Miscellaneous rambling of a Usual Suspect

[David T]

Misc. thoughts. No order whatsoever.

The recent acquisition of a 2000 model CQC6 has me thinking. I've been carrying & using this knife everyday. Therefore lots of thoughts popped into my head. Besides, alot of time to yourself & manual labor such as polishing wood floors gives you alot of time to think.

We all know & agree that the older Emersons look more handmade, which in turn translates to, for a lack of a better term, roughly made. Grind marks, uneven lines, etc. No two customs are exactly the same. The recent Emersons customs actually look more precisely made with the use of machines. Wouldn't the newer ones be considered better, since they're made with more precision. Tighter tolerances. I know that the question has been posed as to who's actually making the newer customs, but do we really care; as long as we're getting our hands on Emerson designed knives? I really don't care as long as the design didn't vary too far from the original & the quality is the same or better. The production Emrersons are nice, but they're still not up to par with the Specwars. Maybe the customs production shop will close the gap between the two.

It's almost impossible to produce custom knives without the aid of machines. Elishewitz & Reeves both heavily use CNC machines to produce their wares. Yet their prices are close to Emerson prices. (Suggested retail, not aftermarket). Reeves doesn't even make the knives himself anymore. This isn't a bad thing. It's just that he designed the original, taught a few guys his technique, now he can sit back and enjoy life & not sweat in the shop of 12 hours a day behind a grinder. I guess that's why Emerson is semi retired from the custom knife business. Can we blame him. I would have done the exact same thing. I know he has alot of backorders, but that's another issue & has been discussed many times.

Also, as you all know, I've been playing around with a Commander trying to put a satin finish to the blade. Well, this little project has given me a new found respect for custom knife makers. It takes alot of hand polishing, sanding, buffing & all sorts of fun processes just to put the finish on the blade. And I started out with a straight, even blade which was already finished. I can imagine what it takes to make the rest of the knife. It would take me a year just to make one knife.

Sorry for the long post. I'm sure my spelling & grammar is off in this post, but I tried to get my thoughts down as fast as I could plus I'm really tired. My fingers don't even work right.

I would appreciate any & all thought from you guys. Thanks

David

 

[2Sharp]

HI!

Thanks for sharing your rambling

i'll do some rambling here too. please note that i do NOT own any custom Emerson knives!...yet

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by David T:I know that the question has been posed as to who's actually making the newer customs, but do we really care; as long as we're getting our hands on Emerson designed knives?</font>

I'd say that if i bought a custom Emerson then i'd expect it to be handmade by Mr. Emerson himself.
I love the CQC-6 look, if it was avalable in a production version i'd pick up one at once, don't really care that it is a custom Emerson, but i badly want (need) the design.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"> Maybe the customs production shop will close the gap between the two. </font>

I wouldn't mind, then i'd probably use it even more. (a CQC-8 please!!)

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"> I guess that's why Emerson is semi retired from the custom knife business. Can we blame him. </font>

I don't, isn't that what most of us people want to do? work hard for success and then sit back and harvest the gold?

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"> this little project has given me a new found respect for custom knife makers. </font>

those little elbow grease jobs always get's on to appreciate the time spent on handmade (any) knives, i like it! always makes me be even more proud of the knife i'm carrying.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"> It would take me a year just to make one knife.

</font>

LOL, same here, and my knife wouldn't look too good either...

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"> Sorry for the long post. </font>

Don't be, nice with some thought's that wasn't pure technical in the essence on which model we want re-made or improved, like the P-SARK or CommandAir!

(love those projects but i appreciate the change of subject)

Be well!/Jonas aka 2Sharp

"May all your detonations be expected"

The coolest bar in the world: http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Camp/8373/index.html
My knives!

[This message has been edited by 2Sharp (edited 01-09-2001).]

 

[budrichard]

There is a distinction between custom and handmade. I expect handmade to be one person without machines, Corbet Sigman is an example of "handmade" knives. Custom is with or without machines by one perosn for the majority of the work. I have a CQC-6 and believe that the parts may or not be made by Emerson himself but there is no production version. If I have the above wrong someone please correct me. The problem with Chris Reeve knives is that there is no allowance for any variation a buyer wants. You are getting a high end factory knife. Greg Lightfoot makes a handmade knife in my belief and will work with you for variations. I do not like to impose any variations on handmade/custom knives because they can cause problems not forseen by the customer or maker. It really comes down to price , availablity and what you want. Handmade knives cost more, take longer to deliver and offer uniquesness, custom knives are cheaper, should be available faster and offer less uniqueness.

 

[arkhamdrifter]

When I saw the title of this post I envisioned a tale of drunken debauchery and bar room knife brawls with thieving brigands. Oh well.

Where was I... Oh yes, as far as Emerson customs go I guess it really depends on what a buyer wants in a knife. David, you made some very valid points.
Frankly I would be quite elated to acquire any generation of Emerson custom that I lay my hands on. These knives are all fine and rare cutting tools. What I would pay for the knife all depends on how the knife meets my needs.

 

[jackstraw]

My ranting two cents takes the form of a question. What is it about these knives that have driven me to compulsively collect more and rarer specimens? There are a lot of superb makers out there. I admire and appreciate their work but have zero interest in acquiring them, let alone collecting. When I started collecting, my tastes were quite eclectic and I bought from a number of excellent makers. Bit by bit I have thinned the collection to the point where it is now somewhere north of 95% Emerson. Clearly I am not alone as the existence of this excellent forum indicates. The Usual Suspects all seem to be similarly afflicted, and it is not uncommon to welcome newcomers to our midst with the standard warning that Emersons have the ability to become addictive. Once upon a time, this question was answered by some by basing the early cult status on the "Rogue Warrior" series by Dick Marcinko. Today, I don't think anybody could care less about those books and the cult has become a true phenomenon. One only has to be at a show where Ernie is raffling off a few customs to understand the energy,the excitement and the joy when one is fortunate enough to have his name called from the hat. The crowds at these drawings have nothing to do with anything else happening at the shows. When I ask myself why I am so hooked, part of the answer surfaces in the pleasure of the hunt and the feeling of success when that unobtainable piece arrives. But that is just the hunt part...the possession is an ongoing pleasure. I guess that the answer is simply that these babies rock!! I'd love to hear from other suspects...how did we all get here?

------------------
Once in a while you get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right.

 

[John Hollister]

David, Interesting ramblings.

All,

I, like David, have a healthy respect for anyone that has the skills to produce a knife. If I tried, it would probably sell for a buck ninety eight. LOL

"Custom" vs "Handmade" vs "Production" This is a never ending debate. Even among makers and the Guild.

"Custom" - Defined my Webster as:
"Pronunciation: 'k&s-t&(m)
Function: adjective
Date: 1830
1 : made or performed according to personal order"

How about "Custom Made":

"Pronunciation: 'k&s-t&(m)-'mAd
Function: adjective
Date: 1855
: made to individual specifications "

"Handmade"

"Pronunciation: 'han(d)-'mAd
Function: adjective
Date: 1613
: made by hand or by a hand process"

This brings us to "Mass Production"

"Pronunciation: "mas-pr&-'düs, -'dyüs
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: back-formation from mass production
Date: 1923
: to produce in quantity usually by machinery"

"Machinery:"

"Pronunciation: m&-'shE-n&-rE, -'shEn-rE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -er·ies
Date: 1687
1 a : machines in general or as a functioning unit"

"Machine:"

"Pronunciation: m&-'shEn
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle French, from Latin machina, from Greek mEchanE (Doric dialect machana), from mEchos means, expedient -- more at MAY
Date: circa 1545
f : a mechanically, electrically, or electronically operated device for performing a task"


AAAhhhhhhhhhhhhh

. . . . . I'm better now.


In my opinion (not that my opinion matters):

I don't think there are many makers out there making knives without machinery and for that matter electric machinery. Where do we draw the line? Belt Grinder? Drill Press? Laser cut blanks, CNC machinery?

Almost every maker I have seen has a catalog, in their are cataloged models.

As this is the Emerson forum, lets look at Ernies old catalog. Let's say I called Ernie in '95 and sad "I want a CQC6, just like in the catalog" Is that a custom knife? Does it have to be individual and like no other to be a custom.

How about this: A buddy calls and has Ernie make him a Double bladed, fully serrated fixed blade. The steel is a special blend made especially for this project and is ground by rubbing is on 100% natural Volcanic rock. It has scales made from baby Panda shin bone and a sheath is made from a Killer Whale stomach lining. Not even an electric light was used to see by. A knife like has never been seen before on this planet. Obviously a "Custom", right?

I like it and have Ernie make me one like it.
Is mine "Custom"?

Is his now "Custom" or is it "Limit Production"?

Can one make a "Custom" run of knives?

Let's get real!

I've spoken to Ernie about the difference between his "Customs" and EKIs "Production" knives. The context of the conversation was over the "Custom/Production" line that is coming out.

There was a rumor that "Custom" prices were going to drop out the bottom when the "C/P" line came out. "Who's going to want to buy a custom when they can have a "C/P" knife" the rumor went.

Ernie just laughed and said (I paraphrase) "'Customs' are customs, and 'Production' is production. Their not even close.

You can tell the difference between the two just holding them in your hand. Yes, we're going to offer a bolstered CQC7B as part of the "C/P" line, but it's not a CQC7. The CQC7B will be made from mass produced EKI parts. As it's made from mass produced parts, all the parts will be interchangeable. One bolster will be able to replace another, a scale from one knife can be bolted right to another knife.

I make the parts for the customs by hand. They may look the same, but they're all individual and will not interchange."

There was a bunch more to the conversation, but I'll keep it to myself.

John

 

[nyeti]

Great topic. It is no great secret that the newer customs are having their blades cut on a machine.....If I invested what Ernie invested in those machines, I would use them too. It is also the reason we are starting to see more customs being delivered. I spoke to Ernie about this and he told me that he is still hand fitting, finishing, and assembling the customs himself. I have a pretty healthy supply of customs, and I'll be honest, my 2000 CQC-6 is what I would probably daily carry (If it wasn't worth so dang much). Why, because I could actually sharpen it without destroying the thing. How many of you could actually upkeep the awesome Emerson zero grind in a beater daily use field knife. It can be done, but I would be far more comfortable maintaining my CQC-6 that the "evil" machine did, than the one Ernie did. I had the same problem with my beater CQC-8 that I carried in my front waistband 16 hours a day, seven days a week for years. I could never get it like Ernie did. I uglied it up, and never did it justice in my attempts to properly maintain it. I love Emerson customs, but I now daily carry a Commander, a La Griffe, and a PUK. I have custom versions of all three, and they are definately "better", but I don't feel at all bad about beating the crap out of my machine ground production knives. John Hollister would be spinning backflips if I did to my Proto-Commander what I do to my production one (and if he watched me sharpen it, I could guarantee a full boat coronary). Ok, enough rambling..the old handgrounds are great pieces, but the newer customs are great workers.

------------------
He who advances is sure of heaven-He who retreats of eternal damnation.

 

[John Hollister]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">John Hollister would be spinning backflips if I did to my Proto-Commander what I do to my production one (and if he watched me sharpen it, I could guarantee a full boat coronary)</font>

LMFAO!!

As an owner of a Proto Commander and a carrier of a production Commander, I feel you pain.

And for the record . . . . yes I would.

 

[laserman 1]

Very Interesting,as I have been waiting 3+
years for my "6"I guess I really don't care if it's made by hand or machine. I just want it.
BTW, David, I started stripping my BM CQC-7 by hand, I think i'll go out tomorrow and buy a Dremel tool

------------------
JimBob

 

[David T]

More Rambling:
Jonas,
I'm glad you feel the same way I do.

Ark,
Sorry no stories of bar room fights. I lead a pretty hum-drum life.

When do we send the funds for the new T's. Please let me know.

Jackstraw,
I don't know what makes us collect Emersons. Some say it's a sickness.

For me it has nothing to do with Rouge Warrior, never even read the book. A big part of it is the hunt. Like you, I've wanted pieces from other makers, but those I acquired within a few or so. Not much of a challenge. I've been slowly selling those off & concentrating only on Emersons.

Oh, the joy of getting a new Emerson, oh, the joy of having your name pulled from the hat at the raffles, oh, the joy of paying only $500.00 for a brand new CQC5! It's also a great feeling to see a fellow usual suspect getting called at the show too. You are absolutely correct about the energy at the raffles. It's mind blowing. Ownership: Whenever I acquire a new knife, I take it completely apart to clean it thoroughly (There's always pocket lint in the pivot area). Wipe down the blade with Tuff Cloth. Clean the micarta with alcohol to get that new canvas micarta look back, you guys know what I'm talking about, it takes on a lighter color when clean. The canvas shows up more. You see more of the resin when the knife has been handled alot. I then lock them up. I've been shopping for new furniture lately. I would always find myself in the glass case section to find a new glass display tower for my Emersons. My wife always knows where to find me if we get separated in the store. She would find me drooling over these thing going ooh...ahh...niceee. ( In my best Homer Simpson voice)

Another reason with the obsession with Emerson knives is that I like the design. More so the CQC5 & 6. I liked the design the very first time I ever saw his advertisement in Blade Magazine. I remember saying to myself, man that a nice looking knife. Remember the retail price listed on his ads, I think $375.00 for a CQC6. It was probably a Halfmoon logo version too.

If we can only turn back time.

John,
You've become a human dictionary.

You're correct on the parts for the customs not fitting each other. I tried bolting scales from one CQC6 to the another CQC6, they didn't fit right. Although they might if they were from the same batch?

I've been carrying the Commander in my right back pocket, the same location as you. You've got me paranoid with you car seat cutting incident. I must have checked to see that it's closed at least a 100 times within the last few days. Wife would kill me if I cut into the seats in her truck

.

Nyeti,
I didn't want to attempt to sharpen a single bevel CQC6 & screw it up, that's the reason why the 2000 CQC6 has become my everyday carry knife. Although I carry & use this knife everyday, it doesn't mean that I beat it up. It's not like I use it to cut sheet rock or carpeting.

I already touched up the edge on this knife, Can't even tell that I touched it. Razor sharp. I feel that the double bevel blades will never be as sharp as the single bevel blades, but it still serves it intended purpose. The double bevel also seems more durable. The edge isn't as thin as the single bevel blades. The edge on my 2000/CQC5 is almost paper thin. Scary sharp, but very thin. Just a thought.

You mentioned that Ernie was still hand fitting, finishing & assembling the customs. But you didn't mention if he was still grinding the blades. Hum, you know something we don't

laserman 1,
Is your BM bead blasted? If so it shouldn't be a tough job. I had a really tough time on the Commander with the HC finish. I just got the new finish perfect, a really high polish shine, but I wrecked the polish this weekend. I mean really bad. If only John knew what I did with it. Probably much worse then what nyeti did. I'll post a picture of it. I'll have to glass bead the blade just to get the scratches out. Not to mention that the knife is so dull now that it probably wouldn't even cut butter.

 

[See2]

Hey guys! OK, well, I DID happen to catch the Emerson bug from Dick Marcinko (kinda). My dad was in the Teams, and I'd always wanted to follow in his footsteps, but it didn't work out (medical condition). So, I kinda took to Dickie to live the life I always thought I would (big bad rough tough SEAL). That being the case, when he mentioned his CQC6, I immediately found out what it was, and where I could get one. Of course, I couldn't afford a ±$500 knife at that time (if I only KNEW - I wish I could turn back the clock too!)

Here's a thought for you guys - how much is too much, price-wise, before the risk is too great? We're all collectors here (most of you custom Emersons, me comics, and original art) so we know the value of what we're getting. Now, I won't buy an expensive comic (Let's say Action Comics #1, for example) without reading it. I'll put it safely away, but I'll "use" it first. Now, with these Emersons, the price is up to strataspheric proportions. What I'm curious about is, for those of you lucky enough to own them, do you in fact use them for their intended purpose, or is the risk to great because of the investment you put into it? I know I'd have a hard time carrying a knife that I paid over $1,000 for, knowing that a quirk of fate could cause it to break, or to fall out of the pocket and be gone forever. So are these half-moon's and single bevel Specwars from the early 90's being USED, or are they biding their time in a safe somewhere? And (a dumb question, I know) is it worth the money spent to have something just sitting there?

[This message has been edited by See2 (edited 01-11-2001).]

 

[nyeti]

Just to answer a couple questions. In my discussion with Ernie he basically told me he was doing everything except having the blanks cut, and some were machine sharpened. At one point I had two "twin" 2000 CQC-6's. None of the handles interchanged quite right, the blade profile was similar, but not identical, both had the same double bevel grind, and the lock up was slightly different. I truely believe that these are all still being done by Ernie himself, with a few slight finishing items being done in the shop. I actually think these things are a better knife than the older ones, they just lack a little of the "character" that the old ones had. Tamishigiri, Ruckus, and I have been comparing and contrasting all of our customs for several years, and the older ones blade profiles were always very unique and different, and some of the finishing was unique as well. The new ones are all very consistant and similar to one another. In answer to See2's question, I have carried every one of my customs except the Rhino. Some have been really used alot, and others were either "mission tailored", or whim of the day. Since attending Edged Weapons Conference 2000 (Ernie taught a seminar there-and he is a total bad ass), I felt the Commander proved itself to be the most superior "tactical" folder out there. After that school I began carrying my 99 production Commander, and gave my daily carry CQC-8 to Ernie to get some repairs and sharpening done, and retired it. I still carry a custom now and then, but 9 days out of 10, its all production stuff. The production knives are really good, and with prices the way they are, I just can't afford to lose or severely damage one of my customs. Personally, I am more "user oriented", than "collector oriented"-and I respect both groups equally. Unfortunately, as an under paid public servent, I just can't grab these things up and use them with impunity anymore, so I am more careful with my customs than I used to be.

------------------
He who advances is sure of heaven-He who retreats of eternal damnation.

 

[dd1967]

See2,

In reply to your question of does anyone here carry their customs, well I certainly do, and have carried all of the knives I own at one point or another.

Usual carry for me is a CQC6, Specwar logo (no date) that has certainly seen some hard use. Now it is a lot of money for a knife, and no argument there, but I base my decision to carry it one one main fact.
If I have to draw and use that knife in the worst case scenario, I HAVE to know that it will open, lock up solidly (and stay locked) and will do it's job withpout fail as long as I do mine.

My CQC6 does this, so that's why I carry it.

 

[Sniper308]

See2:

You pose some interesting questions which causes me to look inward to express my feelings.

First of all I own quite a number of Emerson Customs. I've carried everyone of them. Most of them I've carried several times in fact. - Usually downstairs to photograph them, and then upstairs to put them back in the safe! The first Custom Emerson I bought I bought with the intent to carry daily. When I got it I liked it so well and it was brand new so I thought I'd just keep it as it is and buy another one to carry. The first one turned out to be my CQC6 which is serrated. Since it turns out to be the only one that I'm aware of I've decided not to carry it. Then I got a titanium one for a good price. Fortunately when I got it I found that it had both logos on it, so it was somewhat of a rarity and I didn't want to carry it. This has kind of continued until I acquired quite a group of customs. Meanwhile I came to appreciate some more so than others, and decided to collect one of each of the customs. Even though I don't own all of the models I have a good start, and have been able to pick and choose one knife over the others and that knife has turned out to be the CQC8, satin, with the wave. This is the knife I prefer to carry, and have no doubt that it will handle any need I might have.

After collecting several customs I got my first "pre-tactical" as Jackstraw so aptly named them. Once I received it, I knew that I was more interested in these "fancy" knives than the plain "customs" but realizing that they are essentially for "show" only. The rarity of these and the excitement of the "hunt" for these is what drives me nowdays. I also have acquired several Emerson Custom fixed blades which are also extremely difficult to find and even though the only time I feel I would really need a fixed blade would be while hunting deer, I feel that my old 25 year old Randall takes care of that chore.

Essentially, I didn't get enthused over knives until I saw a Emerson Custom, and then got bit bad. Once you get your first Emerson Custom and have a chance to hold and use it you readily realize how great of a knife they really are.

Meanwhile I'm still carrying the waved CQC8.

 

[DrRMJ]

In regards to the custom/handmade/production debate, my personal requirement for a knife qualifying as handmade is that the blade is ground/formed by the maker's hand. In my opinion the workmanship and skill required to make the blade is the single most important aspect of a knife. The handle and finishing of the knife are also important and also need to be formed and performed by the maker. Some makers even make their own pivot and handle screws but that is not that important to me. Another factor is in the design of the knife. I think a true custom knife is one that is designed to the buyer's specifications. Others may state that a custom knife may include those that are designed my the maker as a custom model. Handmade is handmade. Emerson's custom knives are definitely handmade. just compare the grind of a CQC6 to the production CQC7. They are different. The definitions of custom/handmade etc... and their applications to knifemaking will go on as a debate topic.


PS: Sniper308. Did you purchase your serrated CQC6 in CA? I met an older gentleman last year that had one.

[This message has been edited by DrRMJ (edited 01-11-2001).]

 

[David T]

Don, you crack me up, carry them up & down the stairs......

See2
I think the general consensus is that custom Emersons are too hard to come by & they cost alot. For me, it took over 4 years to get my hands on a CQC5. I paid alot for it too. I was fortunate enough to get a second one. I had originally planned on carrying one & keeping the other one in mint condition. It's just the way I am, I like to have two of everything that I like. Pens, knives, watches etc.

I have a couple of CQC6's, but I like to keep them in mint condition. I wouldn't classify myself as a collector, just a person who likes to keep his belonging in mint condition, if possible. I was also fortunate enough to recently acquire a 2000 / CQC6 at a really great price, almost at Emerson's regular asking price. This one I carry & use everyday. I still don't use it for it's real intended purpose which is a tactical knife, but at least it sees the light of day, everyday. My other customs almost never see light, almost like they were being punished for being too nice.

I did carry & lightly use my halfmoon CQC6 when I first got it. It was, I don't want to say beat up, more like it was already well carried. I carried it on a boat every weekend. Cut plenty of dock line with it. I lived 10 feet from the water on the weekends so it was exposed to salt air. Nothing ever happened to it. Well, as the story goes, I sent it to Emerson for a refurbishing, came back mint & now it sits in the safe with it younger brothers.

I doubt that it would be too easy to replace it if I ever lost or damaged it. The 2000 model, I could probably get one in short time if I ever lost it.

What makes me decide if I carry it or use is a matter of how easy it would be to replace it.

 

[laserman 1]

yeow there is some serious discussion going on here.When and I finally get my "Leftie-6"
it will be put away for me to admire and think about how long i waited for it!
On the lighter side i was thinking about selling my GMT- MASTER 2 so i could go to Cabo San Lucas, just a little short of cash is all

But if a Really Nice Knife showed up........

------------------
JimBob

 

[See2]

So the consensus is that, with the exception of a few, most of the customs out there are locked up. That's logical, actually. Especially when you factor in what the damn things go for these days!

I suppose it's all relative. I know some people who collect shotguns, and the things are never fired - just polished every now and again and put back in the case. These Emersons are the same, no? A big investment that one is proud to own (and also proud to display, because when people who know their stuff see them, they understand what the owner had to go through to GET it!) Do most of you custom owners (I see you waving out there, Don) keep them in an honest to god safe, or are they on display (like my friend's guns) in a locked galss case for the world to admire and envy?

DD - I understand that "6" of yours served you well when you needed it to. Now, if, for whatever reason it was lost/stolen/broken/whatever (or lets say the Brit version of INS kept it after your encounter with that pipe-weilding individual) would you reinvest all that money in another custom, or would you ratchet down a bit and get "just" a production version?

[This message has been edited by See2 (edited 01-11-2001).]

 

[CHINDIT]

See2,
You said how much is too much?
Last spring, Ernie announced that he was giving up taking custom orders, however, just before it happened, I got to be so keen on the SOCFKs that Extreme Outfitters sold exclusively. I checked with Ernie about getting a custom version and he allowed me to get the tanto SOSFK with a true satin finished and marked #4 'Prototype' and hand made by Ernie.
However, I will not be using this because firstly, this is a rare non catalogue custom and secondly it cost me US$3,000.00 direct from Emerson. The fit and finish are totally fantastic with the added bonus of a wave. It feels like slightly more weight than the production version. Although it is a non catalogue custom, it has a EKI logo which makes it even more unique.
Now, what it does for me is that I am able to put in my collection a special item that very few own and furthermore, I have also added another satin SOCFK 'Prototype' marked #6 tanto blade, as well, to my collection.
I guess different strokes for different folks.
I also own a few other customs of Ernie's in my collectin that I equally find hard to use.
Thats my two cents worth.
Warmest wishes,
Oliver

 

[Sniper308]

DRMJ: So it was you I showed this knife to in California? Dang-it! I'm not that old! No seriously, I got it from a dude in Canada. But I always knew that there had to be more than just mine out there somewhere!

Speaking about displaying your Custom Emersons. Mine are kept locked up. - In a serious heavy duty safe. - along with all but a couple of loaded guns one of which I carry 24/7. I would hope that the majority of you take precautions with your knives as well. Just to add in a side note, I find it interesting that should my guns get stolen, destroyed or lost, my insurance policy has a maximum of $2,500.00 on them without a rider. However knives are not listed, (scheduled) therefore, there is no maximum as to what my insurance company would have to pay on my knives should they disappear, get stolen from a airline or be destroyed in a tornado. (These occur regularily in Kansas.)

Remember, keep those Emerson Customs safely tucked away.