Which spoon carving knife to start?

[2trapper]

Merry Christmas to all the followers!
In 2014 I'd like to start some spoon carving activity and I'm gathering the essential tools and wood. I'm planning to buy, obviously, a crook knife but I ask your advice about the model and knife. Some are for deep carving, other for shallow one. For the first attempts I'll make simple tablespoons so I think to buy Mora Knife but I don't know the model (163? 164? 162?).

Thanks for your advice

Luca

 

[Mesquite]

Personally I wouldn't bther with any of the mora spoon knives. They've got a terrible grind on them

You'd be better off looking at spoon knives from the likes of Ben Orford, Dave Budd, Nick Westerman, S Djart to name a few good makers

 

[Bartooon]

Personally I wouldn't bther with any of the mora spoon knives. They've got a terrible grind on them

You'd be better off looking at spoon knives from the likes of Ben Orford, Dave Budd, Nick Westerman, S Djart to name a few good makers

Definitely a +1 for Ben Orford's crook knives. I never really got on with the Moras but love the ones that I got from Ben.

 

[Viktor]

Please don't make the same mistake as me by buying the Mora crook knife they are crap, they need full reground edge to even work and then the shape isn't that good.
I think it strange that they can't get the crook knife right sins there "normal" knifes is great.

Only other crook knife I've used is S. Djärvs and it's great can definitely recommend it worth every krona (penny ; ).

Edit: change the translation from spoon knife to the correct crook knife

 

[Hugo]

Some good advice given there. I use a Ben Orford ones myself.

 

[Leiflet]

Well, I thought the Mora 164 was usable and made a good workhorse for larger projects. Can't recommend the 163 - verging on useless, in my opinion.

Got a pair of Ben Orford small shallow-cut knives. Well suited to table spoons, I think.

Cheers,
Leif

 

[ozzy1977]

I have the single bevelled mora and its grknd is fine, and was from new, far from crap, it holds a good edge and is easy to sharpen Iif you know what you are doing.

 

[Clouston98]

I've got a Ben Orford spoon knife and its superb, can certainly recommend them!

Hope this helps !

 

[Dean]

Hi and welcome to the addictive art of carving. I started off with a Mora 164 having a low budget to start with, it is a great little knife if you spend the time to learn it's limitations, it can become a decent tool with a few modifications and have used it for seven years now. Dave Budd does some nice spoon knives and I cannot comment on Ben Orfords as I have just one one for Christmas and have not had the chance to use it yet, I can say that it does come fully ready to use with a fully honed edge. Nic Westerman does some lovely knives but I have not used one to be able to comment on then either.
Hope this helps.

 

[ozzy1977]

I guess that the quality of the newer mora knives is lower than it was, mine in 15 years old and was ready to use straight away.

 

[mountainm]

Ray Iles spoon knives are good and don't break the budget

 

[almac]

buy something that will last, and you won't need to rebuy in a few years.
http://bushcraftcanada.com/products/detail.cfm?product=86

 

[jamin]

I would say the mora 106 is brilliant and ben orford knifes all the way for spooning. Her in doors got me the flatter 1 for Christmas and it needles to say is the muts nuts . I have had the mora spoon knife but gave it up as a bad job. The flexi cut knifes are all right got a left and right hand in big and small. Work well and about 15 quid each. To sharpen, I use a self made strop. 2" leather glued to wood 18" long. With the flexi cut stropping paste. And it works a treat. Best sharpening tool I own. After use just a few passes in the strop and it's back to razor sharp again. Only use the stones/ diamonds when I get conned into sharpening some 1 else's knifes. Hope that helps.

 

[maddave]

Just to add my two pennorth... I highly reccomend the Flexcut hook knife. They come in both right and left handed and are amazingly good. Cost is around £16 or thereabouts.

 

[Paulm]

Just to add my two pennorth... I highly reccomend the Flexcut hook knife. They come in both right and left handed and are amazingly good. Cost is around £16 or thereabouts.

Yep, me too Sand off the lacquer and printing on the handles, rub in a couple of coats of blo, and good to go. They are wickedly sharp and very effective.

Cheers, Paul

 

[Harvestman]

I like my flexcut, but I should add that I have probably cut myself with this knife more often than with all my other knives put together. Good knife, but I'm wary of it.

 

[grey-array]

I began my carving with a Svante Djarv, and to be fair haven't found a spoon knife that I found truly superior, many that were similar, like Dave Budds, nick westermans etc but never a superiour one,
really satisfied so go for it mate, however Indeed I would shy away from the mora frost ones, unless you love intricate sharpening XD ^^
Yours sincerely Ruud

 

[mikey.elefant]

A while back Robin Wood wrote a whole review on the right tools for beginner carving.
Go to Robin wood.com and you will find it

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Stew]

Robin Wood is selling a blade that he has had manufactured in quantity - I bet it's a good one. I would have bought one myself if it was a different time of year.

It will need a handle though.

 

[2trapper]

Thank you very much.Your advice is always useful. I must check a seller of the Pfeil brand here in the city and, if it fails, I'll look at Ben Orford's ones