In the grand scheme of pocket knife designs, its easy to get caught up in the obvious details, like the blade shape, knife steel, handle materials and even locking mechanisms. But sometimes, what you might think of as minutiae can make a huge difference in your EDC blade’s functionality.
Perhaps nowhere is this more true than with Emerson’s patented, twice-trademarked Wave deployment mechanism. This relatively tiny, seemingly innocuous addition allows you to extract and open your folding knife in one fell swoop.
It also holds the crown as the fastest deployment mechanism in the world. Yes, it’s even faster than automatic knives. Best of all, it was invented by accident.
Origin of the species
To find the origin of the Emerson Wave, we have to go back to the release of the brand’s first-ever flipper knife, released in 2015.
Designed in collaboration with author and Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, the Sheepdog remains one of Emerson’s most enduring, recognized and respected offerings. The first knife ever to feature the Emerson Wave deployment employs that mechanism to this day.