[brantley65]

Almost bought an Emerson and may still, but I have some serious question about the liner locks. This will be an EDC and backup to my CCW HK USP C 40 cal.

[krept]

I'd recommend the Commander. Liner locks are very strong if made right and IMO Emerson does it right for that price range.

cheers

[Gabe]

I had a Commander, great design but the lockup is not nearly as durable as it should be, I cannot recommend it.

Get a Al Mar SERE 2000, or Microtech LCC, you won't regret it.

[Jim March]

In the "barely under 4" class", get a Benchmade AFCK Axis-lock in either D2 or M2 steel and be done with it. Might run considerably less than your stated price range.

If you can go past 4", the Camillus Maxx in the blade pattern of your choice is the way to go.

[Phantom Warrior]

Sorry, had to get that out of my system. If you are looking for a quality folder, a Benchmade would be an excellent choice. The main criticism of Benchmades is that they tend to be more expensive. But since you are willing to pay up to $150, you can easily afford a Benchmade.
I like Benchmades because they are tough, well made, razor sharp from the factory, and easy to open and close one-handed. Benchmades are generally in the same category for knives as SIGs are for guns. Excellent reputation for a mass-produced item. Benchmade will even resharpen their knives for life, just pay the shipping to send it to them. I got four of mine resharpened this fall for the $5 it cost to mail them in. Benchmade even ships them back. They even resharpened the one that got wrecked trying to cut the steel belt off a tire (don't ask). Came back fit to shave with.
To cut a long story short, they're good knives and I recommend them whole-heartedly.
Whatever you decided, knifecenter.com usually has really good prices on knives. Just handle the knife in real life before you buy. Don't repeat my mistake!

[Skunkabilly]

Are you going to be using it for utility or just defense (tactical)? Do the liners give out even if you don't apply pressure downwards on the blade? :confused:

I have a Mini-Commander. Got it for $135. Fits my paws better than the Commander.

[krept]

I'd like to hear more about the bum liners on the Emerson. A while back I fiddled with a commander that was all beat to hell and lock was nice and sturdy. This is the first I've heard of any problems whether on here, BFC or USN. Admittedly, I wasn't looking for such posts but I'd think if the design was giving out, he'd fix it. Now on my Spyderco Endura OTOH, I've been squeezing hard to cut serious stuff and twice now the way my mit gripped it I unlocked the blade, once resulting in a pretty good cut. I've always been under the impression that linger locks are very sturdy.

thanks and cheers

[hso]

Liner locks are secure if and only if they are properly made so that the angled face of the liner mates with the angled face of the tang. This is easier said than done, or "what" is easy "HOW" is difficult and execution is most important. The locking liner is at least as old as the Case electrician's knife with it's brass locking liner. Along comes Michael Walker and he "gets" that the faces need to be in intimate contact and the only way to do that is to angle the faces that contact in mirror symetry to each other (it's actually a little better to have one face oh-so-slightly steeper than the other).

What's this mean? If you don't get the faces angled properly and then get them in very close contact with each other (oh, and the materials need to tack to each other as well) you get an unreliable liner lock. Difficult to manufacture properly and very dependent on the precision of manufacturing.

Since there have been QA problems with the Emerson's from time to time (and Microtechs and others) the consistancy and thereby reliability of the locks can be off. From everything I've read lately this seems to have been cleared up, but you want to look hard at any liner lock to make sure that there is no play between the faces.

[Skunkabilly]

I played with an Emerson Karambit trainer that was literally beat to heck (it was Steve Tarani's) and I wouldn't be surprised if it had tens of thousands of openings and closings and whacks and thwacks to it. The liner failed pretty easily.

I still bought an Emerson Karambit. If you really want to be sure, give it a really strong test whack to the back every now and then. I'm sure it shortens the life of the knife, but that way you can be sure that it won't collapse under THAT much force. If it does, toss it and get another one...expensive, but I look at knives the same as I do boots.

[TheeBadOne]

Beleive it or not, that's one of the main things I look at in a knife now days. I've bent quite a few. (yes, I'm hard on stuff :D ) The clip has to be metal and it has to be TUFF.

[David]

If you want a great EDC knife, and if you don't mind spending well UNDER $100, consider the Benchmade Griptilian!

:D :neener: :D

To date, it is the best EDC knife I have owned.

[hso]

For those of you that like the wave there is another thread here where a member has waved his Spyderco. $50 Spyde + $10 work = expensive knife.

Heck, even if you didn't want to carry such a frankenstein it'd be a fun project to do.

[Nightcrawler]

Maybe it's just 'cause I"m not a knife person, but I can't fathom spending $170.00 for a folding pocket knife. Especially since I lost my last one shovelling horse crap at my mom's farm. (And before that I bent the pocket clip diving into the prone in battle rattle during drill one weekend.)

I guess I just can't have nice things...

[SteelyDan]

The Benchmade Griptillian [sp?] really is a nice knife, for a lot less money.

[Ohen Cepel]

Emerson Commander with the Wave.

[Joe Talmadge]

I feel the Axis AFCK is the finest production knife available in that price range. Hell, it's the best production fighter available at any price, IMO. Agree with the critiques here of the Emersons -- I don't trust liner locks generally, and I've seen and read of too many suspect Emerson liner locks to be comfortable with it.

Joe

[Jim March]

Joe and I agree - in the 4" combat folder class, the Axis AFCK dominates.

There's nothing better at any price.

[MK11]

I was bored the other night and did some light bang tests on my folders. Everything passed except my barely used Emerson Mach 1, which failed shockingly easily. Don't have any experience with the Commander (which is a step up) but now my Mach 1 is just for lookin'. Too bad too, I love the way it handles.

Love my Griptillian. I also really like the Gerber Applegate/Fairbain (sp?) Covert and Columbia River Point Guard, but the fact that you don't have to move another lock lever puts the Axis lock ahead in my opinion.

[krept]

:(

after doing some research it looks like there is a difference in liner thickness of older commanders vs. newer commanders??? Guess I played with the older ones. Why on earth they would change them I have no idea. What a bummer, I thought these things were all as rock solid as that one. Guess I'll save for a Strider.

cheers

[45R]

Go Benchmade and you'll never be disappointed. I had a 99 dated Emerson and I was always re-adjusting the pivot screws on a weekly basis. I'd stick with BM. If you set on an Emerson give it a really good QC check before you take one home. my 2 cents....

[Skunkabilly]

You're right about the loose screw on the emerson. It's irritating esp I carry IWB 40 hours a week. Skunky doesn't like being fixed. :uhoh:

The Wave sure is :cool: though!

[ChuteTheMall]

Given the $150 budget, I'd get a Spyderco Endura and two Spyderco Delicas. Carry at least two of the three daily. At least one of the three should be at least partially serrated, and at least one of the three should be carried on the offside.

http://www.stupid-boy.com/smilies/contrib/edoom/samurai.gif

[MikeK]

Another vote for a Benchmade. Spyderco would be a close second. Just my personal preference. The axis lock was the clincher for me. For more information than you may be able to digest visit www.bladeforums.com

They also have links to discount Internet knife sellers. I purchased my BM 705 for 1/3 off retail ($100 vs $150)

[ruger357]

Another vote for Benchmade. I have two and love them both.