My first Mora

So, I've decided to try a Mora knife since I've heard so much about them. Anyone have any suggestions on a general purpose Mora for a bugout bag and maybe general backpacking. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

I only have one Mora, the classic red handled laminated blade S1, so I can't comment on the other models, but this one is a great knife, 'specially for the price (if you pay as much as $20 US you paid too much). Not the stongest knife in the world, plastic sheath, but it takes an edge easily, and as long as you don't over abuse it I suspect that it should work just fine for whatever you want...

I have 2 Mora's and both are outstanding camp knifes. You can go to www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html and see most all of the Mora's. pick the type of steel you want and the handle type then send the man usually under $15.00.

I think the Frost Clipper has the best handle.

I just got the #840 as my first Mora knife and I'm pretty pleased.

I thought you were done buying gear for a while?

I've heard about them over and over, and nary a bad word. I like the Frost Clipper too and also the Mora 2K. One of these days....

I have the craftsman (lam. steel) and the sak. I'm very happy with both.

regular readers will be amazed to see me saying:
'read the gear guide' :-)

Here it is to save you looking it up. (But if you do there is a link to Mr Erikssons page).
simon

"KJ Eriksson Mora Knife Model 731 (carbon steel balde), Model 748 (stainless steel blade) and Model 2000 (The Mora is favored by a number of survival instructors as a practical and inexpensive fixed blade, though less robust than the blades above.)


You may have to modify the knife you select in order to get all the features you want in a survival knife, especially if you're on a budget. Obviously, you can spend a lot more for a "better knife." But, these knives meet all the minimum criteria for a dependable survival knife at a not unreasonable cost, and in the case of the Mora, truely inexpensive".

if you have nothing sensible to say....

stop buying gear? honestly where do you get this stuff? 'I'm giving up buying gear' is like 'I'm never drinking too much again'. These words should not be held against a man.
simon

Haha.

I don't know if you noticed, but the #840 was included in that gear list. It was the last piece of gear that I bought and it completed my pack (I really wanted a fixed blade). I got it about two weeks ago.

Thanks for keeping me honest!

(Post 100!!)

it's the ravings of a madman! get out there and spend on gear; then lie to your wife about how much. it's what men do...

I bought a model #911. It's slightly bigger than I expected but feels great in my hand. I plan to use it to learn knife craft and general bushcraft. If I were to order it again, I'd order the more basic wood handled one. As has been stated many times on this board; "you don't feel bad about abusing a $10 knife."

No wife for me, simplesimon - so it's that much easier to go overboard on gear!

I have a Mora (don't remember which model #) that I found many years ago. I have beat the H3LL out of it and it still takes a good edge. Knife is great, cheap plastic scabbard is kind of tacky though.

Keep it in my GHB now.

www.outdoors-magazine.com/s.article.php?id_article=152 gives a nice field comparison of the Mora 2000 and a Russel #1. My current Mora carry is the #780 Craftsman. It is .097 thick,4 1/8" laminated blade, thumb guard and lanyard hole with a lousy sheath for the staggering sum of $11 + $5 shipping. A 2000 @ .098 thick, 4 1/2" stainless blade, functional sheath, ergonomic handle, no lanyard hole or guard will cost you $31.50 + $5 shipping.The caveat is these are factory mass produced knives. OOB they are excellent value. But a little preliminary resharpening to true things up will make good cutters into fantastic cutters. I've often mentioned the carbon moras as one of the few knives with sufficient carbon content and rockwell to spark off a flint. I've learned not all Moras will have the stated Rockwell depending on lot and the spine may require some file work to present a nice square edge for flint or metal match. The carbon blades will rust. If these are to go into BOBs or distributed as spare blades S/S are worth consideration. Aftermarket sheaths in Kydex are available for many Moras, ironically costing more than the knife! Once assembled you have a nice system for little outlay.Again, Moras are excellent training knives and excellent options for supplying multiple kits. For the price you won't mourn loss or damage ( which should be a red flag of operator error anyway)so much as a $200 blade. A dedicated survival blade, such as my Fallkniven F 1 is still a good option- if you have the resources.If not, a Mora is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

Hey Chris the URL didn't go through for the product review.

Chris - the hyperlink for the knife comparison didn't work for me either, although the url for that page was identical, once I drilled down to it, except for missing the www. ?? Maybe you and the other webmaster can figure it out.

I bought several Moras from Ragnar a while ago, including Eriksson 746-G and 946, and Frost 860 and 780. The first three all have softer rubber coated handles, and right handed sheaths, while the 780 has a hard plastic handle, and an ambidextrous sheath.

I haven't abused them (yet) but in general I like the grips on the rubber coated handles better than the hard plastic handles; they feel less slippery. My favorite is probably the 746-G, because of the handle. I should say was, since I showed them to a friend of mine who traps, and offered him one for a gift, and the 746-G was the one he picked. I wear M to L gloves, and he wears XL gloves, and we both thought its grip the most comfortable. YMMV. He also said it was the sharpest knife he ever used out of the box. They're slicers all right.

Now if they only made a left handed sheath for it. Sigh... I guess I might have to break down and start playing around with Kydex, as soon as Ragnar gets that knife back in stock. So many knives, so little time...

Working link for the Outdoors Magazine "Field Comparison; Grohmann #1 vs Mora 2000" article: http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=152

Any of the Frost's/Mora range will do the job. As a general use knife either the 740 which has a moulded handle, high carbon blade, Clip point. Or the Frost's/Mora clipper 840 high carbon / 860 stainless knife with it's "Pachmyer" type rubberised grip.

The 740 is the issue knife for the Swedish Army. Great knife. Takes a shaving edge very easily.

The 840/860 are probably the best knife's of their type on the market. They are a popular choice with bushcraft schools. Particularly the 840. It takes around 2 min's to sharpen the spine up to something that gives a massive number of sparks when used with a ferro rod.

I own 2 740's, 2 840's and 1 860. They are so cheap that not having a couple to stash in a bail out kit is unwise. If I was building kits to a Sub $100 budget they would be the first choice. The only points that you do need to be aware of are:

1) They are not sharpened prybar's. Pry with them and you will break them. They can be batoned with.
2) The 740 and 840 are carbon steel. They will rust if put away wet. That is the price you pay for such a good edge. If you expect to use them in a wet enviroment they need to be protected. A small amount of petrolium jelly or oil on the blade will do the job.
3) If it's a salt water enviroment go for the 860.

Weight wise they are very light. Deliberatly. That is so that they can be hung from a button on your coat. You don't even know it's there.

I could go on for hours. It's one of the very few "cheap" knives that have impressed me.

They are almost all a good choice, except for the #440 "sport knife", the handle is too small, the guard is a fighting guard and gets in the way, the shape of the blade is a clip point and the knife is fastened on the sheath with a cheap plastic snap band that gets in the way.

One that looks interesting is this one:



You may use the batonning technique more often than you may think at first, and in different positions, like when creating many notches on sticks laid on the ground and the guard will get in the way. You can always file it since it's plastic. I personally am looking at the Craftmen because it's larger and I have large hands and there's a lanyard hole. I think the Clipper handle is ergonomic.

Watch Michel Blomgren sparking charred cloth with what appears to be a carbon steel Tradesman with a piece of quartz (Episode 3 - Quest for The Stone)



Frankie