John Ek Bowie for outdoor activities?

Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Messages
766
Hi,
is anyone using a John Ek Bowie for outdoor activities regularily? Does it make a good utility knife?
 
"a John Ek Bowie for outdoor activities"

Depends on how old the knife is and it's condition. If it's a collectable from 20 or 30 years ago and it's in mint condition, I wouldn't use it. I'd lock it in a safe. If you bought it on ebay recently for around 100 bucks you have an excellent knife that will serve you well. Outdoors as well as indoors. I have 2 and they are good knives.

Gary
 
GarageBoy said:
Makes a dandy good utility knife. Esav Benyamin uses one too
I wish!

The bowies I use are the Camillus CUDA folder and the Bark River Rogue.

I remember letting the Eks get away, back in the old days, the originals, and especially those bowies. Oh, well, if I bought then every knife I wish I had now, I'd have starved to death and wouldn't be able to enjoy them! :D
 
Err..someone with nearly as many posts as you had one, I think..(maybe Ted?)
The "Ek Company" is making them again
 
I collect Ek knives from the Richmond and Effingham Locations. I collect the bowies, the fighters and the hunters. My Favs are in stag from Richmond, and I also like the desert storm bowie(M-5's and M-6's). If you have a richmond and you wanna use it you can it will serve you well but if you have the money to buy an effingham or blackjack model go ahead and use them, there are less of the Richmonds running around in my experience than the effinghams and much less of the ones from other locations. I have used and effingham black cord bowie for alot of work and its held up great I like the sheaths for how simple yet effective they are and the design as well. Like mentioned above I have a few that are very old and I would never use them and are put away my grandfather has some of the very old ones(Conneticut, Miami, that I am in line for). If you wager yours is that old, oil her up and put her aside. I have the G-5 I think its a Walnut handle I am not 100 percent sure when they were manufactured I am lookin that up now. I have some information below if I have misinformed or anything let me know as its late here on the east coast hahaha.

(compliments of Thomas Linton)

Per government records:

"Ek Knives, LLC gave up the "Ek" mark in 1983 to American Historical Foundation, 1141 W. Grace Street, Richmond, VA. They were formed in 1979 by Bob Buerlein (remember that name) as an "importer and dealer." They held unchallenged rights to the mark until 1993.

AHF also registered the marks "EK Desert Warrior" and "EK Desert Patrol" on August 20, 1990 (cancelled 02/08/99), and the mark "EK Warrior" on March 29, 1990 (cancelled 03/09/98).

Blackjack Knives bought the "EK" mark in 1993 -- or at least some rights to that mark.

Blackjack ceased operations in 1997 and it's assets, including intellectual property, passed into the bankruptcy.

The assets of Blackjack, less the mark Blackjack itself and some physical assets, were purchased by George Dinges of Illinois. (1st Illinois Development Credit Corp., 403 Adams Street, Springfield, IL.)

Ken Warner bought the Blackjack mark in September, 1997, and registered it.

The EK mark was abandoned on April 25, 2000.

The mark "EK Knives" was registered on December 7, 2001, by Royal Wyndyne, Ltd., 1141 W. Grace, Richmond, VA.

Royal Wyndyne was, at least at one time, a partnership of Bob Buerlein and George Dinges, or companies they controlled. This was after trademark litigation between them over the EK mark.

The same lawyer who represented Dinges, Mary Ryder, incorporated Expedition Knives, 1827 W. Main St., Carbondale, IL.

The players have their own stories. Ek's son asserts that he was robbed and should have the right to the EK name. Mike Stewart asserts that he thought Dinges had exclusive rights to the EK mark as a result of the bankruptcy of Blackjack. Buerlein asserts that the EK amrk was only partially sold to Blackjack in 1993. Sounds complicated."

Identification of Ek Commando Knives

Ek Commando Knives are nearly always marked with the location of the company at that time. Richmond-marked knives can be dated as below:

Lower banner etched "Commando": 1982-1991
Lower banner etched "Gulf War": 1991-2004 (Sept.)
"Iraqi War" banner added in lower right: 2004 (Oct) --

Some knives made in Richmond in the late 1990's did not have the Richmond, VA address on them.

Model numbers have changed over the years. Model designations are:

Model 1: Single edge, w/o crossguard
Model 2: Double edge, w/o crossguard
Model 3: Single edge, with crossguard
Model 4: Double edge, with crossguard
Model 5: Bowie-single edge with crossguard

The model prefix describes the grip. Current grips are Micarta (M), parachute cord (in four colors/patterns of camouflage) and checkered walnut (CW). For example, an M4, has Micarta grips, double-edge blade and a crossguard.
 
Thanks for all the info. My Ek has some fine scratches on the blade. Guess I´ll have it polished and keep it indoors.
 
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