Bushcraft Knives
A knife designed for Bushcrafting allows a Scout to easily and safely perform advanced Wilderness skills. We discuss and teach these skills in our Wilderness Survival classes. Having the proper knife makes a huge difference what a scout will be able to due during training.
Note: Fixed Blade Knives are banned in many Scout Camps and by many Troops.
Morakniv Knives
Made in Mora Sweden, Morakniv knives are know globally for their quality blades. They are considered the industry standard for survival and bushcrafting knives.
We use and recommend Morakniv or similar Fixed Blade Knives during Wilderness Survival Training. Why? A basic fixed blade knife allows for advanced Wilderness Techniques. A folding knife is not designed for some of these techniques and will eventually break. Breaking a knife is both sad and potentially dangerous.
What makes a Morakniv so special?
Swedish made
Scandinavian grind
Allows for making feather sticks
Great for carving
Much more robust than hollow grind knives
NOTE: Requires special sharpening technique
Most models have the option of a Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel blade
Stainless steel doesn't rust and is more Scout-proof
Carbon steel holds an edge better but requires some maintenance and care
Blade can be beaten over and over with few failures
Great for battoning wood
Allows for splitting of wood
Cutting down small trees
Building Pioneering structures
Hard plastic sheath
Don't worry about knife cutting through sheath
Shavings from sheath can also be used to start a fire
Overall quality and design of these knives are excellent
Very reasonably price
Great value
Different Morakniv Models
There are many different types of Moraknivs to consider. These are the 4 most popular types for bushcraft use.
Excellent survival knife for under $20
3/4 stick tang
Thicker blade (3.2 mm)
Excellent knife for a few more dollars
Nice ground spine designed for fire starting
Slightly longer than Companion
Only slight improvement over Companion HD
Full-tang blade will survive huge amounts of abuse
More knife than needed by most scouts or adults
Which Mora to Choose?
The Companion is excellent and will fit the needs of 95% of users
For under $20, this is hard to beat (except when battoning)
Stainless Steel blade option doesn't rust and is better for most Scouts
The Companion HD is a nice upgrade
Blade is same thickness as higher end Moras
Both the Companion and the Companion HD need their spine ground sharp
Easy to do with sandpaper or rough sharpening stone
This allows for tinder processing and firerod striking
The Bushcraft and Gerberg are ready to go out of the box, but is more knife than most Scouts will ever need
Morakniv Mods
There are several common mods that will enhance the utility of your Morakniv.
Grind spine to 90° edge - vital for making tinder and striking ferrorod
Treat carbon steel blade with vinegar
Drill out hole for lanyard
Add ferrorod
Add cordage
Add fire tinder
Mod sheath to better hold knife
Improved sheath
Common Morakniv Mods
Morakniv Alternatives
You don't have to purchase or use a Morakniv. We don't get any money or special perks for using this brand. But from years of experience, we have learned the hard and expensive way that Moras meet the buscrafting needs of most are are very affordable.
There are many knife manufactures out there that make excellent knives. Some are really good. The really nice ones tend to be very expensive, sometimes insanely expensive. We don't advise scouts or parents purchase expensive knives, as they will likely get lost or damaged through the course of the scouting experience. It is easy to replace a lost $20 Mora. It is much more painful to lose a $200 knife on your first scouting outing.
There are other acceptable Bushcrafting Knives out there:
