Normark Brands
I used to have a couple Normark knives and they were fine little blades. I don't know whether to like your post or hate it. Since I am now convinced I need to order one. Are they still the knives they were 15+ years ago?
Well, I have good news and bad news.
First, the bad news. Normark [post=4690211]no longer sells hunting gear[/post], including knives.
However, if you have paid attention to the blades Normark sold, you will recall that every Normark branded knife had a blade made by one of the Scandinavian knife companies. The fixed blades were predominantly either Mora blades (made by one of the various Mora companies) or Marttiini blades (from Finland), or Järvenpää Iisakki (also Finland). All their folders were made by EKA of Eskilstuna, Sweden.
The various Mora companies have, over the years filtered down until there were only two big brands left, and they finally merged into a single outfit, combining their product lines as "Mora of Sweden," or more simply, MoraKniv. Marttiini and Järvenpää Iisakkie are still producing Scandinavian blades in Finland. (
It should be noted, of course, that Mora isn't the only line of Swedish knives, and Marttiini & Järvenpää aren't the only Finnish knives.)
EKA is still there, and still making knives, but they've partnered with Outdoor Edge for some of their newer stuff, and a few of those pieces are made in China. However, the old standby pieces are still "all Sweden, all the time." In particular, if you find someplace selling the Swede 92, Swede 82, Swede 88, Nordic T8, Nordic H8, Nordic A10, EKA Compact, Swede 1000, or EKA Folding Fillet, those pieces are all Swedish made.
The Swede 92 is the same knife as the Normark knife you see in my pictures (save branding and color). It's this . . .
. . . and with a wood (Bubinga) handle, it's the Swede 82, this one . . .
As it happens, I have one of each: the Normark "
American Hunter," the EKA Swede 92, and the EKA Swede 82. I gave one of the Normarks to my son-in-law, and the other to my son.
So, the answer to your question,
"Are they still the knives they were 15+ years ago?" is actually, yes, under the OEM brand names, they are.
Look around the Web. You will find they are still out there.