In reply to a recent query, it seems worthwhile to re-post some information about Emerson customs. The question is dating a knife's age using the pivot, and/or liners. On his custom knives, Ernie has used a variety of pivots over the years. Starting in the early '90s, virtually all of his bolstered folders had the same system: a domed head bolt that screwed into the lock-side bolster. About the time he opened his factory (1997), he began making folders with a domed receiver on the lock-side bolster, with the same (usually slot) domed bolt as the male half of the pivot. In approx. 2001-2, he switched to a flat head receiver on the lock-side bolster, a system he uses to today. Prior to 2004, he used .0625" titanium exclusively as the lockbar on these folders. In 2004, he began switching to the 'thick' lockbar, with a relief in it, on customs. This change was pretty well complete by 2006.
If you see a CQC6 for example with a flat pivot receiver, it can't be older than 2002 origin. If it has a thick lockbar, its post 2004 (unless it was re-furbed by Ernie and had a thick one put in as replacement).
As an aside, he stopped using dual thumb detents on bolsters in 1995 for most knives, although he has made an occasional one like that too since. Lots of people have had "pimpers" put detents on the offside bolster as an aftermarket modification, because it looks cool and old school, along with checkering on scales for the same reason. But it won't look truly old school if its got that tell-tale flat bolster receiver....
If you see a CQC6 for example with a flat pivot receiver, it can't be older than 2002 origin. If it has a thick lockbar, its post 2004 (unless it was re-furbed by Ernie and had a thick one put in as replacement).
As an aside, he stopped using dual thumb detents on bolsters in 1995 for most knives, although he has made an occasional one like that too since. Lots of people have had "pimpers" put detents on the offside bolster as an aftermarket modification, because it looks cool and old school, along with checkering on scales for the same reason. But it won't look truly old school if its got that tell-tale flat bolster receiver....
