1st knife suggestions

[amindfulmuse]

Looking to purchase my 1st bushcraft knife. I like this one and some research (3 out of 5 Google searches of good bushcraft knife) suggested it was a good knife. What do you think? It's the Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival Knife with Fire Starter and Sheath, 4.3-Inch, Black. Thanks!!

 

[gra_farmer]

Looking to purchase my 1st bushcraft knife. I like this one and some research (3 out of 5 Google searches of good bushcraft knife) suggested it was a good knife. What do you think? It's the Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival Knife with Fire Starter and Sheath, 4.3-Inch, Black. Thanks!!

You cannot go wrong with a mora. The bushcraft black is a favourite of a number of instructors I know

 

[amindfulmuse]

You cannot go wrong with a mora. The bushcraft black is a favourite of a number of instructors I know

Thanks Farmer! Is the brand called mora is is a mora a type of knife? Don't laugh at me lol new to this.

 

[amindfulmuse]

Thanks Farmer! Is the brand called mora is is a mora a type of knife? Don't laugh at me lol new to this.

OMG ok I see! Mora is short for Morakniv ..lol.. now you can laugh

 

[Jared]

Swedish brand. https://morakniv.se/en/

 

[TLM]

Mora is a small town in Sweden that gave name to a type of knife or knives and also Morakniv AB is the name of a company manufacturing that type (and a few others).

 

[Terry.m.]

This question is an easy one and the answer really will always be the same ,
Mora doesn’t matter which one they are cheap and do the job, I have many bespoke knives which is a knife thing, however the Moras remain fit for “ normal” purpose., if lost of damaged
Easy to replace ,when one loses or damages an expensive knife not so easy to replicate…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[punkrockcaveman]

A mora carbon companion is the middle of the road answer...
But... some alternative answers that beg the question 'what is bushcraft?' might be:

Victorinox Hunstman
Mora 106
Mora companion hi vis orange in stainless

 

[gra_farmer]

I missed out on the Mora sensation, growing up, and fixed blades were either old kitchen knives or cheap Indian rubbish steel. You are spoilt for choice nowadays.

I will add the Opinel 7 or 8 into the mix, I used to be sheep farmer, and the Opinels did 99% of the work I needed a blade for.

Do yourself a favour, get a mora either of the models are good, carbon or stainless, and team it with a stainless Opinel. That will cover everything you need a knife for

 

[MikeeMiracle]

Will throw one of these in the mix:

Terävä Jääkäripuukkos - Varusteleka.com

Terävä Jääkäripuukkos and all kinds of other military surplus and outdoors apparel and kit. Worldwide shipping. Welcome to our web shop!

www.varusteleka.com

My 1st knife and still my favorite. Cheap, full tang, and can take a lot of abuse which is handy for batonning. Bought a thinner blade also for finer carving tasks but still found no reason to replace the Terava Jaakaripuukko for heavier work.

 

[Madriverrob]

These are a good option .......

Outdoor Knife OK4

A durable outdoor knife with friction grip suitable for tough tasks in the field. The hardwearing textile belt loop allows up to 80mm wide belts and is equipped with a pocket for a fire starter. The blade has a scandi grind and is made from Japanese knife steel, 3.0 mm carbon steel that has been...

shop.hultafors.com

 

[punkrockcaveman]

These are a good option .......

Outdoor Knife OK4

A durable outdoor knife with friction grip suitable for tough tasks in the field. The hardwearing textile belt loop allows up to 80mm wide belts and is equipped with a pocket for a fire starter. The blade has a scandi grind and is made from Japanese knife steel, 3.0 mm carbon steel that has been...

shop.hultafors.com

Sold in the bushcraft UK shop I believe

https://www.bushmoot.com/gear/outdoor-knife-ok4

 

[Nice65]

Will throw one of these in the mix:

Terävä Jääkäripuukkos - Varusteleka.com

Terävä Jääkäripuukkos and all kinds of other military surplus and outdoors apparel and kit. Worldwide shipping. Welcome to our web shop!

www.varusteleka.com

My 1st knife and still my favorite. Cheap, full tang, and can take a lot of abuse which is handy for batonning. Bought a thinner blade also for finer carving tasks but still found no reason to replace the Terava Jaakaripuukko for heavier work.

Get in quick, had an email from them yesterday to say there’s no way they can hold down their own brand prices any longer.

 

[Robson Valley]

Buy the knife that you show in your post #1. Use it for all sorts of bush craft, whittling included, as well as in your kitchen.
Two things will happen:
1. You will learn the attributes to look for when the day comes to buy knife #2.
2. Learn free-hand sharpening. Obviously useful in the field and the principles apply to every sharp edge in your home.

 

[C_Claycomb]

AMindfulMuse is based in Boston, in the US, so recommendations for retailers on the east side of the Atlantic are not so useful. Knives are available to her from much closer to home with far fewer complications.

Personally, I am not a great fan of the knife she has shown. I don't like how it feels in the hand, much prefer the Companion models, which are also cheaper, although I guess if the aim is to get the knife, a ferro rod and a sharpener and only have to pay one lot of shipping it isn't bad. I just generally don't like bundle deals, I think one gets better kit when sourced separately

I don't shop with Amazon if I can at all help it.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/FT11742/morakniv-mora-of-sweden-bushcraft-black-survival-knife-4125-black-carbon-steel-blade-fire-starter-and-sheath-black-rubberized-handle

So here it is for $67

If it was me, I would go for this one. Stainless, touches of orange and a hard to lose simple sheath. $17.95

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/FT11824/morakniv-mora-of-sweden-orange-companion-knife-stainless-steel-blade-rubber-handle-polymer-sheath

a little thinner in the blade at 0.1" rather than 0.125 (although they do a heavy Companion model like this for just a few more Dollars.)

For a fire lighting rod, I know there are many brands that are good, but Light My Fire has been consistent in my experience, and I like the hardness, which is pretty easy to get sparks from compared to some harder alloys

Buy Swedish FireSteel BIO army 2in1 - Official Store

Best original magnesium fire starter. Tough, durable, ferro rod, performs to highest standards. 12,000 strikes at 3,000 degrees. Reliable fire lighting, any weather, any altitude. Campfires, gas stoves, BBQ’s and more. Ergonomic design and a built-in whis

lightmyfire.com

The problem in this case is that the LMF rod is $21 but there is then a further $12 flat rate shipping, which smarts.

For sharpening, at home a pack of water resistant sand paper from the auto store will work. In the field a real pocket sharpener is nice. Bigger are easier to use than smaller. I think beginners are best served with a 4" length. The handle on a DMT Diafold is useful

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/DMTFWEF/dmt-fwef-double-sided-diafold-sharpener

But EZE-Fold is cheaper

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/EZL530/EZE-LAP-Super-Fine-DiamondCeramic-2-Stone-Set-White-Handle-EZE-Fold-Folding-Handle

Trying to learn to sharpen well on that little sheath mounted Mora stone is going to be hard.

 

[amindfulmuse]

I missed out on the Mora sensation, growing up, and fixed blades were either old kitchen knives or cheap Indian rubbish steel. You are spoilt for choice nowadays.

I will add the Opinel 7 or 8 into the mix, I used to be sheep farmer, and the Opinels did 99% of the work I needed a blade for.

Do yourself a favour, get a mora either of the models are good, carbon or stainless, and team it with a stainless Opinel. That will cover everything you need a knife for

is "team" same as companion? and what does it mean really? can't you just get 2 of the same knives?

 

[amindfulmuse]

THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE!!! for your input and suggestions. I'm going to go with the knife I posted and the companion knife C_Claycomb suggested. I also really, really like that more ergonomic ferro rod that C_Claycomb suggested. They also have it in orange. So getting that one as well. I am no stranger to losing things so I'll go with 2 to be on the safe side. Again thanks so much. I am excited to get my 1st knife and will definitely be researching how to properly hold/use it etc.

 

[gra_farmer]

is "team" same as companion? and what does it mean really? can't you just get 2 of the same knives?

Yes, companion knife if you prefer. They have different blade grinds, so used for different purposes. A well built full tang scandi grind blade will do everything, but not always that well.

If you add a different knife with different properties, you increase the versatility and the efficiency of any task undertaken.

 

[Erbswurst]

I recommend to get a Hultafors GK and / or an Opinel No8 Carbone. If you are relatively small you can take a No7.

Both knives are good and cheap and very different. If you use both you will learn a lot.

Instead of a Companion and a Bushcraft I suggest to invest the money into a stainless steel Morakniv Garberg which is the far better choice in my opinion, the best with the leather sheath. But that's already a high end knife.

As a first knife an Opinel No7 or 8 will surely serve you very well.

 

[BigMonster]

Go with stainless, it's very good nowadays without the need for heavy maintenance of carbon. Mora for a tool that would do the job, Cold steel master hunter for your first and last bushcraft knife.