First bushcraft knife

[fenix]

Have been asked by a work colleague to suggest a starter bushcraft knife for his son (late teens). First thoughts are a Mora, but there seems to be a lot more models around now than a few years ago, also carbon or stainless steel? I was going to suggest the robust pro carbon.

Cheers

Jon

 

[Leshy]

Mora Robust in carbon steel is a perfect starter.
Inexpensive, robust and the carbon will teach the youngster how to look after his blade to stop it going rusty.
Solid choice

 

[Janne]

Stainless is easier to maintain.
I suggest one in the 2000 series. NWonderful blade.
Or for the classic shaped blade, the Companion series.

Or one each. Better that way!

 

[fenix]

Mora Robust in carbon steel is a perfect starter.
Inexpensive, robust and the carbon will teach the youngster how to look after his blade to stop it going rusty.
Solid choice

Thanks for the quick reply. His dad isn't particularly practical so probably wont have any sharpening kit, or oil. Any pointers for a field sharpening stone, and is rapeseed oil ok to protect the blade.

 

[Leshy]

Thanks for the quick reply. His dad isn't particularly practical so probably wont have any sharpening kit, or oil. Any pointers for a field sharpening stone, and is rapeseed oil ok to protect the blade.

DC3 ir DC4 (Can't remember what it's called ) is very handy little stone for field sharpening and it comes with a little leather pouch .

As for the oil , any oil will do I suppose .
A squirt of WD40 is also fine .

 

[Janne]

I protect my carbon blades that I store for months without any possibility to inspect using linseed oil.
Food grade.

 

[Erbswurst]

For hiking I would recommend the Opinel Carbone No 8

For trekking and travelling the Victorinox Compact.

For bushcraft in the forest behind the house the Mora Companion HD Carbone.

Tell him, it would be intelligent to invest in a light weight trekking and stealth camping equipment. Which knife for the beginning in my opinion isn't so important.

 

[Janne]

Which knife not important?
Really?

 

[Erbswurst]

If you can sharpen it, yes!

A Mora classic does the job like a Helle or Fjällkniven, an Opinel 8 Carbone as good as a Martini.

Ok, no rubbish from Aldi perhaps, that's right!

 

[Nice65]

DC3 ir DC4 (Can't remember what it's called ) is very handy little stone for field sharpening and it comes with a little leather pouch .

As for the oil , any oil will do I suppose .
A squirt of WD40 is also fine .

DC3 dry or with a bit of spit. If you want a better stone, look at the folding DMTs. Longstriders preferred method with spit or water.

Personally I don’t bother with protecting the blade as long as it’s sheathed dry. The patina will develop and is a natural rust barrier. Unless he going to be using it to cut acid fruits, then it can leave a metallic taste.

Mora Robust is a good call, Mora is a good starting point in knives.

 

[Janne]

In my humble case, a starting and finishing point.
Exotic stuff costing both arms and legs inbetween.

A Morakniv does what we need 99.9% of the time.

 

[Mike313]

DC3 ir DC4 (Can't remember what it's called )

Fallkniven is the brand. I have the DC3 but in hindsight I think I would prefer the larger DC4.
For what it's worth, I have three knives; A Morakniv with a dayglow orange handle and sheath (easy to find if dropped in the grass), an old Victorinox from the 1970's, and an Opinel No.6. I don't think I would ever need anything else.

 

[Erbswurst]

HaHaHa!
The same collection!

But it is necessary to know, that the Opinel No6 fits the best in the Hands of children, the No8 the best in the hands of adult men. A master can survive with the No7 too, but for a beginner the No8 is better sized!

That is important in cause of the special form of the Handle.

If you use a to small Opinel as a beginner there is a little risk to cut yourself a bit.

 

[Hunkyfunkster]

I have a few different knives to choose from. None of them are expensive by any stretch of the imagination. However, my go to knife is usually my Hultafors HVK. It's a great all round knife, strong, well built, and at less than a tenner I know it can be replaced easily if anything happens to it
https://www.axminster.co.uk/hultafo...DnMHw2L7yjgf3oFbAzJoJ2_cJpUhFy9hoCIswQAvD_BwE

 

[Samon]

I can hook you up with some mora knives. I have an unused multi sheath mount mora kansabol still in box and a mora 2000 that is in good used condition. And a lovely smaller blade brusletto with leather sheath.

Plenty of other knives and sharpening gear for trade too. Pm me if interrstin mate!

Or, just buy an affordable hultafors bruks knife or any cheap mora for some practice.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Mora Companion Hi Viz
https://www.heinnie.com/mora-companion-hi-viz-special-edition

The Bushcraft in orange is very good, and with a thicker blade is a bit of a step up.

I vote for stainless steel. Yes, he won't have to learn to keep it from rusting, but I do not believe this is necessarily something that needs to be learned with the first knife. My first sheath knife was a stainless Mora, when I was 14. I figured out carbon maintenance later. Better for him to learn how to use the knife safely and proficiently, and stainless will help with that. Those that say "carbon so he learns" assume that he will have the drive to rectify mistakes and learn; a damp knife will rust, and may need re-grinding (heavy re-sharpen) to be really sharp again, he may not bother and will end up using a dull knife. I know plenty of older and more experienced people who use subpar tools because they haven't looked after them.

I am also a fan of the orange. He won't lose it, and while the knife is more obvious while in use, it is also much more clearly meant as a tool that must not be lost. Black and OD green can give a different impression. Yeah, public perception sucks, but bright colours do play better with that audience.

Sharpening kit. Another vote for the Fallkniven DC4. Pair it with a strop and razor sharp is pretty easy to maintain. Some wet and dry paper and a suitable backing board will do for home maintenance. I no longer like the scandi grind for "ease" of sharpening and would go for a convex grind every time. Easier to maintain in the field, easier to maintain at home, not enough difference in performance for most things to bother with. Sharpening is done with a bit of bike inner tube on a board, and the sand paper over the top of that, just enough give in the rubber to remove the need for maintaining the sharpening angle. I know Scandi grinds are meant to be easy to sharpen, but having run a sharpening demo at the Moot for four or five years, I have seen a lot of scandis that have been sharpened at all sorts of steeper angles by folk who haven't managed to keep bevel on stone.

 

[Janne]

In Sweden most of us older folks usually put another bevel on Mora knives, with a larger angle. Maybe not as sharp as the factory original, but lasts longer and is easier to get decently sharp.

We tend to abuse them. It is a kind of multi tool for us.

One Mora that lot of bushcrafters do not like is the Morakniv with a serrated blade. Cuts really well though.

 

[Yeoman13]

I recommend whatever inexpensive Mora that is easily available.
For teens and people new to knives and the outdoors I invariably recommend stainless.
Mora's stainless is of excellent quality and the heat treatment is very good.
Stainless will just provide that comfortable buffer for someone who may just not grasp the importance of proper knife care or who is very likely to forget.

 

[Sparky415]

Jon,
Would it be worth inviting the lad round to take a look at the kit you own (I guess you have a few bits an pieces) for his hands on reactions, it would be easier to give advice after you talked to him