Mora

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It’s a not-a-secret in the preparedness community that the ‘Mora’ knives are, it seems, quite the bang-for-the-buck. They’re a no-frills sheath knife of simple materials, simple construction, and they apparently do knife-tasks pretty well.

I was curious to examine one and form my own opinion since a) I had never gotten to handle one and b) I’m always looking for an excuse to buy gear (which, really, is pretty much why this blog exists). So, I trundled off to Amazon and ordered a couple. Specifically, these::

I mean, for eighteen bucks, why not? As an aside, the Glock knives that I like for their affordability and ruggedness are twice the price.

So whaddya get for eighteen bucks? Well, I wouldn’t call it a survival knife, although like any edged instrument it can certainly be pressed into that service…whatever service that may be. It’s not something for breaking windows, prying open door jambs, hacking through doors, or that sort of thing like my BK&T stuff. But 99% of the time, my knife needs are…cut stuff, slice things, poke holes in things. And this knife looks like a good choice for that. I’d call it a ‘sportsmans knife’. It’s quite well suited for cleaning out fish and deer, campsite chores, and that sort of thing.

The internet will show people ‘testing’ knives by ‘batoning’ them…where they put a knife on the edge of a log and then hammer it down through the log to split it for kindling. I suppose that’s a test of durability or something. I think the best test is to simply use it and abuse if for a season or two and see what shakes loose. I’ll take it out this hunting season and see if I can disassmble Bambi with it. If it turns out to be a good piece of gear I’ll pick up a half dozen for keeping in storage. And if not…hey, its only eighteen bucks.

 

32 thoughts on “Mora”

  2. I’m a right tool for the right job kind of guy, but can make do when I have to. The ‘Forged in Fire’ episodes where they ‘test’ a knife by chopping away at various stuff like steel cable, large bones and antlers and such makes me cringe.

    I carry a bone saw to cut bone, a hack saw to cut steel and an axe to chop wood. Probably a safe bet to say none of the judges would ever take one of their high end Randall’s and baton it through firewood.

  3. Love Moria knives so file this under fanboy. But they are good for many things they hold an edge well they do many butcher tasks well agile and sharp but not a cleaver. They make great feather sticks, you can file the back flatter and they make good sparks also good for processing some tinders. You can baton with them but that isn’t the best use on the other hand a thicker more stout knife is better for prybar baton work but sucks for feather sticks and fine butcher work. They also sharpen fast which is because they have a fine edge which makes them weaker when the edge is stressed. The best thing is as you say the price so you can put one in every kit without breaking the bank

    • I’m looking for a knife that will take the head off a rabbit without too much effort. Will the Mora do that?

      • Several Mora styles will absolutely take a rabbit’s head off, Bonnie. Obviously you want a fairly long blade, not something like the little Eldris. Hard to beat the very affordable Companion model for something like this.

  4. If you want a stainless steel version, both as back-ups and to test out if you like it, go to the Wal-Mart fishing section and about waist level ( they keep moving it around ) there is a cardboard box half the size of a shoebox. They sell the generic version for a whole $3. Bonus, in black. You can also buy for almost the same price from Budk or similar, just look under Fillet Knives. I have many of the Mora’s, back from when the price was $12, but I like almost as many knives as our good host has guns :), so I also buy generics. Mora’s, $7 LED lanterns and $20 Sawyer water filters are half of what makes prepping so much easier/cheaper than the 90’s

    • Beware of those. They are cheap chinesium knock offs. They might be OK, but just as likely to be junk steel and poorly made.

      • Less expensive metal materials and handles to be sure, but there are some tasks and duties that are tailor made for a plain old cutting knife. Ye Olde Iron and Walnut not required. For cutting hay bale twine or opening grain sacks, the less expensive tool will suffice. Just make sure to keep sharpened, as a dull tool will require more effort to cut which can lead to breakages. A sharp edge is all it takes.

        I think you (Commander Zero) were the 1st one to make me aware of what a workhorse a Glock knife is. Damn they are tough ! I remove the plug at pommel and use a rubber chair leg cap to plug the gap. Sewing bobbin of trip wire, a mini-bic lighter, small glue stick and a few nails will go a long way for repairs ‘here and now’.

  5. I’d say think of Moria knives as being like a fixed blade Opinel knife – I only buy them on sale and them 5 or 6 at a time. For the money they are great, and when you lose them, lend them out [and we all know what that means] or give them away, you just do not care that much.
    The only thing not so good about then is the sheath, which for some reason people buy new sheaths at the cost of 2 or 3 knives. For that kind of money just buy a Pilots survival knife or a Glock.

  6. Buck Knives, used to show their sheath knife being hammered on edge through a 60D spike (nail).

    • The Buck sheath knife I owned as a young man would absolutely cut through a nail with no damage, Mike. I’m pretty sure it was made of an alloy steel that was quite light, but also very, very hard. The problem for me was that once it went dull, I could NEVER sharpen it.

  8. I love my.Moras for food prep and cutting things like knives are supposed to do. Have then in truck food box and Bob bag. I use other knives for fighting monsters and chopping wood..

  9. I guess Mora knives are quite capable on several levels. However for field dressing game, like whitetail deer ( the main prolific large animal in my hunting area ) in my area, I prefer the Buck Knives Cabelas Pro Gold knife I acquired years ago. I field dressed at least 5 deer before this knife even required sharpening. Astounding. The hands down best field knife I have ever had. And I own over 70 knives.

  10. Like Tom, above, I’m a bit of a Mora fanboy. One thing I like about Moras is that I think all their blades feature a laminated steel. You have a hard steel core that extends to the cutting edge and it’s encased in layers of softer steel. The high carbon core gives you a really sharp edge while the softer steel gives you flexibility and overall strength. Definitely a knife for cutting tasks, not splitting dry logs. One other thing is that while the model you posted is a stainless steel, I do have some Moras made of a carbon steel that will rust if not taken care of. Rather than calling Moras cheap, I describe them as a really good value.

  11. I like them. They’re extremely lightweight and the grips are easy on the hand. They sharpen easily and hold an edge. Inexpensive, but not cheap. They punch way above their weight, and make fine spares at my cabin. I bought a dozen or two of their short pocket fixed blade, and they were great gifts.

  14. You should try the classic Opinel folding knives and give us your opinion on them. Personally, I think they perform a couple of levels above their price point. Not the most tacticool, but for most of my daily uses, I find them very good,

    Just another thought, when butchering a deer, consider using a utility knife. the replaceable blades make the sharpening chore a lot easier.
    Combined with a saw, they have worked very well for me.

    • Good advice with the utility cutter. They really speed up my animal skinning, allowing just enough blade to slit the skin without cutting into meat or underlying. I will insist on the solid blades, not break-away tips as those could break at a bad time and get lost. No need for metal parts left in meat, thats an accident waiting to happen.

  15. I use them for gardening and other related (abusive) tasks. They’re a good knife for the money, but there are many others that are much better..

  16. The Mora is basically the first thing you think of when you hear the Word knife in sweden. They are great and they are cheap. Always keep a bunch of them at hand!

  17. I just don’t get all the sheep following the “bushcraft” song and dance. A knife is just a cutting tool. Period. Don’t think that baton stuff will keep you warm on a cold Rocky Mountain night. Old mountain man saying is ” cut the wood you think you need for a night. Then double it. Been there done that. Cut things with a knife. Chop wood with a axe. Or use a saw. A big saw not a dinky pocket folder saw. Use a tool for the proper purpose. You will stay a lot warmer. That said I like the Mora Companion. I prefer mine in orange. Easy to keep up with and I am not going all military cutting throats and such and need colors that I can find in leaves. I have a half dozen around in bags or the shop. One thing I did do is add a small bungee cord to retain. I don’t trust the plastic snap thing. Tie a loop and slip it up the belt loop to the top. Flip it over the knife for a snug fit.

    Mora knives work well. They are a bit bulkier than a Buck 110 but lighter and to me easier to use. Ragweed does have them cheaper than the zon but shipping adds. Buying a dozen shipping is fixed same as one knife last time I bought. I also prefer to support small business.

  18. FYI, according to a working knife expert, stainless steel holds an edge noticeably longer than the traditional carbon steel does. His business was supplying sharp knives to the meat preparation industry. Stainless made his work life much less hectic. This was determined by simply handing a knife to a worker, and seeing how long they used it before switching to a replacement.

    His book: The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening, by John Juranitch

    • I find most stainless much harder to sharpen in the field, excepting a AUS 8 folder my mother gave me as a present back in 1976. Thin blade gets wicked sharp. Using a Buck 119 is misery to sharpen in the field with a pocket stone. The one advantage for a Mora is the scandi grind. Easy to sharpen but I have not tried to dress a deer out with one. I always used my Buck 110 for that purpose. I would like to get a Green River or Old Hickory if I ever hunt again, but that is doubtful. .

  19. More has been making quality knives since longer then I’ve been around.
    Another great knife company is Condor located in Elk Salvador. The current factory was built by a German company some years back. When the Germans decided for some reason to close the factory the employees bought it and kept it operating.
    I have three knives. When I bought these the names were the Hunter, large Bush knife and the Hudsons Bay knife.
    All three are very well made. Heavy duty knives made for rough use in rough country. All are useful for bringing through for splitting firewood. The Hudson’s Bay knife is very heavy and is handy to uses as a clever for chopping.
    Smokey Mountain Knife Works sells these in their catalog. I paid $24.99 for the Large Bush knife and Hunter and $34.99 for my Hudson’s Bay knife.
    They have other knives and axes including a Viking Axe. A very nice Moonshiners knife and recently the Kephart and a few other new models.
    The only criticism I have is the sheaths are of a man made material that could be better. They don’t fit the knife all that well. Not a huge problem for me because I normally make my own anyway. I make knives as well.
    But all in all. These are very high quality knives at a reasonable price. I bought these back in about 2010. So the prices have risen a bit. SMKW gives free catalogs and always features Condors products. In my mind and experience these are as good and in some cases a bit better then Cold Steels offerings. I have several of their products as well. I collect as well as make knives so the comparisons are from actual use.
    In this day and time with the PPOTUS and his Ice Cream Regime doing all they can on this Marxist search and destroy crusade. I buy what I trust. And trust comes from use.

  20. I just came up with the following-

    I tried to see what other three words I might make from the letters in “Fuck Joe Biden”.
    How about-

    Dunce
    Joke
    Fib

    Coincidence?
    I think not.

  21. Bought one, used to field dress, skin and quarter a buck this morning.

    Still very sharp!

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