Question about Frosts Mora blades

Cosmic Superchunk

Cosmic Superchunk

Joined
Jan 28, 2001
Messages
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I'm interested in one of Frosts Mora fixed blades and am choosing between one of their wood handled ones with "laminated steel" and one of their blue handled stainless steel knives. My question is, what exactly is laminated steel? Is is similar to San Mai as used by Cold Steel?, and if so, does Frosts use stainless steel in their laminated steel blades?
 
It's a steel that has a harder center flanked by softer steel on the outside, kinda like an Oreo Cookie.
 
The laminated blades that I have are NOT stainless. But they take and hold an exceptional edge and are virtually unbreakable. Sure they'll rust if you don't take care of them, but unless you live in a tropical or ocean environment I wouldn't worry about it.
 
At the price of 'em, buy both!

but seriously, go ahead and get the laminated one. As was said, rusting isn't much of a problem with simple maintenance. I have a Frosts blade hejre that I am puting a handle on. I haven't touvhed oil to it at all in the 3 months + that I've had it, and it still looks purdy and shiny.

By the way, check out Mors Kochanski's Bushcraft book for info on what you can do with a mora and a whacking stick! Mors taught me that you don't NEED a 1/4" thick 10" long blade to get wood for a fire.
 
I have the Swedish Army model (4" blade, SS). I don't know if it's laminated, but it's plenty sharp and easy to keep that way. I got the plastic handle and SS because I don't want to have to clean and oil it after use. The sheath is functional yet ugly. I think the Clippers may have a nicer handle and a better sheath, for about a buck more.
 
Frosts laminated blades are made in France, according to Ragnar at ragweedforge.com (personal correspondence) and the core is supposed to RC at 62. I handled a couple of these blades in moose horn for trapper friends who consider them the best skinning knives they've ever used when it comes to edge holding. I think Frosts uses Sandvik 12C27 in their stainless blades; that's a stainless alloy specifically developed for cutlery; very fine grained as well as highly corrosion resistant; the professional fisherman's choice in a lot of places like the British Columbia west coast. Frosts has a couple of different carbon steel grades now; their website (http://www.frosts.se/) has good information on them. I don't know what Ericksson of Mora, Sweden, uses in their blades but I have a couple of their carbon steel knives and they take and hold a wonderful edge. I presume that they and Frosts use the same steel but I could be wrong.
 
I have a Carbon steel Frost Mora and one in stainless. The edge they both take and hold outlasts many other knives I've paid a whole lot more for. You can't go wrong with a Mora for a work knife. Those suckers cut like a laser. They make for great kitchen knives too.:)
 
I've got a few of the different laminated 'Sloyd' style knives by Frosts, the steel isn't stainless but hasn't rusted in my usage (woodworking and utility use around the shop) but I can say they sharpen well and REALLY hold an edge. I've also got a pair of the Swedish Army knives by Frosts as mentioned above. Ugly olive sheath that works like a charm, olive plastic handle, and sharp enough to shave...give me a strop and I can shave all week. It's just amazing how much knife you can get for $8 or so. To be fair, I ordered a few of the plastic handled carbon Mora knives from Erickson...also take a great edge, great little utility knives. I've got half my Christmas shopping done for the year. None of these are 'pretty' so just take your pick, choose a handle you can live with (or change) because the steel won't ever give you problems.

If the powers that be made cars like the Swedes make Mora knives, we'd all be driving 1946 Willis jeeps...supercharged $500 ugly jeeps with a top speed of 180 mph and getting 200 miles to a gallon of gas.
 
You can get a laminated stainless blade too, but I believe they are made by Helle ( Norway ). Sloejd actually means woodwork, and as texascarl says, they are really good knives.
My first knife was a Frost with a red wood handle. I bought it 30 years ago, and I still have the blade in my shop. The handle was destroyed many years ago because I used it as a throwingknife. That knife sold for 7 swedish kroner back then - less than a dollar - and I still consider it one of the best knives I've ever owned. You really can't go wrong with these knifes, and the blades can be bought very cheap if you want to make your own.
 
Check out Gary's knife website:

www.harjusknives.com

He also has some nordic knives for sale and occasionally puts Moras up for sale on ebay.

Dan
 
About the only things left to add are that laminated Moras do bend easily. And you can straighten them out just as easily. I used one for a long time in the bush before I noticed how easily they bent so it sure doesn't bother me to use a laminated Mora as a survival knife.
The second point is to look for a Mora hoof knife - they come in left and right handed versions - narrow and wide bladed. A bunch of sharpening work and you have the all purpose bushman's tool - the crooked knife - as here.
crooked knife
 
That Harju's knife has excatly same offerings as www.brisa.fi (a finnish puukko part supply). BTW Family name Harju is of finnish heritage meaning ridge(according to my dictionary - harju means elongated hill born from gravel that travelled in iceages melting rivers under the continentalglacier).
 
I just received one of the Frosts Mora knives I ordered, one of the wood handled series with laminated steel. Very sharp and very functional. For just under $10.00 US, this has to be one of the best knife bargains out there. There's nothing fancy about it, but it does have a certain charm to it. ;)
 
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