First Time Bushcraft Knife
- Thread starter BrutonW
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Hi Will,
I've got two, ione was issued to me on the fundamental course at woodlore, the other I got cheap bundled with a firesteel. Not a bad knife at all, can be given a wickedly sharp edge. The sheath is in my opinion ugly, but very functional.(just like me!) For the price you'll find it hard to buy a better knife, or find a better knife to learn sharpening on and carving with.
Dave
I've got two, ione was issued to me on the fundamental course at woodlore, the other I got cheap bundled with a firesteel. Not a bad knife at all, can be given a wickedly sharp edge. The sheath is in my opinion ugly, but very functional.(just like me!) For the price you'll find it hard to buy a better knife, or find a better knife to learn sharpening on and carving with.
Dave
It's a perfectly functional knife ... a good blade that's the right size and shape on a comfortable handle.
Here's a link to a slightly different knive by Kellam instead (very good reputation in the outdoor world) that are just as good:
http://www.bearclawbushcraft.co.uk/trading/tools.htm - it's the finnish knives at the top.
Here are some more:
http://www.tregor.co.uk/kellam/index.html
Here's a link to a slightly different knive by Kellam instead (very good reputation in the outdoor world) that are just as good:
http://www.bearclawbushcraft.co.uk/trading/tools.htm - it's the finnish knives at the top.
Here are some more:
http://www.tregor.co.uk/kellam/index.html
I bought one from Bushgear and you have the choice of SS or Carbon blade - I went for the carbon. It was only 8 quid delivered to my door. Great for practicing your sharpening technique and even managed to carve a useable spoon with it at the weekend.
Cheers
JFW
Cheers
JFW
there is a reveiw of the mora and other knives on the front page of this website, see below:
http://www.bushcraftuk.co.uk/reviews/cutwith.html
http://www.bushcraftuk.co.uk/reviews/cutwith.html
I know that many people swear by the Mora. I also know that if I was forced to use one I would be swearing about it pretty quickly 
For the money it is great value. On the other hand it is only 1/16 inch thick (good for slicing, useless for splitting and chopping, and not great for battoning) and still has a burr on the spine that can do nasty things to your hands if you don't grind it off.
The single edge bevel makes a good bushcraft knife, http://www.thetradingpost.co.uk/ has a good selection for you to have a look at.
Have a look at the Mora and the Kellam mentioned before, but be warned, bushcraft and carving can be addictive, it may not be long before you start looking for a slightly better knife :-D
Best of luck
For the money it is great value. On the other hand it is only 1/16 inch thick (good for slicing, useless for splitting and chopping, and not great for battoning) and still has a burr on the spine that can do nasty things to your hands if you don't grind it off.The single edge bevel makes a good bushcraft knife, http://www.thetradingpost.co.uk/ has a good selection for you to have a look at.
Have a look at the Mora and the Kellam mentioned before, but be warned, bushcraft and carving can be addictive, it may not be long before you start looking for a slightly better knife :-D
Best of luck
The Mora is good but what Chris says is right ... you'll pay a tenner and eventually be looking for something better :-D
There are some great blades over at Kellam (http://www.thetradingpost.co.uk/) that are cheap and that you won't outgrow!
There are some great blades over at Kellam (http://www.thetradingpost.co.uk/) that are cheap and that you won't outgrow!
I think on reflection I'm with Chris & Adi. Whatever cheap knife you start with you will probably soon be hankering for something better, maybe much better. If I add up the cost of the "cheap" knives I bought before getting my Woodlore, I would have been much better off going straight for the Woodlore.
Also, there are many knives out there equally as good as the Woodlore. Ask around for opinions, handle as many different models as you can, then go for what YOU like best. Oh - and enjoy it! :-D
Dave
Also, there are many knives out there equally as good as the Woodlore. Ask around for opinions, handle as many different models as you can, then go for what YOU like best. Oh - and enjoy it! :-D
Dave
Yes I agree with Dave, however I would rather trash an £8 knife learning how to sharpen than my ws woodlore at £95.
If you are away with a couple of mates and one of them asks to borrow your knife its pretty well garanteed that they will trash your good knife by doing something stupid with it - lend them your £8 knife and no friendship will be tried if it gets trashed. See some of the posts on this site about axes and knives being trashed by rocks and firesteels.
Its always handy to have a spare knife.
I bet that you will have at least 2 knives by this time next year.
Bushcraft and carving are extremely addictive.
Cheers
JFW
If you are away with a couple of mates and one of them asks to borrow your knife its pretty well garanteed that they will trash your good knife by doing something stupid with it - lend them your £8 knife and no friendship will be tried if it gets trashed. See some of the posts on this site about axes and knives being trashed by rocks and firesteels.
Its always handy to have a spare knife.
I bet that you will have at least 2 knives by this time next year.
Bushcraft and carving are extremely addictive.
Cheers
JFW
Heh heh. The best way for you to get to handle lots of nice knives is go come to the BCUK gathering in August :-D, or the Wilderness gathering. I am certain that between everyone, there will be a pretty good cross-section of what is available. More than handling, you will get to see them in action, that's always a problem when you handle knives in shops. How a knife feels in the hand will change when you are having to cut with it, compared to how it felt in the store.
If I still had my Mora trainer you could have had it. Unfortunately I passed it on as quickly as I could after the end of my course! :roll:
As for the Woodlore knife, it is very popular, but as can be seen from the review that Martyn has put up, and other postings, it is far from the be-all-end-all. It isn't even all that great value. Its a good design and there are a number of people making similar knives, most are just as good and many are a lot cheaper. A lot of people buy it because of the association, but like buying anything, shop around a bit first
As you delve deeper into the forums, you will find that knife selection is a deeply personal thing and few are in 100% agreement
If I still had my Mora trainer you could have had it. Unfortunately I passed it on as quickly as I could after the end of my course! :roll:
As for the Woodlore knife, it is very popular, but as can be seen from the review that Martyn has put up, and other postings, it is far from the be-all-end-all. It isn't even all that great value. Its a good design and there are a number of people making similar knives, most are just as good and many are a lot cheaper. A lot of people buy it because of the association, but like buying anything, shop around a bit first
As you delve deeper into the forums, you will find that knife selection is a deeply personal thing and few are in 100% agreement
C_Claycomb said:but like buying anything, shop around a bit first
As you delve deeper into the forums, you will find that knife selection is a deeply personal thing and few are in 100% agreement
Here Here
JFW
"C_Claycomb wrote:
but like buying anything, shop around a bit first
As you delve deeper into the forums, you will find that knife selection is a deeply personal thing and few are in 100% agreement
Here Here "
Heaven forbid it should be any other way! Wouldn't life be boring!
Dave
but like buying anything, shop around a bit first
As you delve deeper into the forums, you will find that knife selection is a deeply personal thing and few are in 100% agreement
Here Here "
Heaven forbid it should be any other way! Wouldn't life be boring!
Dave
Buy a the old kind of mora knife with the red wood handle. You can´t get a better knife then that for woodcarving. Both Mors Kochanski and Wille Sundquist recommends them.
There are lot of diffrent sizes if you would want to try a bigger or smaller knife.
There are lot of diffrent sizes if you would want to try a bigger or smaller knife.
Looked for these on the web a while ago but couldn't find a uk supplier. Axminster had one I think but that was it.
Any one know where I can get some?
Cheers
JFW
Any one know where I can get some?
Cheers
JFW
I love the rubber handled clippers. If I were you i'd go for one of them from baconsdozen. £6 for carbon steel and £8 for stainless if I remember rightly.
The traditional red handled Moras come highly recommended by Mors Kochanski. I think the ones in the pic above, and in Mors' book are the Erikson ones; Frosts also make them.
I have the Frosts laminated version and very good it is too. Plastic sheath is ugly but functional.
I've modified it a wee bit: I was worried about food residue getting in to the collar where the blade meets the handle (food poisoning risk), so I removed the handle and sealed it up with epoxy resin. Also sanded off the red varnish and used linseed oil on the handle - looks nicer and gives a better grip.
The big advantage of the Mora compared to a Woodlore is weight - the Mora is far lighter and may be a better choice where pack weight is critical. The downside is the handle is less ergonomic than the Woodlore.
I have the Frosts laminated version and very good it is too. Plastic sheath is ugly but functional.
I've modified it a wee bit: I was worried about food residue getting in to the collar where the blade meets the handle (food poisoning risk), so I removed the handle and sealed it up with epoxy resin. Also sanded off the red varnish and used linseed oil on the handle - looks nicer and gives a better grip.
The big advantage of the Mora compared to a Woodlore is weight - the Mora is far lighter and may be a better choice where pack weight is critical. The downside is the handle is less ergonomic than the Woodlore.
Be very wary of the RED handled Moras.
The ones Mors mentions are the Carbon steel bladed ones - the popular ones on the market now are Laminated - no sparks for fire lighting but more importantly the carbon core is very soft and the blade can be bent at the join of the handle.
The Mora clippers or trainers are ok but the tang is only an inch long (if you break or want to replace the handle you stuff)
The Kellam finnish utility knife has an ampidextros sheath and the tang is full length so a little more high spec for roughly the same money.
The ones Mors mentions are the Carbon steel bladed ones - the popular ones on the market now are Laminated - no sparks for fire lighting but more importantly the carbon core is very soft and the blade can be bent at the join of the handle.
The Mora clippers or trainers are ok but the tang is only an inch long (if you break or want to replace the handle you stuff)
The Kellam finnish utility knife has an ampidextros sheath and the tang is full length so a little more high spec for roughly the same money.
