Find a place that sells them and try them out. Whatever feels right (assuming it has the kind of edge and steel you like) is the right one.

For me, it's the 511. Plastic handle that fits my hand perfect, and carbon steel. Also available in stainless, if that's what you want. (I'm not entirely convinced about carbon steel being the optimum choice, but I am certainly happy with it so far).


Knives are mostly about personal preference. To a certain degree, it is also about physiology (i.e. your hand). And there should be some relationship between the tasks you do most and the shape and size of the knife. Basically, all these factors boils down into ... if it feels right, then it's the right one.

Nothing wrong with your 119. I have the version with a tough rubber handle that I bought 15 years ago and it's still going strong. I find it a bit clumsy for fine work, but if it works for you that's great.

The important thing is to get out and use it, learn to sharpen it at home and in the field, and get comfortable with it. As someone else said, it's not so much the knife as the skill of the guy wielding it that matters.

As for Moras, I'm with you on the plastic (polypropylene?) handles. They add a lot of strength to the knife IMO.

The Clipper is a really nice slicer and a nice handle shape. If you like a thicker blade and a beefier grip, I have a #746 that has a good, stout feel and a nice, grippy handle. I've heard good things about the Allround (also a heavier blade) but haven't handled one yet. The good news is you can try a couple without breaking the bank.

People get pretty emotional about knives. In a way it's funny to me but I'm not exempt. At the core they're just inert tools but something about them strikes a chord in us, perhaps on a primal level. I will say this though- just because I praise one knife doesn't mean I'm criticizing another. There are lots of good ones out there.

The cost of some knives also sends people into a tizzy. I know guys who think anything under a few hundred bucks is junk and guys that won't buy anthing that's not custom. At the other end of the spectrum, lots of people think it's insane to spend over $125-$150, especially given the plethora of great blades in that price range. I'm in between. Since I'm not a rich man I must ackowledge the Law of Diminishing Returns. I'm not critical of a guy spending $2k on a knife, but I can't afford that.

Working as chef I've found the "sweet spot" is around $200 per knife. I'll spend more than that for something exceptional, and I have a few that were less than that, but the blend of quality and value at that price level suits my needs. For outdoor knives I generally don't need as many nor will I generally spend as much since I'll use them less. That said, eventually I will cave and get a couple of Busses. Yeah, they're expensive but experience has proved they're worth it.

One thing I generally avoid is the personally branded blades, be it kitchen (eg Alton' Angle from Shun) or the Grylls Gerber. Same goes for clothes- I feel like a dumb@ss paying extra money to be a walking billboard. I find it kind of tacky. My taste runs to clean lines and simplicity, and any adornment better either be beautiful wood or elegant engraved Kanji.

Checking out the allround

http://www.ragweedforge.com/11672.jpg

Is this the one? Not the worse looking the grip looks like soft rubber over plastic which aint bad. Anyone know where i can get one?

Uhm, you can get one at ragweedforge.com.

I think you'd be very happy with that knife.

[quote]Having said that, I personally tend more towards David Canterbury's material based approach. But that does not mean that I cannot or will not learn from Cody[/quote.

This might be a distinction without difference but Cody is materials based but its not new gear based. If you review Cody's book, 98.6 degrees, there is a dozen or more pages devoted to putting together a EDC with photos, reasons and depictions. Honestly the best I have seen. Its very thorough. So while I think what you saying is that you prefer Daves, 'seize the day and throttle it mentality' you also learn from Cody more low key input. If anything I would say Dual Survival has done a poor job of translating the wit and information Cody has put out in his two last books.

I agree with Comms.

I really enjoyed Cody Lundin's 2 books and refer to them often, some of the best Survival reading on the market. But I did not agree with all of Cody's hippie methods on Dual Survivor, I think a lot of that was just for TV.

I also like Dave Canterbury's video's on You Tube and thought more of him on Dual Survivor, but Dave uses a lot of traditional skills that were not shown in the show.

Thats just Hollywood.

I also own both the Mora carried by Cody and the Blind Horse Pathfinder Knife carried by Dave both excellent knives, one is just heaver, larger and costs 10x more than the other.

Mike

I think 98.6 is a great book. The "characters" are hokey and silly and frankly detract from coherently presenting the material, but if you're willing separate the wheat from the chaff it's packed full of good info. Cody is pretty passionate about primitive skills and aboriginale living but in his writings he's wise enough to acknowledge that not everyone can spend the next 10 years learning the skills to get thru next months hurricane. I have a lot of respect for him for not telling people to just throw away their shoes and build a bowdrill.

Now me, I'm a gadget guy. I love technology of all sorts- guns, knives, computers, audio gear, cars etc etc. Survival gear is no different. There's nothing I enjoy more than poring over the knife sites looking at the Next Great Thing. And of course I have to consciously remind myself that aquiring gear isn't the same as preparing yourself. That's the thing that I think gets overlooked when people criticize Cody's minimalist mindset. Sure, if you knew you were going to be in a plane crash next week the smart guy would cancel his d@mn flight! And barring that you'd certainly carry the gear you needed. The problem is you can easily be separated from that gearr; what if you can't build a fire without your matches, or firesteel? As long as you have your life and your mind is intact, you'll still have your skills. If you can build fire by friction, your firesteel will be a luxury. If you can build a debris shelter with a sliver of rock and your hands, think how nice it will be to have a knife and some plastic sheeting. It's the same reason you learn to add, subtract and divide before you're taught to use a calculator.

Perhaps if I was going to dropped off deep in the Boundry Waters or a forest in Saskatchewan a Mora wouldn't be my first choice. But neither would I feel all was lost. Used within it's capabilities it's a fine knife.

I liked Cody's 98.6. It is a good little book.

Whats special about Mora?
Not much.

It is just a knife.
It might be exotic in some places but they are pretty common in the north. They are the basic toolbox knife in a lot of places.
I am not so fond of the grind as some people are but they do hold a good edge once they are sharp.
The blade is thick enough to stand light prying or being driven into wood.
They are cheap enough and light enough that you can have a few extras around. The sheaths are getting better but are still pretty bad.
I think they got popularized more by Mors Kochanski than anybody else but Mors would have used whatever knife was common. What was common in northern Alberta back then were the wood handled frosts.
Every hardware store had boxes of the things. They didn't even come in separate packages.

To say they wouldn't be the choice for the forest is kind of odd because that is exactly what they were favourites for.
People working in the bush expected to have saws and axes available too for the heavier cutting so a small knife was fine.
Still, you can cut a poplar sapling about as thick as your wrist with two or three slices of a small knife if you know what you are doing.

I really like Blind Horse Knives and would recommend them as quality knife for a reasonable price.

Pete