MOD V Emerson????

O

odp

Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
12
I've been looking around for a high quality EDC and have pulled the trigger on a couple of MOD's (the Hornet and CQD II). I was very tempted by Emerson kinves and was wondering how the 2 brands compare to each other as they are similarly priced?
 
They both make very solid knives. I have a few MOD CQDs, including a battered old Mark II, where the damage is purely cosmetic, and the working knife itself seems like it will never die. :)

It's also a lot bigger in my hand than its measured size, in that the ergonomics are so good it doesn't shift around in my grip. It's much less massive than the Mark I, but the blade is almost as long.

Emerson has a bit more variety of styles, so you should be able to find something that appeals to you. His chisel-ground tanto is not a utility shape, but the CQC-7 handle is excellent, and it does come in a CQC-7A clip point. The Commander has the best grip, bar none, that I've ever owned. Snap the blade open, by the Wave or opening disk, and the handle locks into my hand. The clip point Raven is my all-time favoite, and that's one of his lightweights. I guess you'd have to get a Blackbird for the current equivalent.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
His chisel-ground tanto is not a utility shape
Click to expand...


I hear that said a lot, but don't agree. I carry a HD-7 all the time and think the blade is just fine for utility. What kind of stuff is harder to do with the tanto chisel blade than it would be with a clip point flat ground or the like?

The chisel grind tends to cut in a curve when you try slicing cardboard, which can be a surprise at first, but its easily compensated for if you are aware that it happens. I don't see a difference when it comes to cutting rope or zip ties or whatever.

Some people might get turned off in the "tactical" look of it, but I have had no problem with it as a working blade, and I have yet to have it fail to do anything that I am trying with it, and I don't ever recall wishing I had a knife with a different blade style for something I was doing.

It is different, but not less useful. IMO at least.
 
I like a drop or clip point or a wharnecliff for detail work. A tanto isn't really great at fine utility.

The chisel grind can be a problem, but it never bothered me. The chisel secondary bevel, as on the Commander, never bothered me at all.

Incidentally, there are jobs that I find a tanto does very well, which is why I carry a tanto Sebenza, and also have a tanto SnG.
 
Commander is a v grind not chisel. I would get the new EMerson CQC-15. V grind, thick tanto tip, recurve cutting surface.
 
BigJim, my Commander had a v-grind as a primary bevel, but the secondary bevel, the edge, was only ground on one side. I never found this to distort my cutting with it, but some people don't like it. Of course, a few minutes with a diamond rod and that goes away.
 
Thats very odd. I dont see the purpose of a single secondary bevel on a double primary. For one your cutting edge itself would always be off center. A traditional (if you can call it that) american chisel grind may pull to one side but at least the cutting edge is dead center. Im goin to have to check out a commander and get a better look. It doesnt sound like it bothered you though. I never had a problem with chisel grinds since I cooked with them so much but dont like them for edc use.
 
The secondary grind is so narrow, it's almost irrelevent if it's chisel or v.

Do you use a strong side chisel grind in cooking? That's not hard to control. Emerson chisel grinds are leftside, which is a little clumsy for righthanders in controlled slicing.
 
Yeah, Emerson uses the "incorrect" side for a right handed chef. I do agree with Emerson to a small extent on this. I think a right side chisel grind will travel while cutting free hand as well, say skiving a long piece of leather. The reason is even on the correct side it is getting different profiles on the two sides of the cut. I dont think it is as pronounced as when the chisel is on the wrong side and thats where and me and Emerson differ in opinion. While it would help some to place it on the right side of the blade It still wouldnt free hand cut as well as a standard v type grind. To me a chisel only shines when using a kitchen style knife where the blade can be brought to bear against a cutting surface and the flat can be used as a guide with your offhand fingertips.

The secondary bevel is very narrow but as a wana-be knife maker (only cause I dont sell them, I think I make good knives) a non cenetered cutting edge is a pet peeve of mine. I'm going to have to check out the Emerson V grind and see how I feel about it in person. To much speculation isnt good and I have been eyeing the 15, I like its lines.
 
Heres a theoretical for you folks...Could a right hander whittle or sharpen a pencil with an Emerson chisel-ground blade?

Not that one would...
 
I would imagine, but I for one would turn it upside down or you would gouge into the pencil when the blade started to bite in. chisels dont work well when reversed in defference to a real chisels function and for whitling a pencil the edge of a chisel grind knife is just that. it would be akward for me at least, I'm shure you could acomplish it with a normal grip buyt i bet you would take chunks out. Still emersons are not designed for pencil whittling so I cant fault them for that.
 
Thanks, BigJim, that's what I thought. Just was curious.

Tell you what, though, a chisel-ground Emerson tanto with a plain edge would make one hell of a leftie tactical sushi knife.
 
Hehe, therein lies my issue with chisel ground folders, I cant even use them as kitchen knives. One they are to thick in the blade but way more important is that the cutting edge isnt 1-3" under the bottom of the handle as in needed to chop something on a cutting board. I guess you could squeek over to the edge ot the counter and work the side of your cutting board but boy that would suck. Still, Emerson makes solid knives, they do cut and the chisle grind apeals to people for many reasons real and imagined. Reputation is the first rule of knife sales and no one can say that Ernie is in the shadows.
 
thats because EKI's arent designed to be kitchen knives or utility knives they are designe for SD.

i have had LH and RH CG's and it doesnt matter really.

no EKI's are a std "V" grind (like a spyderco delica) the '12 is closest, they will still work ok as a utility knife,
 
I own several of both. For a more robust knife the MOD wins hands down. For better ergo's the Commander wins hands down. Both are fine knives but the nod goes to MOD for just being stronger. Haven't had a HD 7 or 12 so can't comment there. I am talking strength of lockup, handle flexability and thickness of liner lock with alum handles(thick) vs g10 and usually not quite that thick titanium liners. keepem sharp
 
a liner locks thickness isnt always a real good indicator of lock strength.

i have several EKI's and 2 emerson customs, through the yrs i have also had several MOD's, none of the MOD folders has really "grabbed" me, i do like the MOD razorback (even though its not full tang) for a FB, it comes with imho one of the best sheaths to come with a production FB, and while the folders are serviceable none has ever grabbed me like a CQC7, CQC8, SOCFK, P-Tac, or my CQC12, imho the '12 is wayy superior to any MOD folder in almost every respect (ie stronger lock, more secure in the hand handle, better blade shape, thinner, lighter, way more secure in the hand) so imho i would have to say i very much prefer EKI stuff to MOD stuff. and not just the '12, would have to say the same about the '8 and '7 too.

not that MOD is bad, i just have never really gotten into them, one thing i dont like about them is all the BS on the blade (ie design by massad ayoob/director/lethal force institute/every day carry razorback, just way too much info for me lol).

imho MOD is more of a utility knife vs an EKI being more a SD knife, to me anyway.
 
Lots of posts on EKI's QC. Sometimes very good and sometimes not so good. I still say that liner locking knife to liner locking knife the MOD wins hands down. Thicker lock which is a good thing, better as in stronger handle materials as in alum. vs g10. Ergos' goes to the Commander series for me handsdown. As for the 7 and 8 series I think it would be a toss up between them and my MOD's as for ergo's. The 8's I have owned which has only been 2 of them, I felt that when really squeezing the knife I could almost feel the liner move a tiny bit. Just felt like the sides of the knife would give a bit. Never felt that on a 7.

EKI has way more designs than about any other save for the Big 4. CRKT, Spyderco, BM, and Kershaw. I carry a Commander or an 11 pretty much daily so that just goes to show ya if you get a good EKI they are very very good and utilitarian in use. No matter what one says about chizel grinds. If they are sharpened correctly they will cut just about anything that needs to be cut. Also don't belive all the hype of well they are made to cut one thing and one thing well. That crap just makes me friggin laugh. IF a knife is dull it ain't gonna cut anything no matter what! Or at least not as well as it should when it is properly sharpened. Blade size, shape, thickness, and grind have alot to do with how a knife cuts and thick blades with thick grinds don't cut as well as thinner grinds, higher bevels etc. etc. Least ways that is what I have found. Look around and do a search for QC questions. Lots of opinions etc. keepem sharp
 
EVRYBODY'S QC gets questioned here. One bad knife and the world hears about it, a thousand good ones and they go into pockets with no fuss or fanfare. Too many good Emerson's out there for me to doubt their quality control, from what I've owned and what I've handled.
 
Well I had 3 that were questionable all ordered in Jan. Two were Commanders, and all 3 fixable courtesy of me. Now I have also had numerous 7's from 99 and 2k years of manufacture that were perfect out of the box and were still perfect after selling them or trading them. I mean the liners didn't move one iota at all from the time I rec. til the time they went down the road. These were opened thousands and thousands of times. The liners took a set and that was it. Never moved after.

The Commanders I purchased 2 of which had suspect grinds on the points and one a very very sticky lock which I guess can be looked at as good I suppose, the other is the 11 I am carrying now where the blade rubbed the left liner when opening. Anyways that is what I have found and what are ya gonna do. I carry a Commander pse, and pimped pe and mostly an 11 which I really really like. Totally under rated EKI if you ask me. Just don't seem to hear to much about them but they sure are nice. keepem sharp
 
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