Clarification of why everyone loves the Mora

I've been puzzled by folks choosing for their "one knife for the woods" some Mora incarnation.

In THIS thread, it sounds like people would NOT choose the Mora..........so I'm confused !

I think we all can agree that the Mora is an outstanding value, but I never thought it was the "be all, end all" knife.

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Back to the original question...

Knowing what I know based on use, I would pay more for a Frosts Mora (red handle) to get the design. The scandi grind, oval handle, and thin blade make it the best knife I have found for "bushcraft." I have a ton of knives, most in the $100+ range and I always go back to my old Mora.

That being said, what makes it hard to justify in terms of a higher price are the materials used. Nonetheless, I haven't had a failure and I know others who have used the same knife for over a decade with no problems.
 
longbow50 said:
Mora knives more than hold their own in the woods, but so does a SAK. The Mora is a very functional knife for the little bit of money spent on them. Are they more functional than an F1? They are different knives. Each having good and bad points about them. Would I choose the Mora 2000 over an F1? Probably not, because I really want an F1 and I already have an M2K. :D
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Longbow,
Great answer. I agree with you.
 
If I were to pay $80 for a Mora Clipper, I'd expect nice wood handles and a leather sheath and a $35 refund. Let's see, Brusletto described as a "basic Troll" $45. I love my Clipper and it is part of my emergency satchel kept in my truck box. I really don't see any reason to buy an $80 knife unless you throw in aesthetics and those are circumstantial references too.

If I only had $80, it would not be for the F1. I'd rather buy:
o $10 Frost Clipper
o $20 Silky folding saw
o $20 Victorinox Soldier
o $30 Fiskars hatchet

The real issue is did you use your knife for the tasks that you intended it for and how well did it meet your expectations.
 
It's the law of diminishing returns. People feel good about a good deal, especially when they feel they got their money's worth. The Moras are a good deal, and using one to it's limits doesn't feel wasteful. Pay twice as much for a blade a little better, ten times as much for one a little better yet. Pay too much and feel guilty for using it to full potential. People like using Moras because of the feeling, not because they are superior to high end cutlery in every way. Thin flexible 4" blades of good cutlery steel will do most of what is needed but that's no big secret. Also, Mora and similar do not spend time (money) trying to make their product look like something it is not. Anything that costs little, works good, and meets expectations will be popular.:) Regards, ss.
 
While I think about it, I used my new Cold Steel Finn Bear this morning to skin a Brushtailed Possum, and then to bone out the carcase and dice the meat. I think that this knife can be compared to the Mora. Not bad for US$11.
 
I have own moras in the past and I dont own any now. I have found a lot of knives that I think are way better.
 
pinetree said:
If I were to pay $80 for a Mora Clipper, I'd expect nice wood handles and a leather sheath and a $35 refund. Let's see, Brusletto described as a "basic Troll" $45. I love my Clipper and it is part of my emergency satchel kept in my truck box. I really don't see any reason to buy an $80 knife unless you throw in aesthetics and those are circumstantial references too.

If I only had $80, it would not be for the F1. I'd rather buy:
o $10 Frost Clipper
o $20 Silky folding saw
o $20 Victorinox Soldier
o $30 Fiskars hatchet

The real issue is did you use your knife for the tasks that you intended it for and how well did it meet your expectations.
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This is pretty acurate for me as well, except a) I don't own any of the clippers or 2000s. I have something like a dozen different wood handled moras, and b) I would get a Wetterlings instead of a Fiskars/Gerber.

But although I own 2 knives that cost more than $80, the vast majority of my knives cost less - and most are moras. They work.

I think if you are willing to spend a hundred bucks plus on a knife, sure, you can get better performance, although to my way of thinking you don't get SUBSTANTIALLY better performance until you start spending on the customs. I can't think of a whole lot of knives under $75 that outperform moras for the work I do. Actually I can't think of any - but then I don't chop with knives.

Would I pay $40, say, for a mora? Probably, if I had to. But I would expect it to be a little prettier. Would I pay $80? Probably, but I would want it to look really nice. But would I want the blade to be different? No, not really. I guess Quiet Bear summed it up perfectly with the statement about the design. Would I pay the money for a red handled mora? No. Would I pay the money for a different, fancier 4" scandy? Yeah, probably would.
 
Good on yer Chris. It's the knife-using activity that matters; and like Pict says, the man holding the blade is much more important than the brand name. Mind you, I still drool over the pictures....

Y'know Straitshot, the only time I've seen our possums hanging by the hook on the end of their tail is sometimes when they've been shot up a tree. It's a danged nuisance.
 
the mora is a good basic knife and that's it!!!!! It should not be the primary knife of anyone hitting the woods for over a couple of hours. it is a great (!!!!!) inexpensive knife for daytime hikers , fishermen, and anyone who wants an extra lightweight knife. REMINDER- THIS SHOULD ONLY BE A KNIFE AN EXTRA KNIFE AND SHOULD NOT BE THE PRIMARY KNIFE FOR ANYONE UNLESS THEY ARE ON A PIC NIC
 
"Would I pay the money for a red handled mora? No. Would I pay the money for a different, fancier 4" scandy? Yeah, probably would."

Well said. My SBT is exactly that, sturdier, tougher, better handle, better fit, steel buttcap, leather sheath, and SHARP. It has been called a Mora on steroids and, yes, worth the money if you are serious about this kind of knife.

The 4 inch scandi knife isn't the end all of knives. They are extremely useful and efficient cutters designed to shape natural materials and give the user alot of control with very little effort. The cheaper Mora's do that well but are limited in terms of strength. I readily agree that someone might not want a low cost Mora as their one and only knife for that reason.

I always pair up the Mora with a machete and teach that the machete is there to handle all the brutal, abusive tasks and the Mora is for all the fine, detail cutting. I have found this to be a very versatile combination for central Brazil. The fact that I can put that combo in the hands of a first time student for less than $25 (including a very cool machete sheath) is outstanding. I have never seen this pair fail to get the job done.

The 4 inch scandi grind knife is very functional in the bush and the cheap ones perform that function very well. If price was not a factor I would still want a 4 inch scandi grind knife in my kit.

$80 would buy you a better made scandi than the low cost Moras. I would expect a sturdier knife of the same type for that kind of money and there are many fine examples on the market of exactly that.

That said I have no qualms at all about taking people out into the bush for three days with nothing more than a Tramontina machete and a SWAK. I can't tell you how many times I've told people, sorry the SWAK isn't for sale, I'll have to get you one next time I'm in the states. Mac

Edited to add:
85scandiku6.jpg

#1244; This is a recent addition to the Järvenpää line, and it’s one of my personal favorites. The handle is built up from stacked leather with solid brass ends. The leather is not varnisihed, which improves the feel and grip. It fits my average sized hand perfectly. The blade is unpolished carbon steel of a useful size and shape. The sheath has a plastic insert and a brass reinforcing band at the top. The suspension strap is attached to the ring. I can see the whole outfit lasting several generations. The blade is about 3 3/8” long, and the knife is about 7 ½” overall. The price is $85. From Ragweed Forge

This is about the type of construction I would expect from an $85 scandi. Would pay $80 for a plastic handled Mora? no way. I would have no problem paring this knife up with a GB and spending quaility time in the forest.
 
mblackfu said:
the mora is a good basic knife and that's it!!!!! It should not be the primary knife of anyone hitting the woods for over a couple of hours. it is a great (!!!!!) inexpensive knife for daytime hikers , fishermen, and anyone who wants an extra lightweight knife. REMINDER- THIS SHOULD ONLY BE A KNIFE AN EXTRA KNIFE AND SHOULD NOT BE THE PRIMARY KNIFE FOR ANYONE UNLESS THEY ARE ON A PIC NIC
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That, or the skills could be improved upon some.;)

BTW Pict, that's a real beauty....
 
Here is another hypothetical for ya.....

Buck Diamondback or Mora ?

Which would you trust the most in a survival situation ?
 
pitdog said:
Here is another hypothetical for ya.....

Buck Diamondback or Mora ?

Which would you trust the most in a survival situation ?
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I'll play again HAHA

It would be hard to say for me,I've used both,and used reasonably both are functional knives,neither would spontaniously selfdestruct like some fokes might think,being small light knives.

The diamondback has a fulltang(right?)and thicker stock but is ground higher and of different steel,so it's hard to say which one is actually stonger.

I'll end by saying either one could make more fuzzsticks and clean more fish that I care to at once;)
 
Hmm,

I value my life more than $20 to count on a Mora.

Its a cheap/poor mans blade. Its light use can be helpful and worth its price but I wouldnt carry mine to be counted on under any circumstances. I would carry my large SAK with saw first.

Skam
 
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