My CQC-10 arrived today (Review with pics)

[David Lowry]

Well this is my first Emerson knife. I love it. In the past I had heard that sometimes they are "gritty" or the fit and finish are not that great etc. Some people say they are not worth the money. I have to admit that I was very skeptical and I wasn't sure I wanted to pay about $160 for this knife but I said "gotta do it at least once" and so I bought a Satin Finish PE CQC-10.

I love it. Tonight I got home from work and I got it out of the box and put it right in my pocket. At first I noticed the clip was a little too tight but I bent it out a tiny bit, and then ended up bending it out too far. I removed the clip and bent it back a tad and now it's all set. The clip is reinstalled and has blue Loctite on the screw threads now.

I am glad I got the satin finish. I got tired of black finishes and needed to go with just a nice steel color. This is a 2009 model so I don't know if the satin finish is different than the older models or not. I like it though. It reminds me a lot of the stonewashed finish that the Benchmade Doug Ritter grips have.

I have tried about 30 different liner locking knives from most of the major production manufacturers. I have tried many locks and usually I don't like liner locks. I have seen personally every folding lock type fail except one. The Spyderco Compression Lock. Out of all the liner locks I have tried there have been only two knives that would allow me to "white knuckle" the handle and NOT have the lock move or unlock partially. One is a Spyderco Military and the other is this Emerson CQC-10. This is truly a badass knife. This will not be my last Emerson.

It's probably THE most comfortable handle I have ever held. I love the thick G10 slabs. They are just like Spyderco in that they are very grippy and have a nice check pattern to them. The liner lock side liner is thicker than the other side.

The one thing I do think is really genius is the 2nd ball detent on the non-locking side of the knife. You can see it sticking out of the liner a little bit. I think this helps keep the knife closed and also keeps the blade centered.

Really just an awesome knife.

Oh.......and I love the jimping on the finger part of the rear of the handle. Feels great.

I'm going to have to work on taking out of my pocket without waving it open. I don't want to wave it open every time. I'm sure it comes with practice.......like everything else.

I'm sure I'll think of more after I post this but.......I think that's how it goes.

Great knife!!! :eek:


http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/EmersonCQC-103.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/EmersonCQC-104.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/EmersonCQC-105.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/EmersonCQC-102.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/CQC-10Emerson9.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/CQC-10Emerson8.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/CQC-10Emerson7.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/CQC-10Emerson4.jpg

[David Lowry]

More pics......

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/CQC-10Emerson5.jpg

Sweet Beeeefy Lockup!!!
http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/CQC-10Emerson1.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/ServerMechanic/Emerson%20Knives/CQC-10Emerson6.jpg

[Dr. Snubnose]

Really Nice grinds...super looking...enjoy the new knife...Doc:D:D

[Daniel]

Great looking knife and photos!

[untamed]

Thanks for sharing and congrats on an awesome EDC!

Yep, the "10" definitely is tops of the 3 or 4 designs I really like from Emerson (I know a gun/knife nut over here who has one and loves it to bits!)

The familiar opening "hole", a functional blade shape and grind (none of that chisel grind), good handle ergo's. What's not to like? Nice to hear lock security is right-up there as I'm also not too fond of liner locks.

[Monocrom]

Excellent pics.

Where did you order the knife from?

[224477]

Awesome pics Dave, congrats on the EKI, this is one of their designs I could live with. ;)

[MCM]

Great knife!
Plus your dealing with a super nice guy.
Welcome to the world of quality liner locks!

[RobertoP]

Great pics ;)
expecially, in my opinion, the close up of the blade with the DOF going on..

[spydutch]

Congrats and enjoy David:cool:

That sure is one beast of a knife:)

[hickster]

Nice!
I got to handle a CQC-10 the other day. It was a black blade, CE. Smooth knife! Seeing your satin plain edge has put one on my "buy list". Fantastic grinds, great overall design and finish. You're right, Emerson has "cracked the code" on the liner lock and put it up there with Spyderco's execution of the design.
I may have to get one before I commit to one of my "grail" Spyders: A PE, 440V Terzuola Starmate!:eek:
...but I really want a Starmate.:p
hickster

[jujigatame]

Nothing better than being really happy with a new knife. :) I think the more you use it the more you'll like it David. I hadn't seen one with the new stonewash finish and swedge cut before. Looks really nice.

[CombatGrappler]

I really like that spear point blade! Their tanto stuff doesn't really do it for me, but that spear point is nice. I might pick one of those up at some point. There are a few more Spydies I need first, though.

[Simple Man]

I'm still keeping my eye on the A100 or Mini A100, it reminds me of the old Terzuolas.

The other Emerson's don't go much for me.

[oregon]

Outstanding knife on all fronts. Beautiful.

Many thanks for the close-up pics.

It looks like the thumb hole rim was chamfered. How do you find opening it with your thumb? Does your thumb find as good of a purchase on the chamfered oval as on the sharp rim circular Spyderco thumb hole?

Excellent review. Keep us posted.

oregon

[SimpleIsGood229]

Very well done, David. Is the CQC-10 chisel-ground? It looks like it, but I can't tell for sure.

Either way, that liner lock does look very nice. Maybe I should pick up one of those Emerson things...:D

[David Lowry]

Excellent pics.

Where did you order the knife from?

Thanks man. Roger at Knifeworks.com (great dude)


Great pics ;)
expecially, in my opinion, the close up of the blade with the DOF going on..

What is "DOF"?


Outstanding knife on all fronts. Beautiful.

Many thanks for the close-up pics.

It looks like the thumb hole rim was chamfered. How do you find opening it with your thumb? Does your thumb find as good of a purchase on the chamfered oval as on the sharp rim circular Spyderco thumb hole?

Excellent review. Keep us posted.

oregon

Oregon,

My thumb does not find as good of purchase as it does on a Spyderco. It's not really the fact that the oval hole is champfered as much as the hole is kind of buried in the handle. I can open it no problems but it might be an issue with gloves. Plus....I've just been waving it open out of the pocket. ;)




Very well done, David. Is the CQC-10 chisel-ground? It looks like it, but I can't tell for sure.

Either way, that liner lock does look very nice. Maybe I should pick up one of those Emerson things...:D

The blade has a primary "V" grind that is equal on both sides. However the front is the only side sharpened. SO I guess it's "chisel sharpened". :D It's not like a CQC-7 which has a completely flat backside.



----more thoughts----

Thanks again so much everyone for the compliments on my review and pics.

There's just something different about the knife. Something that I've never felt in a Spyderco or Benchmade or anything else. It's hefty for sure and it just seems like it is quite "hard use". I mean the blade is the same thickness all the way to within about 3/8" of the tip. I realize that maybe liner locks in general may not be "hard use" and I do realize that the Emerson motto is a marketing tag line. I'm sure there are some smaller lighter Spydies that have stronger locks.

Regardless......just something I can't put my finger on that makes you feel very attached to the knife and want to keep it like a good friend. Weird....yeah I know. I have had similar feelings with Spydies but not like this. Can't really put it into words yet.

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/474/thumbsupt.gif

[duff72]

Nice choice- I have #14 black blade and carried it for years. mine doesn't have that swedge on top. I like it- hope you enjoy it

[mrappraisit]

David, Nice Knife! Good pictures as well.

I think what RobertoP was talking about was Depth Of Field (DOF) A couple of your pictures display DOF, it's when the foreground is blurry and the background is not.

[Cheagle]

very nice!

[StuntDouble]

That's a nice looking CQC-10 David. I never gave that model much thought until I saw your pictures.

I still wish Emerson would start putting conventional v-edges on their knives.I can get my 7A pretty darn sharp, but I find it a bit more difficult than the conventionally edged knives.

[Monocrom]

Thanks man. Roger at Knifeworks.com (great dude).

Thanks for the response. :)

[miyamotomusashi]

I'm glad you got a good one. I received my first Emerson the other day, and my experience was the complete opposite of yours. I guess it's just a luck of the draw with those things. Yours looks like what I wished mine did.

[Unsub]

I have found that if you get the right Emerson it is like a perfect fit or they can be a total disappointment. Still I do think once you find that magic one it is well worth it.
I really like the spear point blade and the A100's blade shape as well.
I had a commander with the wave and did not like it trying to neuter me but now I have an unwaved CQC7b I love.

My CQC7b is the partially serrated tanto and is just such an iconic late90's tactical folder that I love it. I know right now a lot of you find the Partially serrated american tanto tacky and ugly but I say it is sso tacky and ugly it is actually cool just like an El Camino.

I only have 2 liner locks ,a S30v/G10 Military and the CQC7b. Liner locks are great so long as they are hand fitted titanium. Cheap production versions are crap not because they are liner locks but because they are crap.
The Emerson CQC7b is a fair bit smaller than the Military but it is heavier because it has 2 full tang ti liners while the Military has only what ti it needs and most of the handle is G10.


I took this pic to show the change in style for tactical knives over the last few years.
The Stainless fully serrated Police was state of the art back in the day and holds up pretty good even now. The CQC7 has all the bells and whistles of the late 1990's ,chisel grind ,tanto ,satin bead blast or black blade ,liner lock and partial serrations.
The Military is very much the modern version of the Police with a full height PE grind ,G10/S30V and better ergos.
http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd337/Unsubb/P4050029.jpg