I've been lusting after Emerson knives!

I've owned a Commander, Super 7, Mini Commander,
CQC 7, Mini CQC 7, CQC 13 and CQC 8 when I was first getting into knives.
Every one of them had lock rock issues and the liner lock traveled across
the blade tang very quickly, not to mention the very poor fit & finish.
On the Commander I had, the liner would slip right off the tang by just pushing the top of the blade.
Most Emerson's don't have a relief on the blade so when it closes
on your finger it's going to be bad. I've had cheap Gerbers that had
better liner locks.

Better off waiting on the Chinese versions, they'll be much higher
quality I'm sure.
It's amazing to me that these things are in such high
demand.
 
To the op, don't let all the stories about fit and finish and all this garbage sway you from getting an emerson. I am not a fan boy I am telling you from my experience. I held off forever because of the negativity on here about the quality. I bought 2, a mini cqc 7 and mini commander both marked 2013. Neither had any fit and finish problems. Both super smooth, neither have lock up issues. Both have great ergos the mini command probably has the best ergos of any folder I have. What I found is people just recycle stories about the knives without owning one. I'd say try one for yourself if yo don't like it put it up in the exchange.
 
I know it's not technically an emerson, but you might consider a bad monkey from Southern Grind too.

http://shop.southerngrind.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=LJG-SG-108-K

It has a licensed emerson wave on it, and the fit and finish are very nice. I have one of the hollow ground drop point models and I am in love with it. It's built very well, but they're a little higher in price. I ended up with one because I wanted a commander but I didn't like the curved blade. This knife had the features I wanted and looks great too.

I'll probably still add an emerson or two in the future, but for now I'm happy.
 
Nic S. said:
To the op, don't let all the stories about fit and finish and all this garbage sway you from getting an emerson. I am not a fan boy I am telling you from my experience. I held off forever because of the negativity on here about the quality. I bought 2, a mini cqc 7 and mini commander both marked 2013. Neither had any fit and finish problems. Both super smooth, neither have lock up issues. Both have great ergos the mini command probably has the best ergos of any folder I have. What I found is people just recycle stories about the knives without owning one. I'd say try one for yourself if yo don't like it put it up in the exchange.
Click to expand...

Best advice. Only you can decide if an Emerson is up your alley or not.
 
I have 8 Emersons ranging from 2006 - 2013 and a 9th ( CQC-10 ) on the way.
There are exactly zero issues with any of them, and 154cm is hardly what I would call shit steel.
It is corrosion resistant, holds a decent edge, and plenty tough. Just for grins I used my Commander as a pry bar to rip apart a pallet, hoping it would break so I could get a new one, but no such luck.

I have handled all 3 of the knives you mention and for me, the 15 had the best ergos followed by the roadhouse. The super 7 is a honkin' big knife and although it was comfortable in hand, I didn't care for it in my pocket. The standard size 7 was much better.
 
He is a video on my cqc7 and general comments on Emerson... Any feedback is welcomed...

[video=youtube_share;ouz8Ii8pAJ8]http://youtu.be/ouz8Ii8pAJ8[/video]
 
90% of the people that piss and moan about Emerson knives have never even owned one. They are just regurgitating information they got from youtube. Emerson CS is amazing, for the record. It's something they're known for; good CS and warranty. For the record, the "soft steel" stuff is a joke. The steel holds up fine and sharpens quickly. I notice many of the people that like to smear Emerson and Strider have been members less than a year. I'm sure there is something to that.
 
Murdamook said:
90% of the people that piss and moan about Emerson knives have never even owned one. They are just regurgitating information they got from youtube. Emerson CS is amazing, for the record. It's something they're known for; good CS and warranty. For the record, the "soft steel" stuff is a joke. The steel holds up fine and sharpens quickly. I notice many of the people that like to smear Emerson and Strider have been members less than a year. I'm sure there is something to that.
Click to expand...

You're right, I've never owned a Emerson. I hear all these bad things about them, it makes me not want to spend money on them. You're absolutely right about the soft steel being a joke though, 154cm hardened to 57-59 HRC IS a joke.
 
Murdamook said:
90% of the people that piss and moan about Emerson knives have never even owned one. They are just regurgitating information they got from youtube. Emerson CS is amazing, for the record. It's something they're known for; good CS and warranty. For the record, the "soft steel" stuff is a joke. The steel holds up fine and sharpens quickly. I notice many of the people that like to smear Emerson and Strider have been members less than a year. I'm sure there is something to that.
Click to expand...

There may be some truth to people repeating. Which knives compared did you compare your emersons to get formulate your opinion?
 
I have a super 7 and I too find that it is not comfortable for pocket carry. Because of this, I find myself using my standard CQC 7, and even my mini CQC 7, more than I use the super CQC 7.
 
My edc for the last few weeks has been a CQC 7. I've been quite pleased with it so far, it's the first chisel ground blade I have carried. Only time will tell if the lock wears prematurely, but it came new with a nice early lock up.

I will have to say this about the liner lock, I really don't think I will have problems with it disengaging during use.

Tom
 
Strong-Dog said:
You're right, I've never owned a Emerson. I hear all these bad things about them, it makes me not want to spend money on them. You're absolutely right about the soft steel being a joke though, 154cm hardened to 57-59 HRC IS a joke.
Click to expand...


Again like I stated and Murdamook said, if you don't own one how can you possibly complain about one. Complain about the edge retention? If you have never used one you literally have no idea. Its like my kids saying they don't like peas when they have never tried them. It gets old when they says that stuff, and it gets old when people on here say it. You don't like them, they arent for you thats cool. But don't slander a brand and spread wrong information if you have no way to back it up with personal experience.
 
FWIW, I put my Emerson through a series of cutting tests when I got it. Cutting cardboard, pine dowels, paracord, etc. Even cutting through a soda can, the edge and lockup held up very well. I did the exact same with my Spyderco Military and the edge just didnt hold up as long as the Emerson. Maybe its the chisel grind, but Ive had no problems with edge retention. YMMV
 
Nic S. said:
Again like I stated and Murdamook said, if you don't own one how can you possibly complain about one. Complain about the edge retention? If you have never used one you literally have no idea. Its like my kids saying they don't like peas when they have never tried them. It gets old when they says that stuff, and it gets old when people on here say it. You don't like them, they arent for you thats cool. But don't slander a brand and spread wrong information if you have no way to back it up with personal experience.
Click to expand...

How is telling people that they use 154cm hardened to 57-59 spreading wrong information? People can come to whatever conclusions they want to with that info. Value-minded people will realize that for the kind of money they're charging, the could do a lot better steel wise. Thats not even taking into account their F&F "issues". I don't own one because for that price, I could own quite a few Tenaciouses with arguably better F&F and a better blade (FFG properly hardened 8cr instead of chisel ground soft 154cm).
 
To the OP, I've never held any of the models you have mentioned. I do however own a 7V and a mini roadhouse. In my opinion the roadhouse feels better in hand. I think you should buy one and you be the judge. Initially I've stayed away from Emersons because of all the complaints on them. Once I had one in hand, I knew I wanted more. Currently they are my personal favorite brand of knives. I now own four Emersons... and I don't believe I'll stop here.
 
Strong-Dog said:
I don't own one because for that price, I could own quite a few Tenaciouses with arguably better F&F and a better blade (FFG properly hardened 8cr instead of chisel ground soft 154cm).
Click to expand...

Lol... One of the most silly comments I have ever read...
 
I have a Gayle Bradley with the M4 steel. A few points higher on the RC scale. I can dull it in one day and it takes 3x longer to sharpen than Emerson's softer steel, which is easy to maintain an edge with just stropping and sharpening maybe once a month. No joke.
 
Strong-Dog said:
You're right, I've never owned a Emerson. I hear all these bad things about them, it makes me not want to spend money on them. You're absolutely right about the soft steel being a joke though, 154cm hardened to 57-59 HRC IS a joke.
Click to expand...

What should it be hardened to?
 
I own the CQC-15 and I personally have a love/hate relationship with it. The wifey bought the silver Emerson pocket clip with the skull as a gift - so needless to say its now a sentimental piece that I wont be getting rid of.
I can honestly understand some of the issues people have with Emerson knives, but I will say - A) 154cm is not $h!t steel, I think its one of the more user-friendly steels out there that offers a pretty good all-around package B) nothing deploys faster out of the pocket (with practice) than an Emerson knife!!
 
What do you like/dislike about these knives?


I like the ergonomics of most of the Emerson knives that I have owned (mini 7, horseman, a100:thumbup: specwar:thumbdn:)

I dislike the left hand grind Emerson puts on all his knives; as I am right handed.

The steel is fine.

Not great, but it doesn't suck either.
 
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