SSI Maleficus. Photo courtesy SSI website.

I’m a gun guy. Like most “gun guys”, I tend to focus mostly on guns, with mild amusement found in other forms of self-defense tools. Most “other than guns” items I have come across barely get me to raise an eyebrow, let alone warrant spreading the word among my friends, let alone spreading the word via the internet. However, a few months ago, I came across a custom knife maker who was enough different than others that not only did it catch my eye, intrigue my curiosity, and help lighten my wallet; but it has also proven to be quite functional in my layered protection program. At last count, I had somewhere around  30-40 high end folding knives, another 10-15 fixed blade field knives, and at least 5-10 small fixed blades for concealed carry. Of those, no less than 5 are full custom knives by some of the bigger names in knife making today. Still, none were really so unique as to urge me to spread the word about them. Continue reading →

In the computer world there is an unofficial “law” first coined by Intel co-Founder Gordon E. Moore, that basically states that the amount of semi-conductors placed on a silicon chip (how much information that can be processed) will double every two years. The guys at Surefire must be in to computers, because just as I was getting used to my 500 Lumen fury and my 750 Lumen R1 Lawman, they upset the status quo with the new 1,000 Lumen P3X Tactical. I know that some other companies have crossed the 1,000 Lumen threshold already, but I trust that Surefire is going to work every time I press the button, that’s not something I can say of some of the after market add ons and competitors that I’ve had experience with. Continue reading →

Emerson CQC7 and CQC8 showing their wear from use, as they should.

I remember growing up watching my grandfather pull out his Case pocket knife regularly to do any myriad of tasks. I remember getting my first pocket knife and carrying it with me everywhere I was allowed and some places I wasn’t. A knife in your pocket just becomes part of your routine, just like carrying a wallet or your car keys. Fast forward to joining the military and getting to my first command, I was introduced to Emerson knives. Half my platoon seemed to carry them, all well worn and treated like prized possessions. Of course wanting to emulate my mentors I purchased my first Emerson knife about eight years ago and haven’t looked back. I have been issued, carried and used knives from just about every quality manufacturer out there, each one making its way into my pocket for a short time only to be replaced by an Emerson again.

Known as one of the elite hard-use knives on the market, Ernest Emerson started Emerson knives in 1979 and since the company has grown to its current state. Offering a large variety of different size and style folding and fixed blade knives, Emerson’s style shows their intent for their knives to be used with their black handles and basic finish options. While Ernest still makes full custom knives, the company focuses on their factory offerings. Emerson also runs a training center for self defense both with knives and without. Another thing emerson is known for is their patented “wave” feature, which is a hook on top of the blade allowing for one handed opening when drawing from a pocket or pouch. All their factory offerings feature G10 epoxy handles, 154cm steel blades and Titanium locks. Finishes offered are black and satin blades with most models being offered in serrated and non serrated versions. Recent developments has led Emerson to do a Multi-tool as well called the EDC, adding to their line and offering another great option to the market owned by Leatherman, SOG and Gerber.

I have owned at least six different emerson knives in the last eight years, sadly losing a couple over time. Currently I’m running a CQC7 and CQC8 with black blades on a regular rotation depending what i’m doing. The CQC7 is a medium sized tanto folding knife and the smallest of my Emersons but seems to be the one I tend to carry the most. Their slim profile allows for very comfortable daily carry. This is a big thing for me as many “hard use” knives on today’s market seem to be built so if you attached a chain to them you could use them as a boat anchor. This is not the case with Emersons, even their larger models are slim and fairly light making daily carry painless. I cannot say enough good things about their customer service, always being treated amazingly well. I will never say a company is the ONLY way to go but an Emerson Knife will be a regular companion of mine for the foreseeable future. New “high speed” knives come to the market regularly touting feature or options that nobody even knew they needed. The true test is to put out a product that lasts and built for a very demanding end user. Emerson has been and will continue to be used by the worlds elite military and law enforcement units for that reason.

For more information:

http://emersonknives.com

I must admit, I first learned of the Lone Wolf Distributors Armorer Tool/Knife by seeing a banner advertisement on our buddy Caleb’s website GunNuts.Net. In short, this tool is really a modified Spyderco Endura 4, with an Emerson Wave Opener and a 3/32-inch punch built into it. At first blush, it doesn’t seem like much, but this is truly the knife that any gun person should always have on them, especially on the practice range.

All my 1911s are set up so that they can be disassembled without tools, but the punch makes it significantly easier to disassemble the slide. This comes in handy when I need to make a quick adjustment of extractor tension, which happens much more frequently than I would like. Glock people also know that this size punch will completely take down their favorite pistol. Having the punch built into an everyday carry knife ensures this handy punch size will be with you at all times. Continue reading →