Emerson EDC2 tool

[David Bowen]

Emerson knives have been a dominating force in the knife industry since 2000 and everyone from military to civilians depend on their knives. Ernest Emerson over the years has collaborated with different people and has produced some incredible knives as a result. One of those calibrations is with Multitasker tools; a  company which manufactures tools for AR15 military rifles. Emerson approached Multitasker and said they were interested in producing a multitool to compliment their lineup, Emerson and Multitasker sort of occupy the same market so it was a no brainer. The result was a tool that was basic in function and a great addition to any EDC.



The original EDC was Emerson's first multitool; it featured a flat driver, phillips driver, awl and the iconic wave feature for opening the main blade. Those new to Emerson may not know what the wave is. Emerson knives have a hook on the spine of their knives that allow the knife to catch on your pocket when being pulled out. This allows the user to open the blade very fast and without the use of your thumb. The EDC tool also featured a pry bar/wrench that was removable and could be stored on the side of the tool.  The EDC sold rather well for Emerson and Multitasker was asked to make some requested changes to the design and the result is the EDC 2.

The EDC 2 is an improvement on the original and has even shed some weight by removing the addition pry tool. The drivers on the tool are locked into place via a patented lock design similar to a pocket knife and can be locked at either 90 or 180 degrees. The flat driver has a hollow ground edge and fits a majority of flat heads. The phillips driver is what I call a 2.5D head, it's a modified 2D head so that it resembles a regular phillips and can fit better than most 2D styles. The phillips is more a #1 style rather than a #2. I found the head fit most phillips screws but would not bite into some of the #2 style. Having the ability to lock these drivers at 90 or 180 come in handy when you need to apply some torque to the screw.





The main blade is a design by Ernest Emerson and is featured on the Commander line of knives. The blade features a deep belly and comes with the waved feature on the spine of the blade. Removing the tool from your pocket and pulling back towards the seam allows the hook to catch and will snap the blade open. The blade features a typical "V" grind which is good for your average Joe because Emerson typically has a chisel style grind which I have a hard time keeping as sharp. The blade is made from 440C stainless steel, not a high end steel but for a backup or utility blade you don't need anything that's high end and hard to sharpen.



The last tool on the EDC is the awl; there is much debate on our forums about who actually uses an awl and what purposes they use them for. The awl is a great tool used for reaming a hole in wood, leather or other material. It works great for scoring wood when taking measurements, etc. It appears limited in function but it's only limited by your imagination. I remember before this tool came out I did some tests on various awls for Multitasker to see which designs work better than others. I was pleased to see this style made the cut and ended up being featured on this excellent tool.


The tool carries easy in your pocket thanks to the Emerson style pocket clip. The tool rides pretty deep in your pocket and is held tightly by the wire clip. The G10 handles provide a significant amount grip; not only does it keep the tool in your pocket but in your hand when in use.

The tool is a real tough tool which is built for the long haul. The tools are precision cut using wire EDM and PVD coated. The end result is a tool that has very close tolerances and will not get scratched or worn easily. I love the fact that is screams Emerson and looks a lot like my Emerson mini A100 knife. This tool is like a Swiss Army knife on steroids and is a testament to the quality of Emerson and Multitasker tools.

If your looking for an excellent tool to compliment your other tools or just a tool to handle everyday chores the EDC2 is an excellent choice.

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[Poncho65]

Great review Dave I love the tool compliment but wished they had put a PE blade in instead of the combo blade It certainly looks like a well made knife/tool and the awl looks great and the 2D-ish Phillips looks pretty well made as well

[David Bowen]

The combo edge is something that is the demise of many a blade.  I have a love hate relationship with serrations.  If done properly they can be very useful but put them in the wrong place or use the wrong style and it kills the usefulness of the blade.  The drivers combined with ability to lock them at different angles is really cool. 

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[styx]

I can only echo what Poncho said. Really hope they eventually make a plain edge version

[LoopCutter]

For me, a EDC 'TOOL' is not complete without a serrated edge. 
Of course if a second blade was added, then tool would be not practical for pocket carry.
With that blade design it would seen very versatile for many urban/suburban tasks. 

If consideration is given toward a plain edge, I think a tango designed blade would be perfect for me, as I used my cqc7 for scraping and edging task frequently. 

Just my ideas worth about 0.00$


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[Kampfer]

A tactical Tinker!

I always have interest in the EDC2 but never pull the trigger on it due to the price tag.
The biggest issue I have with it is the blade length. It is waved so mean to be use in SD, a 2.7" blade is not a whole lot to do with.

[David Bowen]

I've used it as a general utility and backup blade to what I'm normally carrying. I love the extra belly on it but the lack of a dedicated point like spear or drop point styles hinders the performance somewhat.

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[AimlessWanderer]

Nice review David 

I am totally the wrong person for this knife, and dislike many of it's characteristics. However, I can see that it could be a good tool for the right person. Thanks for taking the time to do this excellent write up  Nice pics too 

[LoopCutter]

just checked Emersonknives.com and found that a plain edge is an option, also nowi in tan as well.

[Sea Monster]

Nice write up mate


I was keen until I saw the price tag 


It looks to be a decent tool, it really does - but at those dollary-doos it is competing with a LM Charge or MUT.


I'd be hard pressed to justify this against a Vic OHT (Or Centurion...) for < 1/3 the price.


(and since neither my LM nor my Vic have proved inadequate to the task, there's no room in my inventory for a fancy tactical upgrade )

[styx]

For me, a EDC 'TOOL' is not complete without a serrated edge. 
Of course if a second blade was added, then tool would be not practical for pocket carry.
With that blade design it would seen very versatile for many urban/suburban tasks. 

If consideration is given toward a plain edge, I think a tango designed blade would be perfect for me, as I used my cqc7 for scraping and edging task frequently. 

Just my ideas worth about 0.00$


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I think you're the definition of minority when it comes to blades. Although a tanto rough user paired up with a nice SAK is an interesting thought

[LoopCutter]

For me, a EDC 'TOOL' is not complete without a serrated edge. 
Of course if a second blade was added, then tool would be not practical for pocket carry.
With that blade design it would seen very versatile for many urban/suburban tasks. 

If consideration is given toward a plain edge, I think a tango designed blade would be perfect for me, as I used my cqc7 for scraping and edging task frequently. 

Just my ideas worth about 0.00$


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I think you're the definition of minority when it comes to blades. Although a tanto rough user paired up with a nice SAK is an interesting thought

I seem to always be in the minority.

I too, prefer a sharp plain edge on my knife.  On a multi-tool, in addition to PE a serrated edge makes a great utility blade for seat belts, ropes, vines, cardboard, etc. 
so if only one edge is offered a dual style makes sense.

For me it is always the purpose planned.


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[Poncho65]

just checked Emersonknives.com and found that a plain edge is an option, also nowi in tan as well.

(Image removed from quote.)

Not that is more to my liking But yes the price is a bit of a reach for me as well May watch for one to pop up on the bay after being gently used by someone

[Grant Lamontagne]

Is it just me or is this just a tactical-ized Swiss Army Knife?

I think I'd rather stick with a SAK.  I can't imagine this thing is that affordable?

Def

[Kampfer]

Is it just me or is this just a tactical-ized Swiss Army Knife?

I think I'd rather stick with a SAK.  I can't imagine this thing is that affordable?

Def

A tactical Tinker!

For the price of one EDC2, one could get 5~6 Tinkers.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Is it just me or is this just a tactical-ized Swiss Army Knife?

I think I'd rather stick with a SAK.  I can't imagine this thing is that affordable?

Def

A tactical Tinker!

For the price of one EDC2, one could get 5~6 Tinkers.

Yup, I'll stick with 1 Tinker over this thing.  Not my cup of tea.  I'm sure I could make a Tinker look ninja-ish for a lot less.... and be a lot more useful.

Def

[King_Gorilla]

I really loved the look of the first Emerson EDC.  The price was the only thing that kept me from buying one. 

I was extremely disappointed when I saw that the EDC2 had dropped the pry bar and the bottle opener and then ditched the PE blade for a combo blade. 

so sad