MoraknivGarberg Survival (S) Stainless Steel

Morakniv makes the best inexpensive knives in the world. Their entire product range is excellent quality for very low prices. I’ve purchased literally dozens of Moras and this model is (not surprisingly as their flagship) the best they produce. At first inspection you’d mistake it for a slightly nicer Mora, but when you pick it up and feel the weight and heather difference becomes apparent. For one, it’s the only knife they make using 14C28N steel; all other models use either 12C27, 13C26, or UHB20C. Google these steels, but simply put the 14C28N is a much improved Swedish steel over these others and is one of the toughest steels available. It includes both Chromium and Nitrogen in the steel which provide exceptional corrosion resistance. Handle is a tough molded material, very grippy, and the tang extends fully throughout. The only negative to the handle (but common to most Moras) is the lack of a finger guard to prevent your finger from sliding forward onto the blade. The sheath holds the knife with a secure “thunk” as it slides in. Overall, taken as a total package, the knife and sheath are a simple work of art that combines form and functionality seamlessly. At the common selling price of $50-75, it’s an unbeatable value for a true workhorse outdoor knife.

I spent hours watching videos of people putting this knife through a variety of usage and torture tests, and the results all led me to this purchase. I had a little trouble deciding between the stainless and carbon steel versions, but ultimately opted for the stainless - less maintenance won out over ease of sharpening. Both are great knives, so it's really your choice.Morakniv, or as it's more commonly called, Mora, uses Swedish 14C28N for its stainless knives. It's an excellent steel that strikes a perfect balance between toughness, corrosion resistance, and edge retention at a slight cost to ease of sharpening.I also opted for the multi-connection sheath system that includes a Molle-compatible lashing system for pack-carry in addition to belt carry. Mora's sheaths, like its knives, forego beauty for function, and this one is no exception. The belt dangler is removable and interchangeable with an end strap for use with the Molle carrier option. Some people say they've used the end strap and the belt dangler together, but I had no luck making it work. That said, you really only need the end strap for inverted carry, such as when you lash it to a pack strap. Otherwise, the sheath is a snug, snap-tight fit that I can't shake loose. It's plenty secure as is.Like all Mora knives, it arrived paper-slicing sharp. I've used it extensively since I received it, albeit for pretty mundane household tasks, but the edge is still as sharp as the day it arrived - excellent edge retention. I'm looking forward to testing it with bushcraft tasks. The Scandi grind is particularly well suited to wood processing, and the full tang construction makes it suitable for batoning. That said, with the blade measuring under 5 inches, I don't expect to be splitting logs or doing much wood chopping.If you want to learn more about this knife, you'll find hundreds of videos about it. The most entertaining is the Joe X Mora Garberg destruction video. In it, you'll see just how tough this knife really is under extreme use (you know - stabbing cars, breaking glass, chopping concrete, and bashing metal pipes). It's both educational and amusing!

I was surprised with this one. It is widely known all over Europe for being an exceptionally great bushcraft knife for the price. The sheath could use vast improvements. I even bought the multi use sheath and it’s fair, but lacking. Plenty of options for sheaths out there and you’ll know why when you see this one. So buy the basic knife and research aftermarket sheaths. Full tang is an absolute must for outdoor use and this one has that. The grip is awesome in the hands. I’ve seen videos of users batoning this blade to split logs. Small logs. But there are better choices for that. But to get this knife at this price, and all it can do as a bushcraft knife, it’s amazing and I am really impressed with it. It will certainly be one of the knives I carry with me on excursions outdoors. Some have said it’s not going to be ideal for meat skinning and such but it will do it. There may be blades much better suited for those tasks but the Scandi cut blade is an awesome blade for bushcraft that will work for meat processing in a pinch. And a meat processing blade will NOT work for bushcraft tasks. So if you are just starting out wandering around in the woods, and money is an issue, this knife is the one you want as there are many seasoned bushcrafters out there using this knife.

It’s a hefty, well machined, factory sharp blade with a decent sheath, high quality steel, a full tang and a bit of the tang is exposed metal on the pommel end for bashing things what need to be bashed; perhaps windows in an emergency. The spine and pommel both can be used to strike ferro rods and the sheath can be secured in many ways to suit your needs. Can’t ask for much more out of a survival knife, and the knife itself can be easily customized to your needs and comfortIt’s a simple, handsome blade and it feels like it would stand the test of time easily. In my opinion it’s worth the money, even if other great Mora knives can be found much cheaper, this knife is seriously robust.

If you are deciding between the garberg and the companion, I would say the garberg if you plan on batoning with it. It is a little bit larger than the companion. Both are excellent knives and you cannot go wrong. I have a collection of knives that all have their strengths and weaknesses but the garberg seems to be the one I use the most. I just really like how it feels, the cutting power, the size and shape, the weight, the simplicity and the way the spine shaves off tree bark. Excellent knife!