Talk To Me About Emerson Knives

[Murdamook]

IIRC, I could be wrong, but I recall hearing ZT had the standard industry issues with 20CV. They were running it too soft for the steel to perform beyond something like s30v.

 

[Murdamook]

I tried one Emerson a few years ago. IIRC, a CQC 8. Although, it was a user and the price was good (or else I wouldn't have bought it), I was not impressed for many of the reason already listed.

At the price point of an Emerson, I would say your money is better spent elsewhere. Maybe a ZT or WE for example.

You could at least pitch another US option. I’d rather buy the trashiest US knife than push cash into an economy actively participating in genocide. And before anyone points out the myriad other stuff made in China: for most electronics and similarly mass-produced crap you have no option, or options are so limited and expensive as to be completely unfeasible. I’d rather buy five Buck 110s than buy a 250$ WE.

 

[Murdamook]

Heavy grey Bead blast finish,black g10 philip screws ;everything i hate in a folder....

Where’s the bead blasting? Emerson doesn’t have any bead blasting on their knives. Their liners are, as others have stated, not polished, blasted, etc. Their non-black blades are probably one of the few things I’ve heard even detractors compliment. The flats are stonewashed and the grind is satin. In fact, even the old models that appeared to be blasted were actually coated in a grey cerakote or Teflon.

 

[Silvanus]

If you want a tool you can trust your life with, get an Emerson. I’ve used Emersons at work as a firefighter/EMT for nearly a decade. They work, are easy to sharpen, and resistant to the elements. I actually use my knives and I’ve never felt them lacking. But then again I don’t care about lock stick, or fit and finish, or anodized titanium pocket jewelry.

Again, you want a reliable tool made in the USA then get an Emerson. You want fancy pocket jewelry that has flashy colors of titanium and ultra super special super steel then look elsewhere

 

[Insipid Moniker]

I had a long post typed up, but the bottom line is that they're simply nowhere near worth the money. It's not that they're bad knives, just that you can get a blade that does everything better for less money. Now that the wave patent has expired I don't think there's any practical reason to shell out the money for an Emerson.

 

[Alpha556]

My issue with Emerson is the relatively thin liner locks that wear out over time.
Had a CQC7 that went to 100% lockup in a few months.
Only emersons I would own nowadays is one modded by Ferrrk or Nathuwut.

 

[The Aflac Duck]

If you want a tool you can trust your life with, get an Emerson. I’ve used Emersons at work as a firefighter/EMT for nearly a decade. They work, are easy to sharpen, and resistant to the elements. I actually use my knives and I’ve never felt them lacking. But then again I don’t care about lock stick, or fit and finish, or anodized titanium pocket jewelry.

Again, you want a reliable tool made in the USA then get an Emerson. You want fancy pocket jewelry that has flashy colors of titanium and ultra super special super steel then look elsewhere

Says the guy with a pic of himself with SIR EARNEST as his avatar. Yeah, that’s a really reliable source of info

 

[goldie]

I had an Emerson early 90s blade was bead blast grey maybe its been changed since then, thats how long its been since if had one....

 

[madcap_magician]

Surprised this thread is still open!

I don't care for the personality cult (pro and con) around Ernie or Mick or Lynn. Drama always seems to follow, both on the green forum, and on this one.

In terms of the knife, I've owned several of the Emerson versions of the Perrin La Griffe. Fit and finish and sharpness were OK, and I would say at the time I bought them they were worth the $90 or $100. The earlier ones had a smooth DLC-type coating on them, and that was fine, but later versions had a powder crinkle coat that wore off rapidly and exposed steel easily just from unsheathing and resheathing the knife. I used it as a small knife tucked into the ID pocket of my PT shorts for distance running; but I had a lot of rust issues even with cleaning and drying it after every run.

Broadly I would say Emerson knives in my experience were a competitive option 20 years ago, but there are so many knives now that are made with some combination of better materials, higher quality control, and lower prices that it's hard to justify production Emerson knives anymore. Even Chris Reeve has changed more than Emerson in terms of quality improvement and product updates. If you like the designs, Kershaw and ZT usually have several options.

Ernie's customs are in a different ballpark, those are worth buying any time you can get them at table prices, if only for the simple fact that there is someone who will pay double or more table price to take it back off your hands.

 

[jbmonkey]

Well, the fact that his knives are actually very poorly finished has a lot to do with the criticisms, and Ernbag himself is really only the icing on that particularly odious cake. I mean, one liner is ti, the other is steel? What? On a $250 knife? That is flat out trash, and he sells knives primarily based on his cult of personality he's built up. Weirdos over on USN call the guy "Sir Ernie" like he's some sort of knight or lord (which I've always found hilarious). I've owned Emerson knives from pretty much every period of EKI's existence, and I definitely was a Kool-Aid drinker at one point, before I opened my eyes and saw how poorly made of cheap materials they are. Someone else already pointed out some of their other flaws, which, above and beyond base-level materials, are flat out poor design choices. Something like 95% of the knife buying public are right handed, yet his chisel grinds are on the wrong side. And before you say anything, I've seen that video where they try to post a reason for it, but frankly, I never bought it. We know why they did it: so the grind looks cool when you look at the knife in your right hand. So dumb. The 154cm (in 2021 it's not even CPM-154? What? LOL) is run soft, and if you want S35vn, be ready to pay even more of a premium (outside of one or two models like the Sheepdog).

I could go on, but the fact is, I know I sound bitter. Ex-cult members who managed to escape always do.

Says the guy with a pic of himself with SIR EARNEST as his avatar. Yeah, that’s a really reliable source of info

"Sir Ernie"? y'all are kidding around right? i don't use that forum. only this one on cutting tools.

 

[Silvanus]

Yeah, that’s a really reliable source of info

Facts I stated:

Emerson knives are easy to sharpen - The slightly lower HRc of the steel will automatically make it easier to sharpen than a similar steel of a higher hardness. Combined with only needing to sharpen one side of the edge it is automatically easier to sharpen than a knife where both sides of the edge need to be sharpened. Sharpening two things is more work than one thing…making it easier

I have used Emerson knives for nearly a decade - I was introduced to them and purchased my first one in 2012. That was 9 years ago, as in nearly a decade

I trust my life to Emerson knives - I carry an Emerson at work in my bunker pants. If I didn’t trust a knife with the ability to save my life in a fire if need be, I wouldn’t carry it

I don’t care about the lock stick or fit and finish issues - Emerson’s have lock stick and are of a lesser fit and finish than other knives of the same price. That doesn’t bother me

Emerson knives are resistant to the elements - The blades are 154CM steel which is fairly stainless. The blades have to option to also be coated with cerakote, a non porous coating that is very wear resistant. The washers aren’t metal, they are nylatron. Nylatron can’t corrode or oxidize like metals. G10 won’t crack or swell when wet and is resistant to high temperature. The titanium liner lock won’t corrode. The stainless steel non-locking liner is fairly stainless.

Emerson knives are reliable tools made in the USA - They are specifically designed to be tools, Mr Emerson has stated this before on Bladeforums. They are made in the USA in Harbor City, California

 

[Silvanus]

The Benchmade 970 had a bead blasted model and was available starting in 1996 I believe. Emerson’s first production CQC-7’s were made in 1999 and came with a bead blasted finish as well as black cerakote. There are some other models that have been bead blasted but it was very uncommon to see after 2000

 

[The Aflac Duck]

Facts I stated:

Emerson knives are easy to sharpen - The slightly lower HRc of the steel will automatically make it easier to sharpen than a similar steel of a higher hardness. Combined with only needing to sharpen one side of the edge it is automatically easier to sharpen than a knife where both sides of the edge need to be sharpened. Sharpening two things is more work than one thing…making it easier

I have used Emerson knives for nearly a decade - I was introduced to them and purchased my first one in 2012. That was 9 years ago, as in nearly a decade

I trust my life to Emerson knives - I carry an Emerson at work in my bunker pants. If I didn’t trust a knife with the ability to save my life in a fire if need be, I wouldn’t carry it

I don’t care about the lock stick or fit and finish issues - Emerson’s have lock stick and are of a lesser fit and finish than other knives of the same price. That doesn’t bother me

Emerson knives are resistant to the elements - The blades are 154CM steel which is fairly stainless. The blades have to option to also be coated with cerakote, a non porous coating that is very wear resistant. The washers aren’t metal, they are nylatron. Nylatron can’t corrode or oxidize like metals. G10 won’t crack or swell when wet and is resistant to high temperature. The titanium liner lock won’t corrode. The stainless steel non-locking liner is fairly stainless.

Emerson knives are reliable tools made in the USA - They are specifically designed to be tools, Mr Emerson has stated this before on Bladeforums. They are made in the USA in Harbor City, California

Sharpened on one side? So what happens to the bur created on the opposing side? It doesn’t magically go away, you still need to work the blade from both sides. I have owned and used Emerson’s as well, I know how they work.

You can trust your life all you want to Emerson, there are people on this earth who trust their life to Hi-Point pistols. That’s a personal choice at the end of the day.

If the lack of quality for the price point doesn’t bother you, then good for you. I’m glad you like paying more for less

The rest of your post reads like something out of a Bass Pro catalog, and honestly, I just don’t have the energy to even reply to that nonsense. If they work for you, cool. I just know what I’d rather be carrying and Emerson is not even a consideration. After all, OP wanted opinions and he got many of them here.

 

[Silvanus]

Sharpened on one side? So what happens to the bur created on the opposing side? It doesn’t magically go away, you still need to work the blade from both sides. I have owned and used Emerson’s as well, I know how they work.

You can trust your life all you want to Emerson, there are people on this earth who trust their life to Hi-Point pistols. That’s a personal choice at the end of the day.

If the lack of quality for the price point doesn’t bother you, then good for you. I’m glad you like paying more for less

The rest of your post reads like something out of a Bass Pro catalog, and honestly, I just don’t have the energy to even reply to that nonsense. If they work for you, cool. I just know what I’d rather be carrying and Emerson is not even a consideration. After all, OP wanted opinions and he got many of them here.

That’s fine. You are more than entitled to carry, use, and spend your money on whatever you want.