- Joined
- Dec 1, 2007
- Messages
- 3,798
I used to own a couple Emersons, one standard and one customized A-100. I used to own a lot of other autos. But after years of buying and selling I finally settled on these two...
Not Emersons, but yeah they still are. Personally, I count any true collaboration as the product of all involved parties. And if you compare them to an Emerson-made CQC7 you will see the difference is solely in the execution.
At first I was put off by the handle shape and blade-to-handle ratio, but I really like it a lot now. I had to stop thinking in my usual ways and think like Ernie - why would he make it like this? Once I grasped the tactical applications the knife was designed for, I realized it makes perfect sense for what I carry them for. That's when I doubled down on it.
These are different than the usual Pro-Tech CQC7. Many variations of this model exist, but few have the knurled grip and safety switch. I asked Pro-Tech about this and was told that the safety is only put on knives when requested by government purchasers, and any extras left over after the sale are made publicly available. They may also do small batches outside of requests, but this is definitely not a feature Pro-Tech wants to standardize.
The firing buttons are flush with the handle surface, and if I put them in my pocket and push hard on them, they don't fire. So why have a safety at all? I simply like to lock them down when traveling with them or otherwise want them to be "disarmed". I always have the option to leave them off, and I don't find them in my way when trying to deploy or use the knife. It helps that it is right next to the button, and not on the spine like the autos I've had from Benchmade. This is a huge difference and one main reason why I didn't go back to Benchmade when selecting my new standard carry auto. Another huge plus is the position of the button in the center of the handle.
The other huge draw is the knurled grip. It's sort of like the aluminum equivalent to grip-guard G10. The traction isn't aggressive but it is "sticky," meaning the surface area is largely increased and thus my hand feels more in touch and in control than with the smooth aluminum or G10 versions. The clip side is mostly smooth, which saves me from wearing out my pants, and while I would appreciate the knurling on this side too I think the trade-off is worth it.
I would have included more pics and general impressions, but didn't really plan to even go this far with it. I will conclude this by saying that this, to me, is the ultimate Pro-Tech. It combines features I heavily favor with a proven model from one of the industry's most trusted tactical designers. My search is over.
Not Emersons, but yeah they still are. Personally, I count any true collaboration as the product of all involved parties. And if you compare them to an Emerson-made CQC7 you will see the difference is solely in the execution.
At first I was put off by the handle shape and blade-to-handle ratio, but I really like it a lot now. I had to stop thinking in my usual ways and think like Ernie - why would he make it like this? Once I grasped the tactical applications the knife was designed for, I realized it makes perfect sense for what I carry them for. That's when I doubled down on it.
These are different than the usual Pro-Tech CQC7. Many variations of this model exist, but few have the knurled grip and safety switch. I asked Pro-Tech about this and was told that the safety is only put on knives when requested by government purchasers, and any extras left over after the sale are made publicly available. They may also do small batches outside of requests, but this is definitely not a feature Pro-Tech wants to standardize.
The firing buttons are flush with the handle surface, and if I put them in my pocket and push hard on them, they don't fire. So why have a safety at all? I simply like to lock them down when traveling with them or otherwise want them to be "disarmed". I always have the option to leave them off, and I don't find them in my way when trying to deploy or use the knife. It helps that it is right next to the button, and not on the spine like the autos I've had from Benchmade. This is a huge difference and one main reason why I didn't go back to Benchmade when selecting my new standard carry auto. Another huge plus is the position of the button in the center of the handle.
The other huge draw is the knurled grip. It's sort of like the aluminum equivalent to grip-guard G10. The traction isn't aggressive but it is "sticky," meaning the surface area is largely increased and thus my hand feels more in touch and in control than with the smooth aluminum or G10 versions. The clip side is mostly smooth, which saves me from wearing out my pants, and while I would appreciate the knurling on this side too I think the trade-off is worth it.
I would have included more pics and general impressions, but didn't really plan to even go this far with it. I will conclude this by saying that this, to me, is the ultimate Pro-Tech. It combines features I heavily favor with a proven model from one of the industry's most trusted tactical designers. My search is over.
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