Why Emerson?

Emerson knives hold value extremely well, too. I had a Commander that I beat the sh*t out of at work every day for 5+ years and sold for more than half of what I paid for it. Not bad for getting more than my money's worth of use out of it.

Emerson knives are no frills, no flash, practical use knives. I think the reason not everyone owns one is that they aren't big on the latest fad mechanisms, materials, finishes or processes. An important thing to remember is that if you have something that works well, you don't change it, K.I.S.S.

Think of Harley-Davidson's air cooled push-rod engines. They're time proven, reliable (non-AMF lol), and virtually unchanged for 50+ years because they work well.

Another thing to consider is customer service. Of the production Emerson knives I've owned, I've only had one warranty issue (late, migrating lock) that was repaired and sent back to me within a week. Versus Spyderco and BM that seem like every other or every third knife has an issue.

Once every 5 years or so I break them down just for the hell of it, not like the Ti liners are going to corrode or anything, and marvel at the simple beauty of practicality. I love the fact that I could break the knife down with a regular multi-tool if needed (I don't usually carry torx bits in the field).

So, is there a special reason to buy an Emerson over any other kind of HQ prod. knife? The thing that I like the most is uniform performance. No matter what model I'm buying, I know that it will work well and do what I need it to do. There is also no question of materials, Ti liners, g-10 scales, bronze washers, and 154cm blade unless otherwise specified.

The wave feature is convenient for us non-ninjas as well, making the knife much easier to open with thick gloves on.

Also, I think they're %100 USA made at a single facility, helping maintain consistency.
 
Emerson Knives became famous, because they became "the Knife" for the spec op community, and the fact that they are nearly impossible to buy directly from Emerson himself.(The handmade ones). If you go to a knife show to buy one, he actually raffles them off, and if you don't have a number, previously issued by Emerson, you are out of luck. Most of the numbers are issued to Special Forces, and Spec Ops troopers, and they are sold on a first come first served basis, by the numbers. The rest of the numbers are scooped up by other dealers at the gun show, before the public gets in, and then are sold for half again as much as they originally cost.

EarlFH
 
There has been a lot mentioned here about the material and "The Wave Shaped Feature" as well as the fit and finish. To me all of this is important but there is something that has yet to be mentioned. Mr. Emerson is very well versed in practical use of edged weapons in combat and self defense situations (I know from experience). Because of this he designs his knives to work in these situations. Each and every one of his designs are well thought out prior to putting them into production. Mr. Emerson doesn't make a new model if it isn't asked for by some special military or law enforcement unit or he sees a specific use for it. In short, he does not make a new model to increase his profit margin.

Another thing that has not been mentioned is the ergonomics of his handle designs. Almost all of them feel as if they are made just for your hand. I have used and handled quite a lot of knives and Emerson's have the best, most comfortable handle.

Personally, I buy, use and collect Emerson knives because I have had the great opportunity to meet and train with Mr. Emerson on more than one occasion. I have heard him speak very passionately about combat and self defense as well as his personal values and bottom line I trust him and I trust his product both custom and production.
 
Actually i do not like the fit and finish of Emerson knives. A non super sized Emerson knife cost about the same as an Almar SERE 2000, but Emerson is no match for Almar. Even a midrange knife such as the para2 from Spyderco beats Emerson's knives in term of quality. That's the only disappointment i have... it's like Emerson doesn't put in 100% effort for his knives. To put it bluntly, it's a shitty job. I believe all of us who owns an Emerson knife deserves a better finish.
However, i now own 4 Emerson knives and if i had more cash, i will get more. Why? That's because i can trust my life with Emerson's knives. Maybe because it doesn't have good fit/finish that makes me want to use it, to abuse it. It's kind of contradictory... but here's my explaination: An emerson knife is like an old rusted car that cost $150000, but comes with a 3000cc turbocharged engine and all the shit that makes u want to put it to good use. Would u do the same with a ferrari assuming it's the same price?
Yes, i would love to use my Almar SERE2000. But why would i use it if disassembling it voids the warranty? How am i supposed to clean my knife back to 100% when sand and grass gets stuck in the liners/pivot? What am i supposed to do if the perfect finish of my SERE2000 gets scratched?
Therefore.... if u're not going to put ur knives to hard use, dun get an Emerson.
 
I've never had an Emerson with poor fit or finish. They've all been top notch, worked amazingly well and are American made, which to me, is more important than anything.
 
I dont buy Emersons for their world class ergonomics, wave features, strong, thick blades, outstanding customer service, and constant innovation. I buy them because I met the man. Once you do, you'll know what I'm talking about. Of course, those other ideas are plenty valid.
 
I drank the Kool Aid once several years back, and bought a Mini-Commander. I liked it for a while 'cause I thought it was tacti-kool, and the Wave feature was neat. After carrying it for a while, I realized, the Wave feature wasn't 100% reliable if you weren't wearing the right pants, or if you didn't pull the knife out at the right angle. Not to mention it tears up your pocket with a lot of use. Plus, the chisel grind makes it a horrible knife for general cutting tasks unless you're left handed, not to mention it was a total beyotch to sharpen. So, I sold it and moved to Axis lock knives. Haven't ever looked back, and don't regret my decision one bit. I do still have a La Griffe knecker, though I rarely carry it.

Edited to add: With over 600 knives in your collection, I guess I have to ask "Why NOT an Emerson?" Why do you need an overwhelming reason to buy one when you have 600 other knives that you can't possibly be using on a regular basis. What's adding another knife that you may or may not use? Surely $150-$200 isn't going to be a deciding factor for someone who's bought over 600 knives already.
 
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An interesting question. I was sold on Emersons the first time I held one. The handle ergonomics are better overall than any other brand that I have tried. The blade grinds and finish are not just good, they are perfect. On all of my Emersons, the lock-up once broken in is perfect, with the liner on the first 1/3 of the tang. - not on some of them, all of them.

Many have moaned about a perceived lack of fit and finish on the handle, when compared with say, Spyderco or Benchmade. In my opinion, such is an apples to oranges comparison. The target market is completely different. Those who want a 'pretty' knife will gravitate to the 'big three'. Those who want a working tool that won't slip around in their hands and carries a warranty that is one of the best in the business, will find Emerson knives quite attractive actually, I know that I do. As a former weapons tech in the Canadian army, I appreciate hardware that is designed for function and longevity, a category that Emerson knives definitely fall within.

I will be the first to admit that Emerson knives are not for everyone - they were never meant to be. However, to those who who have 'heard the call', an Emerson knife is worth every cent.
 
xtestifyx said:
I like the looks of a few Emerson designs. How practical is it on cutting stuff? I say it's not so much an advantage to use a Chisel Ground knife over a Box Cutter. This is coming from someone who has tried using a Chisel Grind CQC7, A100 and a Mini Commander for that purpose. The Chisel Grind acts as an obstacle when you want to cut cardboard

I simply find it's edge to be lacking when the Heat Treat brings it to 56RC where the best edge holding ability comes out at 59-60RC

Quality wise, I cannot agree with some posters that it's fit and finish are close to any Benchmade I've owned. Sure, the handle feels great in the hand and the Liner lock is a ease to use, but the cons outweighs the pros. Knives being compared to are in similar price range: 710, 940, 556

No, I cannot recommend Emerson over Benchmade if your exact usage isn't Self defense or wave opening.
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That^ pretty much sums my opinion about Emerson knives. Good honest post.
 
If you want a knife that is designed to be used as a weapon then Emerson is a good place to go. And most of the designs are pretty great for regular jobs too.

I think the ergos are superb, and I love the size of the things, they come sharp out of the box, and I've never had one break on me.

But really it's the designs and the ergos. Ernie Emerson has a knack for creating amazing designs that fit the hand like a glove!
 
DanBo82 said:
...There is also no question of materials, Ti liners, g-10 scales, bronze washers, and 154cm blade unless otherwise specified...
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I pulled apart an '08 production model a couple pf days ago and I guess they've changed to a steel liner on the non-moving side and nylatron washers. Not sure how I feel about that. I liked the maintenance, worry free, aspects of bronze washers and ti liners.

Anyone know when they changed up their materials?
 
DanBo82 said:
I pulled apart an '08 production model a couple pf days ago and I guess they've changed to a steel liner on the non-moving side and nylatron washers. Not sure how I feel about that. I liked the maintenance, worry free, aspects of bronze washers and ti liners.

Anyone know when they changed up their materials?
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As far as I know, there was a brief period of time where Ernie tried the non locking side in a stainless steel, I think (don't quote me on this) that only lasted a short time and he went back to full titanium due to corrosion complaints and what not.

I know back when I first joined here STR was talking about using a steel non locking side to cut prices down on Emerson Knives, don't know how that turned out, prices still seem the same to me :o
 
Yep that is correct. Reaction to the change was less than favourable and I think Emerson prolly felt its better to stick with the twin ti liners rather than risk losing customers over it.

batosai117 said:
As far as I know, there was a brief period of time where Ernie tried the non locking side in a stainless steel, I think (don't quote me on this) that only lasted a short time and he went back to full titanium due to corrosion complaints and what not.
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batosai117 said:
As far as I know, there was a brief period of time where Ernie tried the non locking side in a stainless steel, I think (don't quote me on this) that only lasted a short time and he went back to full titanium due to corrosion complaints and what not.

I know back when I first joined here STR was talking about using a steel non locking side to cut prices down on Emerson Knives, don't know how that turned out, prices still seem the same to me :o
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As far as I know, they're still stainless steel. I have a 2010 CQC-11 that started corroding on the liners. It's a 300 series (probably 303, from what I learned in a conversation with a custom knifemaker) that is non-magnetic. Had the liner on my 2009 Super Karambit start bending away - that stuff has poor memory.
 
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