Google tells me my condition is called “aichmomania” An obsession with sharp, pointy things such as knives. When I was a kid I loved a visiting sportsman shows, garage sales, sales barns or outdoor retailers – first stop, the pocket knife section. Over the years I have amassed a fair collection – some I still have, some I have given away and others have been lost (1 great multi tool sits at the bottom of a Haliburton lake, dropped down an ice hole.)
As our group has gotten into doing more canoe and camping trips I really wanted a fixed blade belt knife – don’t get me wrong, I had a few that probably fit the bill but again, I have a problem. This particular knife needed to be a sturdy belt knife, big enough to be functional but small enough that it wouldn’t dig into my thigh or ribs while paddling. I also wanted it to be durable and affordable. Enter Morakniv.
The Specs
Search Morakniv and you will find a cult like following. The Swedish brand is synonymous with Bushcraft and is known for quality as well as being budget friendly. My particular model is Mora Companion HD Bushcraft Knife – the blade is 4.1 inches or 105 MM depending on your preferred scale. Full Specs below courtesy of Canadian Outdoor Equipment Mora HD Companion
The Mora Companion HD (Heavy Duty) is a very adaptable knife with a patterned high-friction grip handle - great for general outdoors/bushcraft use, and now features a thicker blade and beefier handle than the original Companion knife - great for all your demanding bushcraft and outdoor needs. While the "Robust" line and style has been available on Mora's Craftline (construction/carpentry) series, the Companion HD initaites it's entry into Mora's line of outdoor/ bushcraft/ hunting knives.
· 105 mm blade
· 220 mm overall length
· Heavy Duty 3.2mm Carbon Steel Blade
· Made in Sweden
The Review
Quality
Excellent – I have had the knife for over a year know and it has held up well. The blade stayed sharp for a large percentage of the first year and it is very easy to sharpen with a stone (even for an idiot like me) One call out (as you can see in the picture above) I did put my knife away wet and now there is some discolouration on the blade – which is quite common on carbon steel (vs stainless steel) – hasn’t impacted performance at all and sort of looks cool but if you want your blade to remain shiny and bright always put it away.
Functionality
Excellent - This knife has been everything I wanted. The plastic sheath attaches to a belt easy enough, it stays on and it isn’t obtrusive when paddling or riding in a boat all day (I am 6’2” and found my larger 7 inch fixed blade knife really bothered me. The knife/blade are incredibly sturdy, sharp and has so many uses. I have fileted fish, created feather sticks, cut braid and fluorocarbon fishing line, sparked a fire starter, timmed paracord and split kindling
Price
Awesome (didn’t want to say excellent again) – The Morakniv retails for $30. Comparing that price point to other bushcraft knives and I think its fair to say you are at about a 1/3 of the price for a Mora.
Recommend
Probably not much of a surprise that this knife gets a recommend from me. It’s a great knife with a reputation for quality, its functional but not to big (so as to be painful) – sold!
Cheers
Andrew
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