Got my first Emerson - some questions

V

Vivi

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I received an Emerson CQC8 in a trade today, which is the first Emerson I've ever owned or handled. Very nice overall, wonderful ergonomics, but I have a few questions.

1. The liner can be very hard to unlock sometimes. I'm not talking about how the release doesn't stick out from the handle much like a Spyderco Military for example, but the pressure it takes to unlock the knife is sometimes so much I feel inclined to use two hands. Is this typical or does the knife just need broken in?

2. I noticed on the side opposite the liner there seems to be a secondary detent to keep the knife shut. Is that what I'm seeing or does this serve another function?

3. I tried a couple of waved openings to see how it works, and I'm not having much success with it compared to my Endura Wave and Pikal. Is there any certain technique other than drawing the knife up and back that will increase my success with the wave?

4. Does taking apart the knife void the warranty? The pivot feels kind of rough and I plan to polish it at a later date.

5. With the knife open, if I grip it hard, it makes a barely audible clicking noise every time, sounding like it's coming from the liner side G10 and liner area. Anyone know what this would be?
 
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My liner would stick every time I would go to close it, But after a month of constant opening , It is very smooth now, barely any pressure to push the liner over to close it. Just needs broken in!
 
Some Emersons just need a break-in period. Then they're good to go. Even that little rattle will stop.
 
Congrats on the new EKI :):thumbup:

1. Emersons nearly always need a bit of break in time so this will get better with use.
If your feeling impatiant you can lube the blade tang with graphite from a pencil. This may or may not make any difference but it usually works.

2. The double detent is a feature of Emerson knives and helps stabalise the blade, the detent on the lock is what keeps the blade from opening.

3. The wave technique subtly changes from model to model so just play about and you will get it.

4. Taking the knife apart does not void the warranty, this is from the FAQ on the EKI site:
If the knife becomes encrusted with dirt or sand, it can be completely disassembled and cleaned out thoroughly.
Click to expand...

5. There is a few noises you can get from EKIs. It could just be the lock gripping the blade tang, it just be creaking form the scales being compressed a bit or it could be the stop pin as they quite often have a bit of lateral play and rattle when the blade is half way.

Hope that helps, and enjoy your knife :thumbup:
 
Here is what I have found. The double detent works in the sense that it won't come open in your pocket but not when you drop depending on how tight the pivot is screwed down. When the liner is sticky I think that is a good thing. Just take a lead pencil and coat the back of the locking tang on the blade with the pencil. You know color it in so to speak. Will go a long way to helping in unlocking the knife. Take your knife apart and clean it thoroughly with WD40 or alcohol or some such cleaner/solvent. Then put a good quality grease on the both sides of the washers. Reassemble knife and center blade and good to go with Emerson graciousness. keepem sharp
 
You've got the best 'tactical' folder ever made IMO. However, its a production knife, so its bound to be a bit rough in parts.

Carry it every day, use it as often as you can and it will wear in with time and you will grow to love that knife.

I know I love mine and will always own an 8. Maybe even a custom one day.
 
I always come back to Emerson knives. There's just something about them.
Do like the Emerson over your Spyders?
 
Just got my 8 in the mail yesterday(1st Emerson) and I have been
deploying it out of my pocket with a loud thwakk all day.
It's driving my wife crazy.I'm allready looking to order a
Comander or A-100
 
douglas mclean said:
Just got my 8 in the mail yesterday(1st Emerson) and I have been
deploying it out of my pocket with a loud thwakk all day.
It's driving my wife crazy.I'm allready looking to order a
Comander or A-100
Click to expand...

My wife hates what I do to my pants Waving folders all the time too! Thats why she started buying me thrift store pants for $3 and $6 a pair. :D

Haze the non lock side detent keeps the blade closed on most Emerson's I've worked on. The ball on the lock is there to give the blade something of equal hardness to ride along making it a smoother action than it would be if it was sliding along the lock face.

Not that it matters much since the non lock sides usually don't hold very well.

On that sticky lock you may just have to use the lead pencil trick painting the lead graphite on the lock contact until your folder breaks in as Haze said. You can also push the cutting edge down like you are making a cut on a cutting board and close the lock with pressure pushing up on the blade.

Its the easiest way to address it that I know of. Chances are that it should change in a week or so from Waving it open but if not and you notice your thumb is tender down the road from wrestling the lock you may have to send it in for a service call. To my knowledge Ernest advocates field stripping and cleaning and incorporated that into the design unless something has changed. So, taking it apart to clean it should not be a problem with an Emerson.

On the plus side, if there is a benefit to a sticky lock then look at it this way. At least if its that darn hard to close when you want to close it then it should also be that much more difficult to have an accidental lock defeat in the field during extreme use. :thumbup:

STR
 
STR said:
Haze the non lock side detent keeps the blade closed on most Emerson's I've worked on. The ball on the lock is there to give the blade something of equal hardness to ride along making it a smoother action than it would be if it was sliding along the lock face.
Click to expand...

Yup, that is indeed correct.

My bad :p

The frame locks would be the exception to that and only have one detent holding the blade closed on the lock side.
 
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