Morakniv New Ash Wood Outdoor Collection

Sibyrnes said:
Interesting, but aren’t walking sticks and axe handles used in “the forest or wet environments”?
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Yes, but do you skin or gut with a walking stick?

Ash walking sticks are traditionally made from saplings, either with the bark on or with most of the surface being the same cylinder of growth ring (late wood), so no need for extensive filling and sealing.

The new Mora ash handle scales are made of sawn wood with multiple layers of growth rings exposed. Ash is a ring porous wood, with big differences in early vs late wood in the growth ring. You have to seal then finish the wood quite extensively to make it resistant to moisture.

But at the end of the day, this is my preference and opinion only.
We are free to disagree.
 
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Dav1 said:
I'm a carpenter worked with wood for decades, although not so decorative Ash is a better choice.

I used my chisel handles as a relevant example, they've been left in rain on many occasions (when I'm working outside), used daily for decades etc... There's a reason you don't see work tools use birch handles etc... numerous other woods that may look "nicer". is
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Similarly, there is a reason why birch was used as a knife handle material in Sweden and Finland, too. Besides being abundant, it also provides a comfortable yet secure grip, necessary for safe and prolonged wood carving and whittling, or for processing game.
A chisel doesn’t have to be held so securely as a knife, so grippiness is less of an issue, but shock resistance is of utmost importance.
For other tool handles ash was preferred because of the requirement of increased shock resistance. Beech was used for planes because of the hardness, smooth surface and good wear resistance. On the other hand, it has poor dimensional stability.
 
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Littleknife I take it you don't work with wood as a profession/living or if you do you don't understand how to hold a chisel for finer work. I'll leave it there although Ash is a better material than Birch.
 
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Dav1 said:
Littleknife I take it you don't work with wood as a profession/living or if you do you don't understand how to hold a chisel for finer work. I'll leave it there although Ash is a better material than Birch.
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I am not a carpenter but worked with chisels quite a bit. I did not do fine woodcarving with chisels, but my experience was that I never had to hold on to a chisel as securely as to a knife. Maybe our hands are quite different, and there is quite a variation how humans actually can grip the same tool. I have seen artists with different finger lengths, palm widths, gripping pencils or brushes quite differently, yet all were very dexterous.
We are talking about chisels that are being struck with a mallet and not about chip carving tools, isn’t it?

I never questioned your proficiency or craftsmanship/artisanship. Unless you specifically make your own tool handles, you work with what is available to buy or inherit.
Is ash the best or optimal chisel handle wood? I don’t know. Maybe hickory is even better?
I’ve seen quality Japanese chisels with Japanese oak or beech handles. Does the fact that those weren’t made with ash handles mean that Japanese carvers are less proficient or artistic?

I never suggested birch should be used for chisel handles.
Is ash a better wood for a slöyd knife or a puukko handle than birch? Once again, I don’t know, but I know that having handled both woods extensively, I personally would prefer a birch one. It is just more grippy.
 
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Dav1 said:
I've also had quite a lot of beer Littleknife so don't want to come across as an ass😏

Alls good though, what ever you like you like, and birch is still a nice choice!
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You did not come across bad in any way, my friend. :)
Just imagine how boring this forum would be if there wasn’t any disagreement. :)
All is good, thanks for your posts and your reply. Who knows, I might even change my opinion. :)
 
Without attempting to pass judgment on Sweden, “sustainability” or ash,I believe the term we were searching for regarding Opinel’s description of the new knives is: “greenwashing”.
 
Well, they've at least produced buzz for these, though I don't think in the manner they expected.
Every Mora group I'm in is up in arms about the pricing.
All publicity is... well its something.
 
Got an email from another Finnish friend, J-P Peltonen, who made the M95 and M07 knives. He was at the IWA Show in Germany, and he and another knife man saw the new Moras. They liked them until they saw the prices. He has been in the knife business for a long time, in his opinion the knives are worth about 1/2 the prices being charged. John
 
Dav1 said:
I'd like to know what the steel is, just for curiositys sake as Mora will certainly have the HT dialled either 12c27, 14c28n or aeb-L? I like Ash as said very durable. I initially thought much too expensive but more in line with Helle, Roselli etc.. (the latter more hand made than the former) so I guess they aren't totally out of touch but not what many would expect from Mora.

I've read many of the comments on Instagram and YT more trying to find out about the steel but the opinions seem a mix of wow too expensive or I must have one to add to my collection!

They do look nice and maybe when I've had too much beer I'll "inadvertently" order one🙄
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Drunk shopping!! 🤣🤣
Been there. Done that!! 🤨😉🤨
John 🇺🇸
 
Sorry if I’ve missed it, but has ownership of Mora changed in recent years (aside from integrating Frosts)?
 
jmh33 said:
Drunk shopping!! 🤣🤣
Been there. Done that!! 🤨😉🤨
John 🇺🇸
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Tbh I love Mora as a company do Like their new knives but imo and it seems many others much too expensive BUT too much beer has a strange effect on me when looking at knives/purchases 🙄🤣
 
I have a very similar, Scandi-ground knife (0 bevel), the blade by Ivan Campos in 1070 and handled in gorgeous ivory-ebony by Kris Klammer of Edmonton. I think I paid Kris around $70 for it, which I considered a bargain. The new ash handled Moras would be worth about half of that IMHO.
 
John A. Larsen said:
Got an email from another Finnish friend, J-P Peltonen, who made the M95 and M07 knives. He was at the IWA Show in Germany, and he and another knife man saw the new Moras. They liked them until they saw the prices. He has been in the knife business for a long time, in his opinion the knives are worth about 1/2 the prices being charged. John
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Yes.
 
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