Best Mora Knives in 2024

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Are you looking for just one versatile fixed-blade knife that you can use for general tasks, bushcraft, and survival? If yes, a Mora knife could be your best companion outdoor.

Mora knives have been around for more than a century and are among the popular knife brands for bushcraft knives. It is among the most trusted names by those who are concerned about knife quality, precision, performance, and budget.

Although specializing in bushcraft knives, the brand is recognized for producing some more varieties of knives featuring advanced features at affordable price ranges. The brand is recalled easily when it comes to buying knives for performing tough jobs outside.

Is it Mora or Morakniv?

Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival Knife with Fire Starter and Sheath, 4.3-Inch, Black

If you search for Mora knives online, you are likely to come across Morakniv knives. Well, both are popular names representing the same brand.

The name ‘Mora’ is technically not a brand name but a specific knife style made in Mora, a town in Sweden. The town is known for its extremely sharp Scandinavian-style knives. On the other hand, Morakniv is the actual brand name.

Traditionally, two chef knife manufacturers designed knives in Mora, which are KJ Eriksson and Frosts of Mora. Both of them finally amalgamated into a single company called Morakniv or Mora of Sweden offering an integrated collection of knives.

Despite this, all the different names are still used interchangeably. The earlier models associated with Frosts or Eriksson still are known with these names in many online stores. Regardless of the model as well as the name engraved, there has been no compromise with the quality since the brand’s inception.

History

Morakniv or Mora is a Swedish knife company whose business was initiated in 1891. Commencing in Finland, the brand’s basic knife design was brought to Mora in Sweden. The basic style was based on Finland’s Puukku knife, which was known for its great design.

The basic knives were clip point utility tools usually with stained or simple birch handles and with no blade guard. As a directive, they were rarely more than 4-inch long and were used as EDC knives. To have one of them was considered a great honor.

Over the years, this design has changed. The actual origin of these Scandinavian tools is not known but they were highly popular among the Lapps during the feudal times.

The brand’s status prospered by associating with the national military. Although started by serving the Swedish military, Morakniv also won the hearts of the general public by designing extremely sharp knives and making them available at low prices.

Morakniv is known to design great bushcraft knives, camp knives, and hunting knives all of which are mostly fixed blade designs.  They have also an array of wood carving knives as well.

The majority of Mora knives, especially those at the low end of the price range tend to feature lighter as well as slimmer blade profiles. This is because they are designed primarily for delicate and more detailed work. Very few are made for enduring daily beatings with a strong approach.

Coming to the knife collection belonging to the mid-price range, Morakniv offers knives with a full-tang design, which are relatively more sizable. However, yet, most of these models may not be the best options for those who want to perform heavy chopping or heavy batoning daily.

In short, Mora knives are designed to be very sharp and are meant for light to medium-duty tasks. They last long for that level of use. They are not meant to act as hatchets but as genuine knives.

Even today, Mora knives are small and have fixed sharp blades with or without finger guards. The Swedish as well as Finnish people are still using them enormously as industrial tools and for construction tasks. Even the Scandinavian military workforces are using these knives daily.

Product Lines

If you have looked for Mora knives online, you must have come across different model names such as 711, Companion, and Craftline. Across its journey, the brand has come up with an array of product lines.

However, these lines have passed through some name changes due to which a single knife might be seen under other names. The original, birch-handled Mora became available in a few versions namely, #1, #2, and so on.

When the company also started manufacturing handles of rubber and polymer for expansion, the product names became numbers such as 840 and 711. The numeric naming convention paved the way to a bit more expressive yet inexplicable naming system, giving names such as Craftline, Eldris, and Allround.

In 2016, some more additions were made to the collection along with simplified product names. Even today, some models are numbered but those with names are now easier to comprehend.

Top 3 of Our Favorite Mora Knives

Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife: Best  Cheap Camping / Carving / Marine Knife

Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife with Sandvik Stainless Steel Blade, 4.1-Inch, Military GreenMade in Sweden, the reputable Companion is perhaps the most versatile knife for all outdoorsmen. It is designed well for food preparation, carving, cutting tinder, and cutting wood. With it, you can easily carve fresh tinder for making a feather stick or starting a fire, chop small wooden limbs, carve wood, and cut thin slices of food.

Feathering and slicing are best performed with extreme skills with only a bit of force on push cutting. You can even use it for batoning or splitting wood having a diameter of around an inch.

Superb Blade with Scandi Grind

This Morakniv knife comes with a 4.1-inch blade that has a three-quarter tang. It is made using the hardened Sandvik 12C27 steel that is stainless. This material helps to retain the edge sharpness for a longer time than carbon steel.

It is also less susceptible to rust due to which it is also suitable for marine applications where dirt and moisture contact is inevitable. Further, this top-quality Swedish steel is very hard to deliver a razor-sharp edge.

The blade also comes with the Scandi grind due to which it becomes easy to sharpen. It is also one of the reasons why this knife is extremely sharp.

High-friction Rubber Handle

The handle is made using a TPE rubber that is designed ergonomically to ensure optimal comfort. It also features a high-friction and patterned grip due to which you gain more control with safety, particularly in cold and wet situations. This is ensured without compromising the expected performance.

Basic Sheath

The Companion comes with a basic sheath whose color matches that of the knife. It is made using hard plastic to ensure that the knife stays secured when inside. There is also a drain hole and a belt clip for apt carrying and a drain hole.

Pros

  • Light
  • Versatile
  • Razor-sharp
  • Rust-resistant
  • Weather-resistant
  • Ergonomic and great grip
  • Easy to sharpen
  • Available in a variety of colors and models
  • Cheap

Cons

  • Loose-fitting while inside the sheath
Check Price and Reviews on Amazon

 

Morakniv Bushcraft Knife: Best Bushcraft Knife

Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Fixed Blade Knife with Carbon Steel Blade, Black, 0.125/4.3-Inch (M-12490)This Bushcraft knife is tagged as a highly durable as well as versatile tool. With its razor-sharp edge, especially the ground spine, 3.2mm-thick blade, and perfect handle and blade balance, you can perform several tasks. You can handle the most difficult batoning tasks, carve stakes and tinder, prepare feather sticks, process wood for making tools, and start a fire.

High-carbon Blade with Coating

The Bushcraft blade is made using high-carbon steel and is moderately tempered due to which it is far more lasting than the stainless steels belonging to the same price gamut. The material makes the edge quite sharp as well as easy to re-sharpen.

The steel is hardened such that the blade can endure the stress at the time of batoning. As the material is more susceptible to corrosion than stainless steel, its blade in this knife has tungsten black coating that keeps corrosion at bay. Oiling the blade after use only strengthens this protection.

The factory edge is stunning. The bevel angle is ideal making this tool a versatile wood carving knife, steady through the tip. You will not be tempted to change the factory edge, unlike the case with other survival and work knives. Just maintain the edge using a pull-through sharpener.

Fire-supporting Spine

The blade features a 90° spine that is ground well for easily striking Ferro rods. To start a fire, just pull the spine gradually and deeply along a fire starter. The resulting spark can light tinder, leaves, dry grass, and also a BBQ grill.

The knife also has an aptly spanned tang junction. This is the most critical feature seen in a genuine survival knife design, as it helps to endure as a wood chisel for decking trees. This Mora tang is just sufficient here.

Scandi Grind

As per the manufacturer, this knife features a Scandi grind that is responsible for keeping the risk of slipping away, keeping the edge sharp, and penetrating the surface without being stuck. The resulting blade is thin due to which it becomes easier to perform tough outdoor jobs such as batoning and carving.

As per most users, the grind is not a true Scandinavian one, as there is a micro bevel along with a bit concave twist. Removing it gives you a genuine Scandinavian grind.

High-friction Rubber Handle

The handle is made using an over-molded, high-friction rubber whose grip is beyond satisfaction. You can expect excellent anti-slip performance even in cold and wet conditions. There is also an index finger groove along with the grooves for the palm and thumb.

You feel quite comfortable when it is in your hand while enjoying more control. In short, you feel the handle like a hand extension due to which the outdoor work becomes easier.

Plastic Sheath

The sheath is made using plastic and has a belt loop for placing the knife safely at your side. There are two belt clips for snapping at the sheath’s rear. One opens for affixing to a belt and the other is a closed-loop.

Pros

  • Light
  • Razor-sharp
  • Substantially thick
  • Anti-corrosive surface
  • Ergonomic and great grip
  • Spine for starting a fire
  • Easy to sharpen
  • Value for money

Cons

  • Not very sharp out of the box
  • Not for extreme rugged use
Check Price and Reviews on Amazon

 

Morakniv Garberg Full Tang Fixed Blade: Best Survival / Bushcraft / Camping Knife

Morakniv Garberg Full Tang Fixed Blade Knife with Sandvik Stainless Steel Blade and MOLLE Compatible Mounts, 4.3-inchThe Morakniv Garberg is a simple yet powerful and durable knife for a companion of woods. It cuts excellently, processes wood, and slices some normal items. This full-tang knife is perhaps the toughest one in the Morakniv collection. Along with the sheath, you also get a secondary lock for carrying more knives, multi-mount base, two wide straps of Velcro, and a narrow Velcro strap.

14C28N Sandvik Blade

The 4.3-inch long blade is made up of 14C28N Swedish Sandvik stainless steel that delivers razor sharpness, exceptional performance, superb hardness, and excellent corrosion resistance.

The spine is sharp enough to be used as a scraper while the blade features a genuine Scandi grind without micro bevel. The spine features a sharp 90-degree angle, which is ideal for scraping shavings or a Ferro rod. The sharp grind is ideal for bushcraft chores such as wood carving.

The clipped point ensures more strength while making precision cuts and piercing. It is a bit harder to sharpen this blade than the brand’s softer carbon steels. However, the power to resist corrosion covers this up in spades.

Hard Handle

The handle is made up of hard plastic polymer. It has sufficient texture to give a tacky feel for ensuring a firm grip.

Multi-mount Compatible Polyamide Sheath

Available in three versions, this MOLLE multi-mount version comes with a polyamide sheath and fastening accessories. Thus, you can easily fasten it to a car, attire, or packing for quick access at any time. With such a knife, you can tackle harsh chores without worrying about breaking, the credit of which also goes to the full-tang design.

You should use the multi-mount system even while carrying on the belt. The belt loop alone does not ensure full security, as the sheath may fall if not affixed to the multi-mount system. You can carry the sheath with right or left hand, a feature that Mora’s cheaper models do not have.

Pros

  • Full tang
  • Sharp
  • Corrosion-resistant
  • Spine for starting a fire
  • Ergonomic
  • Easy to sharpen
  • O.L.L.E compatible
  • Ambidextrous sheath
  • Value for money

Cons

  • A bit heavy feel initially
Check Price and Reviews on Amazon

 

How to Choose the Best Mora Knife

Morakniv Kansbol Fixed Blade Knife with Sandvik Stainless Steel Blade and Plastic Sheath, 4.3-InchSelecting the best Mora may sound like an easy task, as many models would look identical. However, they all are not identical due to which it is not a swift decision to take. For an efficient decision process, you need to consider the buying factors that affect your decision. So, let’s explore them.

Purpose

This is the most critical factor to consider. Before even looking for Mora knives, you need to find the purpose of buying a Mora knife. Will you use it for splitting or carving wood? Do you want to use a knife only for slicing and chopping in the kitchen? Are you looking for a pure bushcraft knife?

Not all knives are made for all these tasks although a single one may be for two of these tasks. Thus, it is vital to choose the one that fulfills your purpose.

Size

Mora knives are smaller than several other fixed blade knives made for bushcraft. Further, not all of them have the same size. If you know the purpose, it becomes easy to choose the right size.

Generally, if you are looking for a knife meant for heavier applications such as splitting or batoning wood, a bit long blade of around four inches (no less) is sufficient and efficient.

Blade Material

You now need to focus on the blade material once you decide the right size. The Morakniv brand, at present, designs blades using either stainless or carbon steel.

Of the two, stainless steel is more famous. It is highly resistant to corrosion and rust, which means the blade is durable. However, the blade’s durability is more reliant on the specific stainless steel in use as well as on the thickness of the blade.

In simple words, a thin blade of a specific type of stainless steel is less likely apt for heavy-duty applications although ideal for general purpose as well as extensive use.

On the other hand, a blade made up of carbon steel is more durable as well as apt for performing heavy-duty chores such as splitting wood. It is also easier to sharpen this steel. However, it is a bit tougher to maintain it than stainless steel, as it is susceptible to corrosion after prolonged spells of exposure to wet conditions.

Grip

The grip design is important, as it will indicate how comfortably and safely the knife will remain in your hand. For this, Mora uses different handle materials such as high-friction rubber and grooved polymer. The former is a better option when it comes to having a cozy grip and plenty of friction during slippery conditions.

 

Conclusion

Morakniv knives are typically fixed-blade models of a relatively slim and small size. Made using highly durable materials, they can perform multiple tasks, ranging right from preparing food to batoning wood. They are among the sharpest knives in the world for you to choose from and are available at affordable prices.