Ek Commando steel ID??

C

C-J-G

Joined
Jan 7, 2005
Messages
22
G'day, how are we all? I'm new to the forum ( not to knives, just the forum ). Need a bit of technical help. I have a John Ek Commando knife ( desert tan in colour, thick forward bending crossguard, bead blasted blade with Desert Storm and John Ek commando knife logo's, also has Handmade by the Ek Commando Knife company - Richmond, VA etc on an olive drab label on the back of the sheath ) which I bought from a collector out here a while ago but have not been able to determine the steel type ( obviously stainless, but what type ) and hardness, heat treatment type etc. Can anyone help?? Your replies will be very much appreciated. Thanks.

C-J-G
 
Moved to General Knife Discussion.

Gus

Welcome to Blade Forums. I hope you enjoy it here at least as much as I do!
 
I'd like to know too. What model Ek is this? (1 and 3 (guarded) are daggers with the top edge going only 1/2 way, 2/4 are true double edges going all the way to the hilt, 5 is the bowie)
The effingham ones are 440C
 
Its the number 5 bowie blade profile. It seems to want to rust more readily than the other knives that I have in bead blasted stainless.
 
Whatever the maker, Ek has always been adamant about using stainless resistant steel. In the early days, stainless was a little more prone to rust than modern.
Your Desert Storm was made approximately 1993 just either just before or right after the whole Effingham and Richmond split. The Richmond ones use Sandvik steel (I don't remember which one specifically but if you do a search, you might find it.)

As long is you wash it with a mild soap or detergent, rinse off whatever acidic or saline sibstance the blade might come into contact with, and wipe it dry, you won't have to worry about rust.
 
Thankyou MelancholyMutt ( spelling? ). I have been wanting that question answered for a while. There isn't that much online about Ek knives ( unless you can point me in the right direction ). I cannot seem to find any archives or websites dedicated soley to Ek products. Thankyou again for the reply. Hope I can return the favour.

Bye for now. :)
 
I been collecting Ek knives since I was thirteen...
I currently have about 20 Ek #5's after liquidating all the other models I had accumilated. (I decided that I only liked the #5's)

Now, I'm no expert, but I know a little bit about them so I'll certainly try to answer any questions you may have... Also, posting your questions in Bernard Levine's Forum will bring out guys who know a bit more.

Here's Ek's website if you want to check it out...
Ekknife.com
 
The Richmond versions were 440C, but I have heard that the Effingham version were a lower grade of 440 stainless, probably 440A. ??? Who knows for sure.
 
The Ek's were advertised 440C and 12c27 during the Richmond years. A few months ago on Knifeforums.com, Mike Stewart was asked about steel used in the Ek line. He listed six or seven. The ones I remember mentioned specifically were 440A, 440C, 12c27, AUS-8.

He sorta implied that you probably could not figure out which steel was in which knife even if you wanted to. Atleast that's the way I read it.

:).
 
I had an ek bowie that was 440c, but that was in the early 90's and Im not sure about any others.
 
My old Cutlery Shoppe catalogs show the Richmond, VA. steel to be: HCS-1718

Some say this is equivalent to 440C (AUS-8A?), but that has not been confirmed (to my knowledge).

Regards,
Mike
 
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