If you want the quickest possible opening
for your Matriarch 2, the Matriarch 2 with an Emerson Opening feature is
just the ticket. The integral hook on the back of the blade snags the
corner of your pocket as the knife is drawn, smoothly opening the blade
as the knife clears the pocket.
The original Spyderco Matriarch
was inspired by a request from our South African distributor for a more
economical version of the Civilian. The Matriarch 2 is the latest
expression of that concept, combining the Civilian’s aggressive blade
shape and Reverse "S" edge profile with the lightweight handle
construction of the best-selling Endura4. The result is a knife that
provides extreme cutting performance in a convenient, lightweight
package. Its SpyderEdge VG-10 stainless steel blade is scientifically
designed to maximize cutting performance and its sturdy back lock
mechanism, four-position clip, and Trademark Round Hole ensure unmatched
carry versatility and high-speed opening with either hand.
The Emerson Opener
Ernest
Emerson has had a profound impact on the cutlery industry and both the
form and function of the modern tactical folding knife. Although the
scope of his influence is extremely broad, perhaps his most
revolutionary innovation was the "Emerson Opener." Also known as the
"Wave-Shaped Feature" or more colloquially—and inaccurately—the "Wave,"
it consists of a small integral hook on the spine of a folding knife
blade. When the closed knife is carried tip-up and drawn from the
pocket, the hook snags on the lip of the pocket and swiftly rotates the
blade into the open position. If you need to use your folding knife in a
hurry, the Emerson Opener is hands down your quickest option.
Ernest Emerson's Knifemaking Journey
A
native of northern Wisconsin, Ernest Emerson was born on March 7, 1955.
He was a gifted athlete in high school and began his lifelong obsession
with the martial arts at age 16 by training in Yudo, the Korean version
of Judo. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse and earned
degrees in physical education and world history, as well as a brown belt
in Kyokushinkai Karate and a black belt in Shotokan Karate.
Immediately
after graduating, Emerson moved to Southern California with the sole
purpose of furthering his martial arts education at the famed Inosanto
Academy of Martial Arts under Bruce Lee's protégés Dan Inosanto and
Richard Bustillo. There he studied the Filipino art of Kali and Bruce
Lee's systems of Jun Fan Gung Fu and Jeet Kune Do. Later, he also
trained in Brazilian Jujitsu under the acclaimed Royce and Rorion
Gracie. During this time, Emerson made his living as a machine operator
and design engineer for Hughes Aircraft.
In 1978, as part of his
study of the Filipino martial arts, Emerson found himself in need of a
balisong, or butterfly knife. Balisongs were not widely available back
then, so he opted to make his own. When his fellow students saw it, they
asked Emerson to make knives for them as well. Balisongs quickly led to
fixed-blade knives and, after seeing a Michael Walker custom LinerLock
folder at a gun show, ultimately folding knives. With Walker's blessing,
Emerson began making LinerLock folding knives and soon found himself a
full-time knifemaker. Drawing inspiration from his work in the aerospace
industry, he incorporated state-of-the-art, high-performance materials
and concentrated on meticulously crafted, investment-quality knives.
In
the mid-1980s, Emerson shifted his focus to more spartan, tactically
oriented designs. He also adopted the single-sided chisel grind—a
signature element of the knives of fellow custom knifemaker Phil
Hartsfield, who had been making knives for members of the West Coast
U.S. Navy SEALs. When the SEALs asked Hartsfield to make folding knives,
he explained that he only made fixed blades and introduced them to
Emerson. Emerson's folders quickly became must-have kit among the SEALs,
and that popularity soon spread to other U.S. and foreign special
operations units and elite law enforcement agencies. It later led to
collaborations with several leading commercial knife manufacturers and
ultimately to Emerson Knives, Inc., Emerson's own production knife
company, which he founded with his wife Mary.
Emerson's legendary
designs have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the
Smithsonian Museum—an unprecedented achievement for a knifemaker—and his
knives continue to be trusted by some of the world's most elite
warriors.
The Birth of the Emerson Opener
The
Emerson Opener is one of the most dynamic knife-related innovations
ever developed and has been used—both with and without Emerson's
blessing—on countless knives over the years. The actual invention of
this feature, however, was an accident. According to Emerson, the
instructors of the U.S. Navy SEALs Combat Fighting Course wanted to
develop a specific knife for combat use. One of the features they wanted
on the design was a "blade catcher" on the spine of the blade to
protect the user's hand. Emerson incorporated the feature on his iconic
Commander model and decided to shape it like a small ocean wave. When he
had finished the initial prototypes of the design, several SEALs from
U.S. Naval Base Coronado drove up to his shop to pick them up for test
and evaluation. Emerson delivered the knives to them but kept one for
his own testing.
Shortly after the SEALs left, Emerson drew his
prototype knife and suddenly realized that, as it cleared his pocket,
the "blade catcher" snagged and partially opened the blade. At first, he
was concerned that it might be a safety issue, but as he repeated the
experiment with more vigor, he realized that the feature opened the
blade reliably and very quickly. Just as he had this epiphany, the phone
in his shop rang. It was the SEALs from Coronado, who had just returned
to base, started evaluating the knife, and discovered the same amazing
auto-opening function of the “blade catcher."
Because of its
shape, Emerson called his invention the "Wave" and applied for a utility
patent on it in 1997. That patent, #5,878,500, was granted in March
1999, but since another knife and tool company, Leatherman, had
trademarked the name “Wave" as it applied to knives, Emerson changed the
official term for it to the "wave-shaped opening feature." He also made
it a required element of all the knives his company produced for
military and law enforcement contracts.
Spyderco co-founder Sal
Glesser, a keen follower of all new developments in the knife industry,
appreciated the brilliance of Emerson's invention and approached him
about the possibility of licensing it for use on select Spyderco
designs. In 2006, we released versions of the popular Delica 4 and
Endura 4 Lightweights that proudly incorporated our expression of the
Emerson Opener. To acknowledge Spyderco's formal licensing of the
feature, they engraved Emerson's patent number on the reverse side of
the blade.
Since then, the "wave-shaped opening feature" has been
showcased on a number of other Spyderco models, including the Rescue
93mm, Endura and Delica Trainers, the Matriarch 2, the Karahawk, the
Tropen, and the P'Kal and P'Kal Trainer, which are unique in that they
include a removeable Emerson Opener that screws into the spine of the
blade. More recently, Emerson's invention has been incorporated on the
Endela Lightweight, Dragonfly 2, and byrd Cara Cara 2 Lightweight, as
well as several limited-edition Exclusive models, including expressions
of the popular Paramilitary 2.
In January 2016, Ernest Emerson
was granted U.S. registered trademark #4,879,356 for the iconic,
proprietary design of his "Wave Shaped Feature." His utility patent
expired in 2017, and since then many knives have been produced using the
Emerson Opener without attribution to Emerson or his revolutionary
innovation. There are also countless improvised devices, blade
modifications, and aftermarket accessories out there that emulate the
function of the Emerson Opener. Nothing, however, beats the original. To
that end, Spyderco continues to officially license this unique feature
from Emerson—even after the patent expiration—and is extremely proud of
the longstanding friendship we have enjoyed with this legendary
knifemaker.
PROPER USE OF THE EMERSON OPENER
Edge-U-Cation®
Unlike
conventional one-hand-opening folding knives or even automatic knives,
which allow the blade to be opened quickly after the knife is drawn, the
Emerson Opener deploys the blade as it clears the pocket and is
therefore the fastest opening method available. Achieving that speed,
however, still requires proper carry and good technique.
Like
learning any new skill, it's best to start off slowly. If possible, use a
trainer version of your Emerson Opener knife at first and then progress
to a live blade when you feel you're ready. To prevent property damage
or injury to others, always ensure that the area around you is clear of
people and obstructions before attempting to open your knife. Also,
because the Emerson Opener hooks onto the pocket mouth, it works best
with pants made from sturdy fabric. Dress pants and other pants made
from light fabrics are not suitable for use with this opening method.
Standard-Grip Draw:
To
draw and open your knife to a standard grip—so the blade extends from
the thumb side of your hand—first ensure that it is configured for
tip-up carry by mounting the clip to the butt end of the handle. Clip
the closed knife to your pocket with the body of the knife inside the
pocket and knife positioned all the way to the back of the pocket. The
spine of the blade should face to the rear.
Reach your thumb into
the pocket as deeply as possible and index it firmly against the side
of the knife's handle. At the same time, curl your fingers so your index
finger hooks under the tip of the clip. Apply a pinching pressure
between your thumb and fingers to establish a secure grip on the knife.
As you lift the knife upward, apply slight rearward pressure to keep the
spine of the blade against the rear of your pocket. As the Emerson
Opener hooks on the pocket mouth, continue your draw so your arm extends
slightly behind you and the blade clears your body safely to lock in
the fully opened position.
Practice these movements slowly and
carefully until you are thoroughly comfortable with them. Then,
gradually increase your speed while maintaining your focus on safety.
Reverse-Grip Draw:
Spyderco
knives with Emerson Openers can also be configured so they can be drawn
into a reverse grip, with the blade extending from the little-finger
side of the hand. To configure your knife for this type of draw, mount
the clip to the butt end of the handle so the spine of the closed blade
faces forward when the knife is clipped in your pocket. For best
results, clip the knife further forward in your pocket, closer to your
body's centerline.
To draw from this position, reach your thumb
deep into your pocket and index it against the handle of the knife. As
you do, ensure that the web of your thumb is to the rear of the butt of
the handle. Place the fingertips of your index and middle fingers on the
base of the clip and apply a pinching pressure between them and your
thumb. Maintain a firm grip on the handle and lift the knife out of your
pocket. As you do, apply forward pressure to slide the spine of the
closed blade against the front portion of your pocket. As the knife
clears the pocket, the Emerson Opener will snag the pocket edge to pivot
the blade into the open position.
Again, practice these
movements slowly and carefully and become thoroughly comfortable with
them before you increase your speed. In the process, you'll find that al
least a moderate degree of speed will be necessary to deploy and lock
the blade fully.
Drawing without Opening:
If
you don't need to open your Emerson Opener-equipped knife in a hurry,
you can also draw it without automatically opening the blade. To do
this, use the same grip and mechanics described previously, but draw the
knife through the middle of the pocket without allowing the hook to
snag the pocket mouth. You can also use your index finger to apply
pressure against the spine of the blade, holding it closed as you draw
the knife.
The Emerson Opener is a unique feature that
significantly enhances the speed and ease of deployment of our knives.
To make the most of it, remember the Navy SEAL adage: "Slow is smooth
and smooth is fast." Take the time to get smooth and fast will come
naturally.
Specifications
- Closed: 4.98" (126 mm)
- Overall: 8.5" (217 mm)
- Blade: 3.57" (91 mm)
- Edge: 3.27" (83 mm)
- Blade Thickness: 0.118" (3.0 mm)
- Blade Hole Diameter: 0.46"
- Steel: VG-10
- Handle Material: Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon (FRN)
- Weight: 3.5 oz. (99 g)
- Grind: Hollow
- Clip: 4-position / Ambidextrous
- Made in Japan
