There is a good reason why so many outdoorsmen and women have a Morakniv knife in their kits. From bushcraft, to a day out on the water there is a Mora knife that will suit your needs. Morakniv has been around since 1891 and still manufactures all their knives out of their factory in Sweden. With so many Mora knives to choose from which one is right for you?
Here are my top picks at a quick glance:
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#1 Mora
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SKIP AHEAD
Best Mora Knife – My Top Picks
1. Best Mora Knife Overall – Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Review
It is hard to improve on a Morakniv knife but adding a ferro rod and sharpener to the sheath is a great way to do it. The high carbon steel is razor sharp and has excellent edge retention but unfortunately is not full tang but instead around a 3/4” tang. This knife tops my list because it was designed for bushcraft and proves itself to be a tough jack of all trades blade in spite of being only 3/4 tang blade.
Check out our detailed Bushcraft review.
Pictures of the Bushcraft from SurvivalCache
Our team members have this knife and here are some pictures:
Back
Features
- Overall Length – 9.1”
- Blade Length – 4.3”
- Blade Thickness – 0.126”
- Blade Steel – 1095 High Carbon Steel
- Handle Material – Plastic
- Sheath – Plastic with Ferro Rod and Sharpener
Pros
- High carbon steel blade
- Sheath has ferro rod and sharpener
- 90 degree spine for striking ferro rod
- Blade length is good for the majority of bushcraft tasks
Cons
- Not full tang
- Blade is a bit thin for heavy use
Customer Sentiment
Customer reviews are largely positive with a lot of positive reviews in regards to the inclusion of the ferro rod and sharpener and that this knife is designed specifically for bushcrafting. The majority of the negative comments seem to focus on some minor quality control issues.
Verdict
The choice between my top two picks was as close a shave as you get from a Mora, but it came down to the fact that the Mora Bushcraft is a complete kit rather than a just a knife. The ferro rod and sharpener are such great additions that set this knife above the rest. My only gripe is that this knife is not full tang.
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#1 Mora
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2. Best Mora Knife Runner Up – Morakniv Garberg Review
The Garberg is the full tang Mora that I wish the Bushcraft was. There are two sheath options with this Mora, one being a leather sheath and the other being a plastic sheath similar to the sheaths you see on other Mora knives. These sheaths leave a lot to be desired though, the leather option is not particularly effective for quick access and the plastic options are a dangler style which has belt loop that is secured to the sheath via a friction fit loop rather than being permanently fastened. This is also a high carbon steel blade and like the bushcraft is also an eighth of an inch thick. If this knife also had a ferro rod and sharpener to go with the 90 degree spine it would be number one on the list.
Check our detailed Garberg review.
Features
- Overall Length – 9.0”
- Blade Length – 4.3”
- Blade Thickness – 0.13”
- Blade Steel – 1095 High Carbon Steel
- Handle Material – Plastic
- Sheath – Both a leather and a plastic sheath option
Pros
- Full tang
- High carbon steel
- Two sheath options
- 90 degree spine
Cons
- The sheaths could be better
Customer Sentiment
Customers really like their Mora Garbergs however all the sheath options have negative reviews against them as well as several complaints that the knives arrived very dull.
Verdict
I wish this knife came with the Mora Bushcraft sheath then it would be damn near perfect. Unfortunately, even though the Garberg is full tang the lacklustre sheaths and the absence of the ferro rod and sharpener drop this option to runner up.
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3. Best Mora Camp Knife – Morakniv Kansbol Review
The MoraknivKansbol is an interesting knife because of the dual grinds that it sports. The Kansbol is half Scandinavian grind transitioning into a full flat grind about half way down the blade to the tip. This gives a greater level of versatility because the Scandinavian grind is suited for heavier tasks with the full flat grind being great for fine cutting tasks as well as food prep. The blade is stainless steel so it will be corrosion resistant but will not have the edge retention or the sharpness of the carbon steel blades. The stainless blades will however be a bit tougher that the carbon steel. Because the blade transitions into a flat grind near the tip of the blade will be thinner and prone to braking if misused. The Kansbol comes with a similar plastic sheath that the Garberg has which is not ideal but a minor strike against this option
Check out our detailed Kansbol review.
Features
- Overall Length – 8.9”
- Blade Length – 4.3”
- Blade Thickness – 0.09”
- Blade Steel – 12C27 Stainless Steel
- Handle Material – Plastic
- Sheath Material – Plastic
Pros
- Dual grind increases versatility
- 90 Degree spine
- Stainless steel blade is corrosion resistant
Cons
- Stainless steel is lacks edge retention and sharpness of carbon steel
- Sheath could be better
- Near the tip will be thinner and prone to breaking
Customer Sentiment
Customers love their Kansbols but there are complaints about the sheaths and some quality control issues relating to the grind of the blade
Verdict
I’m not sold on the dual grind but that is merely a personal bias that I have. The utility of having the dual grinds is definitely an advantage if you are looking for a single knife that preforms a wide variety of tasks well.
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4. Best Mora Neck Knife – Morakniv Eldris Review
It’s nice to have a neck knife and it’s nicer to have a neck knife that like the Kansbol has dual grinds but unlike the Kansbol the grind goes from the standard Scandinavian grind to a sabre grind over only a 2.2 inch blade length. What this does though is give you a grind near the tip for finer work which is what you generally use a neck knife for and a grind for heavier tasks near the base of the blade which is exactly where you want it. The two sheath options are interesting as well, there is a pocket carry sheath which is basically just a standard plastic sheath and there is also a neck carry sheath option available as well which comes with a lanyard, retention strap, and a fire steel.
Features
- Overall length – 5.6”
- Blade Length – 2.2”
- Blade Thickness – 0.08”
- Blade Steel – 12C27 Stainless Steel
- Handle Material – Plastic
- Sheath Material – Plastic
Pros
- Dual grind is versatile
- Can be carried in pocket or around the neck
- Stainless Steel is corrosion resistant
- 90 Degree spine
Cons
- Very small which gives it limited functionality
Customer Sentiment
For such a small knife there are not a whole lot of legitimate complaints against it. Of all the reviews I’ve read the scope of the negativity was around not getting the model people though they had ordered.
Verdict
This knife is great at exactly what it is meant for and that is a small pocket or neck carry knife. Being that this knife is stainless steel it would be a great little knife to use out on the water be it fishing, canoeing, kayaking, or rafting.
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5. Best Budget Mora Knife – Morakniv Companion Review
When you say the phrase ‘Mora knife’ this is the knife most people probably picture. The Companion listed here is a the stainless steel version but there are also carbon steel versions available as well. This is a great budget starter knife especially for beginners and for those who are new to outdoor pursuits a stainless steel option is the way to go. Stainless steel is corrosion resistant so the user does not have to oil or care for the blade as thoroughly as a carbon steel blade. These knifes come with the standard plastic Mora sheath that not only has the ability to be put on and off a belt without removing the belt and has the added feature of being able to dangle off a shirt button.
Check out my detailed Mora Companion hands-on article.
Pictures of my Mora Knife
Features
- Overall Length – 8.6”
- Blade Length – 4.1”
- Blade Thickness – 0.1”
- Blade Steel – 12C27 Stainless Steel (Carbon steel versions available)
- Handle Material – Plastic
- Sheath Material – Plastic
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Blade length is good for most bushcrafting and camp tasks
- Sheath is versatile and tough
Cons
- No 90 degree spine
- Not full tang
Customer Sentiment
There is a good reason that this knife is number one on amazon and that is that people love this blade. The only negative reviews were in regards to minor quality control issues.
Personal Experience
I own two of these knives, one in stainless steel, and the other in carbon steel and I love them. They are tough knives that have to date stood up to everything I’ve thrown at them.
You can check out my hands-on review of the Mora Companion here.
Verdict
These knives are great starter knives but are just as capable as a primary belt knife. I’ve put these knives in the hands of young children and find that the Mora Companion is almost a perfect size for them with no reduction of functionality.
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More Hands-On Reviews
I’ve done a lot of hands-on reviews of Moraknive knives. Check them out below:
Our team has also done comparisons between multiple Mora knives. Check them out here:
How To Choose a Mora Knife
What Makes a Mora Good?
Mora knives are not mass produced in some far off land they are crafted from Swedish steel in Mora’s very own factory in Sweden. They handle every step of the knife making process, even the critical step of heat treatment. Morakniv has also put a lot of thought into the design of their knives and it shows in the final product. If you look at their catalogue of blades you will see that every knife has been crafted to maximize functionality.
How To Choose?
The best way to choose the right Mora for you is to ask yourself what you are expecting from this knife. Are you going to be bushcrafting, hunting, fishing or camping? Or is this just a straight-up survival knife? Do you want a stainless or carbon steel blade? How do you want to carry it? No matter what your expectations are I’m confident that at least one of these five blades will be a good match for you.
Questions I Get Asked About Morakniv
How should I care for and maintain my Morakniv knife?
No matter the blade steel chosen, every knife blade should be oiled regularly and kept very sharp. Scandinavian grinds are quite easy to sharpen and all that should be required is to touch the blade up regularly with a leather strop, diamond rod, or a high grit whetstone. Aside from that, keeping the entire knife clean and dry is about all that is required to maintain any knife including Morakniv knives.
What are the differences between the high carbon steel and 12C27 stainless steel?
The key difference between these two knife steels is the corrosion resistance of the stainless steel. It needs to be noted though, that stainless steel is corrosion resistant not corrosion proof, stainless steel will still corrode under the right circumstances.
Another difference is that stainless steel is tougher and can be harder than carbon steel. This is a good feature for a blade that will be under some abuse but comes with the trade off of being more difficult to sharpen than a high carbon steel.
What it boils down to is that high carbon steel will have good edge retention, be sharper than stainless steel, easier to sharpen, but not as tough as stainless and will rust quite rapidly. Stainless steel still has good edge retention, corrosion resistance, is tough and resistant to wear, but is not as easy to sharpen and not as sharp as high carbon steel.
Verdict
The Mora Bushcraft tops the list because it is a great size for bushcrafting tasks and comes with the ferro rod and sharpener in the sheath which makes this a knife that is more of a complete kit. The only downside is that the Mora Bushcraft is not a full tang knife whereas the Mora Garberg is, but has the downside of not having good sheath options.
If your intent is to make your own sheath or have a custom one made, then the full tang Garberg is probably the better option. The Mora Companion is always a great option that fits most budgets while also being a very functional knife. I personally believe that if choosing a first outdoors knife for yourself or as a gift the Mora Companion is the way to go.
