New to Emerson

C

Casey

Joined
Feb 3, 2005
Messages
17
New here too, so Hi. I'm a paramedic and like a larger folder so I just ponied up for an Emerson Commander, waved. I know the blade steel is 154, but what's the blade finish? Is it the Birdsong Black-T?

I think the knife is fantastic, and I love the wave feature, although my pockets don't (I keep practicing!!). But I have noticed a tendency for the bolster screw to back off and loosen up. If I snug it up too much I can't open the blade, at least not well. I don't want to leave it too loose for fear of losing it altogether. Is this common on these knives? If so, any suggestions?

Thanks, and it's good to be here.

Casey
 
Welcome to the forum :thumbup:

The pivot does that on mine as well, I find there is a break in period of loosening and tightning before it settles in.
I have keep all of mine "finger tight" and I have no problems after that first few weeks of tweeking untill its broken in.

I believe the blade coating is the Birsong black-T coating.

:):thumbup:
 
i find the sweet spot on all the pivot screws on my emersons, then loctite it in.
 
Welcome! Emerson Knives are at the top! You must acquire a CQC-7, to be in the "E" club! :)
 
Hi! I second what Haze said. There is a break-in period and it should settle down after that. Just snug it up for now.
 
I have had a commander for 5+ years, it still gets carried everyday at work and is one of my favorite knives, like others said I just keep the povit screw "thumb nail tight" and it will be ok.
 
A couple of drops of some good lubricating oil, and then a thumbnail tightening, and it's fantastic. And since I'm typically a nonconformist, I'm gonna have to go to the Emerson website and check out the CQC-7 so that I can convince myself I'm getting one just 'cause I want it. Then, of course, I will become a joiner and want into the club.
 
http://youtube.com/watch?v=80w1_A0RXxo
Best video review of the (Mini-)Com to date.

Anyways;), I highly recommend the Commander/Mini, can't go wrong with this solid knife, unless you feel super duper stabby.:jerkit:

I've been EDC-ing my Mini-Com exact half year, and used it almost daily, and abused it a few times. Moreover, I feel naked when leave home without it, even if I'm carrying another quality blade.

The T-coat does get worn a bit and has some scratches on it, but that adds more to the character:p The threshold for some: the linerlock, hasn't fell once, and I was foolish enough to back-tap it on a iron bar with a full blow... I still have my thumb :D:D:D Sometimes I wave it about 50 times a day, then the pivot screw needs to be tightened - like mentioned before, keep the pivot screw at "thumb nail tight", and there won't be blade play of any kind. I've found the sweet spot on my Mini-Com, just loose enough to be opened with a flick of the wrist.

The other thing I really appreciate is, unlike 99.9999% of the other blades out there, Philips screws are utilized in EKIs. The convience during field maintenance is tremendous when you don't need a torx set, just a regular screw driver, another blade or whatever you can improvise. This is the real hardcore HD.

Cutting performance is excellent, thanks to the recurve blade. On the other hand, the penetrating ability is considerably less than most other blade, (speaking out of experience:jerkit:) but it can take much more abuse than its pointier rivals. Blade steel is not too fancy for the standards of nowadays, but proven by time and use, strong/tough enough, very decent edge retention and reasonably "sharpenable" when you got used to the chisel edge.

Ergonomics... the best I've handled yet, even comparing to more expensive tatical folders from BM, Spyderco, Böker, Sog, Gerber etc I've handled. In fact, I got so spoiled, most of my new purchases will most likely remain NIB.:p

In short, from time to time, I have a little grin on my face when I'm holding this knife, even after 6 months EDC and dozen other new knives - that's what EKI is worth.
 
Oh, last but not least... hmmmmmmmmm, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE.

drooling_homer-712749.gif
 
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Okay, I've had the knife a few days now. I do seem to have to keep thumb tightening the pivot screw, but interestingly, even with my thumb nail, I can get it "too tight" so that opening is not smooth or easy, either with the wave or the thumb. Man, is this knife sharp!!! Have christened it three times now with my own blood (no stitches yet!).

I have read a lot of complaints about liner locks and their strength and even about wear on the top portion of the lock, leaving blade play. Is this lock titanium, and if so, isn't it pretty hard to wear down? I would imagine if it ever wore to the point that I no longer felt safe with the knife, I would consider that a "defect in materials and/or workmanship" and send it back to the factory, but I've got several other liner lock knives and I've never had a problem. Overall, I think this knife was money well spent.
 
Give the knife a few weeks to settle in and see where its at then. On my pivot screws i dont actually use the nail, i just push my thumb on to the screw and tighten it. Iv been doing it that way for years now and its always worked pretty well. :thumbup:

If the liner lock "runs out" EKI will fix it so no worries there.
The lock will be Ti and wear will happen to it the same as any metal. Ti isnt actually any better than steel as far a wear and hardness go, its actually worse. Ti is used because it will never rust and is much lighter than steel. Also, i think there is a bit of material "junkieism" involved as well :D

:thumbup:
 
Ahh yeah, I know about steel junkies. Been in the knife collecting game a lot of years now, and I find so much of it laughable. I've read reviews on other sites by pseudo-experts berating EKI for using such an "inferior" steel as 154CM. Jeez, I remember when ATS-34 was the Holy Grail of knife steels. Now there's guys who feel cheated when they get a knife with it. So silly. Usually these are the people who have never actually cut anything of any real substance or needed a knife to perform for anything more than letter opening. I, on the other hand, would buy this knife with AUS-8!! Certainly some steels are better than others, but I believe it is the user and his skill in both using and caring for (read that maintaining an edge) his blade that makes a FAR greater difference than what super uranium-coated Magnanium polypeptide steel the blade is made from. My opinion, of course, but 154CM is an excellent "hard use" steel and titanium works just fine.
 
Well said, Casey!! I Agree! I returned to the Sodbuster of my youth. My HD-7 TKG, is my back-up!! :)
 
Casey said:
Ahh yeah, I know about steel junkies. Been in the knife collecting game a lot of years now, and I find so much of it laughable. I've read reviews on other sites by pseudo-experts berating EKI for using such an "inferior" steel as 154CM. Jeez, I remember when ATS-34 was the Holy Grail of knife steels. Now there's guys who feel cheated when they get a knife with it. So silly. Usually these are the people who have never actually cut anything of any real substance or needed a knife to perform for anything more than letter opening. I, on the other hand, would buy this knife with AUS-8!! Certainly some steels are better than others, but I believe it is the user and his skill in both using and caring for (read that maintaining an edge) his blade that makes a FAR greater difference than what super uranium-coated Magnanium polypeptide steel the blade is made from. My opinion, of course, but 154CM is an excellent "hard use" steel and titanium works just fine.
Click to expand...

Yea, I can agree with that :D:thumbup:

I actually quite like 154-cm, people do see it as a bit old or what ever but EKI have been using that steel for a long time and are getting good results.
(Heat treating is a big deal when it comes to how good the steel actually is in reality)

:thumbup:
 
Excellent choice for a hard use work knife. mine has be 10-8 for 9 years now. the coating is worn the screw heads are shiney. Peoples heads still pop when that knife comes out of my pocket opened ready to work.
 
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