How tough are Emerson knives in reality ?

I think the hardcore Emerson's just don't even want to bother....after all if people don't like em ' thats more for us Emerson fanantics :D
 
I have been fortunate to have own several EKI production knives and several Custom Emerson knives and am not beeen disappointed one bit. I have never had a production or custom EKI knife fail me in action even in the worse of conditions. I am in agreement with most that say a folder is not the most ideal knife for SD. If you want a strong no gimmic knife for SD the get a fix blade. I guess it all boils down to "different strokes for different folks."

Hey Lifter that is one ugly CQC6 :) Who in their right mind would do something so terrible as to put stag horn scales on a custom 6 :D ! Just kidding brother. Nice knife.

Mac
 
The reason Emerson knives are successful is that they offer unique styles of knives that other manufactures don't. If someone wants a knife like a Commander, what choices are there? That goes for the P-Sark as well. I really love the handles and grippy G10 that Emerson uses, I wish all my knives had Emerson handles on them, yet another selling point.

I've noticed that Emerson knives don't seem to be finished as well as other knives at the same (or lower) price point. This probably stems from the same problem that leads to them having less consistant locks than other manufactures (poor tolerance control, no hand finishing or QC checking). But if the knife is ok when it leaves the factory, they don't seem to wear or break any faster than other knives of similar constuction (titanium liner lock).

No, Emerson's are not the best bang-for-the-buck knives. But not being the best value doesn't mean the knife doesn't have other qualities that make it worth the money to people (especially if people also have the knives that the bargain shopper would choose over the Emerson ;) )

I have a Benchmade 710HS that I bought for $90 sitting right next to the Emerson CQC10 that I bought for $170. The Benchmade is finished nicer, has a better steel, a more useful blade shape/grind, and a much better lock. But I still love my CQC10 :D Was it worth 2x as much as the Benchmade? No. Is it even worth as much as the Benchmade? Maybe. Do I regret spending $170 on it? Not for a second! :) :p :)
 
LOL, well said :D

Everyone stay away from Emerson knives, they suck, nothing to see here, move away[and let me do all the shopping]

:)

Originally posted by the45guy
I think the hardcore Emerson's just don't even want to bother....after all if people don't like em ' thats more for us Emerson fanantics :D
 
I think Cargun hit the nail on the head.

If you want smooth and refined at all cost, get a Benchmade. I think Benchmade is the leader in quality knives and top notch QC. I've owned about a dozen BM's and every one was as perfect as a man-made object can be. My only problem with BM is they don't make Emerson's :) .

I think the design and feel of the Emerson knives are above the rest, and it's worth the cost of buying new, or the time of looking for a used one here on the forums, and it's also worth the price of shipping back to the factory in order to fix a QC problem.

Just my thoughts,
Clay
 
Originally posted by CH
If you want smooth and refined at all cost, get a Benchmade. I think Benchmade is the leader in quality knives and top notch QC. I've owned about a dozen BM's and every one was as perfect as a man-made object can be. My only problem with BM is they don't make Emerson's :) .
Benchmade had a period where their quality slipped, pretty significantly, so the collective experience base re: Benchmade kinda depends on what period of production one refers to. I can't define the beginning and end precisely of course, but it seemed to coincide with a growth period from maybe 2000 to 2002.

I don't think Spyderco suffered any such period, and Microtech QC problems seem to be pretty far in between. Just an observation.
Originally posted by CH
... and it's also worth the price of shipping back to the factory in order to fix a QC problem.
There is some truth to that if you like one of Ernie's design well enough (and I do), but it's a shame this statement has to be offered up in the first place.
 
True enough, Rob. One shouldn't have to ship a knife back over QC issues when it should've never made it out the door in the first place.

One thing that Spyderco has above Benchmade and Emerson is Sal Glesser's willingness to participate on the forums. Sal is one of the few guys that asks the consumer what they think. This is reason enough for me to support Spyderco, not to mention their level of quality and innovation.

Just my thoughts,
Clay
 
I think it all boils down to preference.Spyderco's do not appeal to me at all , never will more than likely. Yet they are a good ( not great ) knives.

To each his own , but remember there is no " purfect folder " , doesnt exist , never did , hopefully never will , this way my quest for it will continue for years to come :D
 
Originally posted by the45guy
I think it all boils down to preference.Spyderco's do not appeal to me at all , never will more than likely. Yet they are a good ( not great ) knives.

To each his own , but remember there is no " purfect folder " , doesnt exist , never did , hopefully never will , this way my quest for it will continue for years to come :D


No perfect folder? I guess you havent seen This!!! :)

Strider%20GB%20NM%20Half%20Open%20Text.jpg
 
Megalobyte- you may have to email me about this one!!!!!:eek: :eek:
 
Originally posted by the45guy
where's the Lanyard Hole ?? ;)

OK thats close , dam close.

Ahhh, but thats the beauty part, one of the handle screw heads is actually a fake screw insert made of copper beryllium, to make the lanyard hole secret and ultra stealthy. How cool is that? :) (Yes, im just kidding, but it does have the new oil slick feature... )
 
Originally posted by LaBella
Megalobyte- you may have to email me about this one!!!!!:eek: :eek:

Whoa there Ron, you got my first run SnG, don't push your luck... :)

BTW, i'll still trade you to get it back... :)
 
Originally posted by SarcoBlaster
I used to have a Commander that if I applied some pressure on the spine, the lock would slide over to the left (this was on a right handed model, so the lock was actually disengaging). There was some vertical and horizontal blade play as well. Maybe it was a lemon, maybe it wasn't, but as far as I'm concerned, they're not the number one hard use knives in the world...

However, I must say that some of their designs look pretty good and the ergonomics on the Commander models are superb.

I was the next owner of your Commander and agree completely, though I don't think it was a lemon. It's just that the handles are too flexible and the back spacer too small to keep everything in alignment. The blade is tough, though it didn't cut very good, and the hard chrome finish is nice. Using the wave was fun, but you had to be careful to keep it from opening when you didn't want it to.

Then I tried the Specwar, both a clippoint and a tanto with better results, but still not the heavy duty knife I was looking for.

Next came a knife that could live up to that claim - the Microtech Amphibian. It's everything the Commander tries to be. The only thing wrong is that the tolerances are tight enough that dirt and debris can keep the blade from moving smoothly.
 
Commander gives you less for the $. The 98 Commanders gave you thicker scales and liners. Then EK switch to thinner scales and liners. EK reissues the "5 year" Commander and charges an arm and a leg.
 
Please note that the newer commanders have a different construction compared to the older one's, they now have a longer backspacer and it should help making things more stable and less prone to flexing.

:)

Originally posted by nonbox
Commander gives you less for the $. The 98 Commanders gave you thicker scales and liners. Then EK switch to thinner scales and liners. EK reissues the "5 year" Commander and charges an arm and a leg.
 
this is a very "enlightening" thread! I am fairly new to knives, and am in the process of deciding on one. I seem to have also been caught up in the hype of EK, and was trying to decide between the Commander and CQC 8. Based on what everyone is saying, I am probably better off looking elsewhere, both for performance and value for money! Can anyone suggest some alternatives - I have seen the Cold Steel brochure, and the knives look very thin? Are these good knives? Have owned a Spydeco delica some years back, and wasn't all that impressed with it (the clip went very early), but have heard some recommendations for the Spyderco Police model.
 
I'd probably recommend Benchmade or Spyderco. If you have some cash lying around, go for Strider.

As I usually tell my friend, "the blade might break, but there's no way in hell the lock would fail you !"
 
4 years ago I purchased a Commander. I was very happy with it until my father demonstrated how simply I could have removed my own fingers through a minor application of pressure to the blade. The liner failed miserably. I have since traded it to a friend, with knowledge of the problem and an obvious disregard for his own fingers, in exchange for a $40 dinner.:grumpy:
 
When someone asks about strength, quality or cost, I'm always confused. The tool should have some utility for the individual user, otherwise strength is a moot point.

If I need strength, I have a camp axe. My wife has an upscale Gerber.

I think the real question is, "What do you normally need to cut?" and "What are your expectations for quality?"

I'll admit I find the Commander a strong knife. I can carry it where I cannot carry an axe. But the Commander did not cut to my satisfaction, and I sharpen on an Edge-Pro. I sold it to a buddy, and he loves it.

Double bevel clip or drop points cut for me. (I did go through a double bevel Microtech tanto phase, for a bit) I've settled on the Strider folders.

My EDC rotation knife lately is a SOG Tomcat. Its upturned point has not been the problem I thought it would be. It is cheaper, stronger and of better quality than its competition, the Chinook. I say that because it's for MY use.
 
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