Wanting a tough folder (thinking emerson)

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B.B.M

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Dec 3, 2009
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i'm trying to pick out my next edc folder, i want something tough for hard use (and some abuse) i'm thinking emerson (horseman mini cqc 15 etc) but i'm not sure about the liner locks. how does the emerson locks hold up? every time i hear liner lock i think about the cheap folders that will fold when you tap the spine with the back of you hand:o also i really like the look of the sog trident tanto, how does the lock on them hold up?

my budget is $150 preferably a little less, so feel free to recommend something else:)
 
B.B.M.
In my opinion , Emerson does the liner lock the way it should be done. They didnt just slap it together. Read the information on Emerson's site , it will tell you how much R&D went into their concept of how a knife should be constructed.

I have total confidence in my CQC's.


Tostig

edit - Bear in mind that sometimes you may purchase an Emerson with less than perfect fit and finish but that does not detract from it being a working tool which is what they are intended to be. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. :)
 
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You could also look at a Doug Ritter Griptillian, a Spyderco Manix2, a Kershaw Lahar, and finally, a Cold Steel Recon 1 or American Lawman. Needless to say, there are many others besides those I listed.
 
Zero Tolerance is another great option. Take a look around the forums for Factory blemishes for sale. You can get them at great prices.
 
What about a Pohl Force Alpha Two? A very tough knife... Might be in your prize-frame. For such a heavy-duty-folder. Well, I don´t know whats up to getting it in the US. But here in Europe you ca get the knife on nearly every onlineshop...

Kind regards...
 
Any quality liner lock will hold up just fine. I'd recommend the Spyderco Gayle Bradley. Solid, large, tough, and razor sharp.
 
I second the Zero Tolerance line. I almost bought an Emerson also and still might someday but I settled on the ZT 0350 and I'm extremely satisfied with it and you can pick one up shipped for about $105.
 
While an Emerson liner lock won't fold from a spine whack, I have doubts about using a thin titanium liner lock on a hard use knife. If you DO use it hard, it's hard to imagine the knife lasting very long with the liner moving all the way to the right in record time.

Stainless steel would make for a longer lasting liner(for which the ZT0350 and Spyderco Gayle Bradley does an excellent job), that or a thick titanium framelock like the ZT 0550/1 or ZT 030X series. Might be hard to find the 0550 near your price range, but I heard it's cheaper than the 0551, and well worth the price. A 030X series might be found on the 'bay for a similar price, but I feel the 0550 has better ergonomics and cutting ability, while the 030X has more of a "cool factor" thanks to the recurve and assisted opening.

An American Lawman would be the best bang for the buck however and you wouldn't hesitate to shove it through a car door thanks to the (relatively) low price.
 
I'm new to the forum, and must say that I really do like it! I had a couple of EKI knives a few years ago. They were from the 7 series, but had spearpoint blades and no chisel gring, though one grind was higher than the other. I really had problems with the ll on both of them. Th locks would slip to the left allowing the the blade to come unlocked. I also had problems keeping the blade tight, and the screws were too short in a couple of spots. I did use loctite which helped some.

I know this is a negative post, but it is what happened to be and my 2 EKI's.

To be fair, this is only 2 knives out of thousands sold, and both knives were bought from the same dealer at the same time, at a gunshow. The boxes were really trampled and I probably would have passed had there been other EKI's available, but alas, there were no more.

So take what I said with a grain of salt, as I've read that the QC at EKI has greatly improved since these two came out, and it could be something happened to them aith the seller themself.



I wanted to add that one of the toughest folders I've seen, but don't have, is one from Ontario Knives. It is called a Retribution 1. It comes in three sizes, with the 1 being the largest. I was able to handle one at a local knife store and was blown away by the heftines and the huge build of the knife. The owner told be the titanium liners were .125" thick and the blade was .200" thick!!! WOWEE, that's thick. It has green micarta handles that have swells on both the front and end that help to hold your hand on the handle. Though made in Italy, it was well put together. I'm thinking about putting one on his layaway plan, as it will run me $210.

Oh yeah. It does not have a pocket clip but rather comes in a very nice looking velcro sheath, which is my preferred method of carry for large folders anyway. Man, can't wait till April!
 
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Emerson will not disappoint.

I have a CQC-10 that shares time with an SnG. It's very tough.

CQC-10.jpg
 
Emerson's are great, I have edc'd a 10, 7 and a Horseman. They are tough as nails but a little $$$. I know I will probably get run off for saying this but look into the Cold Steel AK-47 and American Lawman, both feature the Tri Ad lock which is freakin aswesome and they are both relatively cheap.
 
ZT 0200 or 0300. I would go with the 0200. it is the strongest knife i have ever seen, it locks up solid, and it uses a hex bolt for a pivot. what is not to love? the blade is easy to resharpen, it looks nice, and it is just built tougher than any other other folder i have seen.
 
I have put my SOCFK through a lot. their liner locks are strong and i haven't had it fail on me yet. great knives.
 
I would recommend the Emerson as well. If you want to spend less money, go for the Recon 1. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the Manix 2 if you plan on putting the knife through a lot of abuse (because of it's locking mechanism).
 
Forget about liner locks. If you want a tough folder, get any Cold Steel model that uses the TriAd lock.
 
emerson is going to be my next purchase as well. seems like you have the answer you need. now, the hard part is finding something in stock somewhere. plain commanders and 15's in particular. gl
 
This is pretty much along the same line as a similar post asking about a good tactical folder so I'm just gonna repeat my answer for him here:

Emersons are solid knives but my personal preferences tend to lie with Kershaw and ZT - I think the ZT0200 is a badass blade at 4". The 0350 is also nice, but it's blade is .75" shorter and .035" thinner. I had my share of liner locks so I thought I'd splurge for one of their frames which is probably way over your budget and I thought it'd be over mine too. But after scouring the secondhand market for a month or so I came across a 0301 on a different forum for $130:thumbup: ... and then a few weeks ago I noticed on went on here for $90:thumbup::thumbup:.

Ooh, and how about that new 0550? Loving that ZT line...
 
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