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Pros: Blade Material, Ease of Opening, Handle Feel, Handle Material, Lock Ease of Use, Lock Type, Overall Quality
Cons: Blade Sharpness, Pocket Clip, Weight
Fantastic Design with some quirks
Generally excellent. The blade didn't come especially sharp, and it's a tricky shape to sharpen...however the tip is extremely piercing and strong, and that's the primary factor in the style of this knife. It is devastating in slashing strikes on soft targets. That is its purpose, so its form has followed function. There are a variety of ways you can hold it and for my hand most have decent lock-in. If you train, I think you can always grip it in a way (using the ring or not) that makes it very difficult for someone else to take from you. The Emerson wave is oversized and extremely easy to use, even if the weapon is already in reverse grip and outside a pocket...I can open it on my sweatshirt's stomach pocket or even athletic pants pocket if I'm already holding it. Cons: The pocket clip is not very well integrated into the design. It's also a bit thin and shifty, resembling the pocket clip of pen. It works and doesn't mess up any grips, but it feels like an afterthought. I will see if I can find an aftermarket replacement. Additionally, the frame-lock bar creates hotspots in certain grips...not really an issue because this isn't working knife, but stands out because everything else is so well thought-out. If you keep a finger in the ring though (which you should), then your hand is probably not interfacing with the sharp points of the lock.