Newbie knife advice

[Hootch]

Yes, you probably get asked this each week, but I really don't know where to start. Up until now I've only used folding knives, Swiss Army and Opinel, both of which are fantastic of course. However, as I get more into cooking on a wood fire, I'm looking for a fixed blade knife, nothing fancy (£50 ish), that can handle some basic camp tasks. Something simple, strong enough, that keeps it's edge and is easy to sharpen. Oh yes, and not too heavy.
I hear a lot about Mora, but looking around there seems to be hundreds of them! Any particular model or blade material?
Thanks!

 

[at1bushcraft]

The mora black is the best mora in my opinion, its thicker and more robust than the mora companion so if you have your heart set on a mora i think that's the better one to bye and perfect for anyones first fixed blade, the rubberized handle makes it comfortable to hold and relatively safe to use, there not to inexpensive and over time you will be able to make your own mind up about what's best for you,

 

[copper_head]

Mora or Hultafors heavy duty knives will do you well. If you want something that looks a bit more flash check out the Condor bushlore, I also hear good things about the Real Steel bushcraft. All available from Heinnie.

 

[crosslandkelly]

+ 1 to the above.

 

[at1bushcraft]

Dose any one no why it wont let me reply?

 

[Janne]

Dose any one no why it wont let me reply?

It works fine?
OP:
You can not go wrong with a Mora. just buy one and see how you like it. If not just buy another one, a different model.

Not the best knives in the world, not by far, but absolutely the best knives for the money.

 

[abctrev]

Just bought my first knife, a Hultafors Heavy Duty. Bargain at £5.25! 3mm blade, spine designed to use a firesteel, and so far seem to be sharp and bombproof. The handle is comfy and non-slip, so well happy with it. The sheath is plastic but does the job, and there is no fancy (or any) packaging, but sheaths can be changed, and for the money I don't think you could do any better. Hopefully I'll post a better review when I've had a chance to use it more.

 

[sunndog]

Dose any one no why it wont let me reply?

Theres probably a delay because your first few posts need to be manually aproved by a moderator


And yeah, get a mora

 

[rorymax]

I bought a Mora Companion stainless, very happy with it too, I think I will try a Hultafors heavy duty, I hear many good reports about them (and if Copper_Head likes them they must be OK).

I'm not into knives per-se, I just want something reliable and the Mora is just that.

Anyone know the best delivered price for a Hultafors Heavy Duty, for some reason I feel the need for 2 knives

 

[Richard Francis Burton]

As people've said... for a first fixed blade Knife, and for many many outdoor folk experienced with knife use....Mora.

They're astonishingly good for the price. I used a Mora Companion for a few years.

 

[ijustagirl]

Thank you Richard,
Im a baby at bushcraft and was wondering what to knife to start with for fixed blade,i have small hands also.Any reccomendations for a stainless steel,knife..I went on my first bushcraft day and loved it..He did show me and tell me but i was on learning overaload as everything was knew.I know i need three knifes, a axe,im a small women so nothing to heavy..Any advice would be greatly apprieated.. Sam

 

[John Fenna]

Mora or Hultafors - both offer excellent value for money, are cheap enough to wreck without breaking your heart and let you find out what features you really want in a knife before you lash out on a custom knife

 

[John Fenna]

I bought a Mora Companion stainless, very happy with it too, I think I will try a Hultafors heavy duty, I hear many good reports about them (and if Copper_Head likes them they must be OK).

I'm not into knives per-se, I just want something reliable and the Mora is just that.

Anyone know the best delivered price for a Hultafors Heavy Duty, for some reason I feel the need for 2 knives

Only 2!?
I have over 50 ... but that includes my 15 Mora Companions that are for loaning to my students

 

[Jared]

+1 Moras

Another inexpensive option

http://www.heinnie.com/schrade-small-frontier

 

[Hootch]

Thank you one and all, I am convinced! And at that price, doesn't seem I can go wrong really. If I spend hundreds on a knife I'd be afraid to use it! Thanks again.

 

[EddieP]

If you have a clas ohlson near you pop in. They have moras for cheap with a good discount if you buy 2. If you're a student you can have another 10% off.

I just got another 2 robusts for about £14 for the pair.

 

[Crassy84]

I use a schrade schf37 massive knife does heavy blade and hatchet jobs followed with either my cima or mora

 

[Big G]

+ 1 Mora, or a step up, a Condor bushlore is a decent bushcraft knife.

 

[Mick721]

I've got a lot of knives. Some of them very expensive but when I go out to do something 'bushy' I invariably reach for the first knife I bought for this purpose - a Mora robust. It's tough, easy to maintain, no nonsense and comfortable to use for long periods. I'd happily get by with just that knife for the rest of my days. Buy one, as a start if you want, but you'll probably find you use it more than any other. You can't go wrong.

 

[Shelley]

Hmm, I may be bucking the trend here but I don't like Moras. There I said it, oh I have one, actually it's a Frost that I dug out of the ground when I was building a potato plot. I also have a Condor Bushlore and I think it's far superior, if you get the wood handled one its cheaper than the micarta and you can shape it a little to suit your hand better. Plus you get a leather sheath with it to boot.
The 1075 is not the best steel in the world but it sharpens easily and being full tang you can batten the heck out of it without worry, yet ist thin enough to still do food prep, which scandis aren't brilliant at.