Description

Spyderco Dragonfly 2 Emerson Opener C28PGYW2 Closing Knife

One of the disadvantages of compact knives is that they are somewhat more difficult to open with one hand. The Dragonfly 2 Emerson Opener solves this problem by upgrading the popular Dragonfly 2 Lightweight opener with the Emerson Opener – an integrated hook that catches the top of the pocket and automatically opens the blade when the knife is drawn. Featuring FRN’s signature dark gray grip with anti-slip bi-directional texture, this high-speed version of the Dragonfly 2 proudly incorporates all the other defining features of this popular model. Note: Spyderco calls this a dark gray FRN handle, but the actual look is more of a dark blue.

Emerson opener

Ernest Emerson had a profound impact on the knife industry and both the form and function of the modern tactical folding knife. Although the range of his influence is extremely wide, perhaps his most revolutionary innovation was the “Emerson Opener”. Also known as the “Wave Feature” or more colloquially – and inaccurately – “Wave”, it consists of a small integrated hook on the back of the folding knife blade. As the closed knife is tipped and drawn from the pocket, the hook catches on the edge of the pocket and quickly rotates the blade to the open position. If you need to use your pocket knife in a hurry, the Emerson Opener is your fastest choice.

Ernest Emerson’s Knife Path

Ernest Emerson, a native of northern Wisconsin, was born on the 7 March 1955. A gifted athlete in high school, he began his lifelong obsession with 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 graduation, Emerson moved to Southern California with the sole purpose of furthering his martial arts education at the famous Inosanto Martial Arts Academy under the tutelage of Bruce Lee 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. He later also trained in Brazilian Jujitsu under the renowned Royce and Rorion Gracie. During this time, Emerson made a living as a machinist and designer for Hughes Aircraft.

In 1978, while studying Filipino martial arts, Emerson found he needed a balisong, or butterfly knife. Balisongs were not commonly available then, so he decided to make his own. When his classmates saw this, they asked Emerson to make knives for them as well. Balisongs quickly led to fixed blade knives and, after Michael Walker saw a custom LinerLock folder at a gun show, eventually to folding knives. With Walker’s blessing, Emerson began making LinerLock folding knives and soon became a full-time knifemaker. Inspired by his work in the aerospace industry, he incorporated state-of-the-art, high-performance materials and focused on carefully crafted, investment-grade knives.

In the mid 80’s Emerson shifted his focus to more spartan, tactical designs. He also adopted the single-sided chisel grind, a signature feature of the knives of fellow knifemaker Phil Hartsfield, who made knives for members of the West Coast US 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 components quickly became a must-have piece of equipment among the SEALs, and this popularity soon spread to other US and foreign special operations units and elite law enforcement agencies. This later led to collaborations with several leading commercial knife manufacturers and eventually to Emerson Knives, Inc., Emerson’s own 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—with and without Emerson’s blessing—on countless knives over the years. However, the actual invention of this feature was an accident. According to Emerson, the instructors of the US Navy SEALs Combat Fighting Course wanted to develop a specific knife for combat use. One of the features they wanted in the design was a “blade catcher” on the back of the blade to protect the user’s hand. Emerson incorporated this feature into his iconic Commander model, choosing to shape it like a small ocean wave. When he completed the first prototypes of the design, several SEALs from the US Naval Base Coronado came to his workshop to collect them for testing and evaluation.

Shortly after the SEALs left, Emerson pulled out his prototype knife and suddenly realized that as he cleaned his pocket, the “blade catch” had caught 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 this feature opened the blade reliably and very quickly. Just as he had this epiphany, the phone rang in his shop. It was the Coronado SEALs who had just returned to base, began evaluating the knife and discovered the same amazing automatic opening feature as the “blade catcher”.

Because of its shape, Emerson called his invention the “Wave” and applied for a utility patent for it in 1997. That patent #5,878,500 was granted in March 1999, but since another knife and tool company, Leatherman, trademarked “Wave” as it was used on knives, Emerson changed the official term for the term to “wave-shaped opening feature.” He also made it a required feature on all knives his company produced for military and law enforcement jobs .

Spyderco co-founder Sal Glesser, an avid follower of all new developments in the knife industry, appreciated the brilliance of Emerson’s invention and approached him about licensing it for use in select Spyderco designs. In 2006 we released versions of the popular Delica 4 and Endura 4 Lightweights that proudly included our expression of the Emerson opener. To confirm the formal license of this feature, Spyderco engraved Emerson’s patent number on the back of the blade.

Since then, the “wave-shaped opening feature” has appeared on a number of other Spyderco models, including the Rescue 93mm, Endura and Delica Trainers, Matriarch 2, Karahawk, Tropen, and the P’Kal and P’Kal Trainer, which are unique in that include a removable Emerson Opener that screws into the back of the blade. More recently, Emerson’s invention has been incorporated into the Endela Lightweight, Dragonfly 2 and Byrd Cara Cara 2 Lightweight, as well as several exclusive limited edition models, including an expression of the popular Paramilitary 2.

In January 2016, Ernest Emerson was granted US registered trademark #4,879,356 for the iconic, proprietary design of his “Wave Shaped Feature”. Its utility patent expired in 2017, and since then many knives have been made using the Emerson opener without crediting Emerson or his revolutionary innovation. There are also countless improvised devices, blade modifications, and aftermarket accessories that mimic the function of the Emerson opener. But nothing beats the original. To that end, Spyderco continues to officially license this unique feature from Emerson – even after the patent has expired – and is extremely proud of the long-standing friendship we’ve enjoyed with this legendary knife maker.

CORRECT USE OF THE EMERSON OPENER

Edge-U-Cation®

Unlike conventional one-hand opening folding knives or even automatic knives that allow the blade to open quickly after the knife is drawn, the Emerson opener retracts the blade when it clears the pocket, making it the fastest opening method available. However, achieving this speed still requires proper wear and good technique.

As with any new skill, it’s best to start slowly. If possible, use the trainer version of the Emerson Opener first, then move on to the live blade when you feel ready. To prevent property damage or injury to others, always make sure the area around you is clear of people and obstacles before opening the knife. Also, because the Emerson Opener hooks onto the mouth of the pocket, it works best with pants made of solid fabric. Dress pants and other trousers made of light fabrics are not suitable for use with this opening method.

Standard grip:

To draw and open the knife into a standard grip—with the blade protruding from the thumb side of your hand—first make sure it’s configured for tilt carry by attaching a clip to the rear end of the handle. Pin the closed knife to the pocket with the body of the knife inside the pocket and the knife positioned all the way to the back of the pocket. The back of the blade should point backwards.

Reach your thumb as deep as possible into the pocket and point it firmly against the side of the knife handle. At the same time, curl your fingers so that your index finger hooks under the tip of the clasp. Apply pinching pressure between your thumb and fingers to ensure a secure grip on the knife. As you lift the knife up, apply slight backward pressure to keep the back of the blade against the back of the pocket. As the Emerson Opener hooks onto the mouth of the pocket, continue to draw so that your arm extends slightly behind you and the blade safely clears your body to lock in the fully open position.

Practice these movements slowly and carefully until you are completely comfortable with them. Then gradually increase your speed while focusing on safety.

Reverse Grip:

Spyderco knives with Emerson openers can also be configured to retract into a reverse grip, with the blade protruding from the side of the little finger. To configure your knife for this type of draw, install a clip on the rear end of the handle so that the back of the closed blade faces forward when the knife is snapped into the pocket. For best results, snap the knife further forward in your pocket, closer to the center line of your body.

To draw from this position, reach your thumb deep into your pocket and point it against the handle of the knife. When doing this, make sure the web of the thumb is at the back of the grip stock. Place the tips of your index and middle fingers on the base of the clasp and apply pressure between them and your thumb. Hold the handle firmly and pull the knife out of the pocket. As you do this, apply forward pressure to push the back of the closed blade against the front of your pocket. Once the knife clears the pocket, the Emerson opener catches the edge of the pocket and rotates the blade to the open position.

Again, practice these movements slowly and carefully and thoroughly practice them before increasing your speed. In the process, you will find that at least a moderate degree of speed will be required to fully deploy and lock the blade.

Drawing without opening:

If you don’t need to open your knife equipped with an Emerson opener in a hurry, you can also draw it without the automatic opening of the blade. To do this, use the same grip and mechanics as described earlier, but run the knife through the center of the pocket without allowing the hook to catch the mouth of the pocket. You can also use your index finger to apply pressure to the back of the blade and hold it closed as you draw the knife.

The Emerson Opener is a unique feature that significantly increases the speed and ease of deployment of our knives. To make the most of it, remember the Navy SEAL saying, “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.” Take the time to get smooth and fast, it will come naturally.

Specifications
Blade length: 5.8 cm
Length when closed: 8.5 cm
Total length: 14.2 cm
Blade thickness: 0.25 cm
Blade material: VG10 stainless steel
Blade Style: Spear Point
Blade Sharpening: Saber
Surface treatment of the blade: satin
Blade Edge: Smooth
Handle material: Two-way textured FRN
Handle color: dark gray
Locking mechanism: Lockback
Pocket clip: Flip out, left/right wear
Model Number: C28PGYW2
Model Name: Dragonfly 2 Emerson Opener
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37g)
Patented Emerson Wave
Made in Japan