MoraKniv Outdoor Knives and Tools
MoraKniv – The Original Swedish Made Outdoor Knife
Historically, the Swedish have always had a close relationship with their natural environment. To much of the Swedish population, bush craft is still highly relevant and even critical to their way of life. The traditional bush crafting skills have been handed down from generation to generation, culminating in a rich wealth of natural knowledge.
This approach to nature and crafting is clearly visible in the tools used in the pursuit of natural living. The MoraKniv Company has crystallised this way of thinking into their knives and tools. Ultimately functional and specifically tailored to the outdoor world, Mora Knives are, in many ways, unbeatable as an outdoor tool.
In more recent times, Mora have also branched out into tools for urban use such as electrical fitting, building maintenance, carpentry, plumbing and decoration.
Practicality and affordability. Although Mora knives are generally considered to be inexpensive, they certainly offer “high end” performance. By keeping handle materials simple yet durable and functional, Mora have been able to maintain an affordable price point. Maybe they are not as pretty or “fancy” as other high end tools but their performance is always comparable if not superior.
Choice of steel. Mora knives are generally available in a choice of three steel types; stainless steel, high carbon steel or laminated steel. Many people still favour a carbon steel blade although it does require more maintenance and care. Stainless steel is easier to care for but is generally less suitable for use in combination with a firesteel. Laminated steel offers the best of both worlds as it consists of a central carbon steel core which is sandwiched and protected by two layers of stainless steel.
So which steel should you choose? It’s all dependent on your requirements. For moisture laden environments, stainless steel is the natural choice, particularly in salt water environments. Any steel will eventually corrode but stainless will take the longest to rust, if cleaned properly between uses. MoraKniv uses their own specially formulated and heat treated stainless steels, known as 12C27 and 14C28N. Both steels are hardened to HRC 56-58. The edge retention is generally superior to that of carbon steel, so less sharpening stops will be needed.
So why choose a carbon steel blade? Due to the high carbon content in the steel, a carbon steel blade is easier and faster to sharpen as compared to stainless steel. Overall, a sharper edge is achievable with carbon steel although it will not stay sharp for as long as a stainless steel blade. MoraKniv carbon blades are heat treated to HRC 58-60.
The final choice of steel from MoraKniv is referred to as laminated steel. As stated above, laminated steel consists of a layer of harder carbon steel sandwiched in between two layers of stainless steel. This means a knife that is easy to sharpen yet which is still corrosion resistant. Perhaps this is the best of both worlds.
Whichever Mora you choose, you can rest assured that you are buying a superior quality tool that will provide many years of faithful service.
The Bushgear Team
