I'm new to the forum and currently own Cold Steel and Emerson folding knives. Are the Emerson knives really that good and are they used in "ops" like I've read in numerous places? Also, has anyone on this forum tested Cold Steel knives vs Emerson knives for sharpness, durability, edge retention, torture testing? I've seen and heard some pretty impressive stuff about the Cold Steel knives, but haven't heard the same about the Emerson knives. Any info is appreciated.
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Emerson vs. Cold Steel
- Thread starter Gr8shoot
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I have used and carried both Emerson and Spyderco. I now carry only Emersons, my reasons are 1)I prefer the Tanto style blade and I don't believe that Spyderco does more than one or two of these, and 2) I prefer the Emerson knives.
I still have Spydercos in my collection and they are really razor sharp, but I haven't done any testing. Anyone else out there tried any tests ?
I still have Spydercos in my collection and they are really razor sharp, but I haven't done any testing. Anyone else out there tried any tests ?
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LOL I think most of the Suspects would turn pale and start shaking if you mentioned "torture testing" their customs...
Personally, GR8, I prefer Emerson over Cold Steel because Ernies knives have been carried and used by the elite military forces (SEALs, Delta, GSG-9, etc.), and also by civilians who have to depend on their equipment with their lives (like dd, here). Emerson has garnered a well earned rep among many VERY respectable professionals (hell - even NASA wants his stuff!), and on that basis alone puts his knives very high on my list of "want with me when the merde hits the ventilateur."
Personally, GR8, I prefer Emerson over Cold Steel because Ernies knives have been carried and used by the elite military forces (SEALs, Delta, GSG-9, etc.), and also by civilians who have to depend on their equipment with their lives (like dd, here). Emerson has garnered a well earned rep among many VERY respectable professionals (hell - even NASA wants his stuff!), and on that basis alone puts his knives very high on my list of "want with me when the merde hits the ventilateur."
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Personally, I don't own Emersons because they are pry bars, etc. Toughness to me is relative to the task which my personal Emerson Knives will be forced to accomplish. That task is to cut an attacker off of me, or several of them.
So, in light of my blatantly simple task list, the Emerson Commander and several other models shine. They are fast and sharp. They are tough enough to accomplish the task that I have set for them.
1. A maximum state of edge retention is not important to me personally, because I'm not going to whittle with them. If I have to use them, I probably won't own the knife in question anymore anyway.
2. For practice, I do test cut and I prefer ease of re-sharpening tempered with edge retention.
3. Any knife, fixed blade or folder can be broken, I don't care what manufacturer it is or what "secret oils and sacred chants" they use during forging or stock removal. Any tool or weapon can be broken. I would no sooner use my Emerson Commanders for a pry bar then I would my Benelli Tactical Shotgun as a crutch, even though with the buttpad, it would make an effective crutch.
4. The Wave is the fastest deployment of any folder that is currently sold, up to and surpassing high-tech Automatic Knives like MicroTechs, etc.
So, I have a unique view on things. I know anything can be broken so I know what a screwdriver is for, I know what a pinch bar is for and I know what knives are for and I do not confuse any of these things. I don't confuse a knife with a spade, nor do I particularly care if the knife will whittle through 15 2X4s, 2 62 Buicks and a Partridge in a Pear Tree and still pop hair. As long as it pops hair out of the box and I can get it back that way with relative ease, I consider myself rather fortunate.
I'm not being a smartass or anything, these are just the very simple set of guidelines that I want in a "Tactical Knife" because "Tactical Knife" to me simply means, primarily for Edged Weapon Defense.
[This message has been edited by Don Rearic (edited 01-17-2001).]
So, in light of my blatantly simple task list, the Emerson Commander and several other models shine. They are fast and sharp. They are tough enough to accomplish the task that I have set for them.
1. A maximum state of edge retention is not important to me personally, because I'm not going to whittle with them. If I have to use them, I probably won't own the knife in question anymore anyway.
2. For practice, I do test cut and I prefer ease of re-sharpening tempered with edge retention.
3. Any knife, fixed blade or folder can be broken, I don't care what manufacturer it is or what "secret oils and sacred chants" they use during forging or stock removal. Any tool or weapon can be broken. I would no sooner use my Emerson Commanders for a pry bar then I would my Benelli Tactical Shotgun as a crutch, even though with the buttpad, it would make an effective crutch.
4. The Wave is the fastest deployment of any folder that is currently sold, up to and surpassing high-tech Automatic Knives like MicroTechs, etc.
So, I have a unique view on things. I know anything can be broken so I know what a screwdriver is for, I know what a pinch bar is for and I know what knives are for and I do not confuse any of these things. I don't confuse a knife with a spade, nor do I particularly care if the knife will whittle through 15 2X4s, 2 62 Buicks and a Partridge in a Pear Tree and still pop hair. As long as it pops hair out of the box and I can get it back that way with relative ease, I consider myself rather fortunate.
I'm not being a smartass or anything, these are just the very simple set of guidelines that I want in a "Tactical Knife" because "Tactical Knife" to me simply means, primarily for Edged Weapon Defense.
[This message has been edited by Don Rearic (edited 01-17-2001).]
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LOL Go Don. Very true.
My input would be that Cold Steel makes very good knives. Razor sharp right out of the box. I've used many and still own a few.
I recently purchased an XL plain edged Tanto Voyager. Again, "razor sharp". When I pulled it from the box however, it felt like I was opening the hood on a AMC Pacer. It damn near felt like a "Two Stage" opening with a big lump in the middle. The (new style, metal) pocket clip is so short and tight to the body that I couldn't even clip it to my pocket
After literally hundreds of opening and oiling, the knife still feels like crap. Its a hair easier to open, but still has the two stage lump in the middle. I'm still working on the clip, though I'm afraid I'm going to put a serious kink in it. But it's sharp! (It may be up for trade soon)
Please don't take all this the wrong way, I love CS's fixed blades. Awesome pieces. But the folders need a Liiiittle work.
Now if they smoothed out the opening and added a wave! Mmmmmmm
John
My input would be that Cold Steel makes very good knives. Razor sharp right out of the box. I've used many and still own a few.
I recently purchased an XL plain edged Tanto Voyager. Again, "razor sharp". When I pulled it from the box however, it felt like I was opening the hood on a AMC Pacer. It damn near felt like a "Two Stage" opening with a big lump in the middle. The (new style, metal) pocket clip is so short and tight to the body that I couldn't even clip it to my pocket
After literally hundreds of opening and oiling, the knife still feels like crap. Its a hair easier to open, but still has the two stage lump in the middle. I'm still working on the clip, though I'm afraid I'm going to put a serious kink in it. But it's sharp! (It may be up for trade soon)
Please don't take all this the wrong way, I love CS's fixed blades. Awesome pieces. But the folders need a Liiiittle work.
Now if they smoothed out the opening and added a wave! Mmmmmmm
John
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I ran the gamut for years in search of the perfect daily carry knife. Spyderco, Cold Steel, Benchmade, all in many flavors. And then came the Commander.
I still carry my Cold Steel GunsiteII daily, along with my Commander and Titanium La Griffe. Why still carry the GunsiteII? It's my sacrificial lamb. I submit it to harsh tasks that I refuse to subject my Commander to. My Commander and La Griffe are for defensive purposes, and are therefore rarely subjected to tasks which may dull them. What's the bottom line? Buy an Emerson and bet your life on it. Buy a Cold Steel and bet your chores on it.
BTW, once you discover The Magic of The Wave, you'll never accept anything less for defensive purposes. There is no substitute.
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Eric
"The best toys are the ones that you can put an eye out with."
I still carry my Cold Steel GunsiteII daily, along with my Commander and Titanium La Griffe. Why still carry the GunsiteII? It's my sacrificial lamb. I submit it to harsh tasks that I refuse to subject my Commander to. My Commander and La Griffe are for defensive purposes, and are therefore rarely subjected to tasks which may dull them. What's the bottom line? Buy an Emerson and bet your life on it. Buy a Cold Steel and bet your chores on it.
BTW, once you discover The Magic of The Wave, you'll never accept anything less for defensive purposes. There is no substitute.
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Eric
"The best toys are the ones that you can put an eye out with."
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Right on, re: Wave Opening. You know, I was one of about 3 people who first went on KnifeForums.Com, might have been one or two more people...that was in the glorious Summer of 1998. You know, the "Summer" that will probably never be again...
Anyway, alot of people screamed, "GIMMICK!" And I was like, "oh noooo, not a gimmick."
I think you are on the money, there are utility knives and there are Defensive Knives! And you should keep your steel as sharp as possible.
Anyway, alot of people screamed, "GIMMICK!" And I was like, "oh noooo, not a gimmick."
I think you are on the money, there are utility knives and there are Defensive Knives! And you should keep your steel as sharp as possible.
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Ahhhhhh '98.
I think we need a "Where did you first see "The Wave" string.
I think we need a "Where did you first see "The Wave" string.
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I looked over in KnifeForums.Com's Archives, I became an addict between July 20 and 24, 1998.
A stroll down memory lane.
I wish I had the damned knife now. Satin Finish #133. What a dumbass.
A stroll down memory lane.
I wish I had the damned knife now. Satin Finish #133. What a dumbass.
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I think someone here bought and has #133 now
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I have to give Cold Steel some credit here, even though I don't care for their 'in your face' type advertisements, and I haven't owned one in almost four years, they have to have the sharpest serrations on the market. I have accidentally cut myself not once but twice, trying to test the sharpness of one. Their very effective serration pattern will just sink into flesh!
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Don
I did a search and I may have been thinking of Rfrost's I&I Tanto. He has Tanto number #133.
Sorry for the false alarm. But I'll keep and eye out for ya.
I did a search and I may have been thinking of Rfrost's I&I Tanto. He has Tanto number #133.
Sorry for the false alarm. But I'll keep and eye out for ya.
The only feature unobtainable in any other knife but an Emerson is the Wave. And when you get to the point where you need your knife and all you do is look down and it's automatically open in your hand (took me 2 days!), that's when you know you can't settle for anything less than an Emerson. Take that from a long time automatic user and blade-flicker. And this goes for utility as well as defense. Three of my non-knife-owning buddies now wear Emersons daily because now they are as quick as me with a blade. It is so powerful that most of us here consider it a CHORE to open a knife with the stud. Am I right?
Amen!
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Be well!/Jonas aka 2Sharp
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I had a Commander [98], Satin Finish #133. At the time I traded it like a moron, I was packing it and a Bud Nealy Aikuchi 3.5 (inch blade) in an MCS Rig.
When I bought a Black-Ti Commander, I started carrying it as it would not spot rust whatsoever. And I shelved the Satin #133.
I had an "incident" where I had to utilize the BN Aikuchi and was left with the impression from the outcome that if I wanted that excellent, flat and highly concealable Nealy System, I had best switch to something that was a tad bit more substantial with more indexing on the grip and I wanted a Nealy Large (5 inch blade) Pesh Kabz. They were running a bit dry at the time around Knifeforums, so I traded the Satin 98 for a large Nealy Pesh Kabz with full MCS.
"I'll get another one in a couple months!"
Yeah, sure you will Bonedaddy...
Don does not make stupid mistakes anymore after that debacle.
So, I have this Black-Ti puppy that is a 98, and I don't know if I will ever have a finer Defensive Folder. I don't carry it anymore. I would sure like to see the "1998 Formula" of thicker liners and scales come back, as we have discussed from time to time.
That is the story of how Don underestimated change, and in so doing, failed miserably.
Disingenuous smiley face follows.
When I bought a Black-Ti Commander, I started carrying it as it would not spot rust whatsoever. And I shelved the Satin #133.
I had an "incident" where I had to utilize the BN Aikuchi and was left with the impression from the outcome that if I wanted that excellent, flat and highly concealable Nealy System, I had best switch to something that was a tad bit more substantial with more indexing on the grip and I wanted a Nealy Large (5 inch blade) Pesh Kabz. They were running a bit dry at the time around Knifeforums, so I traded the Satin 98 for a large Nealy Pesh Kabz with full MCS.
"I'll get another one in a couple months!"
Yeah, sure you will Bonedaddy...
Don does not make stupid mistakes anymore after that debacle.
So, I have this Black-Ti puppy that is a 98, and I don't know if I will ever have a finer Defensive Folder. I don't carry it anymore. I would sure like to see the "1998 Formula" of thicker liners and scales come back, as we have discussed from time to time.
That is the story of how Don underestimated change, and in so doing, failed miserably.
Disingenuous smiley face follows.
Don, I, like you, foolishly let that #133 go to another forumite Steve45 a long time ago, don't know where it is now, but I wish I still had it. That Pesh Kabz was the first knife that I ever traded for on the forums (traded it for a sebenza
, felt like I got screwed), put it up for sale. Don asked if I wanted to trade for the commander, wasn't sure if I wanted to trade a custom for a PRODUCTION knife. I remember asking if he had a black one instead of a satin, but Don wanted to keep the black one he had and trade the Satin one, he even threw in a JSP Credit Card knife to even the deal!
. I knew that I should have kept that knife, but you live and you learn. You never know what might pop up though.
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You're right, John. My I&I Tanto is #133, and my '98 satin Commander is #177.
--Robert
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"They sicken of the calm, who know the storm."
RFrost5746@excite.com
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--Robert
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"They sicken of the calm, who know the storm."
RFrost5746@excite.com
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BH:
Is Steve 45 the one that lives here in Wichita? If so, I'll go to his shop and scout around and find that sucker if he's still got it!
I was just talking to him the other nite too, and I think he mentioned that he doesn't have any Emersons, so I think it's probably moved on. He let me know that Custom Maker Dale Reif is also from right around our area here as well. I looked at his knives. Boy, you talk about a up-and-commer! He's made headway fast!
Is Steve 45 the one that lives here in Wichita? If so, I'll go to his shop and scout around and find that sucker if he's still got it!
I was just talking to him the other nite too, and I think he mentioned that he doesn't have any Emersons, so I think it's probably moved on. He let me know that Custom Maker Dale Reif is also from right around our area here as well. I looked at his knives. Boy, you talk about a up-and-commer! He's made headway fast!
Hey Don, are you still on that whole pry bar thing...LoL. I carry Striders for tools (ok, I like sharpened pry bars, and I'm damn proud of it), and Emersons for defensive cutting instruments. After attending some exceptional classes with Steve Tarani, I have found the Commander to be the best defensive folder out there. I used to carry a lot of CS stuff, but that was many moons ago when I was just a young rookie (and actually had hair), but I have tried just about everything, and also came to the conclusion that the Commander is just the one.
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He who advances is sure of heaven-He who retreats of eternal damnation.
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He who advances is sure of heaven-He who retreats of eternal damnation.