Seeking Feedback: Eickhorn KM 2000

[Malak]

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:

Strange, I am holding one in my hands right now. A ruler might not be the best way of measuring the thickness of the blade, but as far as I can tell it's between 4.5 and 5mm...

4.8mm being 3/16 inch it looks like the CS Master Tanto and the KM2000 have equally thick blades.

What CS do to their knives in their Solid Proof videos is impressive, and it is not unlikely that some of their knives are tougher than the KM2000. I can't tell for sure because I don't own a CS fixed blade. But the KM2000 is definitely no piece of junk, although I agree that it's overpriced at $200.

 

[xero]

It is a good point that the price is a bit high with what you're getting. Lowest I've found the KM2000 for is $176.85 from www.toolshop.de, thats not including the $20 or so dollars shipping it'll take to get it here. Another drawback that I failed to see is assuming there is a lifetime warranty on it, mailing it to Germany and back is an inconvienance, but from what I've found it doesn't even look like there is a warranty beyond 6 months.

However, I've found a CS Master Tanto for $160 with free shipping, not to mention the site also has a Kershaw folder I've been wanting to get that I can have sent as well for free.

All things considered I'm thinking I'd be crazy to spend the extra money on the KM when I can get something else, thats comparable if not better for what I'll be using it for, for quite a bit less. Not to mention CS knives are known for durability.

The real problem that I have now is that I think I want an Extrema Ratio Shrapnel also.. Big box o' knives incoming here soon I think.

Thanks everyone for the input. Time to shop around for the best price I think.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Thanks everyone for the input. Time to shop around for the best price I think.

Congrats on doing your thinking before buying a knife. Check our FEEDBACK forum and ask around before settling on a dealer. There are many good ones, but a few that are disastrous.

 

[xero]

Congrats on doing your thinking before buying a knife. Check our FEEDBACK forum and ask around before settling on a dealer. There are many good ones, but a few that are disastrous.

I'll definitely have to do that. Sites that carry ER merchandise are hard to find, and the ones that do aren't too cheap. Best I've found is $219 for the Shrapnel, but I've got a feeling I can find better.

 

[Malak]

It is a good point that the price is a bit high with what you're getting. Lowest I've found the KM2000 for is $176.85 from www.toolshop.de, thats not including the $20 or so dollars shipping it'll take to get it here. Another drawback that I failed to see is assuming there is a lifetime warranty on it, mailing it to Germany and back is an inconvienance, but from what I've found it doesn't even look like there is a warranty beyond 6 months.

However, I've found a CS Master Tanto for $160 with free shipping, not to mention the site also has a Kershaw folder I've been wanting to get that I can have sent as well for free.

All things considered I'm thinking I'd be crazy to spend the extra money on the KM when I can get something else, thats comparable if not better for what I'll be using it for, for quite a bit less. Not to mention CS knives are known for durability.

The real problem that I have now is that I think I want an Extrema Ratio Shrapnel also.. Big box o' knives incoming here soon I think.

Thanks everyone for the input. Time to shop around for the best price I think.

That's crazy, because where I live a CS Master Tanto costs at least twice as much as a KM2000...
The KM is no bad knife, but If I could get both for the same price I'd also go for the Master Tanto.

I wouldn't order any knife from Germany if I were you... it'll be a bad deal because of the weak dollar/strong euro right now. There might also be extra fees apart from shipping costs.
The cheapst German dealer I found sells the old 440A version for 89€ ($140) and the new one with the Böhler steel for 105€ ($165):

http://www.derbwladen.de/index.php/.../Bundeswehr-Kampfmesser-KM-2000-Original.html

http://www.derbwladen.de/index.php/derbwladen/94-Kampfmesser/KM-2000-NEU.html

But don't know if they ship to the US... and even if you buy the cheaper 440A model you're already in the price range of a Master Tanto - which would be the better choice.

Your only option to get the KM2000 for a reasonable price would probably be an American dealer. The starter of this thread seems to sell one: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=546869

 

[xero]

I actually found a KM2K (Which I'm not sure if its exactly the same, 2k = 2000 in most cases) for $117 in the US. I'm gonna venture to guess the KM2K and the KM2000 are the same, but chances are I'm wrong seeing the semi-drastic price difference between the two.

http://www.bladematrix.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=50625

The real problem I'm having now is finding a dealer with the Extrema Ratio Shrapnel.. Some places have them pretty cheap, but out of stock, and the others that I've found are the opposite... not that there are that many overall that I've even been able to find. I checked most of the sites in the Feedback forum and many don't carry ER products.

 

[shareablade]

xero, I tried to pm you but I guess you have no email? If you do - email or pm me- I have some info I'd like to share with you.

 

[xero]

xero, I tried to pm you but I guess you have no email? If you do - email or pm me- I have some info I'd like to share with you.

Check your PM, hopefully it made it. My email has been on the fritz for the last couple days for whatever reason, appears to be working now though. If not let me know.

 

[Malak]

I actually found a KM2K (Which I'm not sure if its exactly the same, 2k = 2000 in most cases) for $117 in the US. I'm gonna venture to guess the KM2K and the KM2000 are the same, but chances are I'm wrong seeing the semi-drastic price difference between the two.

http://www.bladematrix.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=50625

The real problem I'm having now is finding a dealer with the Extrema Ratio Shrapnel.. Some places have them pretty cheap, but out of stock, and the others that I've found are the opposite... not that there are that many overall that I've even been able to find. I checked most of the sites in the Feedback forum and many don't carry ER products.

The price difference is a) due to the weak dollar and b) due to the fact that knives are just more expensive in Germany, for whatever reason! E.g., a CS Master Tanto sells for 240€ here, which is about $370.

I did some research, and it looks like there's a long story behind the KM2000 and KM2K (which are not exactly the same knives)...

When the old Eickhorn company, which produced the KM2000, went bancrupt, its CEO Jörg Eickhorn left it and founded a new company called Waffentechnik Solingen Borkott & Eickhorn, which produced its own version of the KM2000 called KM2K. This "new" Eickhorn company even has an American branch:
http://www.eickhornusa.com

The old company however was revived under the name of Original Eickhorn Solingen, and AFAIK they still produce their "original" KM2000. They are the ones still using the squirrel as their symbol.
This means that two different companies produce almost identical knives with almost identical designations. Same with some other models...
I hope I got it right, because this is very confusing.

I don't know if there is any difference in quality between the KM2000 and the KM2K. But the new version of the KM2000 seems to be made of the better Böhler steel, while the KM2K - according to the HP of Waffentechnik Solingen B&E - apparently still uses 440A.

If the price difference is not big, I'd get the Master Tanto and/or the Shrapnel rather than a KM2K.

 

[xero]

The price difference is a) due to the weak dollar and b) due to the fact that knives are just more expensive in Germany, for whatever reason! E.g., a CS Master Tanto sells for 240€ here, which is about $370.

I did some research, and it looks like there's a long story behind the KM2000 and KM2K (which are not exactly the same knives)...

When the old Eickhorn company, which produced the KM2000, went bancrupt, its CEO Jörg Eickhorn left it and founded a new company called Waffentechnik Solingen Borkott & Eickhorn, which produced its own version of the KM2000 called KM2K. This "new" Eickhorn company even has an American branch:
http://www.eickhornusa.com

The old company however was revived under the name of Original Eickhorn Solingen, and AFAIK they still produce their "original" KM2000. They are the ones still using the squirrel as their symbol.
This means that two different companies produce almost identical knives with almost identical designations. Same with some other models...
I hope I got it right, because this is very confusing.

I don't know if there is any difference in quality between the KM2000 and the KM2K. But the new version of the KM2000 seems to be made of the better Böhler steel, while the KM2K - according to the HP of Waffentechnik Solingen B&E - apparently still uses 440A.

If the price difference is not big, I'd get the Master Tanto and/or the Shrapnel rather than a KM2K.

While thats all really confusing it actually makes quite a bit of sense. Thanks for clearing that up. I figured something was up when I noticed that it wasn't the same company making the KM2K that made the KM2000. I plan on getting the Master Tanto, the question now is if I get a Shrapnel in addition to it, assuming I find one that I consider to be reasonably priced. I found a Shrapnel listed at $178 but of course it was an old listing and they no longer carry it, best I've found otherwise is $219. Thanks for clearing things up Malak, much appreciated! :thumbup: