Iron Dragons

If theirs is anything like mine, it's not the stop pin. The stop pin is a near press fit into the G10, more so than my other HD's. The rattle is from the blade hitting the stop pin as the lockbar can flex a little allowing the blade to come off the stop pin and then back on. The larger detent hole doesn't help but also a prefect fitting one wouldn't help this as it's a flexing lockbar that I feel is part of the cause. If the detent hole was positioned to constantly pull the blade towards the stop pin, then issue solved all around. Not a issue to me, quiet while in pocket. Knife is open when it comes out of pocket since I love using the Wave. No problems for me.
 
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dr_fosg8 said:
Not entirely sure. Only info I could find on Emerson's site says GTC bearings. There used to be a pic of them on the site but I can't find it now.
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I disassembled mine, it's GTC bearings, which are caged steel bearings that were originally developed by the custom maker Gus Cecchini of GTC Knives.

After a week or two of ownership, I really like the Iron Dragon despite its flaws. The fact that bearing pockets were not milled evenly in the G10/Ti means it is permanently offcenter. The lock sticks, which makes little sense to me given the steel insert (I presently own 11 other knives with steel inserts, never had lock stick on a single one). The lockup was also so early when I received the knife that the lock would fail very easily, which luckily was an easy fix. These strike me as kind of amateur mistakes, especially given the serious price tag.

But I can't knock the design, which is really why I bought the knife in the first place. It truly is ridiculously smooth, with a very positive detent. The handle is extremely thin which makes it wonderful to carry, and it has seen a lot of pocket time as a result. I definitely don't regret buying one :thumbup:
 
My experience has been the same as yours, slightly off center, Super early lockup at first and really sticky. After 2 weeks it has become less sticky and lockup is about half way across the tang. The blade still will not lock if opened lightly but with how smooth this thing is that hasn't been an issue. Even after 2 weeks I can't stop waving this out of my pocket, it is just so smooth and fast.
 
Steely Dorn said:
My experience has been the same as yours, slightly off center, Super early lockup at first and really sticky. After 2 weeks it has become less sticky and lockup is about half way across the tang. The blade still will not lock if opened lightly but with how smooth this thing is that hasn't been an issue. Even after 2 weeks I can't stop waving this out of my pocket, it is just so smooth and fast.
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I hope Emerson takes this feedback to heart. I would buy way more of their knives if they were like the Iron Dragon (in construction), minus these issues. I look forward to the next iteration where these issues are taken care of. I would love to see a framelock CQC-8, for example.
 
I should have mentioned that these issues were with the black blade model I bought. The stonewashed one was perfect, centered blade and no stick at all. That one left my hands soon after getting the black one so I can't really compare the two side by side at the moment. I would also love to see more built like this one since I prefer a framelock and would likely get any framelock knife that Emerson puts out.
 
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