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Emerson Traveler Prestige Review
Introduction
I recently purchased an Emerson Traveler. It is part of Emerson’s “Prestige” line of knives only sold through select Emerson dealers. The MSRP is $179.95. Emerson knives seem to be produced in small runs of one model or another, and being in high demand, usually sell out fast at prices close to MSRP. (The market dynamics are like those of Spyderco’s sprint runs.)
The Traveler is made in the USA, as are most Emerson knives. Emerson also produces a series of high-priced custom made knives. At one time, a lower-priced, no frills “Hard Wear” line was made in Japan for Emerson by G. Sakai using AUS 8 steel and FRN handles.
Ernest R. Emerson
Ernest R. Emerson is the man behind the Emerson Knives. He has his own sub forum here at BladeForums and his own website here. I’ve never met or spoken to Mr. Emerson, but from what I have read, he is an expert in edged weapons, a pioneer in popularizing tactical knives, an inventor who designed the “wave” opener, and an American patriot. The consensus among those who have met Mr. Emerson seems to be that he is also one of the nicest guys in the business.
On the other hand, Emerson Knives has its critics. They suggest that knives marketed as “The #1 Hard Use Knives in the World,” might not be as tough as they are touted to be, that the fit and finish doesn’t measure up to the cost of the knives and that Mr. Emerson might be overly aggressive in responding to customers who raise concerns about their knives.
Specifications
The Traveler is one of Emerson’s smallest knives, just 7” long when open and 4.125” closed, with a 3” blade. It is a liner lock and weighs just 3.4 ounces, in part because it uses titanium liners, rather than the steel liners used in most knives. The handle scales are textured black G10 fiberglass. A tan version was available as well, at one point.
Blade
The blade on the Traveler is in keeping with its Hard Use heritage. At .125” thick, it should handle whatever you need it to without risk of snapping the blade. Its blade geometry doesn’t make for the best slicer, but its keen edge makes up for that. The blade is ground from 154cm stainless steel with a saber grind and stone wash finish.
Many Emerson knives have a chisel ground edge, but the Traveler is marketed as having a “V” edge “...that is precisely ground on both sides, front and back, giving you a razor sharp edge.” I agree with the razor sharp part -- in fact my Emersons are probably the sharpest out-of-the-box knives I’ve owned -- but I don’t agree with the “precise grind on both sides” claim. The front side of my Traveler seems to be ground a little wider than the back, giving it somewhat of a chisel grind.
Handle
With their origins in military field operations, Emerson has kept the knives easy to strip and re-assemble in the field. They use a flathead screw for the pivot and Phillips screws to hold the scales in place. Unlike other folding knives, you don’t have to find a Torx driver to make adjustments. The hardware is black and somewhat prone to chipping and wear.
Three Phillips screws also hold the pocket clip in place. The matte black clip is removable, but configured for right side, tip-up, only. This makes sense, since deployment of Emerson’s patented “wave” feature requires the blade to be clipped in the pocket tip-up. If you are not familiar with the wave, it is a hook at the top of the blade near the pivot that snags the lip of your pocket, swinging the blade into place as you pull out the knife. It is designed for speedier deployment in an emergency or injury situation. The wave works well, though not as well Spyderco version (licensed from Emerson.) But for most of us, the half-moon thumb hole will be adequate to open the knife most of the time.
All of the Emerson knives I’ve held have great ergonomics, and the Traveler is no exception. Even on a relatively small knife, my XL hand fits well. In a saber grip, the large cutaway before the pivot locks my index finger in place behind a large guard. In an ice pick grip, a curving area toward the butt end of the knife does the same. Thick ridges like those on a Strider are milled in critical places for better grip - especially when wearing gloves.
I can’t quantify it, but Emerson’s G10 always seems a little softer then most, with a slightly rubbery texture. Perhaps that because of the nicely rounded edges and relatively smooth finish. A lanyard hole is drilled in the G10 at the butt end.
Fit & Finish
Emerson liner locks have been a source of discussion here on BladeForums. Like other Emersons I have handled, the Traveler has a relatively thin titanium locking liner vs. the thicker steel ones used by other makers. The liners tend to travel to little oct too far and don't always meet the blade tang flush. There are reports of liner lock failures that don't inspire much confidence.
Another area of criticism for Emerson knives in their fit and finish. I think this may be a function of their price point, more than anything. Retail prices on folders with G10 handles start around $150 and range up over $400. Even the lower-priced models still cost more than similar offerings from Spyderco, Benchmade, or Kershaw. Those other companies, however, tend to pay more attention to executing aesthetic details like smoothing out blade coatings, cleaning up tooling marks in the liners, and fitting handle scales flush. There may be an expectation among consumers that higher prices means better fit and finish, but that doesn’t always seem to be the reality with Emerson knives.
For Emerson’s higher priced knives, the competitors seem to be Strider and Chris Reeve. Although those companies price their knives higher than Emerson in most cases, they also tend to be better built. Emerson sits in an uneasy spot between big volume producers and limited boutique makers.
A natural comparison might be made between the Emerson Traveler, the Spyderco Native V, and the Strider PT All of them are about the same size, have G10 handles, and are made in the USA. The Spyderco Native costs less than the Emerson Traveler, has better fit & finish, and has a stronger lock. While the Strider PT costs considerably more than the Emerson, it also has better fit and finish and a stronger titanium frame lock. The Emerson’s advantages over the other two knives are its wave opener, non-Torx hardware, and possibly its ergonomics. While I think the Travelers ergonomics are the best of the three, some folks might prefer the Strider. I should note that Strider knives has sometimes been cited as having poor quality control and fit & finish, but I haven’t seen that in my PT. My feeling is that Strider had issues in the past, but has worked them out.
Conclusions
In a nutshell, I think Emerson produces unique designs with unique features and top-notch ergonomics. The build quality -- particularly when it comes to aesthetic details -- seems to lag behind its best competitors.
Note: This traveler has an optional chrome clip available from Emerson for an additional cost. The original clip is matte black.
Introduction
I recently purchased an Emerson Traveler. It is part of Emerson’s “Prestige” line of knives only sold through select Emerson dealers. The MSRP is $179.95. Emerson knives seem to be produced in small runs of one model or another, and being in high demand, usually sell out fast at prices close to MSRP. (The market dynamics are like those of Spyderco’s sprint runs.)
The Traveler is made in the USA, as are most Emerson knives. Emerson also produces a series of high-priced custom made knives. At one time, a lower-priced, no frills “Hard Wear” line was made in Japan for Emerson by G. Sakai using AUS 8 steel and FRN handles.
Ernest R. Emerson
Ernest R. Emerson is the man behind the Emerson Knives. He has his own sub forum here at BladeForums and his own website here. I’ve never met or spoken to Mr. Emerson, but from what I have read, he is an expert in edged weapons, a pioneer in popularizing tactical knives, an inventor who designed the “wave” opener, and an American patriot. The consensus among those who have met Mr. Emerson seems to be that he is also one of the nicest guys in the business.
On the other hand, Emerson Knives has its critics. They suggest that knives marketed as “The #1 Hard Use Knives in the World,” might not be as tough as they are touted to be, that the fit and finish doesn’t measure up to the cost of the knives and that Mr. Emerson might be overly aggressive in responding to customers who raise concerns about their knives.
Specifications
The Traveler is one of Emerson’s smallest knives, just 7” long when open and 4.125” closed, with a 3” blade. It is a liner lock and weighs just 3.4 ounces, in part because it uses titanium liners, rather than the steel liners used in most knives. The handle scales are textured black G10 fiberglass. A tan version was available as well, at one point.
Blade
The blade on the Traveler is in keeping with its Hard Use heritage. At .125” thick, it should handle whatever you need it to without risk of snapping the blade. Its blade geometry doesn’t make for the best slicer, but its keen edge makes up for that. The blade is ground from 154cm stainless steel with a saber grind and stone wash finish.
Many Emerson knives have a chisel ground edge, but the Traveler is marketed as having a “V” edge “...that is precisely ground on both sides, front and back, giving you a razor sharp edge.” I agree with the razor sharp part -- in fact my Emersons are probably the sharpest out-of-the-box knives I’ve owned -- but I don’t agree with the “precise grind on both sides” claim. The front side of my Traveler seems to be ground a little wider than the back, giving it somewhat of a chisel grind.
Handle
With their origins in military field operations, Emerson has kept the knives easy to strip and re-assemble in the field. They use a flathead screw for the pivot and Phillips screws to hold the scales in place. Unlike other folding knives, you don’t have to find a Torx driver to make adjustments. The hardware is black and somewhat prone to chipping and wear.
Three Phillips screws also hold the pocket clip in place. The matte black clip is removable, but configured for right side, tip-up, only. This makes sense, since deployment of Emerson’s patented “wave” feature requires the blade to be clipped in the pocket tip-up. If you are not familiar with the wave, it is a hook at the top of the blade near the pivot that snags the lip of your pocket, swinging the blade into place as you pull out the knife. It is designed for speedier deployment in an emergency or injury situation. The wave works well, though not as well Spyderco version (licensed from Emerson.) But for most of us, the half-moon thumb hole will be adequate to open the knife most of the time.
All of the Emerson knives I’ve held have great ergonomics, and the Traveler is no exception. Even on a relatively small knife, my XL hand fits well. In a saber grip, the large cutaway before the pivot locks my index finger in place behind a large guard. In an ice pick grip, a curving area toward the butt end of the knife does the same. Thick ridges like those on a Strider are milled in critical places for better grip - especially when wearing gloves.
I can’t quantify it, but Emerson’s G10 always seems a little softer then most, with a slightly rubbery texture. Perhaps that because of the nicely rounded edges and relatively smooth finish. A lanyard hole is drilled in the G10 at the butt end.
Fit & Finish
Emerson liner locks have been a source of discussion here on BladeForums. Like other Emersons I have handled, the Traveler has a relatively thin titanium locking liner vs. the thicker steel ones used by other makers. The liners tend to travel to little oct too far and don't always meet the blade tang flush. There are reports of liner lock failures that don't inspire much confidence.
Another area of criticism for Emerson knives in their fit and finish. I think this may be a function of their price point, more than anything. Retail prices on folders with G10 handles start around $150 and range up over $400. Even the lower-priced models still cost more than similar offerings from Spyderco, Benchmade, or Kershaw. Those other companies, however, tend to pay more attention to executing aesthetic details like smoothing out blade coatings, cleaning up tooling marks in the liners, and fitting handle scales flush. There may be an expectation among consumers that higher prices means better fit and finish, but that doesn’t always seem to be the reality with Emerson knives.
For Emerson’s higher priced knives, the competitors seem to be Strider and Chris Reeve. Although those companies price their knives higher than Emerson in most cases, they also tend to be better built. Emerson sits in an uneasy spot between big volume producers and limited boutique makers.
A natural comparison might be made between the Emerson Traveler, the Spyderco Native V, and the Strider PT All of them are about the same size, have G10 handles, and are made in the USA. The Spyderco Native costs less than the Emerson Traveler, has better fit & finish, and has a stronger lock. While the Strider PT costs considerably more than the Emerson, it also has better fit and finish and a stronger titanium frame lock. The Emerson’s advantages over the other two knives are its wave opener, non-Torx hardware, and possibly its ergonomics. While I think the Travelers ergonomics are the best of the three, some folks might prefer the Strider. I should note that Strider knives has sometimes been cited as having poor quality control and fit & finish, but I haven’t seen that in my PT. My feeling is that Strider had issues in the past, but has worked them out.
Conclusions
In a nutshell, I think Emerson produces unique designs with unique features and top-notch ergonomics. The build quality -- particularly when it comes to aesthetic details -- seems to lag behind its best competitors.
Note: This traveler has an optional chrome clip available from Emerson for an additional cost. The original clip is matte black.
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