New Mini A100

Usagee

Usagee

Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Messages
200
Just received my first Emerson; a Mini A100 satin finished. For some reason this knife spoke to me. The heft and solidity of such a small knife took me by surprise and made a positive impression on me. However, a few small annoying issues detract from the overall experience; i.e.

1. Loosening pivot screw after many deployments
2. Sticky liner lock
3. Serrations on thumb-release of liner-lock are too sharp for my tastes
4. Blade action is too tight where the pivot screw needs to be in order to maintain adequate centering and inhibit blade-play
5. Burnt electronic smell

A few other minor cosmetic flaws exist but were not unexpected based on reviews of other Emerson knives. Overall, the Mini is a great back-up EDC to augment my primary folders. At $160 plus shipping, I'm somewhat satisfied and glad to sample an Emerson product.

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Initial Screw placement
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Screw adjustment after many deployments
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I actually just bought the same knife but with serrations but it's shipping right now. I'm interested to compare my experience to yours (with respect of course, not criticizing you. More or less looking at your review and writing my own and comparing the two)
 
Excellent, please send me a PM when you complete your writeup and assessment. If you do have some of the same minor issues then I'm sure you'll still like the knife as I do.
 
I usually take apart all of my knives when I receive them and thoroughly clean them with a good quality gun cleaner/lubricant. I like to use Gunzilla. Then I simply reassemble the knife and open and close it a hundred times or so. Then I add a little blue Loctite/Permatex to the pivot screw and tighten it so that it opens easily, but doesn't show any blade play.
 
It was apparent that it needed some lubricant upon initial use. I broke it down and used Chris Reeve's concoction. Didn't use any loctite at the time, but I will give this a try.
 
I'm getting the itch for one of these. Never appealed to until lately but some designs are like that for me.
 
Usagee said:
Just received my first Emerson; a Mini A100 satin finished. For some reason this knife spoke to me. The heft and solidity of such a small knife took me by surprise and made a positive impression on me. However, a few small annoying issues detract from the overall experience; i.e.

1. Loosening pivot screw after many deployments
2. Sticky liner lock
3. Serrations on thumb-release of liner-lock are too sharp for my tastes
4. Blade action is too tight where the pivot screw needs to be in order to maintain adequate centering and inhibit blade-play
5. Burnt electronic smell

A few other minor cosmetic flaws exist but were not unexpected based on reviews of other Emerson knives. Overall, the Mini is a great back-up EDC to augment my primary folders. At $160 plus shipping, I'm somewhat satisfied and glad to sample an Emerson product.
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Congrats on your first Emerson. That is one model I have always wanted! Great choice:cool:.

I have a couple comments about the "small issues" you mentioned because I have found them to be common on new Emerson knives:

In my experience issue #2 and #4 will go away with a couple weeks of use (the pivot and lock will have "worn in"). When #2 goes away, then #3 isn't such a problem. #1 can be taken care of with loctite. #5, that was kinda funny to mention, but I think that is the smell of fresh G-10.

Overall, great review:thumbup:
 
Curious how the detent works on yours when the knife is closed. If (when closed) you turn it over and give it a slight shake, does it open or stay closed? I'm giving Emerson another try with a CQC-10 on the way and this was always a big complaint with all my previous Emersons. I'm hoping they got that fixed as I'm not fond of jabbing myself. Nice review, thanks for your thoughts and perspective.
 
The Government said:
s:

In my experience issue #2 and #4 will go away with a couple weeks of use (the pivot and lock will have "worn in"). When #2 goes away, then #3 isn't such a problem. #1 can be taken care of with loctite. #5, that was kinda funny to mention, but I think that is the smell of fresh G-10.

Overall, great review:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Then I should hold off on positioning the pivot screw with loctite until the blade action settles. Interesting, I've owned a few G-10 variants and have yet to receive one literally.....hot off the press. :)


Hawk45 said:
Curious how the detent works on yours when the knife is closed. If (when closed) you turn it over and give it a slight shake, does it open or stay closed? I'm giving Emerson another try with a CQC-10 on the way and this was always a big complaint with all my previous Emersons. I'm hoping they got that fixed as I'm not fond of jabbing myself. Nice review, thanks for your thoughts and perspective.
Click to expand...

The double detent appears to be only as effective as how much the pivot screw is tightened. Perhaps any credit to blade retention is attributed to the pivot friction. In any case, a hard shake akin to the mob rapping on your front door for their money will dislodge the blade with the pivot screw in the factory position. A light to moderate shake will unseat the blade with the pivot screw in the desired position for any kind of flicking ability. Both screw positions are depicted in the photos above from the initial post.
 
I love the knives but the detent on Emersons stink. I had a CQC7 with a surprisingly strong detent but all the others could be easily shaken out.
 
I know exactly what you mean. I have 3 emersons, one of which is the A100. The first thing I did with all of them, is take them apart. I cleaned off all of the lube from the factory and put my own on it. I'm sure that Emerson's lube is fine, but I wanted to try something different and it worked for me. The other thing I noticed, was that depending on how tight the screws were (not just the pivot screw), determined the centering of the blade. You have to tighten all of them equally and play with it a little to get it where you want it. Last but not least, the stickiness of the liner Lock meeting with the blade...... that is something you are just going to have to "break in". Hope this helps.
 
Alright so I just got mine today and right out of the box i LOVED how grippy it was. I was surprised by how much grip there was for a knife of this shape
1. Loosening pivot screw after many deployments
I did notice this but after it is broken in plan on putting loctite on the screws like i always do

2. Sticky liner lock
I notice this which was weird cause it isnt a consistent stick. it's like every third time

3. Serrations on thumb-release of liner-lock are too sharp for my tastes
I work at a burger joint until february so the liner lock is perfect cause my hands tend to be sweaty and the nerves in the my thumbs have all but been burnt out

4. Blade action is too tight where the pivot screw needs to be in order to maintain adequate centering and inhibit blade-play
Did notice this at all. when the blade came it was a little off center so i played with it now its perfectly 50/50 and still no blade play

5. Burnt electronic smell
sadly I did feel the need to sniff it. It was there so i took it apart and the smell is the g10

I didnt notice any real cosmetic flaws but i was absolutely overwhelmed with how beefy this folder is (in a good way) Its really assuring because I normally carry a spyderco (no bashing them) but I was really looking for a knife to carry when i enlist and really just one i could beat. I actually plan on buying either a black coated of the same knife or a mini cqc-7b. I'm impressed with how well even the tiny serrations cut through news paper.
 
lacrosse11attack,

Thanks for getting back to us with your impressions. That G10 sure grabs whatever it touches. The scales dull down pretty quickly though; a positive because it starts to tear up your pocket liners/edges.

I'm just happy the knife exceeded my expectations. I just hope the liner lock maintains adequate placement when securing the blade in the open position. I already see the lock inching over to the right only after an initial week of use. The stickiness of the liner-lock has remained unchanged.
 
Usagee said:
lacrosse11attack,

Thanks for getting back to us with your impressions. That G10 sure grabs whatever it touches. The scales dull down pretty quickly though; a positive because it starts to tear up your pocket liners/edges.

I'm just happy the knife exceeded my expectations. I just hope the liner lock maintains adequate placement when securing the blade in the open position. I already see the lock inching over to the right only after an initial week of use. The stickiness of the liner-lock has remained unchanged.
Click to expand...

The liner thing is weird for me cause if I flick the blade out then the liner goes over to like 40/60. if i slowly open the blade it'll be like 20/80. the sticking thing I'm just gonna open it and close it whenever I'm not doing something else. I'm excited to see it break in though.
random story i got the knife today and my buddy called me and said they had the knife i wanted (mini cqc-7b black coated combo) on sale so now I'm working on both knives
 
lacosse11attack: after you pick up your mini 7, would you mind sharing who has them in stock?
im looking for the exact same model, but cant find one at a reasonable price.

ive had my mini A-100 a couple months now.
the G-10 on mine is very fine, my horseman has much grippier G-10. and judging from the pics above its texturing is more similar to my horseman.
my mini a-100 is 2011 production #479.

i had problems with my liner lock bar slipping. i was able to fold it close with pressure from my 2 hands.
ive bent the locking tab alittle, and now it locks up very consistencely, no slippage, or any blade play.
theres still alittle bit of stickiness, but its also very consistence LoL.
i like the stickiness because i worry less about it slipping.
 
Update; the Mini A100's blade action has finally loosened after extensive usage and Loctite has secured the pivot screw. It has become my favorite sub three-inch EDC. I only wish Emerson placed the clip on the butt of the knife so that it rides lower in the pocket.
 
Congrats on the A100 getting broken in. The stick lock is a bit annoying but it definitely goes away... and yes you need to fix the position of the pivot screw.
I love my green A100... been contemplating a mini too.
 
Usagee said:
Update; the Mini A100's blade action has finally loosened after extensive usage and Loctite has secured the pivot screw. It has become my favorite sub three-inch EDC. I only wish Emerson placed the clip on the butt of the knife so that it rides lower in the pocket.
Click to expand...

Mine finally stopped sticking but I did manage to strip one of the liner screws. I do actually like the pocket clip.

After I the knife broke in I totally fell in love with it
 
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