Seeking Feedback: Eickhorn KM 2000

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xero

Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
10
First off let me start by saying hello, I'm new to these forums and in part to the knife scene as a whole. I've been collecting for a while based purely on visual appeal, figured it was time to step it up and buy worthwhile merchandise instead of whatever simply looked good at the time. In anycase, hello.

Anyway, on to my question. After reading the discussion about Tanto points, I decided I wanted to invest in a quality Tanto blade. The knife that caught my eye, actually I've had an eye on it for a while, was the Eickhorn-Solingen KM 2000. Since it is a mildly pricey investment (around $200) I went seeking feedback first.. sadly, most of what I found was in german and was for the most part useless to me. So I figured there was no better time than now to come here and ask on these forums. Anyone have any experience with Eickhorn-Solingen that can lend any insight to me, preferably in english? :rolleyes:

I also looked at the CS Master Tanto, since they are the self-proclaimed master of the Tanto point, but at this point I still have an uneasy feeling about CS products. Not really sure for the reason, or even if its justified, something about them I'm not too sure about. Any info here would also be much appreciated.

Thanks.
 
The old family-owned Eickhorn, manufactured the KM2000
-http://www.german-knife.com/eickhorn-km-2000-german-military-knife.html
-http://www.lbainternational.com/eickhorn/mk_km2000.htm
They were bought over by a huge UK concern - LBA Limited [UK],
-http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/knife_knotes_11.htm

And now a former Eickhorn principal currently operates with
WaffenTechnik - Brokott & Eickhorn's.
And the KM2K, is their varient of the KM2000
-http://www.waffentechnik-solingen.com/KM2K_en.html
 
xero, welcome to Blaeforums. :)

I like tantos myself, including some fairly expensive models. I can't say much about the Eickhorn, since they don't seem to market them seriously in the US.

Besides the looks, what particular use did you have in mind?
 
A little off topic but I just thought some you guys might find it interesting that the KM2000 is used in the German Army
 
The main purpose I went toward that knife, in paticular, was for general all purpose use. While the added durability of the Tanto point was a bonus, actually the fact that it was the standard issue knife of the German Army was a big selling point. I know their standard issue firearms are Heckler and Koch, which aren't junk by a longshot, as I own two of them myself. Basically I wanted to check to see if the knife was issued along the same standards of their firearms, that is, with the same level of quality in mind.

Edit: Let me clarify by all purpose. I go hiking and camping quite a bit, weather permitting. I always have my Fallkniven F1 with me, even for odd jobs around the house and yard. I love that knife, it proven its worth many times. I am in the market for a new Tanto and wanted to get something of the same quality of what I use currently. Plus I don't see the Eickhorn talked about too often, not like the F1 is, and figured I'd give it a try for something new that everyone doesn't have. :)
 
i have been looking at a couple of these for a while, they look awesome, and they have an excellent reputation.
the ASEK caught my eye. its not that easy to find.
Funny thing about Eickhorn, their 'symbol" is a squirrel, lol.

letme know if you pick up the KM, and how you like it.
 
I happened to notice while reading the specs on this knife that the blade steel is 440A. This surprised me a little.

Other than that, it seemed like a good, all purpose knife. Unlike Esav, tanto is not my favourite blade style but I like the look of the rest of it.
 
gajinoz said:
I happened to notice while reading the specs on this knife that the blade steel is 440A. This surprised me a little.

Other than that, it seemed like a good, all purpose knife. Unlike Esav, tanto is not my favourite blade style but I like the look of the rest of it.
Click to expand...

Actually, on the 2008 production run of them the steel was updated to Böhler N695. I'm still a bit new to the different variaties of steel. Where does this one that they just switched to stack up in comparison to other similar knives?
 
xero said:
Actually, on the 2008 production run of them the steel was updated to Böhler N695. I'm still a bit new to the different variaties of steel. Where does this one that they just switched to stack up in comparison to other similar knives?
Click to expand...

I'm sure somebody here knows a great deal more about this than me but I believe N695 is an equivalent to 440C
 
N695 is probably a variant of N690 or N690Co (cobalt) which is a very good steel. Extrema Ratio has a lot of experience with it in hard use knives, also supplied to military forces. Fox has used it in knives for the American market, like the Ontario Hossom Retribution folders and the Spyderco Hossom fixed blades. I don't know if they used it in any others but Benchmade used it for their Monocrom framelock. As an Austrian steel, it seems to have caught on in Europe first.
 
This is a solid thread, full of nektar.

I find that when a product is army issue I tend to fear that it is second grade. I used to fall flat for all the adverts like "the navy seals combat knife" wich so many of them seem to be, but now, after reading around I fear that the army (anyones military) goes for the best price and then the best price and then for quality, if even then quality.

Exrema Ratio does look like a solid company and the knives get good reviews on toughness on this site but gets a very bad review here: http://www.cutleryscience.com/reviews/fulcrum.html

With one exception though. Nazi stuff from old has a mithycal ring to it in my mind and I believe it was well made. But I have no onhand experience to back that up.
 
lorise said:
With one exception though. Nazi stuff from old has a mithycal ring to it in my mind and I believe it was well made. But I have no onhand experience to back that up.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm sure they did the best they could but everything is relative. When the British and American bombers began bombing their factories to dust, and the Russians were chewing up everything the Nazis threw at them, and considering the increasing use of starving slave labor in the remaining factories, I'd have to say it would much more mythical than factual. :)
 
lorise said:
I find that when a product is army issue I tend to fear that it is second grade. I used to fall flat for all the adverts like "the navy seals combat knife" wich so many of them seem to be, but now, after reading around I fear that the army (anyones military) goes for the best price and then the best price and then for quality, if even then quality.
Click to expand...

When a product says it is army (or Navy SEAL) issue ... it probably isn't. So don't judge performance by exaggerated claims.

Military knives tend to be reasonably effective without being "the best", whatever that might mean. More to the point, there aren't all that many military issue knives, certainly not many big fixed blades.

Multitools rule. :)

Exrema Ratio does look like a solid company and the knives get good reviews on toughness on this site but gets a very bad review here: http://www.cutleryscience.com/reviews/fulcrum.html
Click to expand...

Fair enough. That reviewer gets a very bad review here. We all play favorites, that's human nature and it's also a function of our individual needs. He pretended he was being "scientific" and ignored his own biases.

In any case, needs and attitudes differ so much, you can only glean facts here, and make your own opinions. What is imperfect for one may be an excellent choice for someone else.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Why wouldn't their symbol be a squirrel? The name "Eickhorn" means acorn.
Click to expand...

Actually Eickhorn (modern German: Eichhorn or Eichhörnchen) means squirrel. It's a family name, and although it might sound funny it's not that uncommon :)

acorn = Eichel


I bought the old KM2000 back in 03 or 04. I am a reservist in the German army, and since we weren't issued any combat knives, I was looking for a fixed blade to carry on field exercises etc.

Tanto is not my favourite blade shape, but that's just personal preference. I am not a big fan of the serrations either, but well, it's supposed to be a military knife that can be abused by grunts who don't resharpen it regularly, and serrations will still rip/cut when a plain edge would long have become dull.
The plain part of the knife was not very sharp when I got it, but that could be changed quickly.
The coating seems to scratch rather easily. In fact, on my first KM2000, a spring in the sheath produced a thin scratch everytime I drew the knife... exchanged it for another one that didn't have this problem. However, scratches don't bother me on a user, and it's possible that they've improved the coating in the meantime.

The 440a steel might be a weakness of the knife, but someone here has pointed out that they've upgraded the steel recently.


What I really like about the KM2000/KM2K is its excellent sheath/wearing system! The scabbard is made of solid polyamide, which makes it rather heavy, but there's absolutely no way the knife might accidentally fall out.
I haven't put the knife to any test other than your average cutting tasks, but it looks like its wide blade and strong tip can take some abuse.


I think you won't be disappointed if you're looking for a solid, quality user. However, 200$ seems a little much. In Germany, where knives are usually more expensive, it sells for little more than 100€ (160$), and a couple of years ago I got mine for 80 (130$, back then much less).
I don't own any other tantos, so I can't compare them to the KM2K. Probably you can get a knife made of better steel for the same money, but you might still want to give the KM2K a try if you would like to check out "German engineering" and get a knife not many people have where you live ;)
 
The only thing I really like on the KM2000 is the design of the handel, the knife feel very well in the hand. This is probably due to the "S" gard. For the rest, the blade is a non-sense. A tanto point (for hard use) with a very thin blade ??? (3mm). Finally the knife is really OVERPRICED !!! Never buy one of them !!!! :barf::barf::barf:
 
sharp-k said:
The only thing I really like on the KM2000 is the design of the handel, the knife feel very well in the hand. This is probably due to the "S" gard. For the rest, the blade is a non-sense. A tanto point (for hard use) with a very thin blade ??? (3mm). Finally the knife is really OVERPRICED !!! Never buy one of them !!!! :barf::barf::barf:
Click to expand...

It has a 5mm blade, at least on their site thats what its showing. The Cold Steel Master Tanto, which I've seen praised for its durability has a 3/16in blade thickness. Granted, my metric to standard conversions are a bit off but I'm pretty sure 5mm > 3/16in.. but as far as durability goes I'm guessing thats where the better steel comes into play, not so much the thickness.
 
xero said:
It has a 5mm blade, at least on their site thats what its showing. The Cold Steel Master Tanto, which I've seen praised for its durability has a 3/16in blade thickness. Granted, my metric to standard conversions are a bit off but I'm pretty sure 5mm > 3/16in.. but as far as durability goes I'm guessing thats where the better steel comes into play, not so much the thickness.
Click to expand...

Believe me or not, I handled several KM2000 and I confirm the thickness of the blade is 3mm. That said I agree a good heat threatment is more important than the thickness of the blade but I doubt in this case that the KM2000 as the same heat threatment than a Cold Steel X2 for exemple ... :jerkit:
 
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