Emerson Sheepdog Spearpoint--HUGE Disappointment

I'd rather have an Emerson with some initial lock STICK than one with lock SLIP. Maybe they have initially stickier locks as an answer to some complaints in the past? I've had two older Emersons that developed lock slip while still fairly new and little used (I bought them new). They were from around 1998 and 2001. Maybe the steep grind of the mating surface on the blade tang was the reason? They didn't completely unlock during use, but with light pressure they would unstick and move towards the unlock position. Enough to make me nervous and stop using them. That was two out of maybe seven Emerson knives I've owned. I know I could have sent them in but never did.

Has Emerson Knives made that mating surface less steep in recent years? That might allow the locks to hold up better and longer.

Jim
 
Bash fest
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I'm NOT bashing Emersons just CHRONIC less than "fine" craftsmanship in any name brand knife that's so flawed it borders on the comical especially in a $200 knife.

. . . bashing the rallying around such with the phrase "Suck it up yah wimp". So your Ferrari only gets three gears out of six . . . "Suck it up yah wimp" . . . it'll break in . . . or not.

Note the careful blanking out of the brand with "_____" and my reference to two OTHER brands I have lots of experience with that others tend to minimize blatant flaws in.
 
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James Y said:
They didn't completely unlock during use, but with light pressure they would unstick and move towards the unlock position.
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I'll go you one further, the CQC-7B I bought new did this, but rather that "move towards the unlock position" it would instead just unlock. It only took about as much pressure on the blade spine as it stakes to close a SAK and the knife would happily fold up onto your fingers.

These threads have made it clear to me, though, that only elite operators can understand the tactical advantage to poor fit and finish (it already sucks so you won't feel bad putting a tactical beating on it) wrong sided chisel grinds (this keeps the presentation side pretty for tactical photo opportunities) lock stick (tactical lock deployment turns your Emerson into a virtual fixed blade) bad lock geometry (close your Emerson with the speed and ease required in the tactical environment by having its lock fail).

All you need is to stop seeing these things as flaws and enjoy them for the tactical advantages they provide on your next commando mission.
 
Careful, infractions are being handed out for repeating how some people feel when you don't like certain companies and then providing a link to a bladeforums thread discussing the specific topic at hand. Fair warning. They don't want bad but true things shown about this company's products or people who like them.
 
Emerson's are known for having a break in period. The lock stick happens because the liner is titanium and Ti will stick to other metals. It's a love/hate thing because it's great at keeping the liner from failing, but it's harder to close if the knife is "flicked/flipped" open quickly. ZT doesn't have this issue because of the lockbar insert which is carbide. Which is why people say to put pencil marks on the lock face. Carbide reduces the stick.
 
ZT inserts are steel, and pencil lead is graphite. Good sir.
AusLoX said:
Emerson's are known for having a break in period. The lock stick happens because the liner is titanium and Ti will stick to other metals. It's a love/hate thing because it's great at keeping the liner from failing, but it's harder to close if the knife is "flicked/flipped" open quickly. ZT doesn't have this issue because of the lockbar insert which is carbide. Which is why people say to put pencil marks on the lock face. Carbide reduces the stick.
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I am a longtime Spyderco fan. I happen to have an Emerson CQC 8 sitting on the shelf, waiting for an owner. When it came in, I looked at it pretty closely, took some photos of it to post on FaceLook, and as part of that, I opened and closed it a few times. Not knowing that such an act was problematic, I had no problems.

The knife opened, the knife closed.

A fellow strongman competitor commented on my pics, stating that he had owned an Emerson CQC 7 for some years, and that he likes the look of the CQC 8, and wishes to own it. He told me the action of the 7 was superb.

But what do I know?
 
RLDubbya said:
I am a longtime Spyderco fan. I happen to have an Emerson CQC 8 sitting on the shelf, waiting for an owner. When it came in, I looked at it pretty closely, took some photos of it to post on FaceLook, and as part of that, I opened and closed it a few times. Not knowing that such an act was problematic, I had no problems.

The knife opened, the knife closed.

A fellow strongman competitor commented on my pics, stating that he had owned an Emerson CQC 7 for some years, and that he likes the look of the CQC 8, and wishes to own it. He told me the action of the 7 was superb.

But what do I know?
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Now there you go, RL, confusing the issue with facts again. ;)
 
A.P.F. said:
Now there you go, RL, confusing the issue with facts again. ;)
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I better not let anybody know I just ordered a SuperCommander based on what my friend said and seeing the CQC 8. That probably violates the "fact obsfucation rule."
 
shinyedges said:
ZT inserts are steel, and pencil lead is graphite. Good sir.
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Wow I'm getting old. You are correct. No idea why I said carbide.
But the lockbar insert reduces the stick and yes the graphite does as well
 
bodog said:
Careful, infractions are being handed out for repeating how some people feel when you don't like certain companies and then providing a link to a bladeforums thread discussing the specific topic at hand. Fair warning. They don't want bad but true things shown about this company's products or people who like them.
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That's not what infractions are being handed out for.
You know that, though.
 
I purchased my Emerson RangeMaster Sheepdog Bowie Flipper Stonewash Plain in March 2015 for an overpriced $215.96 for 154CM/G-10!

The lock stick was atrocious due to titanium liners on steel blade. It took a lot of sharpie application and open/close cycles to remove the stick. Eventually, it became bearable but the lock up is way on the other side now and the detent is not the strongest. It does open well now using flipper, thumb disc, Wave and inertia (due to soft detent).

That's pretty much going to be my last Emerson made by Emerson ever.

I have better luck with ZT Emersons but they're on the heavy side. However, if you can put up with the weight there's no better Emerson Wave folder than a ZT. Of course, with limited models.

Fox makes nice licensed Emerson Wave folders with steel liner locks for reasonable prices.

By the way, a titanium liner does not have to have such bad lock stick. Fantoni has titanium liner locks in the HB01, HB02 and HB03 and they work great from day one.
 
bodog said:
Careful, infractions are being handed out for repeating how some people feel when you don't like certain companies and then providing a link to a bladeforums thread discussing the specific topic at hand. Fair warning. They don't want bad but true things shown about this company's products or people who like them.
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Why not bow out of the thread if you have nothing useful to add? OP had questions, you want to go on a tirade do it elsewhere.

evilgreg said:
These threads have made it clear to me, though, that only elite operators can understand the tactical advantage to poor fit and finish (it already sucks so you won't feel bad putting a tactical beating on it) wrong sided chisel grinds (this keeps the presentation side pretty for tactical photo opportunities) lock stick (tactical lock deployment turns your Emerson into a virtual fixed blade) bad lock geometry (close your Emerson with the speed and ease required in the tactical environment by having its lock fail).

All you need is to stop seeing these things as flaws and enjoy them for the tactical advantages they provide on your next commando mission.
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Get real and get out of here with this garbage. You're injecting yourself and your feelings into a conversation and being disrespectful to others that have a different opinion than you.
 
My first Emerson Sheepdog was a dud with pretty much the same issues.

I returned it to the dealer.

I can understand why you wouldn't take another chance after such an experience. For those who do, I would purchase from a reputable dealer with a good return policy.

As to the ZT Emersons, the difference is remarkable and mine are a pleasure to use.
 
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Being a machinist has its advantages, I made little hook welded it on and used jb weld to cover the actual weld since I welded it with armor wire and it is prone to rust. Actual hook is stainless though. I like it better than any zt Emerson I've owned and I've had every variation.
 
Thanks joe, 5 ounce frame lock with a 3.9 inch blade. Opens bottles like a champ as well as wave. Just about perfect for me.

ETA, the combination of flipper wave is awesome, especially with the lock up on the zt. Had this thing for 6 or more months (I can't remember) and the lock up is da shizznit.
 
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Yo Mama said:
Get real and get out of here with this garbage. You're injecting yourself and your feelings into a conversation and being disrespectful to others that have a different opinion than you.
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So you're calling my opinion garbage and then saying I'm disrespectful to others than have a different opinion? Lolwut?

As far as injecting myself into a conversation, it's a forum--isn't conversing what it's about? I cracked my dictionary and the first definition for the word forum reads as follows: "a public meeting or assembly for open discussion". OP started a thread to talk about his new Emerson and its disappointing lock stick. In the subsequent discussion some Emerson fans jumped to the brand's defense and others, like myself, who've had bad experiences with Emerson, chimed in as well. Taken as a whole, it's a conversation. A marketplace of ideas and thoughts of sorts.

If we're only ever allowed to agree with one another, what is the point of having a conversation at all? Wouldn't that forum look something like this: "I like turnips. Me too. Yeah, well, me three. Are we done here?"
 
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