Author Topic: Perhaps dollar for dollar, the best buy in a hunting or bushcraft knife..  (Read 646 times)

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Offline ironglow

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Scandanavian knives are known for the quality of their steel. ..But perhaps few are aware how reasonably priced some of these top quality knives are priced.

  Check out Ragweed Forge store..  https://ragweedforgestore.com/

  Ragnar has some very interesting blades...but in this case, look to the top and click on "shop by brand"..then click on Mora.

 I have a Mora in carbon steel, and it has served  excellently over the years.

  These blades are of a "Scandi" grind..excellent for bush crafting..really shines  at wood carving, including making a "feather stick".

  Considering the quality...these knives have to be a best buy..
If you don't want the truth, don't ask me.  If you want something sugar coated...go eat a donut !  (anon)

Offline darkgael

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I am aware that months have passed since the original post. I just now saw this….usually don't scroll down so far. I did today.
IG’s mention of Mora knives and Ragweed Forge is the second that i have read this week. Mora does make dependable, durable belt knives….it would be wrong to label them merely “hunting” knives. This is especially true of the Scandinavian Puukko knives.
My favorite knife of all time is a puukko. Designed many years ago by Tapio Wirkkala, it is my everyday carry.

Offline ironglow

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The Puukkos are a practical design..  Even though I am not a fan of hidden tang knives, Mora (and some others) do a great job
  with them.
  I forger only full tang knives, knowing that some will nevertheless, use their blade as a prying instrument.

  Of course, th emain point I was making in the OP, is that for what they charge..Moras are areal bargain.
If you don't want the truth, don't ask me.  If you want something sugar coated...go eat a donut !  (anon)

Offline gene_225

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I do have at least one Mora knife. The only problem I have is that the blades have no spring to keep them open. But I still keep it. I gave one to my brother who mentioned to me that the Mountain Men liked them and that the new made ones are hard to tell from the older ones, except for wear.

Offline ironglow

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I'm not familiar with their folders..    I was thinking of their utility/bush knives, and while most are still reasonably priced, it looks like
  Mora may be starting to cater to the .
If you don't want the truth, don't ask me.  If you want something sugar coated...go eat a donut !  (anon)

Offline Ranger99

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I have a couple of different ones
bought a good while back because
they were like $8.00-$9.00
Since they've become trendy, I'm
thinking they're about $20.00 or so
Just me- given a choice, I'll take
a flat ground blade every time.
This "scandi" business is getting
ridiculous.
18 MINUTES.  . . . . . .

Offline darkgael

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I'm not familiar with their folders..    I was thinking of their utility/bush knives, and while most are still reasonably priced, it looks like
  Mora may be starting to cater to the .
This is a Wirkkala designed folder from the Vietnam era. It was known as the CIA Balisong folder. :

Offline Ranger99

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I'm not familiar with their folders..    I was thinking of their utility/bush knives, and while most are still reasonably priced, it looks like
  Mora may be starting to cater to the .
This is a Wirkkala designed folder from the Vietnam era. It was known as the CIA Balisong folder. :

I have one of those ^ ^
Only I didn't get it from the gubmint.
Garcia (the fishing reel people) used
to import those at the time they were
selling the hunting rifles and other
knives they sold in the 60's and 70's
before all the gubmint regulations
forced them to halt importation of
them. Some gubmint bureaucrat
decided that since the handles
split open and swiveled around to
make a solid grip, these cheap knives
were a "butterfly " knife, or "balisong"
knife like the movie thugs used,
hence the US importation ban.
These Garcia knives can't be flicked
open like the evil butterfly knife,
they're just a cheap way to make a
lightweight folding knife that won't
fold up on your hand during use.
They sold for like $3.00 USD at the
time. Very good steel and very sharp.
I still have a red handled one.
They sold red or blue plastic handled
knives of this configuration.
I've not seen another one of these
for sale in years

The Big Swede imported by Normark
( the Rapala fillet knife and fishing
lure people ) was another inexpensive
knife of the era. I have one of those
left as well. I wish I'd bought a few
dozen of each when I could have
18 MINUTES.  . . . . . .

Offline Ranger99

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These are some
18 MINUTES.  . . . . . .

Offline Ranger99

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A Cold Steel split handle
"balisong" knife (will not
flick by design)
The Garcia "CIA" knife
A real balisong/butterfly knife
brought back from the south
pacific by my father in the early
50's ( this one is made to flick)
The Big Swede imported by
Normark
18 MINUTES.  . . . . . .

Offline ironglow

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  I recall the Big Swede, because my son had one as a teenager.  I didn't think it was made by Mora, but rather but Morseth.

   Is Morseth a part of the Mora company? Are those red handled ones Moras?
If you don't want the truth, don't ask me.  If you want something sugar coated...go eat a donut !  (anon)

Offline Ranger99

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The one with the bolsters is
of asian-pacific origin I'm assuming
since that's where it was brought
from around 1952
The all plastic handled one is
what was known as a Hackman
Camp Knife by the Hackman
cutlery people years back.
Garcia imported them with other
items for use afield
I have several "mora" knives, but
none that are from the recent
Morakniv company
The "mora" style knives I have
were manufactured by Frosts
and a couple from Fiskars before
Gerber got involved with them
and one or two from EKA
EKA made the Big Swede knives
that Normark-Rapala sold

Mora is a municipality in Sweden,
and people just got to where they
would rattle off "Mora knife " kinda
like they used to say "a Solingen
knife " for the many manufacturers
based there.
I do know that Victorinox bought
out Wenger and some other cutlery
companies that made "swiss army
knives " and other items that some
assume that Victorinox has always
made. Lots of companies have
merged and been absorbed and
folded in the last few decades
18 MINUTES.  . . . . . .

Offline ironglow

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  Sometimes it makes one sad. A few years ago, my son and his wife, along with myself and my wife were spending Saturday evening,
  sitting on my son's front porch.
  As we sat there, a couple flat bed 18 wheelers went by..that were carrying what I could see, were knife grinding machines..

  Knowing that the Schrade Co had auctioned a few days ago, next day at church I asked Bro Bob, if those were destined for Ontario Knife, about 4 miles south of our house.

  Bob is the boss man at Ontario, and he replied in the affirmative.

   I had a sinking feeling, knowing the Schrade brand was going to China..  Another grand old brand, Camillus..did the same.
If you don't want the truth, don't ask me.  If you want something sugar coated...go eat a donut !  (anon)

Offline Ranger99

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Semi related- some of the old knives
that hardware stores and such used
to sell at everyday working man prices
such as USA Schrades, and Camillus
and Kutmaster and such will sell
for over a hundred dollars for a NIB
old stock example
Crazy world now
18 MINUTES.  . . . . . .
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Offline ironglow

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  I favor a carbon steel blade, which is why I make my own.  Not a SS fan, I like #1084, "5160, or for a bit higher carbon..# 1090..
    Some "repurposed" steels are good also.

  I do have a Mora in Carbon, that I picked up years ago, I think it was about $11 back then.  Knife is fine, but the plastic sheath is nothing to write home about.

  If you can find an old carbon blade at a decent price, go for it !  Never can tell when one may come up in a garage sale.
If you don't want the truth, don't ask me.  If you want something sugar coated...go eat a donut !  (anon)