Mora: Laminated or no? That is the question.

C

CanDo

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Mar 10, 2006
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Title says it all. What are your thoughts on a normal Mora (#1 or 2) vs. the laminated version (S-1), especially concerning wilderness use. Here's what Ragnar has to say:

I've had a number of request for the laminated carbon versions of the Mora knives. The laminated knives have a tough outer layer, and an ultra-hard core with a Rockwell hardness of 61 - 62. This gives a finer edge without making the blade brittle, but the edge can be more fragile when cutting hard materials such as bone. Because the sides of the blade are softer steel the blade is less rigid, and will bend rather easily. Again there is just under 4" of blade, and a slightly smaller handle of red painted birch. The blade is about 11/16" wide and .105 thick. The weight with the sheath is about 2 1/2 ounces. From Frosts of Sweden, the price is $14.
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What's your experience?
 
It would be hard to go wrong with either a laminated or with a non-laminated blade for all but the most specialized of applications. FWIW I talked to Ragnar about this issue, some time ago. As I recall, he told me that, since the carbon steel Moras' blades have a Rockwell hardness of about 60, that there are very few practical advantages to be gained in using laminated blades.
 
Tell that to F1 owners and you'll likely hear a different story John. Wilderness use as the OP states has many corrosive applications from game cleaning to being in a damp environment. I beleive that a laminated blade will hold up better under those conditions. Why else did the Scandainavians go in the direction of laminated blades then?
 
I have both. The laminated holds an edge longer, but takes a lot longer to sharpen. Your call.
 
Thanks for the info so far. I hadn't heard this angle on resistance to corrosion. More information on this would be appreciated.

bearthedog said:
Get a #2 and call it a day.
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Oh how I wish this were an option. I've been described by many as 'obsessive compulsive'. If I buy something and have even a doubt that I made the wrong decision, it will not leave me alone... ever. Literally every time I use the knife, and some of the time it's not even near me, I will be bothered. Nuts, right?


A part of my decision is if this knife will fit in the karda loop of my khukuri. I suspect that a #1 or #2 will, but don't think that the 510 (my preferred choice, all else equal) will. If anyone has pictures of these knives next to a ruler or anything, that would be awesome.

***FLASHBACK*** I'm remembering back two and a half years now to an atlatl event in New England. There were some Moras for sale (first time I'd heard of them), and I played with them for a little bit. I'm also remembering that there were some blades for sale by themselves. I'm decent enough with my hands: If I could find a #1 or #2 blade for sale, self-handling may be my best option.
 
I only have two Moras (SL-1 and 510) and have only used them for a couple months
It seems that the laminated blades are finished a little better, the spine on my 510 was rough and black with some ugly burs but my SL-1 was shiny with nicely beveled edges. The 510s grind looked better than the SL-1, but when I started sharpening the SL-1 bevels were flatter and the 510 seemed very slightly convex.

I disagree with sodak, I think my laminated SL-1 is quicker to sharpen than my carbon 510 AND holds the edge better.

The 510 also stains/rusts more, at least on the sides of the blade. I think more carbon means more corrosion, I know that wrought iron is more rust resistant compared to steel.

Another reason the Scandis made laminated blades was to use less high quality steel. Steel is pretty cheap now so this doesn't matter so much.

Ragnar has plenty of laminated blanks to make your own: http://www.ragweedforge.com/BladeCatalog.html
 
Cando you sound like me. I will make your life harder...or maybe easier. I think you need a Mora 2000 or #2. You don't seem like the type to abuse it and they can take some battoning, notches for traps and make the best curls for a fire. Here are some I have.
#2,510,#2 1/2
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#2
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2000
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Thanks for the information guys :)

blazink,

It looks like he has plenty of non-laminated blanks as well :)

bearthedog,

The collection you've amassed is the reason that I'm posting here before the fact :). Very nice set, it only makes me want to get one NOW.
+1 on not abusing the Mora - I'll have the 16.5" Chiruwa AK with 7/16" thick blade with me for any jobs that the Mora isn't quite up to :)



At this point I will probably buy a pair of the KBH-1 blades - a 4" non-laminated blade made by Frost in Mora ($6.50). I'll then make a wood handle for one, and if I buy the second, pick up some antler from the PaleoPlanet folks for that. Please though, if you have a better idea or more info on Laminated vs. Carbon vs. SS, please tell me.
frosts-blades-carbon.jpg

http://www.ragweedforge.com/BladeCatalog.html

~CanDo
 
as far as i know, mora uses a basic iron for the softer sides on the laminated moras, so i don't think that would help at all with the corrosion. in the case of the fallkniven, they do use stainless for the sides so it would help to reduce corrosion.

i have a plain (birch?) wood handle #1 from leevalley tools. i treated the raw wood with some danish oil and gave it a bit of sharpening.

so far, the handle looks a big grubby and there is a tiny bit of rust on the tip of the blade from when i put it in the sheath wet (i have since put a drain hole in the sheath). apart from cosmetics, it has held up great and is a great knife to use.

based on what i have read, all of the moras are terrific, including the plain carbon, the laminated and the stainless models.

my vote is go ahead and buy one or two. if you don't like them, they make great gifts for the outdoorsman in your life...
 
I stand the wooden handle knives up, flush them well with wd 40, then let them sit overnight. The next day I seal the holes in the handle with clear silicone caulk, although epoxy would be better. Then I stuff the knife into a lemon overnight to give it that nice patina that helps prevent rust.
 
CanDo said:
A part of my decision is if this knife will fit in the karda loop of my khukuri. I suspect that a #1 or #2 will, but don't think that the 510 (my preferred choice, all else equal) will. If anyone has pictures of these knives next to a ruler or anything, that would be awesome.
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For that application, you might give a serious look to the smallest of the traditional-wooden-handled Mora knives on Ragnar's site--say, the Mora of Sweden 2/0 or the Frost's H 2/0. I think the Frost's knives have the thinner handles, and would be the likeliest to fit into the karda space in your khukuri scabbard. (Of course, there's a LOT of variability in how much space that is, so your mileage may vary.) You might also look at the Mora of Sweden 1410. Its 2.5-inch blade is almost exactly the length of some karda blades, and thus will minimize the problem of potentially sticking the blade through the leather on the back side of your scabbard, and potentially into your leg.

It has occurred to me that if you just sawed off the rear 1/3 of a very small wood-handled Mora knife (maybe just a little ways back past the widest part of the handle) you would have a result that was shaped very much like a karda. This would be an easier project with a Mora of Sweden knife than with a Frost's, I think, since I believe the former have a shorter tang and are held in place with epoxy, while the Frosts have a longer "through" tang and are held in place by a little metal collar that's wedged in around the end of the tang. It shouldn't be TOO hard to salvage the metal collar and re-use it if you shortened a Frost's handle.
 
CanDo said:
Thanks for the information guys :)





At this point I will probably buy a pair of the KBH-1 blades - a 4" non-laminated blade made by Frost in Mora ($6.50). I'll then make a wood handle for one, and if I buy the second, pick up some antler from the PaleoPlanet folks for that. Please though, if you have a better idea or more info on Laminated vs. Carbon vs. SS, please tell me.


~CanDo
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That is a great Idea. In fact I did the same thing, except I made the antler handle first, and today I'm hoping to get started on a wood handle. And, I'm using that exact same blade. I think you owe it to yourself to try and re-handle your own knife, it is so satisfying to see the end result. Just remember to have patience.
There are a couple of guys in the Scandinavian subforum of knifeforums.com that rehandle Scandis all the time, you might want to check though the posts over there for ideas.

P.S. Here is a pic of my antler knife with Frosts blade, for inspiration... Ok, I just like showing it off:rolleyes:

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