a jarring pressure like a spine whack would produce. If I'm right, I would send it in. IMAO, the lockbar shouldn't move at all against the face of the blade tang. None of my Emersons or other liner locks has ever done that except one Al Mar, which the company fixed under warranty.
 
Send it in I had one Emerson do this out of probably 25 that I have owned, they will put you another stop pin in and possibly change the liner out , I had a cqc-10 with the same problem and it wasn't bad at first, but after it closed on my fingers(thank goodness for kevlar gloves) she got sent in for repair and came back to me better than new!
 
I have one I just sent an Emerson today to them with the same thing. I just put pressure on the blade and it closes..very dangerous!~

Mine was brand new and I opened and closed it approx 500x and still it slipped.

Only thing I can't stand is waiting for 3 1/2 weeks to get it back...and I hope they don't charge me the return shiping which they charge like $17.00 for. I sent mine to them insured for the cost of the knife priority mailfor $7. So $17 seems a little much for returning a new knife.
 
colubrid said:
I have one I just sent an Emerson today to them with the same thing. I just put pressure on the blade and it closes..very dangerous!~

Mine was brand new and I opened and closed it approx 500x and still it slipped.

Only thing I can't stand is waiting for 3 1/2 weeks to get it back...and I hope they don't charge me the return shiping which they charge like $17.00 for. I sent mine to them insured for the cost of the knife priority mailfor $7. So $17 seems a little much for returning a new knife.
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I had the same issue with a brand new Roadhouse, any pressure on the back of the blade and the lock would slip. I sent it in and had it back 7 days later from the day I mailed it. Emerson fixed it, never had a problem after that. I agree, their shipping charges are a bit much....
 
I wonder if the roadhouse knives are prone to this. My mini had that problem but I just took it apart and pushed the lock over a little and now it locks up better and doesn't close. not sure if this is long term, but hopefully it is
 
I called EKi before I shipped my knife and told them the problem, They fixed mine and all I had to pay was for the shipping to them.
 
I also had this problem with a brand new Roadhouse. They fixed it under warranty by replacing the liner lock. Only took two weeks round trip. I was a little annoyed thigh that I had to pay for return shipping to get it back to me for a warranty repair.
 
Send it in to Emerson, i'm sure they will do you right and fix the knife.

I'm curious if this is endemic to a certain model year... My 2011 and 2013 knives have had absolutely no problems and I have as much confidence in them as I should with a liner lock... Only my 2012 model has an issue -- a 2012 horseman with super early lockup... it looked suspicious and sure enough it closed on me. Upon further investigation the lock continuously fails with light/medium pressure on the spine. I am planning on sending it in to Emerson.
 
Reading this thread and numerous others for years that either match this "complaint" for lack of a better word or something entirely different is the only reason I have never purchased an Emerson. It isn't (completely) the fit or finish etc. I'm not much on that anyhow really. But a lock just flat out slipping, I mean slipping just doing a regular cutting chore? Come on man.

And I know most don't etc. but I just see that happening to me. Ha!
Having said that, one day I will more than likely purchase one. Ha! But I have managed to pull out the wallet and buy something else every time. Maybe because I'm not an operator. Heh:rolleyes:
 
Well I had to send mine in twice for the same problem. Brand new knife, never used. When it came back the first time the lock still slipped. I told them the bottom of the blade tang that the lockbar contacts looked to steep to me. But they ignored my suggestion and sent it back with a new lockbar side. That one slipped. So I had to pay insurance again and sent it in. Mr. Emerson got on the phone when I called them and told me he would take care of it personally as it was his knife to carry. I got it back with zero compensation, but the lockbar does not slip anymore. He did change the angle of the blade tang which was the problem to begin with. But then after I opened and closed it about 300x to break in the new liner developed a burr on the side of the lockbar and now it makes a squeeling sound. It also sticks so bad that sometimes I have to move the lockbar with two hands to get it to release.

I called Emerson back and left a message with the receptionsist to have Mr. Emerson call me back because there is another problem with the knife since he spoke with me over the phone and promised he would take care of it. It has been two weeks now and no return phone call yet. I guess he thinks I am one of those customers that just likes to complain. So I never called back again.

I am done sending it in because two trips for a brand new knife and I lose shipping and insurance both times. Not even a $15 pirate clip or anything extra was put in for my extra expense. I love emerson design and have lots of them (12 I think) with no problems. But one thing for sure, Mr. Emerson loves his money.

That said. I am not turned off on Emerson knives and one reason why his company is still so successful. I just like their design and ergos.
 
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Did you even stop to think that Mr. E might have been just a little bit busy with the Lottery, Auction and Christmas all happening within a 2week period? Every aspect or retail gets crazy at Christmas. Have a little patience!
 
cevtv said:
Did you even stop to think that Mr. E might have been just a little bit busy with the Lottery, Auction and Christmas all happening within a 2week period? Every aspect or retail gets crazy at Christmas. Have a little patience!
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i sent a new knife in twice and still came back twice bad on my dime.

Ummm,, ..I DON'T CARE IF HE IS BUSY MAKING NEW KNIVES AND MAKING NEW MONEY!
 
I have a '13 Commander. Broke in quite nicely and smoothened out. But after about 2 months, the lock bar did start to slip under pressure. However being in Canada, I try to save sending something in as a last resort. It slipped periodically for probably 2 weeks...then went away. Hasn't done it since, and hasn't left my pocket since the day I got it. Could be that the lock bar wore in just a bit more, but who knows. This is my first and only Emerson, so I can't say that it was a trend or anything that I noticed in multiple knives.
 
Well my lock started slipping again. I put pencil lead on the lockbar and now it slips off with the least pressure just like it did before.

I took the pencil led off and it sticks real bad but at least it does not slip.
 
to Mr Pocket of steel-How does a lock slip under a regular cutting chore? Use the sharp edge not the spine and it won't slip
 
rule9 said:
to Mr Pocket of steel-How does a lock slip under a regular cutting chore? Use the sharp edge not the spine and it won't slip
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This could happen quite easily if you are cutting something, wood for example, and the front end of the blade gets wedged. Once the blade is wedged you naturally will lift the back end of the handle to get leverage and then when you run out of lifting room you push back down on the tail end of the handle. This puts the lock in a vise and it's either going to hold or give. This could give that constant pressure against the lock bar during "normal" cutting.
 
rule9 said:
to Mr Pocket of steel-How does a lock slip under a regular cutting chore? Use the sharp edge not the spine and it won't slip
Click to expand...

I'm just reading the thread like you. I have heard this stuff for years so I'm sure there is some validity to it. As for myself, I have yet to own a knife with a spine so sharp it could cut so I indeed use the side that is sharp.<shaking my head>:rolleyes:

My former neighbor had a linerlock (won't name the brand) and the third or fourth day he used it the lock slipped and bit him pretty good. The day he got the knife I told him I didn't like the look of the lockup, it was "stupid early". He was as new to knives as one can be so I can guarantee you he didn't try to whittle with the spine side, only experts use that side. Heh. I'm not an expert. Maybe one day I'll reach that elite level.

The way he explained it to me was that he was just carving on a stick and when he followed through on the cutting stroke he didn't clear the piece of wood enough and the tip part of his knife (on the spine end)....hit the wood - I'm sure you can figure it out if you think about. I've had that scenario happen to me so many times I couldn't count them but never with enough pressure or sucky lockup to disengage the blade itself. He'd have no reason to make it up and only experts spine whack their knives.
 
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