For those of you that follow me know that I have done quite a few knife reviews for the Loadout Room. In order to get accurate information into your hands requires me to carry the knives and actually use them. When I’m not testing and evaluating a knife more often than not I’ve got an Emerson Knife in my pocket, specifically my CQC-7. I own several other Emerson Knives and carry them from time to time, but my default carry is the tried and true CQC-7. The ‘7’ as it is called is damn near the perfect size and weight for everyday carry. I even carry the knife when I’m wearing gym shorts (I clip it inside the waistband) and due to the weight of the blade it does not cause the waistline of the shorts to sag at all. The pocket clip is strong and keeps the knife secure, but not so strong that it requires extra effort to deploy. Because of the simple design, quality of materials used, and its overall bad-ass reputation I have absolutely no doubt in my mind this knife will perform when it’s called upon to do so.

The author's Emerson CQC-7
The author’s Emerson CQC-7

Emerson Knives has a strong history with our military (Navy SEALs to be more specific). Owner, Ernest Emerson, attributes his success to the Navy SEALs. By having such a demanding customer early on forced him to evolve his knife designs into something they could use and rely on in hostile environments.

Watch the following video to get a glimpse into the history of Emerson Knives and a cool story about his encounter with Navy SEAL Team 6.

This article was originally published on the Loadout Room and written by