I personally love my Emerson. I have the waved cqc7b, no serrations. When I first got it I babied that thing, but now I abuse it. I have even batoned some LIGHT kindling with it. At first I didn't like the chisel grind, but now I love it. I also have a cold steel Ti-lite Black zytel. I Like that a lot. It's really smooth and also opens up fast like the emerson because of the quillions. My first main folder was the cold steel Recon I spearpoint blade with partial serrations. I do not recommend getting their serrations. From that point on I just get plain blades. The serrations were so fine that they got all jacked up just from whittling. I was trying to use only the plain edge and I was younger at the time so I wasn't as careful as I should have been. Either way, I don't like serrations even though I know they have their place. I really want to get the Emerson horesman next.