Why am I reviewing three separate knives in just one review topic? Because they're almost identical, except for a few differences. First, we have the Eriksson #510. Then, the Eriksson #511. Last, the Eriksson #521. They all have red plastic handles and carbon blades, and all can be had for around $11 on Ragweed Forge. Now, on to the review and comparisons.
Handles:
The 510 has a red plastic handle 4.45" long, and a very small sweel at the top for a guard. It's hard. And plastic. And it offers a very nice grip, especially for whittling.
The 511 and 521 also have a red plastic handle. And yes, it's hard, too. It's also 4.45" long, but it has a substantial guard on it. This is the only difference in handles. The 511 and 521 have the exact same handle, folks.
The handles of all the knives are very secure, and surprisingly, very comfortable. There aren't any lanyard holes, but you can drill your own. There are no markings on any of the handles, but there's a grooved pattern lengthwise. The guards on the 511 and 521 provide a very safe grip for stabbing, if that's your thing. I stabbed repeatedly into a pine log in the back, and the guards showed no signs of breakage or even bending. I know that these Moras weren't made for batoning, but mine held up just fine when I bashed their spines with a log. The red is also very visible when you drop your knife in the mud or leaves, as I also did. I tried to lose them, but they were easily spotted due to the handles and the shiny blades. Cool.
Blades: The blades on all three knives are made of 1095 carbon (not stainless) steel, at a Rockwell hardness of 59-60. Mine all tested at 59 on the machine. They're all Scandanavian ground (of course).
The 510 has a blade 3.75" long. It's ideal for general utility work, and came out of the box shaving sharp. The left side of the blade has the Mora - Sweden logo associated with Eriksson, and the words CARBON STEEL underneath it. The right side is blank. The clip point on this one is nice; really good for piercing.
The 511 has a blade all of 3.68" long. The blade is marked the same as the 510, and has the same clip point. It also came very sharp, and was made extremely sharp with just a few passes of 1000-grit sandpaper. This is a very nice carving knife for beginners.
The 521 has the same clip point blade, and it's 3.9" long. Again, it came extremely sharp.
Sheaths: All three knives come with a black plastic sheath that's pretty stiff. They all have the Mora - Sweden logo on the front. All have a button hole; you can slide the sheath down on to a button and using the button as a swivel. Nice touch for those who don't want to fuss with a belt. It can also go on like a traditional belt loop, although the opening is a bit too small for anything over 1.4" wide.
The 510 has a straight sheath. The knife clicks in, and stays in if shaked upside-down.
The 511 and 521 have the same exact sheath, just like they have the same, exact handle. There's a swell on the right side (pointing back if it's on the right side of your belt) to accomodate the guard. Again, the knives both click in and stay in if shaken.
No, these knives won't change the cutlery world, but for under $30 for all three, you get a lot more than you pay for. I rather like the 511 for beginners, as the guard and blade length are about optimal fro reducing injuries and still maintaining a nice edge. The 510 has recieved many positive remarks here and on other forums, and I can see why. It's pretty ideal for outdoor tasks, and is well-suited for work around the house as well. I think of the 521 as a 510 with a guard. Whether you like guards or not is a personal thing, but I like the guard for occasions when I might have any possibility of having to penetrate or stab.
Check them out, and have fun with the laser sharpness of a Scandanavian knife without the high price.
Handles:
The 510 has a red plastic handle 4.45" long, and a very small sweel at the top for a guard. It's hard. And plastic. And it offers a very nice grip, especially for whittling.
The 511 and 521 also have a red plastic handle. And yes, it's hard, too. It's also 4.45" long, but it has a substantial guard on it. This is the only difference in handles. The 511 and 521 have the exact same handle, folks.
The handles of all the knives are very secure, and surprisingly, very comfortable. There aren't any lanyard holes, but you can drill your own. There are no markings on any of the handles, but there's a grooved pattern lengthwise. The guards on the 511 and 521 provide a very safe grip for stabbing, if that's your thing. I stabbed repeatedly into a pine log in the back, and the guards showed no signs of breakage or even bending. I know that these Moras weren't made for batoning, but mine held up just fine when I bashed their spines with a log. The red is also very visible when you drop your knife in the mud or leaves, as I also did. I tried to lose them, but they were easily spotted due to the handles and the shiny blades. Cool.
Blades: The blades on all three knives are made of 1095 carbon (not stainless) steel, at a Rockwell hardness of 59-60. Mine all tested at 59 on the machine. They're all Scandanavian ground (of course).
The 510 has a blade 3.75" long. It's ideal for general utility work, and came out of the box shaving sharp. The left side of the blade has the Mora - Sweden logo associated with Eriksson, and the words CARBON STEEL underneath it. The right side is blank. The clip point on this one is nice; really good for piercing.
The 511 has a blade all of 3.68" long. The blade is marked the same as the 510, and has the same clip point. It also came very sharp, and was made extremely sharp with just a few passes of 1000-grit sandpaper. This is a very nice carving knife for beginners.
The 521 has the same clip point blade, and it's 3.9" long. Again, it came extremely sharp.
Sheaths: All three knives come with a black plastic sheath that's pretty stiff. They all have the Mora - Sweden logo on the front. All have a button hole; you can slide the sheath down on to a button and using the button as a swivel. Nice touch for those who don't want to fuss with a belt. It can also go on like a traditional belt loop, although the opening is a bit too small for anything over 1.4" wide.
The 510 has a straight sheath. The knife clicks in, and stays in if shaked upside-down.
The 511 and 521 have the same exact sheath, just like they have the same, exact handle. There's a swell on the right side (pointing back if it's on the right side of your belt) to accomodate the guard. Again, the knives both click in and stay in if shaken.
No, these knives won't change the cutlery world, but for under $30 for all three, you get a lot more than you pay for. I rather like the 511 for beginners, as the guard and blade length are about optimal fro reducing injuries and still maintaining a nice edge. The 510 has recieved many positive remarks here and on other forums, and I can see why. It's pretty ideal for outdoor tasks, and is well-suited for work around the house as well. I think of the 521 as a 510 with a guard. Whether you like guards or not is a personal thing, but I like the guard for occasions when I might have any possibility of having to penetrate or stab.
Check them out, and have fun with the laser sharpness of a Scandanavian knife without the high price.