One of the finest American-based combat knife making companies, John Ek Commando Knives are sought-out by militaria collectors, traded, and used extensively.
John Ek started experimenting with knife-making in 1939, eventually perfecting his technique by 1941. In that year, he started the John Ek Commando Knife Company to produce high-quality military knives in quantity. His operation was located in Hamden, Connecticut.
Ek moved his operation to Miami, Florida in 1949 and continued to produce his knives from that new location. Ek felt that knives were much more lethal than guns and therefore needed to be kept out of the hands of the general public. As a result, Ek knives were sold only to military personnel until John Ek’s death in 1976. John Ek’s son continued to carry on the family business after his father’s death. He moved the operation to Richmond, Virginia in 1982, where it continues to produce quality knives today.
There are several models produced today: The model 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The differences between the model #’s indicates the type of blade. The 1, for example, is an edge and a half without a crossguard, whereas the 2 is a double-edge without a crossguard. The prefix to the model number indicates the grip type. The letter M indicates a Micarta grip, while CW indicates a Checkered Walnut grip. Other current variations include the “Marine Raider Stiletto”, the “Desert Patrol”, and a “Tactical Operations” version.
