Recommendations for fixed blade knife

[wgiles]

All of the MORA knives that I use regularly are carbon steel, some are laminated steel, mainly wood carving knives. It is annoying how quickly the carbon steel will pick up rust spots. Leather sheaths are much more prone to rust spots than the plastic ones. I normally coat my knives with Tsubaki oil when I put them away, but a leather sheath will wipe the oil off. It would probably be better to store the knives outside of the sheaths. Stainless steel MORA knives are supposed to be made from Sandvik 12C27, which is supposed to be a very good knife steel. I can't really speak to its corrosion resistance because I don't carry one very often. I suppose that most of the rust that I see is due to leather sheaths, most of which I made for older MORA knives. I have a couple of old Broderna Jonsson wooden handle laminated steel MORA hunting knives that I restored and made sheaths for that are very prone to picking up rust spots. I don't have much trouble with the newer knives in plastic sheaths. The coating on the MORA Black knife is probably for corrosion protection, but won't do anything to protect the edge. When I sharpen my knives, I normally strop them with green Chromium compound which brings them to a near mirror finish. This finish does appear to reduce friction a bit when cutting. It's relatively easy to restore an uncoated knife to a nice finish, but coated knives will show sharpening scratches. This isn't important on working knives, but I prefer my good knives to look good.

Many good stainless steel knives are made from 440C, but this steel requires special heat treatment for good performance. As cheap as the MORA knives are, they really are made from Swedish steel.

 

[memaquay]

Well Glenn, thanks for the info, I just ordered it, from a Canadian site, the price was quite painless. It's not the type of belt knife I am used to, I like a full tang and a longer blade, but one can never have too many knives, and variety is the spice of life. Thanks for doing the research!

 

[HOOP]

Well done on your research Glenn!

One comment on scandi edges and flat gorund with secondary micro bevel, if this is at all influencing your choice: You can strop these and scandi-vex them if you like. There is no risk because one session on stones and you can re-bevel it to a pure bevel if you like. Since I learned how to strop on sandpaper with mouse pad, stropping with leather with honing compound, and just plain leather, I rarely stone sharpen my knives anymore, I just strop them to touch them up to very sharp. Stropping a pure scandi edge (no micro-bevel), will produce a very tiny micro-convex which will beef up the edge and make it last longer. This can be perpetually stropped to touch up. But you can always put a pure scandi bevel back on it with stone work if you like.

So in other words, you are not overly limited with a scandi or flat-to-bevel since these are quite modifiable. The pure convex edges (like the Falkniven) I think limit your choices of edge profile far more. Like I said above, I did take the time to work my F1 on a series of stones (Japanese water stones), to make a micro bevel on my F1 edge. This was done to assist me in carving fine feathers (since I am not a pro with convex), and so that I can touch up in the field easier with my flat diamond stone (DMT). The DMT is handier for me to carry in the field than all my stropping gear, and I can always finish the stropping on my belt or on birchbark or other tree bark.

Memaquay: You cannot go wrong with that Mora knife. Its a beauty, and is still thin enough for fine carving work. But you will have a sheath retention problem, and the tiny belt loop on the sheath will be a major pain with a wider belt (but I have a fix for you). There are various YT videos on sheath mods for better retention. On my Mora Clipper I have done two mods that vastly improved the carry for me. I do not use the belt loop on my belt.
1) I tied a loop of thin shock cord around the belt loop plastic piece with a double fisherman's knot. The knot is big and flat, and is a thumb knob for pushing the loop over the end of the Mora handle, and for pulling the cord off with any finger for a release from the sheath.
2) I carry the Mora Sami style (like on puuko sheaths), with a simple cord loop that loops through the plastic belt loop. This allows a very easy on/off with a belt, and allows for a lower dangle style carry, so that it articulates out of the way when getting in and out of a vehicle, and for easier insert/release, including two handed cross draw style (Traditional Sami style).

These two simple mods that take about 5 minutes, have converted my plastic sheath Mora for a guaranteed loss out of sheath into a 100% reliable retention knife, that is far easier to use with any belt size, easier to thread on and off a belt, and provides an easier lashing loop if i want to carry it on a pack or other gear.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Well Glenn, thanks for the info, I just ordered it, from a Canadian site, the price was quite painless. It's not the type of belt knife I am used to, I like a full tang and a longer blade, but one can never have too many knives, and variety is the spice of life. Thanks for doing the research!

Glad I could help spend your money. When you've tested out the Mora Bushcraft, perhaps you could post your opinions in this thread. The experience and research in these kinds of threads serve as reference material for future gear sluts.

Speaking of which, my credit card took your emoldening words to heart, and I ordered two Moras today because I just couldn't resist the ridiculously low prices I saw at SierraTradingPost with a 30% off coupon code--and I'm not even sure that either knife will end up as my primary fixed blade.

I ordered a Mora Swedish FireKnife (black/gray) for $18.16. It's stainless steel and has a Light My Fire FireSteel screwed into the butt of the handle. Note the second and sharper bevel at the tip of the traditional Scandi grind. One reviewer said this is to make the tip even sharper for cutting into vegetables. The blade is 3.75" (100 mm) and the knife weighs only 3.3 ounces (94 g). It may end up as my backup fixed blade in my ditch bag or I might even try attaching it to my PFD.

I then noticed that STP had the stainless steel Mora Companion (green only) at the ridiculous price of $8.75 at no extra shipping charge. So I put one of those in the order. The blade is 4.0" (103 mm) and it weighs 4 ounces (116 g). Some internet "bushcraft experts" use this knife as their primary fixed blade and have some interesting sheath modifications. I figure I can experiment with woodcraft and sharpening with this cheap knife. Maybe I'll use it as a kitchen knife since all of mine are ancient and dull.

I'm going to fondle the Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter in person later today at REI. I've been emboldened.

 

[memaquay]

Ha ha, glad you're having fun with this Glenn!

 

[Guest]

I've been emboldened.

I may have to ask how many knives are in the Magic Bus next visit.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Ha ha, glad you're having fun with this Glenn!

Simple Mr. Spock logic, Memaquay. The overarching strategy of this topic for me is to improve my wood processing and fire making skills. I don't even own a fire steel. The price of the Light My Fire fire steel I was going to buy was about the same price as the entire Swedish Fire Knife. Therefore, I was logically compelled to make this purchase. No mental illness involved at all.

I may have to ask how many knives are in the Magic Bus next visit.

There were six in November: two Benchmade folders, a Spyderco folder, a Leatherman, a key ring SAK and a golok machete. And thanks for the sharp repair to fix the blade on my tripod:

 

[Guest]

There were six in November: two Benchmade folders, a Spyderco folder, a Leatherman, a key ring SAK and a golok machete.

Good to know. I’m going to sharpen up for your next visit. I still need to figure out a lash tab for it.

 

[memaquay]

Arrrrr Matey, that be a Pirate Knife, with some pretty good grog beside it!

 

[Guest]

QUOTE=Norton;n22883] Is that a U.S.M 1917 bolo? Does it have the flaming bomb?
They made them from 1897 to 1918
American Beer can for size comparison [/QUOTE]

Good lord, the knife knowledge here is ridiculous.

It would appear that it is.

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/for...5423-difference-between-civilarmy-m1917-bolo/

I’ve had that thing around for at least 40 years without a clue what it was.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I carefully examined the Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter at two different stores today and took my own pictures. My next post will include a comparison of that knife to the design of a wood chopping machete.

Meanwhile, I'd like to honor some more pictures of old versions the most widely used large edged instrument in the world, which is not now and never has been a Scandinavian axe.

http://www.themacheteproject.com/

 

[Holmes375]

....the U.S. Army found there is no 'knife' that can be used as an Axe, Machete and combat weapon.
They had to buy real Knives, Axes, Machetes, shovels picks and other tools,

Concur wholeheartedly.

 

[oldie moldy]

Well Glenn, If that's your collection of machete kinds of things you don't need to worry about the bad guys, just mount that lot on the side of your bus and everyone including the bad ones will give you a wide berth!
Looks as if the cut didn't kill you the subsequent infection surely would. You weren't kidding about "little interest and great neglect for cleaning, sharpening and polishing."

Rob

 

[Philtrum]

If my car hadn't been ransacked in 1970 or so I could show you a pic of the double-edged knife my Dad made. The blade was about 7" long and it had a stacked leather handle with a double thumb guard. He carried it in the jungles of the South Pacific in 1944-45 and said the best thing about it was that it saved his life more than once. I couldn't get him to say any more than that about it.

 

[Guest]

But don't misunderstand my comment. I am from the school that things like you have should be used in the field.
Old tools, guns, knives, lanterns, blankets, canteens, canoes, (Old Item being used = good Karma )

Norton, now that I know what it is and being intrigued with the new-found history I cleaned it up a bit. I’m not interested in it as a historic artifact, so I sanded off the 98 years of patina (and Parkerized finish…oh well) on the blade. No flaming bomb, but sanding did reveal a faint “Plumb” stamped at the hilt. 1917 Bolo made by Fayette R Plumb in Philadelphia.

I’m almost ready to put an edge on the 100 year old double bit axe and will do likewise on the Bolo knife.

How I have ended up working on two 100 year old cutting tools is a mystery.

 

[Odyssey]

That bolo is coming up on 100 years old. That would then make it an antique. I've watched enough television to know that antiques should be kept in original condition, or as near to it as possible. That means refraining from refinishing furniture or bringing back the shine on aged surfaces. That's why I don't own any antiques. I couldn't just let something show the years and fall apart. Adroitly avoiding any comparisons to my own aging physical condition, I can safely say that I'm happier using a thing that was originally made to be used rather than it sit still and look old.
So Mike, you might've devalued this item in the antique appraisal world, but you've restored purpose to it in the everyday world of putting practical tools to good use. I like the choice of beer scale too. Beer scale. New term I just made up. Not to be confused with weight gain from empty calories.

ps I know next to nothing about antiques of any kind, and even less about military collectables, blade or no blade. Don't take my opinion for anything more than an uneducated one.

 

[Guest]

So Mike, you might've devalued this item in the antique appraisal world, but you've restored purpose to it in the everyday world of putting practical tools to good use

ps I know next to nothing about antiques of any kind, and even less about military collectables, blade or no blade. Don't take my opinion for anything more than an uneducated one.

The “collector’s” value of that knife, without an original scabbard, seems to be in the $50 range. $100 tops. It is worth more than that to me, as something I’ve had around for 40 years and used occasionally, and when I see it I think of the friend who passed it along to me.

I might even have to try making a scabbard or sheath for it, something else I’ve never done.

No doubt a bolo collector would gasp in horror at my having removed the 100 years of patina and original parkerization, but I wanted to see what was underneath.

I don’t want to keep treading too far away from the fixed blade knife topic with rusty tool tales, but one more story.

I had seven badly rusty saws from my wife’s late father. Actually, as I discovered, from her grandfather. I stripped them down and found that one had an etching of a bi-plane on the saw blade. I had them all professionally sharpened and the saw guy identified each of them, including several of them as collectable 1930’s vintage. The biplane one was some rarity and the nicest of the bunch.

My wife has six siblings, and I had seven nice sharp saws from the 30’s, with histories attached. I wrapped the saws in plain brown paper, sat the siblings at the table during one gathering and dealt them 5 card stud, winner picks a saw and steps out of the game.

Fate chose wisely, and the eldest son and best craftsman got the biplane.

 

[Alan Gage]

Every time someone on Antiques Road Show says, "well, if someone hadn't redone the finish it would be worth $xxxx more money", if you listen closely you can hear all the furniture restorers screaming in unison, "if someone 100 years ago hadn't had the common sense to take care of it and restore the finish it would be nothing but a pile of rotted wood right now!"

Alan

 

[oldie moldy]

After observing Glenn's ferric oxide collection, I decided to see just what was offered now on retail sites. My stars and bars! Every shape seen in Glenn's collection as well as many others are offered at very reasonable prices.
Now for the life of me, I can't decide if the machete type of knife is wildly popular or is it more a fashion statement kind of thing where you need several depending on the social occasion. Or perhaps the wearer's mood swing.
Now, if we knew anyone who actually used these things, rather than just wearing them, it sure would be interesting to see a video of them in use. Perhaps contrasted with the lowly axe doing some mundane task like splitting off useable bits from a log.

Thinking on it, that's probably not fair; it'd be like asking some wildly exotic beauty, renown for roller coaster curves and sculpted hairdos to actually do something useful. Like making meatloaf.

I knew I was asking too much.

Rob

 

[memaquay]

Ha ha ha, never underestimate any woman who can make delicious meatloaf. I haven't met a man yet who can do it. I knew a guy who swore by his machete for canoe tripping. They are good, although somewhat hazardous, for clearing trails that have become overgrown with smallish things like alders. However, for serious brush clearing by hand, it is hard to beat the swedish brush axe.


I own a couple of these things. For small bush clearing, they are awesome, not as heavy as an axe, so you can get a real good one handed swing. They are also usually scalpel sharp, and easy to return to that condition with an axe file. New blades are also quite cheap and easy to replace.