Elishewitz Les George Ek Integral Folding Knife: A Fitting Tribute

There is something about the Ek Commando Knife Company Dagger that has always intrigued me. Maybe it is the history lover in me. Or maybe it is the overall aesthetics—it is flat out imposing. Truth be told, it is a healthy helping of both. So, when I see a knife like the Ek Integral Folding Knife from the likes of Allen Elishewitz and Les George, I can’t look away.

The Allen Elishewitz Les George Ek Integral Folding Knife

Although it was introduced in 1941, alongside the Fairbairn-Sykes Dagger, the Ek Commando Dagger never saw “official” use. However, the dagger has taken part in six major conflicts: World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, both wars in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. The Ek Commando Company had helped shape the weapons of WWII, and all daggers to follow.

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Offering a 3.75-inch spear point, the blade delivers a 3.625-inch cutting edge and sleek .159-inch thickness. The spear-point is an immediately noticeable divergence from the Ek Commando Dagger. Since this is a folding knife, a double-edge would be unsafe. However, the top swedge is beautifully done, offering the appearance of a dagger. Likewise, the sleek fuller running the length of each side of the blade finishes the look nicely.

Featuring a flat grind, the premium Bohler M390 stainless steel has a deep black DLC finish. When open, the blade is held firmly in lockup at an overall length of 8.50 inches via the stout frame lock. Correspondingly, the frame lock includes a stainless steel insert to protect the titanium lock from wear.

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While it is open, the blade presents zero play, which is aided by exceptionally tight tolerances. Similarly, when the blade is closed, it centers within the integral frame beautifully and also offers no play. This features all of the hallmarks that serious knife collectors look for in a high-end offering. Of course, I would expect nothing less from Allen Elishewitz and Les George.

The Ek Integral Folder in Hand

The integral frame is what sets the Elishewitz Les George Ek Integral Folding Knife apart from the pack. As the name indicates, the 4.75-inch handle is machined from a single piece of titanium. It is available in Black DLC, Tiger Stripe DLC, or Brass DLC finishes. I received the Tiger Stripe with black hardware and brass thumb-disk opener, which is incredible in person.

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Weighing 4.87 ounces, it carries right-hand, tip-up only, riding comfortably despite its substantial build. The wide pocket clip is extremely tight in the pocket, so you are at no risk of inadvertently losing it. However, it can be a little hard to retrieve and return it to the pocket.

At just over half an inch thick, the handle fills the hand nicely, while the scallops help lock the knife in the hand during use. Although some iterations of the Ek Commando Dagger have a hilt, the original did not. John Ek felt that the scallops were enough to prevent the hand from sliding up onto the blade.

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I personally like the hilt on models like the Spartan Blades Ek Dagger. However, Allen Elishewitz and Les George really captured the essence of the original pattern. Not to mention, adding a hilt to a folder would be bulky and require unnecessary moving parts. Besides, John Ek was right, in that the scallops lock it in the hand really well.

Will It Cut?

Obviously, I am being facetious and channeling my inner Doug Marcaida. It will cut.

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With that said, I don’t typically put high-end, limited-edition knives through the rigorous testing I typically perform. However, no knife is immune to some level of cutting tasks. It should be able to handle simple chores. So, I did take a little time to slice some things up, if for no other reason than it is a beautiful knife that deserves to be used.

I typically cut a large sheet of cardboard during testing, but for this one, I decided to dissect a manila folder. Thinner than cardboard and with none of the abrasive adhesives, the folder sliced very easily. In fact, I was able to get some really fine curls that somehow didn’t make it into the photo.

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Next, I moved on to a half-inch climbing rope that I use for much of my knife testing. The inner fibers are very smooth and like to slide out very easily. So, a knife has to be sharp enough to slice the rope without creating the pressure that would force the fibers out the end. The Ek Integral Folder sliced very cleanly, creating a pile of much shorter pieces of rope.

Then, I stabbed the aggressive tip into a thick catalog, and it easily penetrated ¾-inch, numerous times. The handle scallops really did lock it into my hand.

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Finally, I pressed the edge down onto the corner of the catalog, cutting the entire corner off, cleanly. I didn’t have to use any slicing motion; I just pressed it down through all the pages. This was a beautiful demonstration of the keen-edge profile and flat-grind primary bevel. The Ek Integral Folder is a slicer.

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Final Cut: The Elishewitz Georger Ek Integral Folder

As I mentioned, the Ek Commando Dagger has always held my attention. I love the history of it, as well as the overall aesthetics. There is just something about the blend of elegance and lethality.

However, I must admit, the thought of a pocket version of this iconic knife had never even crossed my mind. Although there is an Ek folding knife, it does not capture the legacy of the original dagger as well as the Ek Integral Folding Knife does. It is a beautiful rendition that takes the Ek Commando Company from the battlefield to the pocket.

This knife is what happens when design heritage meets modern machining. The Ek Integral Folder isn’t nostalgia. It’s evolution. Refined, deliberate, and built to be used.

Elishewitz George Ek Integral Folding Knife Specs