MOD vs Emerson..which one to choose?

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viking252200

Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
51
HI,

I am looking to expand my collection with a knife from one of these makers.

I am not really concerned with weight, since it's not for edc, but it will be carried on my hikes.
Blade length around 3-4"

I guess what I am looking for is a stout folder, that can take some "abuse" and not worry if I am going to break the tip.

Even though I said MOD or Emerson, if you have any other recommendations, please feel free to give your opinions.

Price range..around 200$US

Any help greatly appreciated.
 
of all emerson models i guess like the satin cqc-8 the most although ive never handled one of their framelocks
 
I'd recommend ZT knives, especially ZT0200 or 030x series. I can't say anything about MOD because I only have one of their folders, but I must admit that fit and finish is not that great.

As for Emerson, I own 2 CQC12, 1 combat kerambit (and sold it within 3 days after I recieved it) and 1 commander. However, they do not impress me at all. IMHO, Emerson is all hype. I apologize if what I say will result in a flame war, but I'm just trying to express my honest opinion.
 
ZT's would be great for what you are looking for the knife to do. Most of the MOD knifes are solid quality. The ZT's have an advantage of the CMP S30V blade and frame lock.
Emerson makes top notch blades. The fit and finish are on par with cost or better. The company offers a blade design for most any use. The hard part is finding what will work best for you.
MOD makes some great blade designs, but I think that a ZT, an Emerson or maybe even a used Strider might be better suited for what you are looking for.
 
viking252200 said:
Even though I said MOD or Emerson, if you have any other recommendations, please feel free to give your opinions.

Price range..around 200$US

Any help greatly appreciated.
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My advice is that both these makers don't really give you the maximum bang for the buck. For $200 the Zero Tolerance line is the toughest for the money in my opinion. A Spyderco Chinook is another big tough folder worth considering.
 
I'd go with a ZT...they are alot tougher then the brands you've mentioned and fall in your price range.
 
I would go with a MOD CQD Mark 1. Mine stood up to a tour in Iraq with no problem. Only maintainance I did was sharpen it, and oil the blade and pivot every other week or so. Used compressed air to get any sand out, as well. But its design allows for most crap to fall right out of it. The 154CM blade holds its edge pretty well, and it comes hair shaving sharp outta the box.
 
MOD, Emerson, ZT, Strider, all make great knives. Glock19C Gunner and I are adamant proponents of the MOD CQD Mk1. Its a great knife in every sense and has features (glass breaker, cutter) that none of the other companies offer. However, you need to decide if you need them. A CQC-12 or Commander from Emerson should suit you fine as would a ZT 0200, 0300, or even 0400 is you like that blade shape. Strider's are all tough but they're not cheap either.
 
The CQC12 is a finer knife than any ZT or other Emerson in my opinion. They are pricey though, about $270
 
mongomondo said:
The CQC12 is a finer knife than any ZT or other Emerson in my opinion. They are pricey though, about $270
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I have to disagree. I have a ZT0302 and a CQC12 and I like the ZT more. The Emerson seems less ergonomic, and even though it cost more it doesn't have a liner under the G10 scale like the ZT does.
 
From a cutlery retailers standpoint you should consider a Microtech Socom(what MOD was Inspired by) for the D2, strength, build, and finally $200 will easily secure you one.

On Emerson: Our company has carried them from the begining and for the price you're not getting what it's hyped up to be. We send more back to emerson(USA) then we do CRKT(China) so the QC is somewhat dodgie, for you hardcore ernie fans this perspective is from someone whose handled hundreds upon hundreds and found the indebted quality missing. I actually like many of the designs, but seriously man alot of other people will back me up on this.
MOD,ZT good stuff for a black knife.
 
elkins45 said:
I have to disagree. I have a ZT0302 and a CQC12 and I like the ZT more. The Emerson seems less ergonomic, and even though it cost more it doesn't have a liner under the G10 scale like the ZT does.
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I like that the cqc12 is almost half the weight, blade has no recurve, and it has no AO. The wave feature is a great option as well. The ZT300 is almost over engineered, it's really tough but really heavy and fat.
 
Hammer27 said:
MOD, Emerson, ZT, Strider, all make great knives. Glock19C Gunner and I are adamant proponents of the MOD CQD Mk1. Its a great knife in every sense and has features (glass breaker, cutter) that none of the other companies offer. However, you need to decide if you need them. A CQC-12 or Commander from Emerson should suit you fine as would a ZT 0200, 0300, or even 0400 is you like that blade shape. Strider's are all tough but they're not cheap either.
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Damn straight we are, Hammer! = )

The MOD CQD Mark 1 is my favorite production knife! As if it wasn't obvious enough....hehehe
 
mongomondo said:
I like that the cqc12 is almost half the weight, blade has no recurve, and it has no AO. The wave feature is a great option as well. The ZT300 is almost over engineered, it's really tough but really heavy and fat.
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I agree with you on the AO--I'm not a big fan of AO knives. I also agree about the wave. Still I think the ZT gives a better cost/value ratio, assuming the weight and size aren't a deal breaker.
 
thanks guys..keep it coming

As far as the strider go..well, here in japan they are not easy to come by and they tend to be really expensive if you find them, so strider is a no-go.

I took a look at the ZT 0200, and that sure looks good!
Though, it's a liner lock and by all accounts, it is less secure than a frame lock?
The 300 series is too expensive, so that's out of the picture.

I am a bit surprised to hear the feedback on the Emerson knives though.

It looks like the ZT is a knife i need to take a closer look at.
 
viking252200 said:
I am a bit surprised to hear the feedback on the Emerson knives though.
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People never agree on what's a good knife.
I LOVE my Emerson CQC-12. Nice thick frame-lock, solid lockup, not too bulky, great blade shape. Thick, easily adjusted pivot too.
The lack of liner on the G-10 side bugged me till I had one in my hand; you WON'T break this knife.
And the ergonomics are SUPERB.:thumbup:
 
Don't go with the crowd, ZT's are boat anchors. Get a CQC-8 or
12 if you can swing it. Or how about an Endura 4? They have pretty
stout blades and only weigh about 4 ounces($50 too). :thumbup:
 
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