I EDC a little gerber folder (about 1" blade) and a victorinox field master pocket knife ("swiss army knife". The problem is that I can get the blades on each shave-hair-on-arm sharp real easy, but can't shave after a simple use such as cutting up some chord or shaving a small stick. On the other hand, I can baton/split firewood and shave a few fuzz sticks with my Mora, then shave the hair right off my leg immediately after.

Is there a pocket knife or knives of the "swiss army" type that have comparable edge holding capability as the Mora?

thanks.

I don't know how much you want to spend, but look at knives that have S30V steel or even D2 tool steel.

My EDC knives rotate between a Doug Ritter Mk1-mini, Mk4 or a KaBar Dozier Thorn in D2. All sharpen and hold an edge well.

The fallkniven U2 is a very small, very capable and very tough little folder. The Swedes in Mora have translated the traditional lines into a few folders. Check out www.ragweedforge.com

How steep an angle do you have on there, and do you strop afterwards? It almost sounds like you are getting a wire edge.

SAKS are infamous for the edge easily rolling over with use.

I don't know about SAK having the problem of rolling over it's edge.....I've had several over the years and have gotten all of them razor sharp (shaving hair off my arm) and even after multiple uses (of moderate use-no wood splitting or long term [hours] of heavy cutting) I still could shave with them..... you might be having more of an edge problem than a knife or steel problem.....

CJK

Thanks for the feedback so far. I don't know the angle in degrees, but it is about as steep as I can get (for durability) while still getting it shave-sharp. I've found a flatter angle will not be noticably sharper, but will not last as long. I use a medium and fine Arkansas stone followed with a leather strop. I've just become accustomed to touching up edges in the evening on any day I used the knife. I didn't realise that this might not be the norm until the mora experience where it wasn't necessary. I know the Mora was not the same steel hence the question regarding pocket knives. I'll look into some of the recommendations given so far. thanks.

I keep a nickel in my pocket and roll the edge of my little classic back to true with a couple quick back strops. You don't need to keep sharpening the edge, just push it back up again.

I had the exact same experience, except my revelation came with Swiss Army Knife. I haven't sharpened my SAK in over a week, and I use it often for opening packages, letters, seperating my thumb from my shoe after an unfortunate superglue accident, you know normal urban wear. I just checked and I can easily still shave my arms with it. I sharpen mine on a Lansky sharpener with a double bevel edge at 20 and 25 degrees.

The problem is PROBABALLY that you are getting a 'wire' edge that is extremely sharp, but that breaks off the first time you use it.

Try this method...

http://home.nycap.rr.com/sosak/convex.htm

and see if it holds and edge longer...