EK brand knives

B

Brazito

Joined
Aug 24, 2010
Messages
15
Are these knives not worthy of ownership? I see no mention of them in the general index and little to no mention with a search. What's up with that?
 
I own 2.1 stiletto and 1 bowie.both exceptional knives both in quality and fit and finish.Very no nonsense and bare bones.Just a full tang blade,guard,and a wrapped or scale(micarta or hardwood) handle.
 
I have one, was just curious why so little mention of them here. I'll post a pic later.
 
DSC00034.jpg

I especially like this one.
 
Way back in the day...30, maybe 40 years ago, John Ek (I hope I've got his name right) employed dissabled combat veterans almost exclusively making heavy duty, rough service field knives that, at the time, he would only sell to member of the active duty military. I don't think he had a predjudice against civilians he was just so dedicated to the servicemen that he did not want civilians competing with servicemen in terms of taking up space on his wait list or whatever. You gotta remember, that apart from the basic KaBar and Camillus, 1970 was not a year that was particularly notable for what we'd call "tactical" knife offerings in the market place. 99% of fixed blade were one or another type of "hunting" knife. So these full tang (and in 1970 they were all cord wrapped) heavy duty, basically indestructible knives were all made and sold to servicemen, many of whom went to Viet Nam.

Mr. Ek was a dedicated supporter of the US Armed Forces and his policies and products exhibited that. Lots of double edged blades, etc.

I only discovered the Ek brand was still around very recently. So that is the history as best I can recall it. I was 12 in 1970 but I really wanted an Ek.
 
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Brazito, I own one and I love it. I have a "first generation" Richmond M4. EK headquarters is just down the road from me and I love the history of it. Sorry for the crappy pic. :grumpy:
P6020237.jpg
 
Mine is from the 1990s when Ek knives were made by Blackjack in Effingham, Illinois.

Although not particularly useful, it's quite a treat to fondle. :D

As I recall, they were available in two grades; the nicer ones had brass guards.

Price of this one on closeout, $29.95. That was a lot of money back then, over a half-day's pay. Now... I'd buy a truckload for that price.

EkPB-5W.jpg
 
Now that looks like my knife!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just couldn't believe there was so much mention of all these other brands but no EK!!! I love my EK bowie commando SF-5 50th anniversary edition knife. I paid $99.95 for mine and would buy a truckload for that price today.
 
Bob W said:
Mine is from the 1990s when Ek knives were made by Blackjack in Effingham, Illinois.

Although not particularly useful, it's quite a treat to fondle. :D

As I recall, they were available in two grades; the nicer ones had brass guards.

Price of this one on closeout, $29.95. That was a lot of money back then, over a half-day's pay. Now... I'd buy a truckload for that price.

EkPB-5W.jpg
Click to expand...

I have a model 5 combat Bowie like this one but it's sterile, I use it all the time as a heavy duty outdoors/camp knife, I love it.
 
I didn't figure he meant "sterile" in the reproductive sense... but maybe cleaned really well, or having the paracord removed for food prep...

Oops.
 
I own three Ek knives. Picked two of them up while playing OPFOR a few years ago in Pineland (Effinghams). Picked another up on the boards - a Magnum hunter. Ek Knives have always been the user level version of a Randall. John Ek made service knives for servicemen in world war two. He keptthe price low and the function high. Since then they have been made by a few companies and carried from Korea to Vietnam to Grenada to the First Crusade and through the war on terror. My favorite version is an improved version of the M3 trench knife. I also have the newer bowie version (kinda like an improved USN MK2).

When compared to their Randall counterparts they may come up lacking in fit or finish. In actual use they cut the same stuff and stay just as sharp.
 
OldSar

That's they way I remember Ek knives from back in the day. Maybe some did have scales 'cause I remember those big rivets.
 
I used to want a Ek ,also. They definitely made them with wood scales with scallops. Their version of a contured grip.
 
EKs can still fetch a pretty decent price. One of the major issues that I see is the amount of knock offs being passed as original. I'm not an expert but I do have some knowledge of them. I was lucky to meet (and get a knife from) one of the past VP's of EK. He imparted a lot of good stories and information, I just shut up and listened. Again, I think if people knew the history of the knives, and had the opportunity to use them, they would be more popular. A buddy of mine introduced me to them a "few" years ago and that was it...i'm a fan. Thanks for the great thread Brazito.
Dan
 
SPATHA said:
I own three Ek knives. Picked two of them up while playing OPFOR a few years ago in Pineland (Effinghams). Picked another up on the boards - a Magnum hunter. Ek Knives have always been the user level version of a Randall. John Ek made service knives for servicemen in world war two. He keptthe price low and the function high. Since then they have been made by a few companies and carried from Korea to Vietnam to Grenada to the First Crusade and through the war on terror. My favorite version is an improved version of the M3 trench knife. I also have the newer bowie version (kinda like an improved USN MK2).

When compared to their Randall counterparts they may come up lacking in fit or finish. In actual use they cut the same stuff and stay just as sharp.
Click to expand...

:jerkit:good post
 
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