Waffentechnik Borkott Eickhorn vs Eickhorn Solingen

[ronie1988]

I found these two companies very similar. Which knife company is better and original? KM2000 and KM2K very similar. Please help me choose.

 

[Absalom]

Wow. A year ago and no one answered. I came across this more or less coincidentally.

For future reference and in case anyone still cares:

Both are original and the basic original combat knives are identical in quality and specs except for slightly different grip patterns and different blade inscriptions. The reason is that this is the knife contracted by the German Bundeswehr (440A blade, straight-back tanto blade) with the old Eickhorn company. That company declared some kind of bankruptcy around 2002 or 2003; one of the owners/managers, Jorg Eickhorn, left and joined Borkott to form "Waffentechnik Borkott & Eickhorn", while the old company reconstituted itself as "Original Eickhorn Solingen". Apparently, both companies held part of the army contract for the knife, although only Original Eickhorn had rights to the KM2000 name which is its military designation. So Borkott came up with KM2K. Both companies supplied and AFAIK are still supplying knives to the Bundeswehr.

Both companies have created and are marketing line extensions both in the civilian and military markets; Original Eickhorn has versions of the KM2000 as well as a KM3000, KM4000 etc. in better steel with different blade shapes. I don't have current info as to whether any but the initial version from both companies are actually in service anywhere, but those two are identical, and the German army is issuing them interchangeably.

Here in the US, I have only seen the Waffentechnik version for sale.

 

[ronie1988]

Wow. A year ago and no one answered. I came across this more or less coincidentally.

For future reference and in case anyone still cares:

Both are original and the basic original combat knives are identical in quality and specs except for slightly different grip patterns and different blade inscriptions. The reason is that this is the knife contracted by the German Bundeswehr (440A blade, straight-back tanto blade) with the old Eickhorn company. That company declared some kind of bankruptcy around 2002 or 2003; one of the owners/managers, Jorg Eickhorn, left and joined Borkott to form "Waffentechnik Borkott & Eickhorn", while the old company reconstituted itself as "Original Eickhorn Solingen". Apparently, both companies held part of the army contract for the knife, although only Original Eickhorn had rights to the KM2000 name which is its military designation. So Borkott came up with KM2K. Both companies supplied and AFAIK are still supplying knives to the Bundeswehr.

Both companies have created and are marketing line extensions both in the civilian and military markets; Original Eickhorn has versions of the KM2000 as well as a KM3000, KM4000 etc. in better steel with different blade shapes. I don't have current info as to whether any but the initial version from both companies are actually in service anywhere, but those two are identical, and the German army is issuing them interchangeably.

Here in the US, I have only seen the Waffentechnik version for sale.

Oh thank you a lot....anyways I have bought KM2000 in Bohler N695 steel and trust me, its a Arabian Horse among knives

 

[GIRLYmann]

The last remaining member of the eickhorn family
Which had control of the firm before things went south for them
Has indeed continued the legacy of his family name in another entity
Which had been closely associated with the last business operation.
There have been speculation that some if not all of the products
By this firm are not made in germany.
Be that as it may, i would think that his years of experience
In this business enables this company to be in the forefront
Of things pertaining to military/government dealings.
How that translates to making a mark in the wider public consumer market
Has never been a particular concern in this area of specialized cutlery.

 

[Frizzman]

The author of that article knows as much about knives as most such folks know about firearms...It is an amusing piece.