Swedish EKA 8 Lite Knife, Impressions?

[Speedo66]

I just got a Swedish EKA 8 Lite knife, and I'm very impressed with it.

It has nice "file" work, no doubt machined, on the spine and on the blade where your thumb would touch it. Came with a dark leather sheath which I believe is moose skin. At least it has what looks like a picture of a moose, along with the logo "king of the forest" on the snap.

It's extremely sharp right out of the box, has a nice tight lock up with a back lock, and pretty bubinga wood scales. Has the typical upswept scandinavian blade made of Sandvik 12C27 (AUS-8, 57-59 hardness) stainless.

Street price is in the $25-30 range. Blade is about 3", 4" closed, 7.25" open.

See it here: http://www.worldknives.com/products.php?i=2565
(A click on the pictures will expand them)



Anyone else have one, if so, what's your impression?

 

[ArfinGreebly]

EKA Cutlery

Interesting. That's a good looking knife.

Not familiar with this model. The overall design clearly looks like their work, and the grind is consistent with some of their other stuff, but there are some notable differences.

Where was this one made? Is there the word "Sweden" clearly stamped anywhere on the knife, or is there anything on the box or in the paperwork that explicitly says "Sweden" on it?



I'm expecting to pick up one of these this month (Nordic T8):

It's somewhat bigger than the one you have (blade just over 3 inches), and has Bubinga wood scales as well, but has a flat grind rather than the traditional Scandi grind, and the lock tab is all the way at the back.



I have a couple of theirs, and I'm quite pleased with them.

The ones I already have are these:

Swede-92

Swede-92 sold under the Normark brand


Swede-82

EKA-1000

EKA Executive Major - (actually a Wenger mechanism with EKA Bubinga scales)

 

[messerist]

Wow! That Normark folder looks like their "Big Swede" they sold back in the 70s When I was in Scouts as a teenager I saved for months to buy a Swede and right after I got it I lost it on a canoe trip. I was devastated and have wanted to replace it ever since. I will have to contact Normark and see about one of their folders. Thanks for posting!

 

[Speedo66]

ArfinGreebly asked "Is it made in Sweden?"

Since it does not state so on the blade, I had the same question. I emailed the Exec. VP at EKA knives. He immediately emailed back and said yes, completely made in Sweden, including the belt sheath, with a 10 year guarantee on the knife. He says the sheath is elk leather though, not moose.

I think this is a great knife, especially at that price. With all the low quality imports, it's refreshing to see a reasonably priced knife from a country with a long knife making history, and a reputation for quality and fine steels.

Anyone else have one?

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Big Swede

Wow! That Normark folder looks like their "Big Swede" they sold back in the 70s When I was in Scouts as a teenager I saved for months to buy a Swede and right after I got it I lost it on a canoe trip. I was devastated and have wanted to replace it ever since. I will have to contact Normark and see about one of their folders. Thanks for posting!

messerist, if you review [post=4690211]this thread[/post] you will see that Normark no longer sells this knife.

EKA still produces it, and it can be obtained from Ragnar's Forge (RagweedForge), sold as the Swede-92, also pictured above.


EDIT TO ADD:

. . . right after I got it I lost it on a canoe trip . . .

messerist, when you get your replacement, you will want to use the lanyard hole in the lock tab to secure it for those times when you feel compelled to dive out of a canoe.
​

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Anyone Else?

ArfinGreebly asked "Is it made in Sweden?"

Since it does not state so on the blade, I had the same question. I emailed the Exec. VP at EKA knives. He immediately emailed back and said yes, completely made in Sweden, including the belt sheath, with a 10 year guarantee on the knife. He says the sheath is elk leather though, not moose.

I think this is a great knife, especially at that price. With all the low quality imports, it's refreshing to see a reasonably priced knife from a country with a long knife making history, and a reputation for quality and fine steels.

Anyone else have one?

Speedo, it is my suspicion that this model is new enough that you won't find that many people who have one. I might have to get one just so we can compare notes.

Blade Forums or Knife Forums might actually have some members who've had a chance to drive one.

I'm glad you took the trouble to confirm the knife's origin. I was initially leery because a) the tang stamp says AUS-8, and I've never seen that on their work, and b) the word "Sweden" was missing.

Thanks for checking that.

 

[M67]

He says the sheath is elk leather though, not moose.

Elk is the English (as opposed to "American English") word for the animal you call moose. Or if you like, moose is the Algonquin word for elk. The first English-speaking colonists in North America messed it up. Anyway, if a Swede referred to it as "elk", I'm pretty sure your sheath is made from what you would call moose.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Elg = Moose

It is my understanding that what the English, Americans, and Canadians call "Moose" is called "Elg" in Norwegian and Swedish, whereas what those on the American continent call "Elk" is rather like an overgrown stag.

Elg (Moose):
- -

Elk (North America)
- -

My son-in-law is Danish, and we have run into this Elg/Elk thing before.

I have never researched it to find where the original Elg diverged from it's Scandinavian roots.

Still, in my household, it provides us with occasional entertainment. When I say Elk around Torben, I have to add, "the one with the pointy antlers."

 

[M67]

Right. Elg in Norwegian and Danish, älg in Swedish, Elch in German, scientific name Alces alces, moose to Americans. The English word for it is/was elk, but the English didn't know what it was supposed to look like, so when they came to America and saw a large deer-like critter with antlers, they called it elk, otherwise known as wapiti or scientifically Cervus canadensis, related to the European red deer/stag. In my experience the Brits still use the word elk about moose, those who know the difference will likely say elk to a Scandinavian and moose if talking to an American.

Cause of the confusion: The first Brits in America screwed it up, and y'all are carrying on a proud tradition by staying screwed up to this day.

(The word "mus" in the Scandinavian languages is pronounced almost like moose, but translates as "mouse". Can also have the same figurative meaning as a certain five letter English synonym for cat.)

 

[Skoghund]

Not forgetting the song sung by Swede's after a few drinks that use the words mus & snus

 

[LAK]

I have - somewhere - a small wood handled EKA folder. Anything made out of swedish 12C27 works well IMO.