EKA knives, opinions?

J

JayAndersson

Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Messages
84
I have the Nordic T8 (folder). I like this knife and I use it all the time. For the last year or so this small folder is actually the only knife I use with some regularity.

I am now thinking about getting the Nordic H8 (fixed blade), has anyone here experience with it? Are there better offers out there, I tend to get a little home-blind when it comes to knives.

What's your general view on the EKA knifes?

We get some of the US knifes over here but not a lot so I have limited experience with them.

BTW: Check their combined gutter/knife called Nordic E8 Combi. If I was a hunter I'd get one right away.

Link: http://www.eka-knivar.se/index.asp?lang=UK

//Jay
 
I have a T8 and a Mauser from EKA. IMHO you can't go wrong with their knives. They make a great product. Check out ragweedforge.com for good prices on EKA knives.
 
Hi, Jay. I've been considering the H8 myself, and so bought one of the EKA compact folders just to see what I thought of the steel, maybe get a feel for EKA's products generally. IMO it's a well-made and innovative product. EKA's blade grind in particular is excellent, full flat and quite thin behind the edge, and with a full distal taper. I assume the H8's grind would be similar.

Interestingly I was doing some more testing of this knife yesterday and found that with a slightly more obtuse edge geometry than I had been using -- had been at 10 degs/side with a 15 deg. microbevel, increased that to 12 and 17 respectively -- edge retention is radically improved. So if this knife is typical, EKA seems to give their blades a high quality heat treatment, as it shows better edge retention cutting cardboard than Spyderco's VG-10, Bark River's A2, and even the Frosts laminated carbon steel blades I have.

Sorry I can't comment directly on the H8, although I have read comments on bushcraft forums that the ergonomics are very good, with many users commenting that the bubinga wood handle is unusually comfortable and "warm" feeling.

I'm wondering how this compares with your T8? I assume you have more than a bit of experience with Scandinavian knives, would like to hear your thoughts on some of the different makes sometime.
 
Yes the grind on the H8 and the T8 is similar, the two are very similar overall. That is why I'm actually hesitating, lack of imagination I guess, T8 is great and I'm pretty sure that H8 will be equally great. It's a safe bet.

Yes, the handle on the T8 does give a "warm" feeling with the bubinga wood and the webshaped groves. It is really an ergonomic knife and it has a very nice sheath. The steel is great and I also like the flat grind. I have never experimented with different grinds, how do you do that btw. Do you have equipment for changing the original grind at home? Or are you a proffessional in the grinding business?

Dog of War, I have some limited experience. But my interest in knifes is only a few years old. My father makes custom knives as a hobby, buying ready blades, mostly damascus and makes his own handles and sheaths. My interest in knifes started from his interest. I'm more enthusiastic than knowledgeble I'm afraid...

Pogo, I checked the ragweedforge.com and they have indeed very nice prices. The H8 is 85$, thats some 30$ cheaper than here in Sweden. Still with shipping and such it would probably even out in the end, but is a nice homepage with some great links.

//Jay
 
Hi again, Jay. Having recently started working with Swedish knives and steels in earnest, I envy you a bit. Erikkson and Frosts, and apparently EKA as well, seem to make it a priority to give the user a good steel with a good heat treat, at a very reasonable price. In the US many knives seem to sell more on fad and fashion than actual performance, it's surprising how poorly many popular knives made and marketed by US companies perform .... the problem often seems to be that they run the blades softer than ideal, which makes them easier and cheaper to grind and finish at the factory. So I really appreciate the Swedes making sure their knives are high quality, well engineered tools.

In changing the edge geometry on the EKA I didn't change the general profile and grind of the blade, just the edge. Because the blade is ground so thin near the edge this was very easy to do. The factory edge bevel was ground at about 15 degs/side I would guess (I didn't measure it) and it only took a few minutes on an aluminum oxide stone to reduce the primary edge bevel to about 10 degrees. Even then the edge bevel was only about one millimeter or less wide in the straight portion of the edge, widening to roughly two millimeters near the tip. Of course with thicker blades this can be a lot more work, and changing the very wide primary bevel on a traditional Scandinavian blade would be a major job, something you'd probably want to use a belt grinder for.

Reading your posts, Jay, I think you're being too modest, you seem quite knowledgeable. Having a knifemaker in the family has to rub off, I would think. :) BTW I'm sure many here would enjoy seeing some photos of your father's knives, in fact there's a forum for just that sort of thing:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=734

Great to have you posting here, Jay.
 
I have 2 EKA folders with green rubber handles. Love 'em! Had to look hard to find them. EKA makes good knives.
 
I have the Executive Sportsman and the Compact. Both are great little knives. :thumbup:
 
Hi JayAndersson!

I have two EKA's, (H8 and a W11), both are great fixed knives. I Wrote a review from the H8, if you don't speak hungarian :D, the pictures show you something about their qualities. ;)

http://www.survival.hu/mambo/content/view/222/1/

Pro: I love the bubinga handle, the real usable blade shape and the preformed leathe sheath. :thumbup:

Cons: none. :D

Swedish blades roxx! ;)
 
Wow, Golbat thats a long article with some nice pics. You really put the knife to the test I see. And it scored 5/5 if I understand correctly.

To bad I dont understand squat of the text though. Would have been nice to read. Almost worth learning Hungarian just to read this, almost.:D

I also like swedeish knifes, but lacking experience of other knives makes it hard for me to know the actual level of the swedish ones, EKA in this case.

It seems that the EKA knifes rates well even globally in their price range from what I read in your responses.

Dog of War, I dont have any pictures now of my fathers knives, but when I get them I'll post them in the forum you suggest. My favorite swedish custom knifemaker is Roland Stromberg can you see here. My father is far from his level, but they know each other well.

http://spiderknives.nu/

//Jay
 
JayAndersson said:
Wow, Golbat thats a long article with some nice pics. You really put the knife to the test I see. And it scored 5/5 if I understand correctly.

To bad I dont understand squat of the text though. Would have been nice to read. Almost worth learning Hungarian just to read this, almost.:D

I also like swedeish knifes, but lacking experience of other knives makes it hard for me to know the actual level of the swedish ones, EKA in this case.

It seems that the EKA knifes rates well even globally in their price range from what I read in your responses.
//Jay
Click to expand...
As far as I can remember, I wanted EKA's after reading this article: http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=69

(Before getting EKAs, I had several Moras, Frosts and Fallknivens. Now I must get an EKA A10, and maybe a Helle Eggen too... ;) )
 
I have three EKA folders (two Executive Majors and a Swede 82, all with nice metal handles) and I love them.

The Swede 82 might very well be the best traditional style lockback made nowadays. The blade shape is great and doesn't have a weak tip like the Buck 110, and the placement of the lever to disengage to lock is pure genius.

My brother has an H8 fixed blade, I've played around a bit with it and found it really nice. He uses it mainly for backpacking and hiking and has no complaints.
 
I have one that has a very thin 12C27 blade steel and its a good slicer and edge keeper. Light weight too but not one I frequently carry due to the handle being a tad shorter than I'd like. I just liked the handle wood and warmth of it. I do use it a lot in the summer for apples and pears and stuff due to how thin like a paring knife it is. Here it is. Great knife and not a bad price as I recall.

STR
 
I ended up buying the H8 after all, I really like these flat ground knives with the nice bubinga hardwood handle.

//Jay
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top