.gif)
Commander (knife)
Encyclopedia
The Commander is a large recurve folding knife made by Emerson Knives, Inc.
that was based on a custom design, the ES1-M, by Ernest Emerson
that he originally built for a West Coast Navy SEAL Team. It was winner of the Blade Magazine
Overall Knife of the Year Award for 1999.
ST-9: a knife designed with the blade in line for reverse grip or sabre grip fighting. This knife became popular among the British SAS and the US Navy SEALs, however the SEALs wanted something more aggressive so Emerson developed the SSDS model: a larger, hooked blade with a serrated, doubled-edged spine. This blade's profile resembled the horn of a Rhinoceros
and its more popular name is the Rhino. The blade folded below the level of the handle scales so the user could not be cut by this extra edge, a small hole drilled through both handle scales and liners allowed the blade to be held in place so it would not open on a parachute
jump and cause harm to the operator. Although the knife functioned perfectly in the field, its final design was too extreme for the Navy.
During this same period, Emerson was working on a SERE (Survival, Escape, Resistance, and Evasion) folding knife for troops at Fort Bragg
. When officers from Naval Special Warfare saw this knife they felt that with a few small changes such as the addition of a blade-catcher, it would suit their needs: the final result was dubbed the ES1-M. A civilian version was made and called the ES1-C; this model did not include the blade-catcher.
In field-testing it was realized that the blade-catcher would open the knife when drawn from the pocket. Emerson modified this design and secured a patent for it in March 1999. This mechanism is known as the Wave and the knife was added to the production line of Emerson's new factory and was called "The Commander". The Commander was the winner of the Blade Magazine Overall Knife of the Year Award for 1999.
The Emerson Commander was the third model manufactured by Emerson Knives, Inc.
The earliest run in 1998 is one of the most sought-after production models by collectors, as the majority of the work from waterjet
cutting the liners to grinding the blade
s was performed by hand, by Emerson himself. In 2000, Emerson Knives offered a larger version based on the original size of the ES1-M and called it the "Super Commander" as well as a 10% downsized version dubbed the "Mini Commander". The first runs of Super Commanders were made as limited editions for Triple Aught Design (TAD) Gear of San Francisco and featured the company's logo on the reverse side of the blade. In 2005 the Super Commander became a regular model in the company's lineup.
In 2006 Emerson released a Commander with a larger clip-point blade and no recurve. This model was specifically made for the hunting
market as a skinning knife. Its designation is the CQC-16. In 2009, at the annual Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia, Emerson announced a collaboration with Kershaw Knives
to manufacture an automatic
version of the Commander. At the 2010 SHOT Show
in Las Vegas, NV, Emerson unveiled the UBR Commander, a 10% scaled-up version of the Super Commander.
of 57-59 RC. The handle is 5.0" long making the knife 8.75" inches in length when opened. The blade steel is Crucible's 154 CM and is .125" thick, although CPM S30V steel
, ATS-34, Damascus steel
, and Titanium
with a carbide edge have been used. The butt-end of the knife features a hole for tying a lanyard
. Some models are made with partially serrated blades to aid in the cutting of seatbelts or webbing.
The handle material of the Commander is composed of two titanium liners utilizing a Walker linerlock
and a double detent as the locking mechanism. The reasons for using titanium as a linerlock material were due to its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. The handle's scales are made from black G-10 Fiberglass, although models were made for a few years utilizing green G-10 and limited runs have been made with a desert tan color. A pocket clip held in place by three screws allows the knife to be clipped to a pocket, web-gear, or MOLLE
.
Each model is equipped with Emerson's Wave opening mechanism, aside from one-off versions that lacked it. The Wave is a small hook on the spine of the blade designed to catch the edge of a user's pocket. The blade opens as the knife is drawn.
The Mini Commander is built to the same specifications except the blade is 3.4" in length and 8.0" overall. Likewise, the Super Commander has a 4.0" blade and is 9.5" in overall length.
and was used by the character of Zak in the 1998 movie The Placebo Effect. The knife is written about in the military and spy novels of Dennis Chalker
and Marcus Wynne.
Emerson Knives, Inc.
Emerson Knives, Inc. is a production knife company founded in 1996 by custom knifemaker Ernest Emerson in an effort to mass produce his folding knife designs for the US Military and Collector markets.-History:...
that was based on a custom design, the ES1-M, by Ernest Emerson
Ernest Emerson
Ernest R. Emerson is an American custom knifemaker, martial artist, and edged-weapons expert. Originally an engineer and machinist in the aerospace industry, Emerson became a knifemaker known for making decorative knives but later became better known for his combat knives, eventually founding a...
that he originally built for a West Coast Navy SEAL Team. It was winner of the Blade Magazine
Blade (magazine)
Blade is a long-running consumer magazine about knife collecting.First published in 1973 under the title American Blade by Southern House Publishing Co. with Blackie Collins as the editor, the magazine's title was changed to Blade in 1982 after its purchase by Jim Parker and Bruce Voyles...
Overall Knife of the Year Award for 1999.
History
The Commander has its origins with Emerson's CQC-8 or "Banana" folding fighting knife based on the Bob Taylor Warrior and the Bill MoranWilliam F. Moran
William F. Moran Jr. or Bill Moran was a knifemaker who founded the American Bladesmith Society and reintroduced the process of making pattern welded steel to modern knife making. Moran's knives were sought after by celebrities and heads-of-state. The "William F...
ST-9: a knife designed with the blade in line for reverse grip or sabre grip fighting. This knife became popular among the British SAS and the US Navy SEALs, however the SEALs wanted something more aggressive so Emerson developed the SSDS model: a larger, hooked blade with a serrated, doubled-edged spine. This blade's profile resembled the horn of a Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
and its more popular name is the Rhino. The blade folded below the level of the handle scales so the user could not be cut by this extra edge, a small hole drilled through both handle scales and liners allowed the blade to be held in place so it would not open on a parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
jump and cause harm to the operator. Although the knife functioned perfectly in the field, its final design was too extreme for the Navy.
During this same period, Emerson was working on a SERE (Survival, Escape, Resistance, and Evasion) folding knife for troops at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (North Carolina)
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
. When officers from Naval Special Warfare saw this knife they felt that with a few small changes such as the addition of a blade-catcher, it would suit their needs: the final result was dubbed the ES1-M. A civilian version was made and called the ES1-C; this model did not include the blade-catcher.
In field-testing it was realized that the blade-catcher would open the knife when drawn from the pocket. Emerson modified this design and secured a patent for it in March 1999. This mechanism is known as the Wave and the knife was added to the production line of Emerson's new factory and was called "The Commander". The Commander was the winner of the Blade Magazine Overall Knife of the Year Award for 1999.
The Emerson Commander was the third model manufactured by Emerson Knives, Inc.
Emerson Knives, Inc.
Emerson Knives, Inc. is a production knife company founded in 1996 by custom knifemaker Ernest Emerson in an effort to mass produce his folding knife designs for the US Military and Collector markets.-History:...
The earliest run in 1998 is one of the most sought-after production models by collectors, as the majority of the work from waterjet
Water jet cutter
A water jet cutter, also known as a waterjet, is a tool capable of slicing into metal or other materials using a jet of water at high velocity and pressure, or a mixture of water and an abrasive substance. The process is essentially the same as water erosion found in nature but greatly accelerated...
cutting the liners to grinding the blade
Blade
A blade is that portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with a cutting edge and/or a pointed tip that is designed to cut and/or puncture, stab, slash, chop, slice, thrust, or scrape animate or inanimate surfaces or materials...
s was performed by hand, by Emerson himself. In 2000, Emerson Knives offered a larger version based on the original size of the ES1-M and called it the "Super Commander" as well as a 10% downsized version dubbed the "Mini Commander". The first runs of Super Commanders were made as limited editions for Triple Aught Design (TAD) Gear of San Francisco and featured the company's logo on the reverse side of the blade. In 2005 the Super Commander became a regular model in the company's lineup.
In 2006 Emerson released a Commander with a larger clip-point blade and no recurve. This model was specifically made for the hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
market as a skinning knife. Its designation is the CQC-16. In 2009, at the annual Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia, Emerson announced a collaboration with Kershaw Knives
Kershaw Knives
Kershaw Knives is a multinational corporation that designs and manufactures a range of knives, including kitchen cutlery, pocket knives, and outdoor knives...
to manufacture an automatic
Switchblade
A switchblade is a type of knife with a folding or sliding blade contained in the handle which is opened automatically by a spring when a button, lever, or switch on the handle or bolster is activated A switchblade (also known as an automatic knife, pushbutton knife, switch, Sprenger, Springer,...
version of the Commander. At the 2010 SHOT Show
SHOT Show
The ' is an annual tradeshow for the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry. It is the biggest event of this type in the world together with IWA & OutdoorClassics , also taking place annually. "SHOT", besides being a general reference to shooting, is an acronym for "Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor...
in Las Vegas, NV, Emerson unveiled the UBR Commander, a 10% scaled-up version of the Super Commander.
Specifications
The Commander features a recurve shaped blade that is 3.75" long and hardened to a Rockwell hardnessRockwell scale
The Rockwell scale is a hardness scale based on the indentation hardness of a material. The Rockwell test determines the hardness by measuring the depth of penetration of an indenter under a large load compared to the penetration made by a preload. There are different scales, denoted by a single...
of 57-59 RC. The handle is 5.0" long making the knife 8.75" inches in length when opened. The blade steel is Crucible's 154 CM and is .125" thick, although CPM S30V steel
CPM S30V steel
CPM S30V is a martensitic powder-made wear and corrosion resistant stainless steel developed by Dick Barber of Crucible Materials Corporation in collaboration with knifemaker Chris Reeve. Its chemistry promotes the formation and even distribution of vanadium carbides, which are harder and more...
, ATS-34, Damascus steel
Damascus steel
Damascus steel was a term used by several Western cultures from the Medieval period onward to describe a type of steel used in swordmaking from about 300 BCE to 1700 CE. These swords are characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water...
, and Titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
with a carbide edge have been used. The butt-end of the knife features a hole for tying a lanyard
Lanyard
A lanyard is a rope or cord exclusively worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Usually it is used where there is a risk of losing the object or to ensure it is visible at all times. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects...
. Some models are made with partially serrated blades to aid in the cutting of seatbelts or webbing.
The handle material of the Commander is composed of two titanium liners utilizing a Walker linerlock
Walker Linerlock
The Walker Linerlock is a locking system developed by custom knifemaker Michael Walker in 1980 for use on folding knives.When the blade of the knife is in the opened position, it is held in place by a leaf spring that butts up against the tang of the blade to prevent the blade from closing...
and a double detent as the locking mechanism. The reasons for using titanium as a linerlock material were due to its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. The handle's scales are made from black G-10 Fiberglass, although models were made for a few years utilizing green G-10 and limited runs have been made with a desert tan color. A pocket clip held in place by three screws allows the knife to be clipped to a pocket, web-gear, or MOLLE
Mölle
Mölle is a locality situated in Höganäs Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 725 inhabitants in 2005.It is best known for its scenic harbour and its location adjacent to the Kullaberg Nature Reserve...
.
Each model is equipped with Emerson's Wave opening mechanism, aside from one-off versions that lacked it. The Wave is a small hook on the spine of the blade designed to catch the edge of a user's pocket. The blade opens as the knife is drawn.
The Mini Commander is built to the same specifications except the blade is 3.4" in length and 8.0" overall. Likewise, the Super Commander has a 4.0" blade and is 9.5" in overall length.
In the media
The Commander was featured in the short-lived UPN television series Soldier of Fortune, Inc.Soldier of Fortune, Inc.
Soldier of Fortune, Inc. was a television show created by Dan Gordon which ran for two seasons, from 1997-1999...
and was used by the character of Zak in the 1998 movie The Placebo Effect. The knife is written about in the military and spy novels of Dennis Chalker
Dennis Chalker
Dennis Chalker is a retired Navy SEAL, inventor and author who has written six books about the United States Navy SEALs.-Career:Chalker began his military service with the U.S. Army, serving in the 82nd Airborne Division. Upon discharge he tried his hand at a few civilian jobs and found them less...
and Marcus Wynne.