Knife snobbery
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i make handmade knives i cant afford to keep!... my edc is a number 6 opinel with locking ring removed that or an old sak camper. my next big purchase though? one of those Paul Chen multi takser's! thanks samon!
I think knives grade like most tools, lower cost means lower grade materials fit and finish and as you go up the scale there is a point of saturation and going beyond is about say, a name, a limited run or something more in the realms of art the nice thing about the knife spectrum is so many work well, and what I expect from a "high grade" knife is exactly that, the steel, especially heat treatment, the fit and finish its longevity and feel of use all that bit more so but in the knife world its not a night and day effect its more subtle, its when you push a limit that the better grade knife should show its form, but its not like say a car, where a high grade car will show its ability very quickly, a knife your only asking it to cut. I think a high grade knife should do what it dose for longer and sometime more sweetly.
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Ha!! Mags, after my last purchase (Swisstool), I almost had to move in with your boat crew!!
Swisstool, now you're talking. Way more refined than a Leatherman, and actually less useful than my Charge TTI, but I just find it a pleasure to own and use. I suppose that's snobbery in a nutshell, but I didn't buy it for bragging rights, I bought it because it pleased me. And I got it from Amazon for £60, bargain.
For a fixed blade knife it is impossible to beat a Mora in the price vs quality.
The blade steels are top notch, handle ergonomics too. Specially the new ones with the dual layer plastics.
But not the best finishing, and of course the plastic handles.
You have a huge range of blade designs too if you include Frosts knives. Personally I prefer several Frosts models before Mora.
Both lines (Frosts and Mora) use steels made by an outside company, a specialist in steels in Sandviken down the road.
Kind of snobbery too, using a Mora/Frosts?
The blade steels are top notch, handle ergonomics too. Specially the new ones with the dual layer plastics.
But not the best finishing, and of course the plastic handles.
You have a huge range of blade designs too if you include Frosts knives. Personally I prefer several Frosts models before Mora.
Both lines (Frosts and Mora) use steels made by an outside company, a specialist in steels in Sandviken down the road.
Kind of snobbery too, using a Mora/Frosts?
Absolutely - there are some great knives out there at a very reasonable price with fantastic quality steels - mora ( you used to be able up pick up 3 mora 511s for under a tenner from clauss Olsen), svord, easily as good as much more expensive knives. Paying more will get you better finish, nicer handle and sheath materials etc but not necessarily a more functional knife. I've got a Ben Orford Woodlander - it's a fantastic blade (I really rate Ben among the best makers out there), beautifully finished and with excellent leatherwork. It really is a very capable knife and an absolute pleasure to use but more often I'll be using a mora 510 and I never feel I'm compromising on performance when I do! For a folder my favourite is a svord peasant (once I'd tidied up the wooden scales which do come as rough as a badgers backside) - again a great knife and quality steel and in my opinion a joy to use but not if you're looking for a work of art.
So it isn't necessarily a question of getting what you pay for - you can pay a lot more for a crap knife with poor steel than you would for a mora - it is about choosing wisely. And there's nothing wrong with wanting a beautiful tool either but again not all expensive knives are good knives!
So it isn't necessarily a question of getting what you pay for - you can pay a lot more for a crap knife with poor steel than you would for a mora - it is about choosing wisely. And there's nothing wrong with wanting a beautiful tool either but again not all expensive knives are good knives!
Many of us could be classed as knife collectors or afficionados.
It is part of the hobby to buy exclusive and/or expensive knives. I would not think we buy them because they are more functional ( they are in most cases less functional), we buy them for the enjoyment of owning something nice.
It is part of the hobby to buy exclusive and/or expensive knives. I would not think we buy them because they are more functional ( they are in most cases less functional), we buy them for the enjoyment of owning something nice.
My favourite knife at the moment is my Mora Companion in the slightly thicker stock Heavy Duty model. I like it so much that I went ahead and purchased the matching Ray Mears Woodlore leather sheath. I also bought a D-ring Scandinavian belt loop for the original plastic sheath which is made from Paul Dore's leatherwork.
It's a brilliant knife for a few quid....
Such snobbery, having a RMW sheath.....
Such snobbery, having a RMW sheath.....
I'm thinking the sheath out values the knife?
I like the mora sheaths but then there is the smell of leather....Ho yer!
Hi Janne,
Can you explain to me the relationship between Frosts and Mora? are they the same company, different ranges? I have a knife stamped/etched Frosts Mora that I had from new well over 40 years ago (yep, I'm that old) - drop point, cherry(?) handle. Is there any connection between the company that made my knife and current Mora knives?
Cheers,
Broch
Can you explain to me the relationship between Frosts and Mora? are they the same company, different ranges? I have a knife stamped/etched Frosts Mora that I had from new well over 40 years ago (yep, I'm that old) - drop point, cherry(?) handle. Is there any connection between the company that made my knife and current Mora knives?
Cheers,
Broch
The little woman's knife is the companion, great little knife! I have my heart set on about four types of mora so I guess I'll be in the club too, odd as it may seem I like the steel plastic rubber combo of mora's.
Knives.... mmmmm, my EDC at the moment is a present I received from my work mates, its an 'Old Bear' Antonini, basically a posher Opinel, I still have my trusty No8 in my bag, but to be honest this is a lovely knife, and the locking mechanism is simple and old fashioned, a lot like me!
I have a larger bladed tool which I keep in my bag for a camp knife, like countryman said, sometimes you need a little ooumph, however my £15 fancy folder and my £6 old faithful Opinel I find do almost everything I require, hold a nice edge, prep my much required lunch's and teas, stews and pot roasts.
I think knives are personal things, each to their own, I agree with almost everything that's been said on this thread and many more over the years, I think if you think about what you want your tool to do, when you see them for sale hold it in your hand and ask yourself, will this item do what I need? if so, and you can afford it, you like it, buy it.... if your purchase does what you wish the cost is insignificant whilst it works in your hand, and when you become more adept at what you practise, you may want to trade up or down to another tool you feel fits the bill, or you may like me just like the look of this big cumbersome thing.
but it will be yours.
I have a larger bladed tool which I keep in my bag for a camp knife, like countryman said, sometimes you need a little ooumph, however my £15 fancy folder and my £6 old faithful Opinel I find do almost everything I require, hold a nice edge, prep my much required lunch's and teas, stews and pot roasts.
I think knives are personal things, each to their own, I agree with almost everything that's been said on this thread and many more over the years, I think if you think about what you want your tool to do, when you see them for sale hold it in your hand and ask yourself, will this item do what I need? if so, and you can afford it, you like it, buy it.... if your purchase does what you wish the cost is insignificant whilst it works in your hand, and when you become more adept at what you practise, you may want to trade up or down to another tool you feel fits the bill, or you may like me just like the look of this big cumbersome thing.
but it will be yours.
better from the horses mouth?
https://morakniv.se/en/about-us/our-history/
and if you have specific questions email them, there will be someone who can answer
Thanks for that Corsa - now very clear - so my knife was from Frosts before they were taken over/merged!
Maybe I'll stop using it for battoning
Cheers,
Broch
Maybe I'll stop using it for battoning
Cheers,
Broch
Mora is a town in Sweden, that used to have several small manufacturers of that specific, traditional Swedish knife type. One by one they disappeared until two remained. Frosts and KJ.
Once they merged they used to start using Mora Kniv as a brand name, spelled Morakniv.
I do not understand how they can, because if I move to Mora and start making those trad knifes, it will become a Mora kniv ( Swedish for 'knife from Mora').
Janne's Mora kniv. The design is not patended. Nor the expression 'Mora kniv'.
I am in fact using Mora and Frosts blades as a base in my hobby, knife making.
To show where Frosts knives are made, they are branded 'Frosts Mora'.
Frosts brand is more for professional use like butchers, chefs, fishermen and farriers. Specific blade and handle designs
Mora kniv brand is for everybopdy else, plus tradesmen.
Just to confuse the consumer, same knife can be branded Morakniv and Frosts next year.
I have a couple of the Fish Slaughter knife, bot S/s and Carbon. some are marked Mora, some Frosts.
Once they merged they used to start using Mora Kniv as a brand name, spelled Morakniv.
I do not understand how they can, because if I move to Mora and start making those trad knifes, it will become a Mora kniv ( Swedish for 'knife from Mora').
Janne's Mora kniv. The design is not patended. Nor the expression 'Mora kniv'.
I am in fact using Mora and Frosts blades as a base in my hobby, knife making.
To show where Frosts knives are made, they are branded 'Frosts Mora'.
Frosts brand is more for professional use like butchers, chefs, fishermen and farriers. Specific blade and handle designs
Mora kniv brand is for everybopdy else, plus tradesmen.
Just to confuse the consumer, same knife can be branded Morakniv and Frosts next year.
I have a couple of the Fish Slaughter knife, bot S/s and Carbon. some are marked Mora, some Frosts.
Thanks for the explanation. Over the years, Morakniv and Frosts are both named on the #171, #172 and #188 farrier's Equus hoof knives that I use in wood carving.
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