Morakniv (Mora) knives are top rated among avid outdoorsmen, bushcrafters, and survivalists. Made in Sweden for over 400 hundred years, knives from Mora have high-quality construction and outstanding affordability, making them one of the best budget-friendly survival knives available.
We’ve scanned the spectrum of Morakniv for the best of the best, considering their popularity, affordability, and quality construction.
Reviews of the Best Mora Knives
Best Overall
Morakniv Garberg Fixed Blade
Overall length: 9″ | Blade length: 4.1/4″ | Cutting edge: 4″
The Mora Garberg continues to be the go-to for experienced bushcrafters and survival experts. Used for EDC (everyday carry) and precise cutting tasks, its clip-point blade with Scandi grind features 14C28N steel offering excellent hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
Unlike most blades with an HRC 55-62 rating, 14C28N is not brittle and won’t chip or break with vigorous applications. It’s perfectly sharp out of the box and has superb edge retention. It maintains its sharpness for quite some time, plus its corrosion resistance makes it a good choice for wet and humid environments.
It’s conducive to precise cutting tasks as well as heavy-duty batoning tasks. The spine is strong enough to scrape bark or throw sparks from a ferro rod, and the blade features a full belly that provides a long cutting edge, making it quite efficient.
The handle has a comfortable ergonomic design with no notable hotspots. The polyamide handle is textured with thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), giving it both plastic and rubber characteristics for a solid grip.
- Full tang
- Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel
- Comfortable ergonomics
- Easy to sharpen and maintain
- No jimping on the spine
- Pricier than most Moras
Best Budget-Friendly
Morakniv Companion Blade
Overall length: 8.875″ | Blade length: 4″ | Cutting edge: 4.125″
The Morakniv Companion comes in a variety of color schemes and offers both stainless steel and high-carbon steel blades. Many Mora Companions, known as the Spark Model, also feature a fire starter with a twist lock and reflective paracord handle. Others have a soft, friction-grip, rubberized handle that provides a no-slip grip during wet conditions.
The full-tang, high-carbon steel blades hold a slightly sharper edge and have better edge retention than the regular stainless steel blade. Additionally, the clip-point grade and flat grind make it ideal for piercing, whittling, food prep, and other everyday tasks.
Its .12″ blade thickness makes it sturdy enough to handle most chores. However, with a length of 104 mm, this blade is just slightly over the legal limit for many states. Moreover, the blade is slightly rounded, making it difficult for striking ferro rods.
The Mora Companion is extremely affordable, reliable, and easy to sharpen, so it’s quite popular among those seeking a razor-sharp edge. Not only is it easy to sharpen, it also holds an edge well.
Overall, it’s an excellent, quality field knife with an extremely budget-friendly price. It’s great for most outdoor activities, including camping, hunting, and bushcrafting.
- Powerful tip
- Good cutting edge
- Excellent price point
- Lots of options
- No jimping on the spine
- Legally questionable length
- Slightly rounded spine
Best for Bushcrafting
Morakniv Bushcraft Survival Blade
Overall length: 9 ¼” | Blade length: 4 1/4″ | Blade thickness: .13″
A lot of preppers turn their nose at the Mora Bushcraft Survival knife because it’s only ¾ tang. However, this is the perfect knife for completing mundane day-to-day outdoor tasks. Even though the blade isn’t full tang, it’s a little thicker and heavier than most Mora blades.
Additionally, the Bushcraft Survival features a drop-point stainless steel blade ideal for most tasks. The wide belly and sharp tip are great for feathering sticks, slicing tasks, processing meat, and carving. Plus, the back of the blade is solid, making it easy to strike ferro rods or scrape bark for tinder.
Although stainless steel doesn’t hold its edge as long, it’s highly resistant to rust and corrosion, making it the preferred steel by many.
The handle is an ergonomic rubber with a good friction grip and finger guard. While it might not be as good as the polymer handles, it’s able to maintain its structural integrity with extensive use.
The Mora Bushcraft Survival knife makes a great everyday carry or outdoor adventure knife. It’s also a good option for your bug-out bags or even just to practice your survival skills at home. Its construction is not as solid as the Garberg, and probably won’t last as long, but its price point is a fair trade-off.
The Bushcraft Survival knife comes in a variety of options, allowing you to choose from a multitude of colors. You can also choose between a carbon or stainless steel blade.
- Solid knife for daily activities
- Affordable
- Comfortable ergonomic handle
Most Popular
Morakniv Basic 511 Blade
Overall length: 8 1/4″ | Blade length: 3.625″ | Blade thickness: .08″
The Mora 511 is one of the simplest, cheapest, and most popular Mora knives available. While it doesn’t have any bells and whistles, it’s a great simple utility knife for everyday carry that can get the job done. Its clip-point blade makes it exceptional for piercing.
Since it’s about ½” shorter than the Companion, it’s a great tool for skinning. The overall size of the handle and length of the blade are perfect for easy cutting and great control.
Originally designed for Scandinavian construction workers, its ¾ tang features a sharp, durable edge with a good grip. While the carbon-steel blade makes it easier to sharpen, it also makes it more prone to corrosion.
The large polymer handle is impact resistant and provides a comfortable four-finger grip. An impact-resistant, large TPE rubber handle with finger guard provides substantial comfort as well as additional safety.
For the price of a value meal, you can get the Basic 511, a perfect all-around companion for ordinary everyday tasks.
- Extremely affordable
- Carbon-steel blade
- Partial tang
- Thinner blade
- No jimping
Buyer’s Guide
Mora has made a name for itself by producing quality Swedish steel blades at an affordable price. So while you’re not buying top-notch quality with Mora knives, it sometimes feels like that’s exactly what you get.
Blade Steel
Obviously, you want a blade that is sharp and strong, with a sturdy tip. It should be strong enough to feather sticks and cut through smaller branches. It should also be sufficient for preparing food, building a shelter, and starting fires.
Mora blades come in stainless steel, carbon steel, 12C27 steel, and 14C28N. The 14c28N is by far the best, followed closely by the 12C27. Carbon steel is not stainless and, therefore, can rust if not cared for properly. Stainless steel is a little more maintenance-free and retains its sharpness better than some types of carbon steel.
The 12C27 martensitic stainless steel is popular in the knife industry because it offers excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and high hardness. The 14C28N, an upgraded version of the 12C27, also offers excellent hardness and corrosion resistance.
Blade Length
For everyday carries, most people tend to stick to a 3½” to 4? blade due to legality since so many states restrict their legal carries to 4? or less. Four inches is the sweet spot between shorter blades that allow more precision and control and longer blades that provide more torque and force.
Keeping your blade between 3½” to 4? gives you the best of both worlds. Plus, it’s easy to carry with you wherever you go.
Blade Shape
Drop points and clip points are the most common blade shapes for survivalists. Drop points are more rugged and durable against daily wear and tear, but the piercing end of the clip point is also beneficial for piercing.
The shape you choose should be best suited to what you use your knife for but is still pretty subjective.
Handle
Mora handles aren’t top-notch G-10 or Mycarta instead made from plastic polymers. Nonetheless, Mora’s handles are durable and comfortable, contributing to both their quality and their value.
Tang
Full tangs are always more durable than partial tangs and usually preferred by knife lovers, but partial tangs don’t necessarily equal bad knives.
Partial tangs are lighter and less expensive but also more prone to damage. Partial tangs are an excellent choice when you want something that won’t strain your budget.
Conclusion
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality, reliable knife. The Morakniv Garberg is a superb knife at a highly affordable price. If you’re really on a budget, try the Mora Companion or even the Basic 511. In any case, Mora offers quality regardless of which knife you buy.
