- Joined
- Nov 26, 2009
- Messages
- 415
Hi Mr. Emerson,
I'm a 40 year-old Canuck living near Montreal, Canada. I own 5 of your knives, which I've purchased brand new from Warriors & Wonders down in British Colombia. Now, right from the get-go I want to put emphasis on the fact that there's no hidden agenda here - the sole reason I'm posting about this on here, is because I haven't heard from your company on the points i raised below and because you seem to be relatively active on this forum of yours.
I wouldn't have posted about this in your forum, but I've recently watched that Interview Nutnfancy did with you at the 2012 Blade show and found it pleasant to get to know more about you as an individual and especially as a knife maker - I've read about you some, but I find it's always best to hear it from the man himself - it just leaves more of a lasting impression that way.
I find the nature of the topics I'm about to raise below to be somewhat delicate , but I'm going to try my best to get across what I want to, without offending you in the process. First off, I own the following Emerson knives : CQC-7, Traveler, two combat karambits and a CQC-8. Over the last 5 years, I've developed a fondness for knives and have seen a significant number of same come and go. Eventually, I found out that Emerson knives were those I found to fit my tastes in knives the best and like many Emerson knife owners, I find the wave feature to be very convenient. I like everything about yours knives that most Emerson knife owners have mentioned that they do.
Here's a pic of said knives - everyone can say what they want on the internet, but I just wanted to provided photographic evidence I do own those knives -also, I put my laptop in the background displaying Blade forums. I can provide further evidence if need be.
http://s854.photobucket.com/albums/ab101/chipdouglas35/?action=view¤t=IMG_1949.jpg
Occasionally, I've had a few questions - I think it might have happened 4 times or so. First thing I did, was to email Emerson knives with those questions - Seldom did I get a response. It's been my personal experience that Emerson customer service through email was inconsistent. A number of times, I was told to call (member of this forums said so and I can't say that didn't make any sense, cause it's the thing to do) instead of emailing your company - in fairness, I've never called your company and a number of people seem to agree that Emerson Knives phone customer service is stellar. Personally, I can't say, because I've never tried. I think that many people enjoy communication through emails for a number of reasons and since Emerson knives inc. offers the possibility of email communication, I chose that option over the phone line, thinking that since you have an email address, someone is going to take care of me through emails. The main reason I've chosen emails over phone communication is because my questions weren't a high priority. If I emails had been responded to, I would certainly not be posting this here, as there would be no reason for me to do so. Most of us are somewhat busy people and composing a post of this length is time consuming.
One such question that I have has to do with my Emerson Traveler - what it is, is a very small and sturdy knife ; thick blade, great blade geometry, razor sharp out of the box, great handle ergonomics, strong stop pin, plus it has the wave feature. I'm a lefty and the knife is a righty, but I was aware of that when I purchased it and that was fine to me. One thing I've noticed though is that when I hold and clench on the knife using my left hand, the inside of my index finger actually pushes against the lock bar, which further secures the blade in the open position - that said, when holding and clenching on the knife using my right hand, I've noticed that the inside part of my index finger sometimes disengages the lock, as it pushes against the lock bar. The knife is a righty, so I'm not doing anything wrong. I've noticed the same tendency in my CQC-7, meaning that I can hear and/or feel the lock moving a little under the above described situation, yet I haven't been able to cause the lock to disengage, probably because it is stiffer on my CQC-7 than on the Traveler. My two combat karambits are fine in that regard and more to the point, one wouldn't actually use a karambit in a stabbing motion either. My CQC-8 is doing fine as well, meaning that I would feel secure in using my CQC-8 in a stab (God forbid, one never has to stab anyone). So in a nutshell, I really like your knives (otherwise I wouldn't own five of them), but the liner locks on my Traveler and my CQC-7 don't inspire confidence, at least not enough for me to feel confident to use them in a stabbing motion (though I'd definitely feel more confident in using my CQC-7 in a stab than I would my Traveler - that is my own personal opinion.
The very reason I'm contacting you through Blade forums, is because you seem to have been somewhat active on here, but mainly because I've found it to be impossible to get a response through emailing your company - granted, what am I expecting to be told about the above issue ? You have your own policy and way of doing things and that is fine and no one is ever going to change that - we are who we are (that applies to me and everyone else too). I wish I could've been at the 2012 Blade Show, because I'd have gone to your booth to discuss this in person - I'll admit though, this is a very delicate topic, because in a way, I'm criticizing your way of doing things, but on the other hand, being on the customer end of things, there are some things for which I'd like to be provided with an explanation for - perhaps said explanation would set my mind at ease - there's not a hint of sarcasm on my part here. I'm not going to be using any sarcasm because there doesn't need to be any and what's more, no one wants to be treated in such a manner - neither you nor myself. So, in all of what I've mentioned above, I've tried to be objective, meaning that what I've described I was able to observe using my sense of sight, touch and hearing. Now, so far as the Traveler is concerned, it looks somewhat tactical and overall it sure is, albeit a small tactical knife. However, It's occurred to me that perhaps it's more of an EDC type knife made by Ernest Emerson - meaning that it could be used in a pinch, though it's not it's main function as a knife, as opposed to say, the combat karambit. If I'm spot on, then I could understand why the lock bar on it is thin. However the great ergonomics of the handle, the thick blade and blade geometry and it having the wave feature might have mislead me to think of it as a mini tactical knife (by tactical knife, I mean capable of being used in a SD role). So far as slash cuts are concerned, I think that it would do a very good job, although stabbing is probably a more instinctive knee jerk reaction than slashing is. Let's be frank, I wouldn't feel confident stabbing into anything (except any material offering low resistance to penetration) using the Traveler. I think that it's easy to think of it as a small defensive blade, but I'm perplexed regarding it's lock. I have it in my hand right now (the knife that is) and the only thing I'm disappointed about is the lock. That said, there's nothing I can do about it and that's probably what disappoints me the most. All I can do is accept it that way it is or put it up for sale. Just so you know, I'm not one to complain about the fit and finish of your knives - I can understand why some have, but it's not what matters to me in your knives - I like the rough and sturdy look of them.
I've also heard about the lock bar of certain Emerson knives moving too fast across the blade tang - is this a real problem ? I'm in Canada and although I haven't experienced that issue, I'm wondering whether this is of real concern - I mean, what happens when the liner lock moves to the opposite end of the tang ? Does it then prevent the blade to be held in the locked position ? Does it make the knife unsafe to use ? The point about being in Canada, is that some knives have been lost stateside (Emerson's or other) and well Canadian customs can be problematic at times, so I find it's best not to have to send stuff to the USA for repair, unless there was really an obvious need for it.
I'm perfectly aware that some of what I brought up above, you might find somewhat offending and I couldn't completely blame you - I'd probably feel somewhat offended if someone asked me about some of the things I've asked you about above. That said, I thought it'd be best for me to ask you directly, instead of posting about it and getting responses from anyone but Mr. Ernest Emerson himself - I also figure that some might also benefit from reading your responses to some of my questions. Had I been to your booth at the Blade Show, I'd have asked you the same, but I won't lie to you, I would've been somewhat embarrassed to do so, because the nature of my questions is very delicate. Now, I think that you can see that I do like your knives, for I wouldn't have any of them otherwise. I'm sure you wouldn't be very much offended if I asked you in person, because you'd probably see in my face that I don't mean any disrespect. Hopefully, I can get this across fine through this post, though I'm aware not knowing me from real life can make a significant difference.
What I do want to point out though is that I did like that interview Nutnfancy did with you - you do seem to be quite a sympathetic fellow. The kind of questions I'm asking of you here is always best asked in person. I've also noticed that you seemed to like Nutnfancy asking you about certain things, because it gave you a chance to explain and defend your position.
Anyway, I'd really appreciate it if you could address the general sense of my questions and please try and understand that I mean no disrespect at all yet I'd like to hear from you above the above. I'm aware you do things a certain way and that won't change and that is fine with me, but still I'd derive satisfaction in hearing from the man himself about the above mentioned points.
Thanks for reading.
I'm a 40 year-old Canuck living near Montreal, Canada. I own 5 of your knives, which I've purchased brand new from Warriors & Wonders down in British Colombia. Now, right from the get-go I want to put emphasis on the fact that there's no hidden agenda here - the sole reason I'm posting about this on here, is because I haven't heard from your company on the points i raised below and because you seem to be relatively active on this forum of yours.
I wouldn't have posted about this in your forum, but I've recently watched that Interview Nutnfancy did with you at the 2012 Blade show and found it pleasant to get to know more about you as an individual and especially as a knife maker - I've read about you some, but I find it's always best to hear it from the man himself - it just leaves more of a lasting impression that way.
I find the nature of the topics I'm about to raise below to be somewhat delicate , but I'm going to try my best to get across what I want to, without offending you in the process. First off, I own the following Emerson knives : CQC-7, Traveler, two combat karambits and a CQC-8. Over the last 5 years, I've developed a fondness for knives and have seen a significant number of same come and go. Eventually, I found out that Emerson knives were those I found to fit my tastes in knives the best and like many Emerson knife owners, I find the wave feature to be very convenient. I like everything about yours knives that most Emerson knife owners have mentioned that they do.
Here's a pic of said knives - everyone can say what they want on the internet, but I just wanted to provided photographic evidence I do own those knives -also, I put my laptop in the background displaying Blade forums. I can provide further evidence if need be.
http://s854.photobucket.com/albums/ab101/chipdouglas35/?action=view¤t=IMG_1949.jpg
Occasionally, I've had a few questions - I think it might have happened 4 times or so. First thing I did, was to email Emerson knives with those questions - Seldom did I get a response. It's been my personal experience that Emerson customer service through email was inconsistent. A number of times, I was told to call (member of this forums said so and I can't say that didn't make any sense, cause it's the thing to do) instead of emailing your company - in fairness, I've never called your company and a number of people seem to agree that Emerson Knives phone customer service is stellar. Personally, I can't say, because I've never tried. I think that many people enjoy communication through emails for a number of reasons and since Emerson knives inc. offers the possibility of email communication, I chose that option over the phone line, thinking that since you have an email address, someone is going to take care of me through emails. The main reason I've chosen emails over phone communication is because my questions weren't a high priority. If I emails had been responded to, I would certainly not be posting this here, as there would be no reason for me to do so. Most of us are somewhat busy people and composing a post of this length is time consuming.
One such question that I have has to do with my Emerson Traveler - what it is, is a very small and sturdy knife ; thick blade, great blade geometry, razor sharp out of the box, great handle ergonomics, strong stop pin, plus it has the wave feature. I'm a lefty and the knife is a righty, but I was aware of that when I purchased it and that was fine to me. One thing I've noticed though is that when I hold and clench on the knife using my left hand, the inside of my index finger actually pushes against the lock bar, which further secures the blade in the open position - that said, when holding and clenching on the knife using my right hand, I've noticed that the inside part of my index finger sometimes disengages the lock, as it pushes against the lock bar. The knife is a righty, so I'm not doing anything wrong. I've noticed the same tendency in my CQC-7, meaning that I can hear and/or feel the lock moving a little under the above described situation, yet I haven't been able to cause the lock to disengage, probably because it is stiffer on my CQC-7 than on the Traveler. My two combat karambits are fine in that regard and more to the point, one wouldn't actually use a karambit in a stabbing motion either. My CQC-8 is doing fine as well, meaning that I would feel secure in using my CQC-8 in a stab (God forbid, one never has to stab anyone). So in a nutshell, I really like your knives (otherwise I wouldn't own five of them), but the liner locks on my Traveler and my CQC-7 don't inspire confidence, at least not enough for me to feel confident to use them in a stabbing motion (though I'd definitely feel more confident in using my CQC-7 in a stab than I would my Traveler - that is my own personal opinion.
The very reason I'm contacting you through Blade forums, is because you seem to have been somewhat active on here, but mainly because I've found it to be impossible to get a response through emailing your company - granted, what am I expecting to be told about the above issue ? You have your own policy and way of doing things and that is fine and no one is ever going to change that - we are who we are (that applies to me and everyone else too). I wish I could've been at the 2012 Blade Show, because I'd have gone to your booth to discuss this in person - I'll admit though, this is a very delicate topic, because in a way, I'm criticizing your way of doing things, but on the other hand, being on the customer end of things, there are some things for which I'd like to be provided with an explanation for - perhaps said explanation would set my mind at ease - there's not a hint of sarcasm on my part here. I'm not going to be using any sarcasm because there doesn't need to be any and what's more, no one wants to be treated in such a manner - neither you nor myself. So, in all of what I've mentioned above, I've tried to be objective, meaning that what I've described I was able to observe using my sense of sight, touch and hearing. Now, so far as the Traveler is concerned, it looks somewhat tactical and overall it sure is, albeit a small tactical knife. However, It's occurred to me that perhaps it's more of an EDC type knife made by Ernest Emerson - meaning that it could be used in a pinch, though it's not it's main function as a knife, as opposed to say, the combat karambit. If I'm spot on, then I could understand why the lock bar on it is thin. However the great ergonomics of the handle, the thick blade and blade geometry and it having the wave feature might have mislead me to think of it as a mini tactical knife (by tactical knife, I mean capable of being used in a SD role). So far as slash cuts are concerned, I think that it would do a very good job, although stabbing is probably a more instinctive knee jerk reaction than slashing is. Let's be frank, I wouldn't feel confident stabbing into anything (except any material offering low resistance to penetration) using the Traveler. I think that it's easy to think of it as a small defensive blade, but I'm perplexed regarding it's lock. I have it in my hand right now (the knife that is) and the only thing I'm disappointed about is the lock. That said, there's nothing I can do about it and that's probably what disappoints me the most. All I can do is accept it that way it is or put it up for sale. Just so you know, I'm not one to complain about the fit and finish of your knives - I can understand why some have, but it's not what matters to me in your knives - I like the rough and sturdy look of them.
I've also heard about the lock bar of certain Emerson knives moving too fast across the blade tang - is this a real problem ? I'm in Canada and although I haven't experienced that issue, I'm wondering whether this is of real concern - I mean, what happens when the liner lock moves to the opposite end of the tang ? Does it then prevent the blade to be held in the locked position ? Does it make the knife unsafe to use ? The point about being in Canada, is that some knives have been lost stateside (Emerson's or other) and well Canadian customs can be problematic at times, so I find it's best not to have to send stuff to the USA for repair, unless there was really an obvious need for it.
I'm perfectly aware that some of what I brought up above, you might find somewhat offending and I couldn't completely blame you - I'd probably feel somewhat offended if someone asked me about some of the things I've asked you about above. That said, I thought it'd be best for me to ask you directly, instead of posting about it and getting responses from anyone but Mr. Ernest Emerson himself - I also figure that some might also benefit from reading your responses to some of my questions. Had I been to your booth at the Blade Show, I'd have asked you the same, but I won't lie to you, I would've been somewhat embarrassed to do so, because the nature of my questions is very delicate. Now, I think that you can see that I do like your knives, for I wouldn't have any of them otherwise. I'm sure you wouldn't be very much offended if I asked you in person, because you'd probably see in my face that I don't mean any disrespect. Hopefully, I can get this across fine through this post, though I'm aware not knowing me from real life can make a significant difference.
What I do want to point out though is that I did like that interview Nutnfancy did with you - you do seem to be quite a sympathetic fellow. The kind of questions I'm asking of you here is always best asked in person. I've also noticed that you seemed to like Nutnfancy asking you about certain things, because it gave you a chance to explain and defend your position.
Anyway, I'd really appreciate it if you could address the general sense of my questions and please try and understand that I mean no disrespect at all yet I'd like to hear from you above the above. I'm aware you do things a certain way and that won't change and that is fine with me, but still I'd derive satisfaction in hearing from the man himself about the above mentioned points.
Thanks for reading.
