EK brand knives

[t1mpani]

:jerkit:good post

I can't even come close to understanding the reason for your attitude or your desire to resurrect this old thread in order to display it. Were you bothered by an owner of this brand of knives offering an opinion of them, the opinion he posted or perhaps the short history of the knives? I've read his post about twenty times now and am not finding the slightest thing for an adult to take issue with.


Anyway, since it has been resurrected, my own experience with EK knives has been mixed, but positive of late. The Effingham era blades seemed to be produced as lower-grade knives when compared to the Blackjack Randall-copies the same outfit was simultaneously producing. Many EKs of that period had wildly uneven grinds, guards that didn't fit particularly well, and handles that were seemingly left unfinished. I've seen other examples from that same period that were really very nice knives, but it seems to have been hit and miss. Now, of course, John Ek's original knives were DEFINITELY not beautiful knives and weren't trying to be, so my comments about the Effingham products is not comparative, just observational.

Now, the current maker in Virginia is turning out very nicely finished versions of the Ek patterns---probably the nicest to date. While the steel they use is difficult to find any information on, and stainless too (which I typically don't care for in a medium/large fixed blade knife) I do have to admit that my #5 bowies from them (yes, was so happy with the first that I bought more) are tough, prone neither to blunting or chipping even under impact, while at the same time holding their edge well in abrasive cutting tasks. Fit and finish is very good, grinds are clean and even, and the overall package is just a simple design, extremely well executed. I will say that those with large hands may end up having to make new scales if they plan on using these as utility knives, as the factory handle profile is definitely fighter-oriented and about as wide as it is thick.

 

[22-rimfire]

My first "survival" knife was an EK Commando Bowie G-5 and the first $100+ knife I purchased in 1990. Always liked that blade. The Randall's came next. The EK has never cut anything and still resides in its original box. Survival knives were a fantasy for me and its use reflects that fantasy. It is not the kind of knife I would take camping. But I believe it is a pretty well made knife.

 

[riversidedep]

I owned one of the dagger models back in the early 90s when they were made by Blackjack. It had a green nylon sheath and a green cord-wrapped handle. Fit and finish if I recall correctly was excellent. It is one of the few knives I've ever owned that I sold. Nothing wrong with the knife, I just didn't like the cord-wrapped handle. It was the first and last cord-wrapped handle knife I ever owned.

 

[GRIM 62]

I bought an Ek dagger in the late 80s.It had a black cord wrapped handle and black nylon sheath.Was never really fond of the knife,although I still have it.The sheath houses an Applegate/Fairbane Dagger,and the knife resides in a box somewhere.I bought the knife because of an article in Fighting Knives Magazine.