What's your favorite Emerson handle? Why?

ebidis

ebidis

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Jun 23, 2012
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It's hard for me to choose just one favorite, for many reasons.

I love the CQC-8 for the saber grip, but the finger choil is set back from the blade pretty far, making the overall length pretty substantial, but I think that contributes to the saber grip.

The ETAK seems like it was made for my hand in the reverse grip, and locks my hand in.

The CQC-7, Super 7, and A-100, with their neutral grip shapes are versatile, but kind of a jack of all trades, master of none.

My CSF (and I suppose the Roadhouse too, but I don't own a Roadhouse) has a handle that just feels superb in my hand in any grip, and in my pocket. It's not too long, too short, too wide, or too narrow. It's in the Goldielocks zone; just right.

So in a pinch, and by a very small margin mind you, I would probably pick the CSF as my favorite so far. Keep in mind I haven't held every Emerson, and can only judge those that I have.

I love all my Emerson's, and feel that they all have outstanding ergonomics and are tough as nails (any one of them would be a go to SHTF knife), it's just that the CSF seems to be the one that truly was designed with my hand in mind. All just IMHO, YMMV. :)

What's your favorite Handle?
 
Also, just going off the Emersons I have, I'd say the 8 is my favorite (I have a horseman, I think the regular sized 8 would be even better for my hands) but the 14 snubby handle is great too, but that was my first Emerson and regular edc for some time, so I got used to it.
 
I really dunt have a favorite. Every Emerson knife that I have handled feels good in my hand.
rolf
 
Since I have relatively small hands, the following Emerson's have the best handle ergos with forward and reverse grips.

1.) Bulldog
2.) Mini Commander and Mini CQC-15
 
I agree about the versatility, security and comfort with the Roadie/CSF grip. No Emerson-grip discussion is complete without Commander mention, it is amazing!! (especially vintage 98's and early 99's with thick contoured G10) For absolute locked-in rock solid grab, Tiger/13 all the way. Of those 3, the Roadie/CSF is the most pocketable. Obligatory pics of each to follow...

Super Roadhouse


'99 Commander


Tiger
 
Even though I sold them, I would have to say that the Mini Commander and the Commander where pretty good. However, I recently picked up a 13 and while it is a tad larger than my hand would prefer it does feel like it locks in the mitts pretty darn good.
 
The 13 is going to be my next one. (wait for it...)





























But the Spectrum is one of those pieces that calls to me, much like the Vindicator and the ETAK did.
 
ebidis said:
What's your favorite Handle?
Click to expand...

Not sure why, but I find the 7 to be quite versatile for my large paws. That said, my hand seems to swallow the Tiger handle yet it feels just right in the reverse grip.

20150530_041041_zps5ebcbzna.jpg


For everything else, I just can't beat the beefiness of the Super Commander handle. I even really like it in the reverse grip yet, for some reason, the Tiger slightly edges past the SC for a win in that category.
 
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Both the Combat Systems fighter and the standard CQC8 (a bit longer handle) fit perfectly in my hand.
 
Of the 10 or so models that have passed through my hands, I find the Super 8 feels the best, with the 15 and Commander/Super Commander right behind.
 
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