Emerson Review

M

Mike45ACP

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Nov 29, 2014
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Thought I'd give a short review of a new Emerson CQC 7V. I've been a critic of Emerson but it's been awhile since I've had one so I thought I'd give it a try again.
I asked the dealer I bought from to check for blade centering and lock up and mine did show up with a centered blade and solid lock up. Blade was quite sharp and over all the knife felt good and solid in the hand. I really don't care for the brown scales but if you wanted the CQC7 with a V grind that's what you get. Negatives? I have no way of weighing it but comparing it to a PM 2 it feels heavy and a little thick while riding in my favorite Levi's. The stainless liners have machining marks everywhere. It has a little lock stick but nothing bad. The wave works perfectly from the pocket but the action is somewhat stiff and requires a little wrist flick while using the thumb stud. Also the scale could stand to have a deeper relief cut to facilitate opening. I'm not going to make adjustments of any kind for at least a month or so and see how it wears in.
I like the knife so far, feels great in the hand, love the blade shape and fit and finish aren't terrible. My biggest criticism is the price. For 200 you can buy some ZT's or fill in the blank .....which have better materials and better fit and finish. My overall thoughts, very nice design and not a bad knife at all but to much money for what you get. Just one mans opinion.

Mike

 
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I've owned the Emerson CQC-7 several times over the years. Never quite bonded with them. But, It's good to see that Emerson's quality is more consistent these days compared to years past. They aren't going to win any awards for immaculate fit/finish, but they are solidly built. You're spot on about the perception of their price. For $200 you could get a Zero Tolerance knife with the quality and fit/finish rivaling $400 mid-techs. Still, Emersons do have their place, and the Emerson fanboys.... Well, they do their part. ;)
 
I think the more you use it and break it in the more you will like it and understand exactly what a CQC-7 is.

Most other knives are as good as they're going to get right out of the box. An Emerson gets better with use and familiarity.

The weight and thickness you feel is strength. Treated well it's pretty much a lifetime knife. The lock stick will go away with break-in but it will probably never be a great flicker---they aren't known for that. That's one reason I like the thumb discs. If they were flickers I'd want a stud.

You're right about giving it a month to get used to. They have a little bit of a learning curve and sometimes require a little tweaking but they are wonderful knives deserving of their reputation. Don't be afraid to use it hard.
 
emersons are great, but they definitely feel better once they have been broken in, like a baseball glove. i like to sand the g10 handles on mine whenever i get a new emerson and i add lube to the pivot if needed. i wish they would lower the prices a bit, but i still buy them if i like the design or if i find a used one on ebay for a good discount.

there are so many awesome emersons to choose from. the cqc14 snubby is one of my favorites, it feels great in my hand. the cqc8 is a perfect edc. i also love the emerson bulldog and im currently obsessed with the vindicator. i have an all black plain edge vindicator that ive been carrying lately and i would like to buy a satin blade version as well.
 
I do like the CQC 7 right now, it's just that I don't think it's a 200 dollar knife. When compared to my ZT0620 CF which can be bought for around the same price. I'm committed to edc'ing the emerson for a couple months at least and I'll see if my perceptions change. Will report back if they do.

Mike
 
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Mike45ACP said:
I do like the CQC 7 right now, it's just that I don't it's a 200 dollar knife. When compared to my ZT0620 CF which can be bought for around the same price. I'm committed to edc'ing the emerson for a couple months at least and I'll see if my perceptions change. Will report back if they do.

Mike
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yes but the emerson has a completely different feel to it than a zt knife, i just love that chunky smooth g10 handle with smooth manual opening and that solid liner lock click
 
Im with you OP, I've had mine for about a month now and it took me a couple of weeks to learn to love this knife. now i do like the knife. However, It is very different form my two other EDC's. The knife just works, keep at it and i think you will enjoy it!
 
I have now owned quite a few Emersons. Not a single one would I not trust to do what it was designed to do. When broken in, they are fantastic. As JeremiahWeaver09 says...like a baseball glove. I played little league and when I got a new glove, I slathered it in Vaseline, wrapped it in plastic and put it between my mattress and box spring. Wiped it off the next day...played and re-treated it the same way at night. When broken in, i'd kill a person if they stole it.
 
You will come to love this knife. Trust me.
The knife I carry the most, is worth every dollar spent.
rolf
 
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