KA-BAR or Mora for first knife?

[Descant]

Hey, so I've recently decided to pick up bush craft and I was wondering what to get as a knife?

Originally I was thinking the KA-BAR Mark 1 (5 1/8" blade) - £62

But apparently the Mora Survival knife (4 1/4" blade) is better - £37

I'd just be using it as a general 'bushcraft' knife, all I've got at the moment is an Opinel. So if anyone can help me decide between the two, that'd be great!

Thanks in advance.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Personally I would go for the Mora. Great knife to learn with, and cheap.

 

[copper_head]

Hey Descant, why even go as far as the Mora Survival? A Mora clipper will set you back around a tenner and is a fantastic knife.

Welcome to the forum

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Hey Descant, why even go as far as the Mora Survival? A Mora clipper will set you back around a tenner and is a fantastic knife.

Welcome to the forum

+1 to this.

 

[Chiseller]

+1 to this.

+2 :thumbup:

 

[EarthToSimon]

Just to throw another one into the mix, I rate the mora robust really highly. It's a bit thicker than the clipper so it's more suitable for harder work like battening.

Welcome to the forum

 

[Hibrion]

I'd go for a mora companion and you will have enough left over for a few other bits a pieces and still be under the price of either you've mentioned. With the spare cash you could get a small sharpening stone, a fire steel, maybe a bacho saw too!

 

[swright81076]

Another one for the Mora companion. Great tool, cheap and reliable.

touched by nature

 

[Bluemerle]

+++ a Mora, great knives.

 

[John Fenna]

Another for the Mora range!

 

[Kepis]

Get a Mora Clipper or Hultafors HVK, i use what can be considered as a "bushcraft knife" nearly every day of the week for work and indeed pleasure and use an old Mora 511 with the guard cut off and a HVK, they have never let me down, and if you speak to the people who know me, they will tell you that i use my knives hard, sure i have some high end knives as well and whilst they are lovely to use and they do get used, in reality they dont really do anything the Mora & Hult cant do and if i damage a Mora or Hult there will be no tears, whereas if i damaged say my Stewart Marsh or Alan Wood id be, well, lets put it this way, not very happy

Get a Mora Clipper or a Hultafors HVK and put the balance of your budget towards a Silky F180 saw, which blows Laplanders away and makes even brand new Bachos look blunt.

 

[presterjohn]

I would go for a Mora Companion and a Bahco Laplander. Together they will still cost a lot less than a Ka-Bar. Those two plus your Opinel will cover almost everything you will realistically ever need bushraft wise.

You can always go for an expensive full tang bushcraft knife at a later date should you feel like it.

 

[Descant]

Well that was a pretty easy decision haha.
Thanks a lot everyone! I'm liking these forums already.

I might splash out the extra £2 on a robust to get a slightly sturdier blade

 

[Big Stu 12]

I would say Mora Clipper, I got one and its a great little knife....

 

[Hugo]

Any Mora will do, I still use a £2.43 one for battening use and don't worry about marking it, also the Hultafors HVK a great knife for the money, Welcome to the forum.

 

[Corso]

prefer the classic range myself but yep Mora is the way to go...

 

[johnnytheboy]

There is no doubt we all like mora's but all that will happen is you will buy one then want to upgrade, just go for the one you fancy to start with save having a mora in the cupboard like everyone else. If you do buy an american knife like a kabar, check out www.ebay.com not co.uk as there are some decent second hand deals!

Lifes for living, splash the cash on something decent!

 

[brambles]

The KABAR looks like a big hefty knife and is sold as full tang, but it's a narrow wee thing ( Mora's are similar but smaller knives in the first place and you're not paying as much)
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/885122-KaBar-tang-shape-query

 

[plastic-ninja]

I always think that KA BAR knives look a bit military and are liable to give regular people the wrong idea about you.
I know it's still a tool not a weapon etc. but appearances can be misconstrued , particularly by ramblers who may come upon you by accident whilst you are preparing your campsite or splitting wood for a fire.Next thing you know your tent is surrounded by armed police! :AR15firin

Get a Mora or if you want to spend a bit more , a Helle or a Boker bushcraft.
You will , as we all do , attract knives like an electro-magnet as you get more into the hobby.There is always a reason to have more sharp shiny toys.
Sorry , I meant TOOLS.
Cheers , Simon

 

[crosslandkelly]

Well that was a pretty easy decision haha.
Thanks a lot everyone! I'm liking these forums already.

I might splash out the extra £2 on a robust to get a slightly sturdier blade

Got the Robust a couple of weeks ago, great knife.