Kershaw Emerson CQC-2K Knife Review

The Kershaw Emerson collaboration series features classic Emerson style knives with the production quality of a Kershaw.  With the release of the CQC-2K stinger knife, you get a quick deploying blade, a comfortable handle that ensures a solid grip, as well as a unique opening system.

The 2 3/4″ blade on this knife boasts a modified clip point with a slight recurve.  The recurve makes pull cuts a breeze especially when cutting straps, rope and string.  The outward curve of the belly “holds” the item to be cut and allows the blade to slice through it with greater ease when making pull cuts.  The clip point gives greater strength to the tip of the blade when making piercing cuts.

The blade on this Kershaw knife is 8Cr13MoV stainless steel with a black oxide coat that gives even more corrosion and wear resistance to an already great blade steel.  The blade will be relatively easy to sharpen—I would call it an 9 of 10 on ease of sharpening scale– and should keep a fine edge under heavy use for a reasonable amount of time.  Sharpening the blade will require a small bit of skill to sharpen along the recurve edge.  The recurve isn’t overly aggressive and shouldn’t present much of a problem to any but the absolute novice knife sharpener.

Blade locks in place with a seriously secure frame lock.  The pivot pin can be adjusted with a normal flat screwdriver.  The knife comes a bit stiff out of the box.  I actually prefer this on a manual folder so that the blade doesn’t flop open without cause.  You can loosen the pivot a bit and make it for a “looser” open if you prefer.  The blade does have a ball detent that keeps it “locked” in place when the blade is in the closed position.

To open the blade with the Emerson “wave feature” you just the knife out of your pocket and at the same time pull it backwards toward the area behind you.  As you do this, the “wave feature” hook catches on the edge of your pocket and pulls the blade into the open and frame locked position.  Done properly, this method of pocket retrieval® is simple and quick.  In fact, done right this knife opens faster than most automatic knives because the blade is deployed as soon as you have it fully out of your pocket as opposed to most auto knives that require you to withdraw them from your pocket and then press the fire button.

The handle has a black G10 front scale and a 410 black oxide finished back scale.  There is a nice, deep yet gentle finger groove for your forefinger that is followed by a long curve for the rest of your fingers.  This is a relatively small knife which means that for someone with extremely large hands it may feel too small.  For average to large hands the size should be just right.  Some mild jimping is found on the spine of the handle scales for a bit of extra grip.

Tip up right or left pocket clip.  Lanyard hole for alternate carry.

This knife is specifically shaped for serious slicing and piercing.  A fantastic EDC knife for anyone who wants a well built knife that is easy to use and has serious power.  Check out the Kershaw Emerson CQC-2K on our website here and let me know what you think of it below.

SPECIFICATIONS: 

• Designed by Emerson, built by Kershaw
• Thumb disk; “waved shaped opening feature”
• Manual opening
• Frame lock
• Reversible pocketclip (left/right)
• Steel: 8Cr13MoV, black-oxide coating
• Handle: Textured G-10 front, 410 black-oxide coated back
• Blade length: 2.75 in. (7 cm)
• Closed length: 3.6 in. (9.1 cm)
• Weight: 2.8 oz. (79.4 g)