I have owned several folding knives that became favorites for various reasons. Sometimes it is a functional feature, other times aesthetic. With Emerson’s CQC-7BW it all boils down to that incredible chisel ground ‘B’ blade and Tanto style point. It wraps everything I want out of a blade into one – durability, design, and function.
Good for cutting, piercing, and hacking – my CQC-7 blade features a black finish (also available in a satin finish). It measures 3.3 inches in length with a thickness of .125 inches, and it is comprised of 154 CM stainless steel with a hardness of 57-59 RC. Overall knife length is 8.0 inches, while the handle is 4.65 inches long. The handle features a simple but good looking black G-10 epoxy and glass laminate that provides excellent grip and comfort. The knife is weighted very well at 4 ounces and virtually disappears in my pocket.
The wave feature is one that I have experience with due to owning some Emerson designed Kershaw knives, and for a self-defense weapon, it functions perfectly for me. The liner lock is made of an advertised “Aerospace grade” titanium and is built to last. When drawing from my pocket it opens crisply and with little effort. When wearing in my waistline, one-handed opening of the knife requires a bit more effort than other folders I have with SpeedSafe or auto-opening functions. Still, if carried in a pocket as intended this knife really can’t be beaten in its own class.
One feature I noticed on this knife that I really like is that the blade has one sharpened side while the other is flat. It makes sharpening the knife very easy. The straight lines on the edge also make sharpening easier than most of my curved-edge blades. Serrations can be added to the blade for an extra $5, but my personal preference is without. Overall this knife requires minimal maintenance while offering an incredibly effective EDC knife.
Cost of this knife starts at $201.95. Check out the CQC-7 line at the Emerson site.
