Gonna get another Mora...

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **on:** May 01, 2013, 04:59:54 AM

So I have an orange 2000 that is a really cool knife. It currently lives on my survival pack.

I'm just concerned about the strength of the blade, given Ash's experience with hers breaking. Even though I'm sure Mora would spot me a new one if the same happened to me, I'm not interested in going through that process. I also want a different blade profile, something with less belly and more point, that seems like it would be better suited to woodcarving tasks.

I've pretty much got an orange heavy duty Companion as my no. 1 pick, but I'm having trouble figuring out the difference between it and say, the Robust, Hi-Q, and the Bushcraft Force. Can anyone enlighten me about the differences, and are they significant enough to justify buying a different model? Baryonyx has the heavy duty Companion for $15, which is a steal. I'm not opposed to buying a pricier model, but I'd like to know what, if anything, extra jack for a Mora is going to get me.

Taxi Dad · **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2013, 10:31:48 AM

there's not a lot between them all IMO.
i have a few

the 'force' is Nice and feels a bit more weighty.
my personal favourite is ~
http://www.heinnie.com/Mora-Knives/Allround-Knife/p-0-304-4269/
it just feels right in my hand

*if it was Orange it'd be perfect

Grathr · **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2013, 01:19:25 PM

I wish I could help you, but I havent tested that many different Moras.

We issue the guys at work with the cheapest Moras (the really cheap ones with pure plastic handles)
And they abuse them a lot. I very seldom se a broken one. I have seen a couple of bent ones thoug.

Smashie · **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2013, 09:08:41 PM

I haven't used a Mora since I got this http://www.hultafors.com/products/cutting/knives/craftsmans-knives/heavy-duty-knife-gk/.

Cheaper and thicker blade

gustophersmob · **Reply #4 on:** May 01, 2013, 11:54:34 PM

I have 2 orange companions in stainless in the bug out bags in our cars. I haven't used them much, but they seem very solid.

I also have a robust (I wish they had orange when I bought it...) that I've used quite a bit to clear some brush around the house, and have played with it a bit doing some carving and stuff. Seems extremely solid.

I haven't seen the post about Ash's breaking, but I would guess there may have been a heat treat problem or something. These things seem very well made for the price.

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **Reply #5 on:** May 02, 2013, 04:43:47 AM

Thanks for the info guys. I've compared the Bushcraft and the Heavy Duty Companion, and the only difference I can see is the handle design, and the blade length; the Bushcraft is 1/4" longer, but otherwise seems to be an identical blade. However, the Bushcraft is twice the price.

I guess it costs a lot to put that "bushcraft" name on something...

Oh, and the sheath has an interchangeable belt clip... that must be why it's so much more...

I'm just going to get the HD Companion; carbon steel blade, 1/8" thick, nice bright orange color, same blade shape/profile as the "Bushcraft", and so on. I'll find another home for my orange 2000 in another pack or the like.

Edit: I've got the HD Companion F on order from Amazon. I was going to do the order with Baryonyx, it actually would have been a couple bucks less, but I had $23.49 available on Amazon from my Discover bonus, and guess how much it was to get the knife from them... $23.49.

Convenient, eh? Well, anyway, it wasn't any actual out of pocket cost, so I went ahead and it'll be on its way in a couple days. Should be here early next week. I'll let you guys know how it is once I get it.

papercut · **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2013, 05:07:30 AM

IIRC the Robust has the unfinished spine that is useful for sparking, while the HD Companions have been smoothed out.

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **Reply #7 on:** May 06, 2013, 12:05:22 AM

Quote from: papercut on May 02, 2013, 05:07:30 AM

IIRC the Robust has the unfinished spine that is useful for sparking, while the HD Companions have been smoothed out.

I remember seeing that in some vid-reviews of the knife, and the spine of my orange 2000 is also smoothed out, I'm sure to make it more comfortable for choking up on the blade.

However, the back of my 2000's blade out by the tip isn't polished off like that, and even without modding it, I was able to get an LMF Scout to throw some sparks. Not great, but it did spark. I actually ground it out a little more so it'd be flatter, and it works fine on a fire steel now. I'll do the same thing on the HD Companion F when I get it.

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **Reply #8 on:** May 07, 2013, 04:33:01 AM

The HD Companion F came in the mail today. In a word; impressive! Nice blade! Feels very thick and tough, definitely feel the weight in the blade compared to the handle. Just like my 2000, cuts like a laser right out of the package...

Gonna put a lanyard on it and strap it onto my survival pack in place of the 2000. I'll post some comparison pics tomorrow, as it's too dark out now for the crappy little camera in my four year old iPhone 3GS.

Taxi Dad · **Reply #9 on:** May 07, 2013, 09:49:53 AM

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **Reply #10 on:** May 14, 2013, 08:13:09 PM

Quote from: Taxi Dad on May 07, 2013, 09:49:53 AM

Yes, I know!!!

I'll get to it as soon as I can, which hopefully will be later today...

That said, I went camping with my wife and kids this weekend in Henry Cowell State Park down in Santa Cruz. I used the HD Companion F for a lot of fire-making chores, and it worked like a champ! I did some whittling with it and made some very nice notches in some sticks and even a nice steep walled groove as well. It shaved sticks for tinder/kindling like a champ, and the clip portion of the spine of the blade just over the point worked well for sparking a firesteel too. I wasn't able to get any of the tinder I made with it to take a spark, but I think that's more about my own inexperience and need for practice with tinder making than it is about the knife.

In spite of that sentiment, I also did some of the same tasks with my orange 2000 and I found in some cases the thinner blade worked better for things like making wood shavings to use as tinder. The rounder blade profile also worked very well for cutting those shavings up even smaller as well. Overall, I've found the blade shape/profile on the 2000 to be better as a general utility blade than the HD Companion F, which is really an amazing woodcarving/whittling blade, so that's going to be its primary use for me.

I'm planning on getting another one in the next month or two, but this time I'm going to get one of the "bushcraft" models that has the same blade shape/profile as the 2000, but has the newer handle design.

I'll post pics later of both knives side by side, complete with sheaths and the lanyard mods I've done to them.

Taxi Dad · **Reply #11 on:** May 14, 2013, 08:37:19 PM

i sence a 'Mora addiction' starting

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **Reply #12 on:** May 15, 2013, 01:25:47 AM

Quote from: Taxi Dad on May 14, 2013, 08:37:19 PM

i sence a 'Mora addiction' starting

Only planning on getting one more...

one of the "bushcraft" models.

jerseydevil · **Reply #13 on:** May 15, 2013, 01:40:26 AM

"I'll stop after this one..." Typical addict behavior.

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **Reply #14 on:** May 15, 2013, 01:49:53 AM

Let me start by saying I really like the handle shape on the HD Companion F. Fits very nicely in my hand, and is nicely smooth yet the rubber is very grippy, even when wet with sweat. This is absolutely the best knife for woodcarving/whittling I've ever used.

Okay, here are some pics! First is both knives side by side with sheaths.

Here's just the knives together.

Here are the blades in profile, to show the differences in thickness. Not sure if you can see it, but I've ground down the clip of the point to square off the edges for use with a fire steel.

Here you can see the difference in blade thickness between the two. The HD Companion F is 3.2 mm and the 2000 is 2.5 mm IIRC.

Edit:
This is the only "bushcraft" version I could find that has the same blade shape/profile as the 2000:

http://www.knifeworks.com/morabushcraftdesertcamowsheath.aspx

I'm going to get it mainly because of the blade, but I also want to try the handle and see how it compares to the handle on the HD Companion. I'm wondering if the finger groove and more arched shape will fit in my hand better, and/or be more comfortable. I'd love to find this same knife in a carbon steel version, so if anyone knows if it's available or where it can be ordered from, please let me know.