Review: Condor Tavian vs Mora Companion

[kazushi]

I just received the Condor Tavian in the mail today. I have not been able to do any cutting or chopping tests of wood outdoors due to allergies. I will compare the Tavian to the Mora Companion because I think that this knife is supposed to compete with the Moras. I purchased a Mora Robust knife but I don't have that knife yet because it is on backorder.

Condor Tavian:
Blade length--4.5"
Handle length--4.5"
Blade-- Visible Full Tang, 1075 Carbon Steel
Spine Thickness-- 1/8th "
Wood Handle with Lanyard hole
Sheath--All Leather with belt loop
Price-- approx $26.95 plus shipping

Mora Companion:
Blade length--3 7/8th "
Handle length-- 4.5"
Blade-- 3/4 tang
Spine Thickness-- 1/16th"
Handle-- Rubber
Sheath-- Plastic with open belt loop
Price-- About $16 shipping included

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The BAD:The Condor Tavian I bought was not as sharp out of the box as the Mora was. It still comes very sharp though and could cut paper, just not as well as the Mora. I am sure that after a short period of sharpening that it will be very sharp though. The handle of the Tavian was not as comfortable or ergonomic for me as the Mora. I think the wooden handle of the Tavian may get slippery in hand and may require some modification such as carving grooves or applying tape to it. The price of the Tavian is also almost double that of the Mora Companion. It is hard to put the knife back in to the sheath. It may just need to be worked in a bit but initially it is easy to take out but putting back in the sheath requires some fanangling.

The GOOD: The Tavian is still a sharp blade out of the box. The Tavian's spine thickness is 1/8th inch and the Mora's is 1/16th so it is a bit more heavy duty. The Tavian is also full tang, whereas the Mora is 3/4 tang so the Tavian should be stronger. The handle also has a lanyard hole so it gives you the option of using that. The Tavian sheath, although I had a problem with inserting the knife back in to the sheath at first is of a much higher quality than the Mora's sheath. The Mora is a great knife but in my opinion the sheath is almost useless and requires me to make my own. The Tavian's sheath is full leather and is stitched well and looks durable. It feels comfortable and secure on my belt. Ultimately the Tavian is twice as thick, has a full tang, is sharp, and has a useable sheath. The overall quality is good. I don't see any imperfections on the knife. The spine on the Tavian is finished unlike the Moras so it gives the Tavian a better cosmetic look in that area if that matters to you. The Tavian's blade says "Condor" on one side and "El Salvador" on the other.

Is it worth it? I think it is. I am definitely satisfied with my purchase. The Tavian picks up on what have been the major gripes with the Moras. Mainly that the spine is unfinished, 3/4 tang, the mora is 1/16th " thick, and the Mora sheath is poor quality. Whether or not the thicker Scandi grind knives perform better at their given tasks is up for debate but the Tavian is a more heavy duty, stronger version of the Mora. I think that the Tavian is just as good of a value as the Moras mainly because of its full tang and that is has a good, useable sheath. I think that the Tavian is a good buy but time will tell as to how well they perform and hold up. The one advantage that Mora knives have over the Tavian is that they already been on the market for years and have tons of user reviews on them about their performance and durability. The Tavian cost about $12 more than the mora for me but I feel that it was worth it due to the Tavian's superior sheath and the extra comfort of knowing that it has a full tang.

 

[Ultraman]

Thanks for the post, I never heard of the Tavian before. Would you say the Tavian does a better job at food prep (on a cutting board) because of the drop of the blade near the handle, or is there little difference?

 

[vtvman]

Have you handled the bushlore before? If you have, would you choose the bushlore or the tavian as an overall camp knife?

 

[kazushi]

@Ultraman I think that the Mora would be a bit better at cutting food like veggies simply because it is a thinner blade. I don't think it would make too much of a difference though because the Tavian's spine is thicker but the cutting part is thin too. If I were using the knife to cut lots of food and double as a skinning knife I might opt for a mora or something else in stainless steel rather than carbon. But you can also force a patina on the carbon steel blade to protect it from rusting from the moisture.
One thing about the Tavian is I think they need to make the handle thicker. I have average size hands and it feels a bit too thin in my hands compared to the Mora.

@Vtvman I haven't used the Mora Bushlore yet I don't own one. I would say that the Tavian is superior to the mora companion as a camp knife overall though because it can handle all of the same tasks as the mora plus it is more heavy duty. Also the sheath of the Tavian is more functional and comfortable to carry on your belt. It would also be more durable to do light batoning and carving of wood and branches. The Tavian also has a lanyard hole that you can use to tie down to your kit w 550 cord to secure it in easily in case you're hiking through heavy brush. So that is useful even if you do not want to wrap the lanyard around your hand while doing cutting/chopping chores.

 

[Mr Spud]

has anybody had any experience with the sub tavian yet? I'm considering getting one for the skinning/prep of small to medium game.

 

[Joezilla]

http://www.woodsmonkey.com/index.ph...condor-tool-a-knife&catid=34:knives&Itemid=55

 

[whetrock]

An interesting perspective and excellent review. I can see your quarrels with the sheaths on the Mora, then again this is an inexpensive knife. As to the Tavien this is the first I've seen of it. I own a couple of Condors and can attest to their lackluster factory edges. Mine sharpened up quite nicely though and edge retention is nice for 1075.

 

[izhmash47]

A very good knife comparison. I don't have any experience with the Condor, but I have tons with the Mora. I really don't think you can beat Moras for the money. They just keep going forever. Also I go to primitive skill gatherings with as many as 500 students, the most common and loved knife there are the Moras, you will see one on about everyone's belt. Everyone who I have spoken to loves theirs. I do like the looks of this Condor though, I need to pick one up someday I think!