Ok, which emerson?

AntDog

AntDog

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Apr 3, 2001
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I have always wanted to buy an Emerson because I have always liked their designs. I have heard the horror stories about bad QC, etc. but that doesn't really bother me since the company seems willing to repair any problems with them.

The use of the knife will be a daily carry which will work well for general utility, but also be usable for defense (if the need should arise - I sure hope it doesn't, but it would be nice if I could rely on what I happen to have in my pocket at the time!)

My question is, if you could afford to buy only ONE Emerson to do what I need it to, which one would it be?

Thanks!
 
A commander, maybe the mini. the size depends on your preference, but both are good.
 
The Commander sure has its fans and I wouldn't fault you for getting one.I use a CQC7A, 50/50 as a work / SD knife.Most feel the Commander's is a better SD knife and I feel the CQCA a better work knife,but a very good SD knife also.Which do you put more weight on?work or SD?

Btw where I work is right across from an active drug corner,leo's are there everyday,sometimes with guns out.One year 5 people were killed with in 100 yards of our firehouse.For the most part we are left alone,but SD with my knife is a big concern,and I trust the 7,if only they'd make a 4inch one with a wave.:D
 
Commander. Regular sized one is perfect. The Super Commander, in my mind is way overpriced (for now). The small one seems too small, but I don't have one and it is merely a personal opinion.

Check around for a price of about $150 or less. That is a fair price. If you can, call Emerson and order one of their quick deployment kydex Commander sheaths also. Is very handy to use at times you are working, need quick knife access, and do not want to pull a knife out of your pocket all of the time.
 
I have a 2002 mini-commander and the quality is outstanding. It's a great size for edc.
 
I don't think you would be disapointed with a Commander. I just bought one and love it!:) It fits my hand perfectly, and the fit and finish is good, but not the best I have seen. Lockup is excellent, but the liners seem a little thin to me, but it seems to work so...


As for QC the only problem I had was a loose pivot pin causing some blade play. I tightened the pivot pin, and put on some loctite, and no more problems. I think it is a great knife.



Erik
 
The Commander is a good choice, but you might want to consider the Specwar-A as well. It will do well for SD and it may be a bit more utilitarian. I think it's also available with the "wave" feature.

BTW, as far as I know, most QC issues with Emersons have been resolved.
 
A satin finish mini-Commander is definitely the way to go. I never really liked Emerson knives, but I loved the re-curve design of the Commander. The only problem was that the Commander was a little too large for my every day carry knife. The mini-Commander is not exactly mini itself. The mini-CQC7 is much smaller than the mini-Commander but the blade design is not nearly as impressive as the mini-Commander.
In my opinion the Emerson mini-Commander is the best choice. I now have four in different configurations. It is small enough for every day carry and more than adequate for defense if needed. The only thing I do not like about Emerson knives is the biased edge. Even if the blade is not chisel ground it still has that left hand cut blade edge for some reason.
 
Thank you for the answers fellas! I really appreciate it.

I definitely put more weight on utility than self defense. The knife will need to WORK HARD, but if I need to use it for self defense, I need to be able to depend on it to fill that role also.

I went to a local B&M knife store today and looked at all the Emersons they had (a cqc7 and a commander). Both were waved. I liked the commander a lot! The wave is awesome! It's just unbelievable to pull a folder from your pocket and have it be intantly at the ready! That's faster than an auto!

The commander seemed to be the perfect size for me. I have pretty big hands, so the mini commander may be a little too small. I like the looks of the specwar also but I have never handled one. Do they all have the wave like the commander?

Thank you all for the suggestions... I'm sure my first Emerson is gonna be great!
 
All of the Commander varients have the wave facility, as do the SARK, PSARK and SOFCK.

In addition the CQC7 has an optional wave.

You cannot go wrong with a Commander.

Regards,

Ed
 
Get a mini Commander. It's just as thick as it's big brother, which makes for a very solid knife.
 
If you like the blades of the CQC-7 and the handle of the Specwar, but want a wave, you might want to check out the SOCFK. Mine arrived just a few days ago and I love it. Mine is a dedicated SD knife, but the spear point blade would be good for utility as well IMO. Also, probably a bit easier to sharpen than a Commander's recurve blade, if that is an issue of you. Have fun and good luck.
 
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