• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Opinion on Emerson quality

M

Morpeus

Joined
Mar 31, 2004
Messages
780
Ok I need some input from you Emerson guys. About two yrs ago I traded for a Specwar folder and was very unimpressed to say the least. First impression was it was so light I first thought I had been ripped off and had a knock off,the blade seemed like it was made from aluminum instead of steel.

Second the overall quality seemed very poor. You could push the handle scales in and they would give,the screws were actually phillips and flathead,liner was thin made a poping sound.

The blade was chissel ground,not razor sharp out of the box and dulled after very little use.

Overall fit and finish was nowhere near the same quality of a BM or Spyderco in its price class.

I carried the knife for a couple monthes then traded it. Last yr I decided after reading so many good things to take a chance and try again with a Commander and same complaints.

I did not dislike them but in no way form or fashion did I feel I got my moneys worth,I would not consider either of them to be worth over 50 bucks.

I was watching the " More Proof" DVD I got with my CS Katana and my first thought was I wonder how many pieces the Emersons I had would be in at the hands of Lynn Thompson :D .

Don't be mad im just being honest. Give me your input good or bad.
 
i've had great luck with all my EKIs and my 2 customs, certainly better than anything lynn thompson ever made lol. dont ya think since its his DVD that he's gonna skew things to show his products ion the most favorable lite?? anyway i could care less about anything he makes, what a jerk, i guess his stuff is "ok" for the $$, esp if ya get a deal, but as good as an EKI?? lol.

the specwar wasnt the high point of EKI imho, i had one and wasnt crazy about it, but it certainly didnt sound as bad as yours. i just didnt like the aesthetics, it was a perfectly serviceable knife.

all brands have QC probs, EKI included, ya must have gotten a lemon.

the only emerson i have had probs with was a BM CQC7, it had liner issues.
 
I personally don't like his foldering knives but I am a fan of the swords and a few fixed blades. But still I would trust one of his folders over the Emersons I had.

Like I say I don't hate them just can't see the attraction or reason for the high price. I got a BM Skirmish a couple weeks ago that I paid within 10 bucks of the Emerson and there is no comparison at all. The BM is built alot sturdier,fit and finish is perfect,tigh lockup and titanium handles. Not even in the same class IMO.
 
I love my commander , the handle will flex some , ti liners a little thin , the blade is wicked sharp,the wave is a must have , very fast out of the pocket, I feel its the best knife for the small price.everyone can buy one , they stand behind there knives .You have to rember your not paying the $400 plus price for a custom, With the Emerson you get alot for the money and you are not scared to really use it ,You can pay hella for a custom Emerson if you like , they go like hot cakes. :D
 
wow - Im surprised to hear that. ya know the only emersons Ive ever owned were 2 cqc-7's (with wave) and commander (with wave). they are built like tanks. I remember when I got my first cqc7bt I was very impressed by how solid it was built, along with ZERO bladeplay. maybe the specwar is different.
 
I was told a local outdoor supply store carries a few Emerson models so maybe sometime this week I will go by and check them out. Its just confusing as little as I though of them that so many people find them just the opposite.

On the up side the Specwar was so light most of the time I did not know I was even carrying it.

The wave feature is debatable also,you either hate it of love it and ive even seen where people grind them off. Seen one on ebay that had been modified and still sold for over 100.00.
 
You know, I used to not like EKI's much, but then I got one. I got it from a crappy dealer and it needed to go back to EKI as soon as I got it. Bottom line there was it never should have left the dealer that way. I got my knife back in record time with a note of apology and they never charged me for anything. I buy EKI's now more for the fact that I like their knives and I think their CS is just plain awesome!

I half wonder if some of the problems people have with EKI are from expectations being too high? Its just a folding knife, after all. I remember someone here a couple of years ago saying that when they got their first Sebenza they were a bit disappointed in it because they were basically expecting the heavens to open and the angelic hosts to begin singing. That not happening, they proceeded to nit-pick the knife to death and sold it off. Later they got another one and, thinking more of the design philosophy (form follows function), were able to greatly appreciate its benefits. EKI knives follow a certain design philosophy, and if you understand that, and accept that for what it is, then you generally like them. Not all people think Sebenzas are all that great, and the same with EKIs. Its an individual thing- but ONE thing is a dead certainty: you will NEVER get any value out of reselling a CS knife, but have a decent chance of getting most of your money back for an EKI.

As far as CS goes, my mother always told me to not say anything if I couldn't say something nice.

Sincerely,
Anthony
 
It is so subjective to give opinions like this really. If this thread was asking about BenchMade, Spyderco, or some other brand or manufacturer of knives the responses would be mixed and they will be here also.

I've been impressed with Emerson the man. He is a modern day hero in many respects. His first love is as he said to me in a letter recently, driven by his duty to help keep this country safe from further harm. The knife company is not his only job. For example, right now Ernie is not only running two companies but setting up training programs in several other countries abroad.

As result of Emerson the man being so impressive he has a huge following. Many carry his knives just because it honors him. They need no other reason. He backs the product for the original owner if there is a problem and that is all they need to know.

In my opinion the older EKI knives from 1998/99 are better made than the newer ones I've seen and handled but I have not seen all of them and I've only owned one so I really can't be given much credibility in my judgement of the products.

If you like liner locks and have no problem with a chisel grind on the left side of the blade then the knife should serve you well. I know they make another grind also that can be easily converted to a two sided conventional blade but all Emerson knives are liner locks. If there is a negative to them that would probably be where it is. IMO. The Wave feature has been known to beat up the locks some from repeated hard snapping when opening the knife.

I'd like to see EKI beef up the liner locks on the line up personally. On the SARK I bought recently I felt the lock was such that it could be easily defeated due to how long it was and how thin. Just my take on it being a maker of liner locks myself.

For example: On my own liner locks I have found it is much harder to bend a short wide piece of steel over a long narrow one and I use thicker metal for the locks of hardened stainless not titanium unless it is requested by someone or they are ok with it. I also believe in securing the stop pin by a set screw going through it and threading through both liner and lock to help make the lock stronger and less likely to fail during twisting motion. Having two screw downs on the front of the knife can't hurt. It does not make it full proof but it does indeed help to keep the knife tight up front even if the pivot gets loose.

On my SARK when the blade was half way opened the stop pin rattled freely back and forth between the liner and lock and could be rolled with the finger. No retention at all is used other than the pivot pin tightness to retain the stop pin. Not to single out EKI here as I've seen this in other makes and don't care for it from them either. On some of these all it takes to lose a stop pin is to not notice the pivot pin has loosened up and then one day when you go to open your blade you notice abruptly that your stop pin is gone. Not good.

Personally I prefer a lock back or an axis lock for my own carry needs. But that is just me.
 
I have a CS Katana,1917 Cutlass and a Reg 6" Tanto all of which I adore but not because they are CS. They are just fine blades whoever the maker. I don't care for the CS folders nore their customer service,in the past 5 yrs ive never gotten a single email reply back from them on any subject but that does not change the fact that you can't buy a sword of their quality for the price anywhere else.Many people have issue with Spydercos customer service as well.

Glock is the most popular handgun in the world and has by far the worst customer service in history but that does not seen to slow sales in any way. If a product is exceptional then it will stand on its own regardless of the a-holes behind it lol.

Reason I never buy a knife based on the maker or company because in time they will all let you down in some way. I would never buy an Emerson that is sub-par because of the man or name behind it. If he makes a knife worthy of the price then that alone is my reason.

Even if I found one I liked are they all chissel ground? I have no idea on how to even begin to sharpen one. And what is the advantage of that kind of edge.
 
I have owned four or five emersons and only two of those have been "excellent" right out of the box, the others all required tightening/loosening or had problems with fit/finish etc. I love the designs and am currently carrying a cqc13 but find overall there execution could be better. I think the price is based more on the branding then on the construction and materials. If you can get your hands on some and find one that you like and feels good to you then I wouldn't hesitate to buy it but nbased on my experience with this company I would be very hesitant to buy an Emerson unseen.
 
Only Emerson I have is a CQC-7 that I got around 98-99. The only complaint/preferance I have is the chisel gring edge, I can just get a standard edge sharper. Other than that my CQC-7 has been a great knife. I f Emerson ever started offering a normal edge vs the chisel grind I would own more.
 
Maybe they just like beating LTs knives up? :D :thumbup:
 
I am a big EKI fan. That being said the newer designs I think are put together much better than earlier models. Well maybe not all earlier models. The 98 series of Commanders are robust to say the least. I own a bunch of EKI's and carry a 7 and a Commander religously.

Now here's the deal as I see it. I do not belive for one second they are the number1 hard used knives around. Try the Buck/Striders for that. Those knives are awesomely tough and robust. What I do belive is that once you get your EKI sharp it will stay that way. The point is you are more than likely going to have to get them that way. I have not yet had one out of the box that is what I would consider sharp the way I like it. The liner locks are much better on them now. Every single one I have rec. in the past 2 yrs has engaged to the left of the tang center. None I repeat none have moved one iota.

I think the fit and finish is much better too. No scales that don't match the liners and vice a versa. The tool marks that used to be so inherint on the knives are not so noticeable either. Like I said I have a bunch of them. Several 7 series, Commander, 11, and now an 8. Hey I likem and they are with one exceptions the only liner locks I carry. The exception being an old school Tempest by MOD. Keepem sharp
 
Morpeus

I would have to disagree somewhat. I personally would NEVER intentionally buy a product from a company with KNOWN poor CS. I have had MAJOR issues with ColdSteel and I, or my friends will NEVER own a ColdSteel knife again. I used to own a couple Kimber 1911’s. I had a few issues with it and didn’t have a good experience with their CS, needless to say, I now carry a Springfield. I have had WONDERFUL service with them. As far as the Customer service at EKI goes…. It is TOP NOTCH! I have never had an issue with ANY of the 1+ EKI’s I have owned, but I do contact them to ask questions about new knives and prices and etc… Usually when I call I get Mary, Mr. Emerson’s wife and she is VERY knowledgeable and friendly and helpful. Other times I have gotten other employees and I have had the same experience as well.

As far as my opinion on their(EKI’s) knives go, I have NOTHING but good to say about them. Like I said before, I have at one time or another more than 10. I currently CARRY(EDC) 2-3 EKI’s at a time. I ALWAYS have a LaGriffe with me, and I usually have either a CQC8(waved) or a 99 CN Commander(My favorite EKI). Like others have said the 98 Commander is definitely more sturdy due to much heavier liners and scales, however my 99 has been carried daily for five years, and opened 50-100 times/day, and it still locks up perfectly and has very little wear that is noticeable(other than finish wear). My LaGriffe is around my neck 24/7. I wear it when I sleep, shower, work daily in 90 degree+ HIGH humidity, and when I swim. Other than 90% of the black finish is gone, it is perfect. My 05 CQC8 is brand new, so it shows NO wear, but it came perfect out of the box and RAZOR sharp. It opens smooth as silk and has perfect lock-up. My Commander still opens smoother than ANY Benchmade or Spyderco I have ever owned. That is in NO MEANS a knock on either BM’s or Spydies, I own many, and love them all. I carried a 99 Raven for 3 years and beat the HELL out of it… I Love the knife, I cut EVERYTHING from plastic to aluminium to canvas and it still cut like a hot knife through butter. I chipped the tip off while prying my semi’s storage box open, but other than that the knife was perfect. I still would be carrying it, but I lost it at work… Someone else has a GREAT knife now.


I would recommend you TRY someone you know EKI’s and see how you like it. I think you will find them to be very good knives for the money. As a side note, I would not recommend you EVER purchase a EKI directly, they will be $50-70 cheaper from dealers. I however have bought from EKI directly, and it is pricey.

My only complaint with EKI is they only make a few models at a time, so their other models will be backordered for a while. I waited 6+ mo for my friends xmas gift(a LaGriffe).

In my opinion, EKI’s are one of the best. I will carry nothing else(mainly due to the “wave”) there is NOTHING faster…Yet

Good luck if you chose to TRY a new EKI… I hope it works for you.
 
Morpeus said:
Even if I found one I liked are they all chissel ground? I have no idea on how to even begin to sharpen one. And what is the advantage of that kind of edge.
Click to expand...

If you go to Emerson's website it gives you some info on the advantages of the chisel grind(mainly strength) and also on the site is the info and pictures on how to sharpen them.

Just as an FYI....
Emerson does make two framelocks. The HD-7 and the CQC-12 M.F. Comrade.
 
Just and FYI: Emerson does make two framelocks. The HD-7 and the CQC-12 M.F. Comrade
Click to expand...

That is good to know. I would be far more interested in a frame lock over the SARK I had. I didn't think the SARK I owned was anywhere near the same league as a BenchMade Axis lock for smoothness though. But again I have not had but one so maybe I just got one that needed worked some to smooth out.
 
Morpeus said:
Glock is the most popular handgun in the world and has by far the worst customer service in history...
Click to expand...


Huh? I have never had a single issue that Glock customer service didn't handle promptly and professionally. I recently broke a guiderod (my fault) and within minutes I had one in the mail on it's way to me free of charge. Glock is known for it's stellar customer service. I think maybe you were thinking of Hk. Love their firearms, hate their service (or complete and total lack thereof).

Ask on any gunboard from TheHighRoad to Ar15.com and you'll get the same answer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top