I just got my first Emerson, a Commander, and it quickly became my every day carry. Now the Emerson bug has bit and I am looking for a second and maybe a third Emerson. The main knife I am considering is the SPECWAR B. I have read that these have been discontinued. Is this because there was a problem with them, or just a limited production? The knife's main role will be as a collector that may get carried occasionally. What can be told about these knives?
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Specwar B
- Thread starter Grind
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,850
The SPECWARs (Special Warfare) are nice knives. I presume its this one your after ? http://www.emersonknives.com/Specwar_B_SFS.html
I dont know how easy it will be to find a minty fresh one up for sale but you never know.
The SPECWAR folder was the knife chosen by NASA for space flights and was allegedly used by SEALS and SAS as their tactical folder. That alone makes it pretty sort after and the fact that its a "rare" discontinued EKI makes it even more so.
The knife was not discontinued because of problems, im not sure if it was just a case of making room for new models, lack of sales, "saving money" or just a limited run. Either way there dosnt appear to be many about.
Good luck finding one :thumbup:
I dont know how easy it will be to find a minty fresh one up for sale but you never know.
The SPECWAR folder was the knife chosen by NASA for space flights and was allegedly used by SEALS and SAS as their tactical folder. That alone makes it pretty sort after and the fact that its a "rare" discontinued EKI makes it even more so.
The knife was not discontinued because of problems, im not sure if it was just a case of making room for new models, lack of sales, "saving money" or just a limited run. Either way there dosnt appear to be many about.
Good luck finding one :thumbup:
it was disco'd probably cause it didnt sell well, which is why most things are disco'd.
the specwar is ok, i have had a couple of them, its certainly not my fav EKI by any means.
the SOCFK has about ther same handle & blade but its waved, i would get the SOCFK before i would get a specwar.
i am sure some spec-ops folks used the specwar but IIRC it was never an issue item, since the SOCFK was marketed more to the military i would bet more carry a SOCFK vs a specwar.
not a bad knife by any means, but not anything special either.
i see them for sale occasionally, in the $150 range IIRC.
and again, not a bad knife, just not imho one of the better EKI's.
the specwar is ok, i have had a couple of them, its certainly not my fav EKI by any means.
the SOCFK has about ther same handle & blade but its waved, i would get the SOCFK before i would get a specwar.
i am sure some spec-ops folks used the specwar but IIRC it was never an issue item, since the SOCFK was marketed more to the military i would bet more carry a SOCFK vs a specwar.
not a bad knife by any means, but not anything special either.
i see them for sale occasionally, in the $150 range IIRC.
and again, not a bad knife, just not imho one of the better EKI's.
correct the SOCFK is the specwar with the wave, i dont know what ya mean by specwar logo, the only emerson i am aware of that say specwar are customs which say emerson specwar knives, the productions say emerson knife inc, the logo on all productions EKI's is the same, the specwars i have had (2) said EKI on them like all the other production EKI's i have owned.
7's are cool too, i really like the SOCFK better though, especially before the '7 was waved, also prefer the tanto to the spear point i dont like the way the spearpoints are ground, my SP specwar was hard to sharpen and i am good at doing CG's (are whatever they wanna call them).
The grinds on the SpecWars and the SOCFKs are somewhat different as well.
I think the major difference is that the Specwar A (spear) had a sedge, whereas the SOCFK did not.
Second, because the SOCFK is a "modern" EKI, it has the "modern" evolutionary changes, such as the wider traction grooves. Some SpecWars also made it out of the factory with only a single detent instead of the double detents.
-j
I think the major difference is that the Specwar A (spear) had a sedge, whereas the SOCFK did not.
Second, because the SOCFK is a "modern" EKI, it has the "modern" evolutionary changes, such as the wider traction grooves. Some SpecWars also made it out of the factory with only a single detent instead of the double detents.
-j
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
Neither of my SpecWars have the double detent in them. I have a 1998 B blade model and a 1999 A blade model of each. For what its worth these 1998 knives used a different washer than the ones from EKI starting in 1999 to current stock. The old washer was thinner and the rear spacer used was also thinner than later ones in these models. The rear spacer in the rear of the 98 model I own is .160 thickness. The same knife otherwise but in a 1999 model is using a .182-.184 thickness rear spacer (same as my new CQC14 model by the way) and the washers are thicker also at .30 each than the ones in the original 98 models. Both blades are .124-.125 thickness. So obviously if you stick .030 washers on each side of a .124 or .125 blade the spacer in the rear has to be wide enough to allow you to use those washers. Use the wrong washers with the wrong rear spacer you bend the liners.
Also the build of these 98 and 99 models on the inside is completely different than later production models in how they go together. Both the 98 and 99 models are like Ernie's customs are made in how the liners all go together on the inside under the G10 scales. You might also note that the 98 and 99 scales go on differently with screws mounting them down the middle of the G10and that all the screws are flat head/slot head style screws for everything from the clip to the thumb disc to the pivot and scales. The only phillips head screws on these older knives are seen on the inside to assemble the folder in the ones that go through the rear spacer in back.
You can get the same washers from EKI if you talk sweet to Diane for these older knives but if she can't find them and it needs new washers what you could do is ask them to send you a new rear spacer for a 1999 year knife of that model with new currently used washers and try that so its going to work. The washers they use now are the thicker ones and would spread the pivot a lot wider than the rear of the folder bending out the liners to make it all squeeze together on these older ones if you just stick em in without noticing. Just found out about this the other day because EKI did this to mine without checking it out. You can still get a set of the slot head screws that were used in the older ones but they are in limited number and you have to pay for them. How this came up was because I noticed it when I was measuring the thickness of the rear spacer on my old 1998 model and comparing it to later ones. Then I spoke with Diane at EKI who works inside doing many of the repairs for them. She is currently looking into fixing up my 98 model back to the original specs for me since she took the original washers out inadvertantly when I mailed them the knife. We'll see how that goes here shortly.
STR
Also the build of these 98 and 99 models on the inside is completely different than later production models in how they go together. Both the 98 and 99 models are like Ernie's customs are made in how the liners all go together on the inside under the G10 scales. You might also note that the 98 and 99 scales go on differently with screws mounting them down the middle of the G10and that all the screws are flat head/slot head style screws for everything from the clip to the thumb disc to the pivot and scales. The only phillips head screws on these older knives are seen on the inside to assemble the folder in the ones that go through the rear spacer in back.
You can get the same washers from EKI if you talk sweet to Diane for these older knives but if she can't find them and it needs new washers what you could do is ask them to send you a new rear spacer for a 1999 year knife of that model with new currently used washers and try that so its going to work. The washers they use now are the thicker ones and would spread the pivot a lot wider than the rear of the folder bending out the liners to make it all squeeze together on these older ones if you just stick em in without noticing. Just found out about this the other day because EKI did this to mine without checking it out. You can still get a set of the slot head screws that were used in the older ones but they are in limited number and you have to pay for them. How this came up was because I noticed it when I was measuring the thickness of the rear spacer on my old 1998 model and comparing it to later ones. Then I spoke with Diane at EKI who works inside doing many of the repairs for them. She is currently looking into fixing up my 98 model back to the original specs for me since she took the original washers out inadvertantly when I mailed them the knife. We'll see how that goes here shortly.
STR