First Emerson questions.

not-too-sharp

not-too-sharp

Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
243
So after about 6 months of lurking and watching/reading multiple reviews on various models, I decided to buy an Emerson CQC-15 this February.
It was stiff out of the box, which was said to be common so I cleaned it and lubed it up with a couple drops of Rem oil. It smoothed up the action a little bit but after using it for about 2 days I noticed it had developed some pretty noticeable side-to-side play. Is this normal? Or is it just my knife?
I picked my Emerson as a new duty knife because of the wave feature and the good response from LEO's and other Military service members.
I'm an MP in the US Army and I use my knives regularly on and off duty as a tool and an option for self defense.
(I live in the DC area so no handguns outside the house when off duty.) So getting my knife out in a hurry is a good thing.
Anyway, I've readjusted the pivot screw like 5 times over March and I'm getting kind of fed up with it. Also the stiffness in the blade when I try to open it is back for no apparent reason. I'm hoping there's some tips/tricks that'll help me fix this for two reasons.
1) I REALLY like this knife, the wave feature is awesome and the blade shape is exactly what I was looking for. Also,I'm a fan of Ernest Emerson's work in general and am happy to spend my money on his products.
BUT...
2)Like I said, I'm in the Army, and $150+ is a lot of money for me to spend on any tool,particularly a knife. I went with Emerson because of the quality the knives were said to have and the inherent value therein. But this experience isn't really selling me on quality with these kinds of issues happening out of the box.

Any Suggestions/Comments? Thanks in advance, -Andrew
 
You don't need to oil the knife at all. The material the washers are made of is self lubricating. Take the knife down, wash it in dish detergent, dry thoroughly, and reassemble. No oil.
 
Alright that definitely would help with the grittiness/stiffness. :foot:
Any thoughts on why its developing side to side play every 2 or 3 days?
 
Are you "knifesturbating"??? :D Everytime you open and close your knife, your screw loosen up a micro-bit. A small drop (very small) of blue loctite on a very clean screw should prevent the screw from moving.
 
Last edited:
The Wave feature is partially at fault. Waving a knife open hard seems to loosen the pivot fairly quickly. That, combined with the fact that Emerson's have looser tolerances than some other manufacturers, means that it loosens up and develops bladeplay pretty quickly. As others have said, a drop of blue loctite should fix the problem. Another fix is to just use a coin to adjust the pivot when you pick it up off your dresser. I have a friend that actually just tightens it very slightly with his thumbnail before throwing it in his pocket.
 
I find that if you use your finger nail to tighten the screw until when it hurts--that's the perfect balance of smooth opening and no blade play. At that point, use some blue thread lock.
 
Another vote for blue loctite. Find the exact position of the pivot screw that prevents blade play, then add a few drops of loctite and it will stay put.
 
Well, i'm going to beat a dead horse on this one, and say go with the loctite. Ha ha. I have a little bit of blue on a couple, but lately I have just been placing a little mark on the g10 to tell me where the 'sweet spot' is, and will adjust the pivot as needed. This method has been serving me pretty well as of late. Have been thinking of a little tritium as well, for show.

But if you're running the wave a lot - and hard - I suggest the loctite, as it's pretty darn hard on the blade retention. Best of luck with your 15 -- it's a heck of a knife.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top