Emerson horseman knife (Mini CQC-8)
Review Summary
As a Tactical knife: 8/10
As a EDC knife: 5/10
Ergonomics: 9/10
Design: 8/10
Quality: 5/10 (At least for this one I got, I have one other Emerson knife model with much better quality)
Material: 7/10
Deployment: 8/10
Value: 6/10
Specifications
• Overall length: 8.35’’
• Blade length: 3.54’’
• Weight: 5.25 Oz
• Blade material: 154CM
• Handle material: G10 with stainless steel support liner and titanium locking liner
• Locking mechanism: liner lock
• Place of origin: USA
• Price paid: 285 NZD/204 USD (Currency conversion rate: 0.8057 USD = 1 NZD) retail price in New Zealand.
Positive points:
• Very fast deployment with Emerson wave opening (If well trained) –Faster than even most fixed blades which often require extra retention.
• Excellent ergonomics due to well-designed handle contour and thick handle
• Chisel ground – Some may find easier to sharpen, especially in the field.
• Strong clip point tip.
• Excellent and unique look, very cool.
• Long lasting black finish on blade ~ Cerakote, won’t easily wear off.
• Wave can serve as a blade catcher (Although a little small to work that well perhaps, but better having it than not)
• Screws used are very easy to adjust if needed. (Especially the pivot screw can be adjusted using even a coin)
• Slime design for the size of the knife, fit in pocket nicely with other objects.
• Traction on G10 is excellent.
• Big finger guard and thumb ramp, making the knife well designed for trusting attack.
• Nylatron washers designed for low friction movement, knife becomes very smooth once broken in. (Nylatron is made by impregnating Nylon with molybdenum disulfide lubricating powder. Molybdenum disulfide is very low on friction.)
Negative points:
• Heavy for its size-5.25Oz. (Endura 3.4 Oz) No mill-out on liners to reduce weight.
• Knife come in with very tight pivot, either customer has to be patient to break it in or loosen the pivot screw and readjust the pivot tension.
• Relatively high price for the material used and the process involved to make the knife.
• Liner lock is really not considered a super high strength lock, especially when Emerson knives acclaim their knives are the “world’s No1 hard use knives”. Blades are not made to be particularly thick either. (3.22 mm or 0.125inch)
• This particular one I got has a various quality problems:
1. One of the three pocket clip screw was not screwed on properly, and when I tightened it slightly, it stripped the thread.
2. The pocket clip can now move around if pushed.
3. There are two detents on the liners(both detents are pretty weak), one of them does not actually match the hole on the knife. Making the knife very easy to be open by accident once broken in.
4. One other screw on the standoff was loose just out of box.
• Emerson wave opening system requires practice, and even with practice, during stressful situations it may open only half way, making it even harder or more dangerous to open fully.
• G10 will wear out the paint pocket really quickly, the Emerson wave opening system is also very hash on pocket.
• Servicing the knife is very much pain ~ Emerson company require customer to send in the knife, which costs especially more for overseas customers.
• Pocket clip is not for left hand carry unless customer requested it and pay 25 dollars.
• Small lanyard hole.
• G10 handle scale will become smooth, this means the traction will reduce more or less too.
• This particular blade did not come very sharp. The grind angle was probablly around 40 degrees, making it hard to slice though material, ~ I struggle to even cut though a cable tie with it. Regrinding recommended.
• Blade stock/primary grind is quite thick for everyday use any ways.
• I found the chisel grind hard to sharpen unless you are used to sharpening knives the conventional way (I like to sharpening the knife on a wetstone with the edge facing me, this can not be done with this chisel grind set up) User should be given a choice which way they like to sharpen their knife.
• The titanium alloyed locking liner is not reinforced to decrease the wear.
Post time: Jun-13-2017