# MORA where have you been my whole life.



## thermal guy (Jan 5, 2019)

I have always been a big knife kinda guy. I have been camping ,backpacking ,hunting and hiked much of my life and my trusty companion has always been a trailmaster bowie. Bought it the first year they came out.but hearing all this mora talk got me thinking that a smaller knife could be useful so I bought a companion HD and I like it. It’s very useful around the fire seems very tough and lightweight. And at like 20 bucks can’t go wrong. What’s your guys take on the mora vs a larger knife?


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## scout24 (Jan 5, 2019)

I think there's a place for large knives for sure. There's no one do-it-all tool. I do find a Mora or two and a belt hatchet say 12-15" handle and under a one pound head take care of most camp chores nicely though. Toss in a small saw and you're good to go. (Bacho Laplander, Silky of your choice... ) If size and weight aren't at a premium, I'll add a SRK/Trailmaster sized knife for batoning larger pieces of wood, etc. I'd love WoodsWalker's take on this as well. He spends more time on the dirt than most people I know of.


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## nmiller (Jan 5, 2019)

I'm with Scout. A mora of your choice, small saw and a 12-16" 1 pound hatchet is all I need. I primarily use just the hatchet to process wood. I can find most of what I need on the ground in small enough sizes to just split it and use it. However, I like gear in general so I don`t think there is anything wrong with a larger knife. Use what works best for you and makes the most sense for the kind of trip you are going on. For me that is an old boyscout hatchet handed down from my father and a Mora Eldris. If I want a more substantial knife it is a Mora Garberg or the old Kabar that came with the hatchet.


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## xxo (Jan 5, 2019)

I have a few older Moras, a couple clippers and the old green handled army knife. Pretty good cheap knives particularly for wood working. I am not a huge fan of the so called "scandi" grinds (full flat grinds slice better), but they are good for what they are.

I kind of lost interest Moras when the bushcraft guys caught on to them and they became more high cost boutique bushcraft knives than good cheap working knives; though I think they still offer some good cheap ones.


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## scout24 (Jan 5, 2019)

There are still quite a few under $20.00


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## xxo (Jan 7, 2019)

I like big knives, but I don't find them all that useful compared to a smaller knife teamed up with a saw and a machete (the ultimate big knife!) in the woods. And a SAK with a saw is a great little backup.


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## old4570 (Jan 9, 2019)

Mora - Sweden ! 

Owned Mora since I was a teen .. 
Maybe have half a dozen now ...
For light duty , skinning game ... Don't think I ever found a BETTER knife .. 
Always carried a Mora in the field . ( Along with other knives ) 
But the Mora was always there ...


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## Need a Light? (Jan 10, 2019)

Mora knives are wonderful. They may not be ffg, but it's not really required with such a thin blade, and boy are they fun to keep wicked sharp. 

When I was in high school, I went to an outdoor school Jr. year on, class outside around a fire every day. Did a little research and got my first (real) knife, a red mora 511 (old style, as this was before the new came out) Terrific knife, not a great sheath. I replaced the stock belt loop with a loop of leather and it carries so easily. 

Fixed blades are great, but I always found that when I carried a larger one I was making up work for myself to use it. Which was fine, it was fun and all. But I preferred just having the mora, and being in nature. 

I have a bunch now, a 612 I particularly enjoy that I sanded the handle smooth and carved the end to be round, a number 3 that's good for food, a pro c that's neat but rarely used, a green ss 511 (old style, forget the number), a few bahco branded orange ss companions (made by mora, old style companion), and I lost a green carbon new style companion lol.

Mostly I don't need a knife in the woods, and moras were easy to carry for the occasion that I did. That being said I did have a Trailmaster, BK-4,5,9,15,17, Ontario 499, a pair of Buck 119s (one in 5160). I like big knives as well I guess is my point.


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## VladSumy (May 31, 2019)

xxo said:


> I like big knives, but I don't find them all that useful compared to a smaller knife teamed up with a saw and a machete (the ultimate big knife!) in the woods. And a SAK with a saw is a great little backup.


The big one is very cool!


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## xxo (Jun 10, 2019)

VladSumy said:


> The big one is very cool!



It's a 14" condor eco machete.


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## vadimax (Jun 13, 2019)

Unless you are cutting your way through thick vegetation no machete will replace a good axe in functionality:


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## LeanBurn (Jun 13, 2019)

My whole family have Mora knives mostly carbon Craftline Basic 511, 546's as they have a finger blade guard, I have a Heavy Duty Companion. They are of particularly excellent value, very good construction and I love that they come razor sharp out of the box.


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## xxo (Jun 13, 2019)

vadimax said:


> Unless you are cutting your way through thick vegetation no machete will replace a good axe in functionality:



I know how to use an axe having grown up using them and still own a few, but I don't find them all that useful - they are heavy and inefficient compared to a saw and the can be very dangerous, especially when using a “bush craft” axe, which is way too short and dangerous for anyone taller than a small boy......why grown men mess with them, I do not know.....maybe most of them don't really use them?, which is probably a good thing given the poor/dangerous techniques I see being used. They do split better than a machete, but they still suck bad compared to a maul for splitting firewood for a stove. Bush craft guys seem to be obsessed with splitting wood for their camp fires with their axes and knives for some strange reason. I have never seen the point in splitting wood for camp fires, so this is not something I am interested in. 


I find machetes to be generally lighter than an axe, somewhat more versatile, and safer to use (though still dangerous). Heavier machetes can chop about as well as a hatchet or small axe, but a good saw is the way to go for “chopping”.

Though the full size GB axes do look real nice if you need a axe.



I can usually get by just fine with a small knife, a folding saw and an small pruner (in place of a machete if need be).


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## kreisl (Jun 17, 2019)

thermal guy said:


> seems very tough and



It is not too tough , watch 





Price is between 5-10 EUR so one cannot expect "very tough"


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## xxo (Jun 17, 2019)

kreisl said:


> It is not too tough , watch





You can do the same thing with a Trailmaster (and most other knives):



I don't get all of the obsession with batoning, the guy in the vid goes on about not needing a saw, but where does he expect to get all of that saw cut wood to baton? Is he planning to do his "surviving" by the wood pile in his back yard? Besides, that angle iron handle on his knife doesn't look all that comfortable or light weight. I have never seen the need to baton firewood for a camp fire and very rarely had problems getting thousands of fires going over the years , even in the pouring rain and other adverse conditions, but I am sure I was doing it wrong by not batoning.


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## bigburly912 (Jun 17, 2019)

It’s not just you. I’ve never in my life had to baton wood to be able to get a fire. Don’t understand it.


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## Mr. LED (Jun 17, 2019)

Internet show offs... using the wrong tool for the job, just to bash a good tool. Ignore.


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## kreisl (Jun 18, 2019)

yes the two _are _internet showoffs and, for example, do questionable edge retention tests. never mind them. it is interesting to learn though what the construction of this "imported 5EUR-knife" is. basically the Mora has the blade of a folding knife which is glued to a plastic handle, for lack of better engrish.

the other month i had the Mora Basic in my hands and sharpened it. It was really easy to slap a micro-ish secondary bevel on it, i got it super sharp in no time. then i decided to delete the bevel because that's the recommended way (Kyle vid1, Kyle vid2) to maintain such a blade. took quite a while (on my goto stone the Spyderco UF) to apex the grind; i found it a thankless effortful task, given how fast any knife edge can get dull in relation/in comparison. Take 1 sheet of paper towel (kitchen roll), scrunch it up, and (try to) cut through the paper ball as if it were a tomato. After this simple cut test the Mora edge is blunt again!, check the apex reflection with your headlamp Olight H1 Nova to verify :huh:

very soft steel in my books. makes it easy to strop, i give you that :ironic:


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## scout24 (Jun 18, 2019)

My long-held understanding of batoning entails running WITH the grain of the wood, not cross grain like shown when the Mora broke. You can break pretty much anything if you try hard enough or use the tool in an unintended way. I agree, the Mora knives aren't going to build you a cabin in the woods. But for smaller work like fuzz sticks, food and game prep, trap building, etc. they are fantastic knives.


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## xxo (Jun 18, 2019)

Mr. LED said:


> Internet show offs... using the wrong tool for the job, just to bash a good tool. Ignore.



They are right about moras being easy to break, this is well known. The old carbon moras with the wood handles could be bent with hand pressure and the stainless tangs can be snapped or popped out of the plastic handles without too much difficulty. Years ago some where promoting moras as rugged "survival" knives, probably because some wilderness survival instructors used them for their classes. I think Mors Kochanski once wrote something about a survival knife should be able to be driven into a tree and serve as a step without breaking. Some people tried to do this with their moras, which of course broke and someone asked Mors about the Mora as a survival knife since he used them in his classes and he told them he considered moras training knives (I think Mors has his "survival" knives custom made).

I consider Moras decent outdoor knives but not capable of standing up to much abuse....if you want something cheap and rugged there are better options (like the cold steel bushman).


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## xxo (Jun 18, 2019)

kreisl said:


> yes the two _are _internet showoffs and, for example, do questionable edge retention tests. never mind them. it is interesting to learn though what the construction of this "imported 5EUR-knife" is. basically the Mora has the blade of a folding knife which is glued to a plastic handle, for lack of better engrish.
> 
> the other month i had the Mora Basic in my hands and sharpened it. It was really easy to slap a micro-ish secondary bevel on it, i got it super sharp in no time. then i decided to delete the bevel because that's the recommended way (Kyle vid1, Kyle vid2) to maintain such a blade. took quite a while (on my goto stone the Spyderco UF) to apex the grind; i found it a thankless effortful task, given how fast any knife edge can get dull in relation/in comparison. Take 1 sheet of paper towel (kitchen roll), scrunch it up, and (try to) cut through the paper ball as if it were a tomato. After this simple cut test the Mora edge is blunt again!, check the apex reflection with your headlamp Olight H1 Nova to verify :huh:
> 
> very soft steel in my books. makes it easy to strop, i give you that :ironic:



There is something wrong if your edge won't cut paper towel without dulling. Maybe you have a burr that is rolling that needs to be removed. 

Those vids show the problem with the so called "Scandi" grind (it's just a cheap way for the manufacturer to put an edge on a blade which is why it's used a lot for machetes) - while you can use the bevel as a sharpening guide, you end up having to remove a lot metal. Another problem with scandi grinds is the edges tend to be too weak, particularly for the soft steels that the use or for any hard use. I used the "scandi" edges but I found that a 40 degree edge bevel off of a sharpmaker was much more practical and easier to maintain.


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## xxo (Jun 18, 2019)

scout24 said:


> My long-held understanding of batoning entails running WITH the grain of the wood, not cross grain like shown when the Mora broke. You can break pretty much anything if you try hard enough or use the tool in an unintended way. I agree, the Mora knives aren't going to build you a cabin in the woods. But for smaller work like fuzz sticks, food and game prep, trap building, etc. they are fantastic knives.



You can baton cross grain on an angle like you would use when chopping with an axe to create chips.


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## P_A_S_1 (Sep 27, 2019)

The stone in post 18, anyone know what it is? Looks like a norton med. india/soft ark. Can't play the video.


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## thermal guy (Sep 29, 2019)

I once broke an anvil while I was in the service. True story! If you try hard enough you can break dam near anything.I take what I see and am told with a grain of salt.I find it’s best to test my own stuff out by how I'm going to use it. It’s really the only way to be sure it will work and perform as it should when I need it.


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## The Hawk (Jan 29, 2020)

I just bought my first Mora knife. Great knife, really good price. I will be purchasing more of these soon. Probably will be replacing some kitchen knives with Mora knives.


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## Pirate63 (Mar 4, 2022)




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## Poppy (Mar 17, 2022)

It's funny, I have a Morakniv Companion and I'm a little afraid of it. It is very sharp, which is good, but the tip is so pointy, that I have to be particularly careful, not to stick myself with it. I don't know how I would do that, perhaps it is when I am putting it back into its holster.

My foldable buck has just as pointy a tip, and I have no fear with it.


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## Pirate63 (Mar 29, 2022)




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