Hello All,
I thought to share this story about my First John Ek Knife.
It was 6 years ago Friday, that I walked into the Badger Knife Show in Janesville, Wisconsin, and saw this knife for sale. It was on the very first table inside the show door. I picked up the knife and asked the seller for a price. He told me, and although it was pretty reasonable, it was nearly "all" the money I had in my pocket that day. I didn't bring much money with me that year because I wasn't really looking for anything special. It would have left me with only $25 for the rest of the show with about 199 tables to go. I asked the seller if he had any "wiggle-room" in his asking price, but he said no. Not wanting to spend "all" my money within the first 10 seconds of the show, I thanked him, and returned the knife to the table. My reasoning was, I had never heard of - nor had I seen - a John Ek Knife before. And, my first thought upon seeing it was; "This is a butt ugly knife" - compared to traditional WWII fighting knives. I walked past the next 4 tables, less than 30 feet, when I realized I made a mistake and decided I better go back and buy it. It suddenly struck me; "What was I thinking?" This was exactly the kind of WWII collector knife that I really liked. Good condition, a great story, a solid WWII, "and" Korean War History, documented provenance, pictures, etc., etc. What difference did it make if it was on the first table, or the last.
I walked right back, and ........ it was "gone" - off the table - "SOLD" .... to someone who had been standing behind me waiting for me to put it back on the table. I couldn't believe it! I asked the seller if he could tell me who bought it. He did. He told me he sold it to Gary, a big WWII Military Knife collector. He told me Gary paid him his asking price without question. I knew Gary, and he had lots, and lots, of WWII collector knives, and he was well known for seeking out the very best ones. It was then that the seller told me that the original owner "Hugo Lutz" had just passed away last fall, and that he was Hugo's brother Paul, and that he was selling it for Hugo's wife. He went on to say that "he" was the one that also carried the knife while he served in Korea in a MASH Unit. - I could have cried.
I was sick to my stomach for the rest of the show, and for over a year, for having passed this one by. For years I searched every Internet auction listing trying to find one like it, with no results, not in over 5 years.
Every year at the Badger Knife show I witnessed Gary buying more and more WWII collector knives. Some of the best, and rarest I've ever seen.
Well........... six years have now passed.
Friday, I drove the 2 hours to the knife show. It wasn't long before I saw Gary and I asked if he was still buying up all the WWII collector knives. He said NO, he was moving in a different direction. I mentioned the EK knife that I had missed 6 years ago, and how much I regretted not buying it. Gary said he remembers the knife well, and yes, he still had it. I asked if he had ever thought about maybe selling it. He said; "YES - I'll bring it in tomorrow if you want." (it meant another 2 hour drive back to the show) I asked; "How much will you be wanting for it?" He said he didn't remember what he had paid back then. I told him that I remember "exactly" what he paid, because it had been haunting me for the past 6 years. I told him the amount, and he said; "Yes, that sounds about right." What he said next stunned me. - "You can have it for that if you want it." - I told him YES, I wanted it, and please bring it in tomorrow - I'll drive back to buy it.
As I drove home I was thinking, I sure hoped he remembers to bring it so I wouldn't drive 2 hours for nothing. I wondered if he still had all the papers and pictures with it. I had a very sleepless night.
I drove the 2 hours back to the show on Saturday morning, and headed right for Gary's table. There it was, just as I remembered it. He then handed me an envelope with all the paperwork and pictures. Everything was there from six years earlier. - I paid him, and felt an inexplicable euphoria as I tucked it under my belt. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my soul.
And here it is. And now, its finally mine.
Very seldom does one get a "second chance" in life to correct a mistake. I consider myself very, very lucky.
Only now have I discovered it is called a #4 style, and quite a RARE Ek knife, or so I'm told. I've also discovered that the "six-year-ago" price that I paid, is about 1/4 its current value, - without the history.
It came with the following.
I thought to share this story about my First John Ek Knife.
It was 6 years ago Friday, that I walked into the Badger Knife Show in Janesville, Wisconsin, and saw this knife for sale. It was on the very first table inside the show door. I picked up the knife and asked the seller for a price. He told me, and although it was pretty reasonable, it was nearly "all" the money I had in my pocket that day. I didn't bring much money with me that year because I wasn't really looking for anything special. It would have left me with only $25 for the rest of the show with about 199 tables to go. I asked the seller if he had any "wiggle-room" in his asking price, but he said no. Not wanting to spend "all" my money within the first 10 seconds of the show, I thanked him, and returned the knife to the table. My reasoning was, I had never heard of - nor had I seen - a John Ek Knife before. And, my first thought upon seeing it was; "This is a butt ugly knife" - compared to traditional WWII fighting knives. I walked past the next 4 tables, less than 30 feet, when I realized I made a mistake and decided I better go back and buy it. It suddenly struck me; "What was I thinking?" This was exactly the kind of WWII collector knife that I really liked. Good condition, a great story, a solid WWII, "and" Korean War History, documented provenance, pictures, etc., etc. What difference did it make if it was on the first table, or the last.
I walked right back, and ........ it was "gone" - off the table - "SOLD" .... to someone who had been standing behind me waiting for me to put it back on the table. I couldn't believe it! I asked the seller if he could tell me who bought it. He did. He told me he sold it to Gary, a big WWII Military Knife collector. He told me Gary paid him his asking price without question. I knew Gary, and he had lots, and lots, of WWII collector knives, and he was well known for seeking out the very best ones. It was then that the seller told me that the original owner "Hugo Lutz" had just passed away last fall, and that he was Hugo's brother Paul, and that he was selling it for Hugo's wife. He went on to say that "he" was the one that also carried the knife while he served in Korea in a MASH Unit. - I could have cried.
I was sick to my stomach for the rest of the show, and for over a year, for having passed this one by. For years I searched every Internet auction listing trying to find one like it, with no results, not in over 5 years.
Every year at the Badger Knife show I witnessed Gary buying more and more WWII collector knives. Some of the best, and rarest I've ever seen.
Well........... six years have now passed.
Friday, I drove the 2 hours to the knife show. It wasn't long before I saw Gary and I asked if he was still buying up all the WWII collector knives. He said NO, he was moving in a different direction. I mentioned the EK knife that I had missed 6 years ago, and how much I regretted not buying it. Gary said he remembers the knife well, and yes, he still had it. I asked if he had ever thought about maybe selling it. He said; "YES - I'll bring it in tomorrow if you want." (it meant another 2 hour drive back to the show) I asked; "How much will you be wanting for it?" He said he didn't remember what he had paid back then. I told him that I remember "exactly" what he paid, because it had been haunting me for the past 6 years. I told him the amount, and he said; "Yes, that sounds about right." What he said next stunned me. - "You can have it for that if you want it." - I told him YES, I wanted it, and please bring it in tomorrow - I'll drive back to buy it.
As I drove home I was thinking, I sure hoped he remembers to bring it so I wouldn't drive 2 hours for nothing. I wondered if he still had all the papers and pictures with it. I had a very sleepless night.
I drove the 2 hours back to the show on Saturday morning, and headed right for Gary's table. There it was, just as I remembered it. He then handed me an envelope with all the paperwork and pictures. Everything was there from six years earlier. - I paid him, and felt an inexplicable euphoria as I tucked it under my belt. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my soul.
And here it is. And now, its finally mine.
Very seldom does one get a "second chance" in life to correct a mistake. I consider myself very, very lucky.
Only now have I discovered it is called a #4 style, and quite a RARE Ek knife, or so I'm told. I've also discovered that the "six-year-ago" price that I paid, is about 1/4 its current value, - without the history.
It came with the following.
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