STOP! Don't Buy A Mora Garberg!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- Dryden's Bushcraft Kit Checklist: 100% FREE resource, Click the Link Below!
davedryden.ck....
"3 Minute Bushcraft" Newsletter: Bushcraft & Survival Hacks, Tips, Gear, Updates and more
davedryden.ck....
X (Twitter):
x.com/DaveDrydenX
Inquiries:
thedavedryden@gmail.com
I REALLY like coffee! :)
buymeacoffee.c...
I try my best to give legit reasons not to get a mora garberg. I think the morakniv garberg is an overhyped knife, but still a good knife. I don't mind if you still buy a mora garberg I'm just pointing out some reasons not to. This is an opinion video on budget bushcraft knives and whether the mora garberg is a budget bushcraft knife. A review of the mora garberg will definitely be a future video, but I list a lot of other options here that suit a budget bushcraft knife better, and other bushcraft knife options that are in the same price range as the current mora garberg multi mount sheath option and the standard carbon or stainless.
Enjoy, Dave
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BC Bushcraft, BCBushcraft, Bushcraft BC, Canadian Bushcraft, Bushcraft Canada, Canadian Bushcraft Channels, Bushcraft, Bush craft, Woodcraft, Wood craft, Survival, Solo overnight, Solo overnights, Wildcamp, Wild camp, Solo Survival, Primitive skills, DIY, Scout survival, Fishing, Knives, Bushcraft knives, Axes, Bushcraft axes, Fire, Bushcraft Skills, Survival skills, Bushcraft kit, Bushcraft gear, Gear, Gear reviews, Shelter, Edc, Prepping, Peparedness, Preps, Hiking, Bushcraft Video, Bushcraft Videos, Crafts, Woodworking, Wood working, Knife making, Leather, Leather craft, Camping, Backpacking, LNT, Ultra light, Natural, Natural Tinder, Belt kit, DIYS, Canada, B.C. Bushcraft, B.C. Canada, BC Canada.
![[UA] NAVI проти G2 Esports | Blast Premier Fall Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QWlIm4FGESQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I have been a long-time subscriber and love all of your videos but I'm gonna have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. I have two Garbergs - one in stainless and the other is carbon. Although they are not my favorites, they are top notch knives. The plastic/polyamide handle thing doesn't matter - the feel of a Garberg in my hand is like no other with the exception of the mora bushcraft black. Probably the best feeling knife I own. I really think it is a matter of personal preference. As the old saying goes, "To each - his own".
Fair enough! I agree they are good knives that isn't something I'm questioning. Would you still choose the plastic if there was a garberg with either micarta, liners, g10, curly birch, etc? Actually curious here
@@TheDaveDryden Only if it was as comfortable.
@@stevefisher2121 👍
Video is correct.
@@DinoNucci nice elaboration
I’ve owned the Garberg, and a couple of things to point out, while keeping in mind I haven’t read all of the comments;
The Garberg isn’t Morakniv’s first full tang. I have a Laplander 95, which retailed for over 2 times the Garberg price with a shorter blade & leather sheath. Morakniv made this particular knife to meet the demands of customers who love the history & quality of Mora but wanted a knife that could withstand everything you throw at it. There is a video where a guy cuts down a 3” or so diameter tree. No other Mora can handle that. It isn’t always about the steel, either. 14c28n is a great knife steel, but without a decent heat treat, steel is just steel. The polymer sheath also has MOLLE attachments, something not commonly found on the knives you compared. So, as said in some comments I’m sure, to each their own. I currently carry either a Casström Lars Falt, or SFK 10. I won’t say they perform better than the Garberg, but I like their look and feel over it. Personal choice. But, the Garberg is a very robust, and very capable knife that I think would stand up to things you might not put a more “custom” looking knife through.
I own the Lars Fält in Sleipner and it retains its edge much more than the Garberg or other similar steel knives. And its look is great.
At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of personal preference. Everyone will have good and bad things to say about every knife. One person will swear there is no better knife than a Morakniv, and another will say that a $15 old hickory butcher knife beats all others. I’ve owned about 100 knives in the past 10 years. I have my favorite blade, someone else will have theirs. There isn’t a knife made that won’t dull, or break from abuse.
Standard companion rocks for most all farmy, out back brush work! Kansbol rocks for green work like stems, vines and meat slicing! The thicker robust blades are very tough, but not as slicy overall. I love them all. Not so good at metal as wire cutterz tho hoho!!! My joker knives are great camp kitchen, harvest knives!!!
I don’t need beauty, My Garberg can do whatever I want it to do and then some. Feels great and easy maintenance.
Well, I bought a garberg stainless today. Compare it to my companion and actually like the companion more in design. The handle forms better in my hand, feels grippy and is more of a allround precision knife.
Still, when I hold the garberg I think it will last a lifetime. Its just a different tool for very heavy tasks. I know it will never fail me. But I would never use it as an axe except as a last resort in a real survival situation. I think its not the purpose of a knife.
Plus the handle and sheath aren't pretty.
Priorities!
I second this. A knife is a bad choice for splitting firewood lol, I carry a hatchet or axe for that.
Totally agree with you.
If you just got it today how do you know all this stuff? It’s a great knife but you can’t make claims like that after a few hours of holding it in your hands.
If you know what a knife is primarily made for and used for, any Morakniv or Garberg will do. However if you go all Rambo with your knife, it won’t do. That’s when you go get a big jesus K-Bar or something and put up packing a 1 kg blade, too big for little work, with a 5mm spine.
So many knives for so many owners. My collection leans towards a Grohman 5” Russell for hunting and a half dozen Moras tossed around in tool kits and glove boxes and fishing tackle boxes, cheap, and good.
I actually believe Mora's markup on the Garberg wasn't as high as is often suspected. They set up a lot of new tooling for them and as those costs have been made up for, the Garberg as also been dropping in price to 70 US$. That's pretty great for me! In terms of the practical reasons you gave, I couldn't agree more!
For me it seems to only get more expensive and lots of vendors are selling it at $150.00 CAD. I'd rather grab a handful of companion HD, craftline 511, Mora robust, hultafors HD etc. One for every room in the house haha
as of now its around 150$~ CAD right now.
@@TheDaveDryden for me there are going for 80 euros here
It's also significantly lower volume. The more basic knifes are primarily sold for carpentry/contractors where they're seen as disposable. So any part you can share with those knifes means it's significantly cheaper. Survival/bush craft is of course an important market for mora, but knifes for a market where they're bought by the pallet are gonna be cheaper.
Got mine for less than 70bucks us. Works for me.
I like rubber/plastic grips, scandi grind, carbon steel, and full tang. The Morakniv Garberg Carbon is just ideal for my preferences, and as a tool I expect to last a lifetime, the price is great for me, too. With regard to chopping, I'm of the opinion that chopping isn't something I should do with my belt knife specifically, even if it technically can. I respect and actually appreciate your opinion and this review of alternatives, but after watching, I am still quite pleased to have chosen the Garberg. Thanks. :)
I really appreciate a counter response with good points that doesn't want to linch me for having a different opinion! Garberg is a good knife and I hope you enjoy it
@@TheDaveDryden I think it's good to have different opinions. It's the backbone of science and liberty. I see what you did here as a service to offer knowledge of valid alternatives for those who want them. Nice collection, by the way.
Could you list the knives you mentioned here? I'd hope to check their reviews and prices. The Mora Garberg currently runs about US$60 with the plastic sheath you mentioned. I actually doubt how many good knives could be cheaper.
Haven't watched the vid yet..just started..but I know the Terävä Jääkäripuukko 110 or 140 is seen by many in the bushcrafting community as being a better value at that similar price point. Garberg came down in price recently while this one went slightly up, though. I still prefer the 80crv2 steel and the amazing sheath on the Jaakari. Jokers are really nice as well, but bushcrafters mostly seem to prefer carbon steel for ease of sharpening and ability to strike flint/chert/quartz/obsidian. 80crv2 is hard to beat for a carbon steel imo
@@ShoahBiz in Europe the prices are super high. Even the terava knives are super pricey.
Joker, Muela, Nieto, Cudeman and J&V. Good spanish brands all of them. It's a pity they are not as much known as they should. Thanks for your contribution to increase the popularity of spanish knives.
LOVE my Joker knives! Only complaint is the Micarta is slippery. Otherwise, quality and craftsmanship is a great value.
I bought the Companion HD (3.2mm 1095) from a hardware store in North Kansas City, Missouri for $20 or so. I was so surprised to see it in a regular American hardware store. It's in my car emergency kit. I made a leather ferro-rod holder the slips over the plastic sheath.
Sounds like you went to Harry J Epstein Co, they're a great shop!
Thanks for the honest explanation. I have these cheap mora knives and they are really good for the price. But I'm looking for something more robust. I also really like natural materials instead of plastic. But I think the plastic sheath is good for safety reasons. Of course, I would prefer leather, but I've seen nasty things before. My friend had a knife in leather shesth and in his backpack. He fell with the backpack and the knife went through the leather, through several layers of clothes and through the back of the backpack, I don't need to explain further. Fortunately, the blade was relatively short.
I totally agree with you, nothing wrong with the Garberg but for the price we can definitely get better. The Spanish knives are incredible! I have some Muela, Nieto, Salamander and Joker knives. I love them all.
(The one one the vids is the Canadiense)
Thanks! cheers! 👍
I love my Joker knives!
I have the Garberg, the companion, bushcraft black and pretty much every other Mora you can think of. For what they are, they are great knives, and do fill a specific purpose (i.e., truck knifes, ATV knives, BOB knives etc.) But I 100% agree with you. If you aren't able to buy knives on a whim, and have to pick one, I would definately go with one of your options. I have the Joker Nessmuk with Ferro Rod and find it to be an amazing knife. I also agree that Mora had a great deal of marketing done before its release and after (Dave Canterbury). That always helps in distribution of new items! There are better knives for the price, and anyone who is looking for "that" knife, there are a lot of options other than the Mora Garberg. More often than not, I carry an Ontario RAT 5 (I have owned it for over 8 years) and it has done everything I have wanted it to do and it has never let me down, and at the time, I think I paid $65 US for it.
Great Video Dave
I love the way those knives look, in my area though that leather wouldn't last long. I personally would prefer plastic do to what I do and where I live.
Well I agree with you on all points. However, 14c28n vastly outperforms 12c27 in edge retention, toughness, and stainlessness, and I have seen Garbergs survive torture tests that the other stainless moraknivs failed. The Garberg is definitely much more valuable than the others, though the Kansbol and Bushcraft black are really nice too. As for Joker, I have one that is about the same size and profile as the Garberg, but just a little thicker and stubbier. It's awesome too, but I choose the Garberg out of the two because it feels better in hand. The Joker handle is micarta but too thick round and smooth which makes it feel insecure. Guess I like that plastic handle. I do love g10 the most though. I got the Garberg when it was 90 bucks some years ago. At that price it is well worth it. Most Chinese made 14c28n fixed blades now are that price or more. It's a super steel as far as I'm concerned. Honestly, are Magnacut, 3V, and Cruwear preferable to 14c28n in a hard use outdoors knife? I'm not even sure they are. I would feel just as confident or more so with 14c28n.
That's because 14C28N is really tough steel for a stainless knife. In my opinion the Garberg is priced fairly.
Are they even still in 14c28n? The Companion and the Garberg both just labeled as "recycled Swedish stainless steel" now from what I can see on the Mora website.
Mora's recycled steel is made using the offcuts from their own knife steels, not from junk scrap. This info came from someone at the factory, so nothing to worry about .Atb .
Also, the Terava Jaakaripuukko in 110mm or 140mm length has a thicker blade at 4.2mm and a very nicely shaped medium-hard rubber handle and a fantastic leather sheath for about $78 U.S. and just a little more for the kydex type sheath. They ship from Finland for about $10 and arrive fairly quickly, which is insane. The steel is a slightly souped up 1080 (80crv2), which is really good for moderately heavy use outdoor knives.
I agree a great competitor that I haven't tried👍
I bought the Terava Jaakaripuukko 110 after hearing great reviews on many different channels, but I have to say it was the worst decision I have ever made when purchasing a knife, it is awful,or at least the one I received was awful, the grinds on my knife were completely uneven making it almost impossible to get a decent edge on the blade, hence it stays unused at the bottom of a box utter crap. To be honest I've never had much luck when ordering from the store there from. I can honestly say it's the worst knife I've ever ordered, I was really disappointed, I was hoping to receive a great knife after what others had said.
@@TheDavewatts just reprofile it and it will be the great knife you wanted.
@@michaelwaldeck7081 I shouldn't have to re profile a knife I've paid for really, it wouldn't change the fact I was let down in the first place.
I own their Skrama 240 and plan to purchase their Jaakaripuukko 110 in the near future. Basic rugged tools along the basic thought of the garberg design. Tough no worries camp and survival tools.
I love my Garberg. Absolutely love it.
I have the carbon mora garberg I've batoned 6-8 inch logs with ease. Also the handle is perfect for longevity as handle scales always come loose. No outdoorsman or bushcrafter is using these knives to hack at trees nor should they. I live in maine and we carry axes and saws, I put my life on the garbergs toughness and capability in a pinch...the one thing I will say is I had to put a convex edge on it which wasn't hard and I have yet to sharpen it in almost a year. Get the tools for the job before you complain that you can't eat soup with a fork
$130 to$260 in Australia . The garberg is probably my cheapest knife. I like it for hiking or for courses where I flog the stuffing out of a blade and don’t want to damage more expensive blades. I’d like to see the mora with a micarta handle
I have two carbon Garbergs. Initially 100 to 110 US dollars, you could get the Jaaripuukko 110 for about 35 US, as good as, if not better! Mine, after waiting about 2yrs. cost 70 and 80 respectively US. They grew on me, plus Dave Canterbury designed and pushed the product, hmmm!
To be honest he is right. It's too expensive for the materials they are using. He has a valid point.
I've had the Mora Garberg ..didn't like it especially the handle...too slippery....returned it...I've had the Mora Bushcraft Black for a number of years and am very happy with it...
Just checked - can get a Garberg for $60, whereas all the Jokers and Nieto mentioned exceed $100. So I don't get why pushing Spanish knives. I have a Terva Jaa... and love it (especially the leather sheath), but prefer the Garberg handle for my hand. I have broken my Mora Companion rat tail with some hard use, but the Garberg is still going!
unfortunately it is $150-$200 in Canada so that's why. This video might not be relevant to where you live. the Garberg is a good knife so i hope you enjoy it
I just paid $60.89 US for a Garberg carbon steel with the plain poly sheat and I feel like I stole it for that. This is down from about $110 this time last year where I was seeing this knife. Obviously, it came down in price a lot since this original video here.
I already owned the Forest Bushcraft, Companion Heavy Duty, and the Craftline 511. There really is no comparison and I feel the Garberg is 10 x better than any of those knives, and there isn't anything wrong with the other knives for the price you pay for them.
I agree that the other Mora knives are far better budget conscious knives. Of those options, for Bushcraft, I very much like the Companion for $18 or Companion Heavy Duty for around $25. I have used this knife on camps and hikes for years and there is nothing wrong with it.
Where my praise for the Garberg falls off is with the sheath options. For that reason I bought a 3rd party black leather sheath that I like much better. With that said, the Mora poly sheath is cromulently functional.
For me the Garberg was a "want" as opposed to a "need" and I'm glad I got it. Absolutely there are sound options that are cheaper.
You forgot to mention the Mora Robust, which is the closer competition to the Garberg in my opinion and much less expensive. More than that, I completely agree with our assessment.
I own a Condor Terasaur and I don't feel like it's as reliable just because it's full tang. I actually feel more comfortable with my mora companion over the Terasaur. Ofc my cold steel srk bears both if I had to choose only one but otherwise, they're all great for what a knife should do. Batoning I don't recommend for either, but tough wood work they do just fine :). Thanks for sharing!!! :)
You presented a good argument to support your statement and I agree with you. The Mora Garberg market timing was perfect. It is a good knife but currently it is not a budget friendly knife. The Mora Companion is a really good budget friendly knife.
Thank you! I'm sure some people will still get it and be happy, but I wanted to show another side to the story that people don't talk about
It would have been helpful if you had at least provided a list of knives you were recommending as alternatives.
Thank you. I am a new knife buyer. You've made an excellent point toward what seems to be artisan quality knives. I'm going to order a Ahti
I wouldnt maybe call them artisan quality knives like the ahti. For example most reasonably priced finnish puukkos all uses same blades no matter the company. Ahti also uses them the blade manufacturer is called Laurin metalli. Laurin metalli is kinda finnish mora they pretty good for the cost. If you want good knives cheap you can actually buy loose Laurin metalli blades for like10€ piece, and carve your own handles for them. Im not saying ahti would be bad knife just that theres reason why they so affordable
I have two (2) Mora Companion knives and love them. I also bought a Joker Annui 9 fixed blade for $35 with the best leather sheath of all the knives I own. The knife is fantastic. There are a lot of super quality knives out there for VERY inexpensive prices..!
I agree. I bought the stainless and carbon way back when they released. My favorite knife is the companion mg
That was my first "bushcraft" knife. Great carver, light, comfortable handle, inexpensive. It lives in my car go bag currently and I use it for not pretty tasks lol
I bought a Mora Garberg for $45 shipped. The Condor was $46. Easy choice.
I agree completely. I did buy a Garberg a couple weeks ago,but simply because the price on Amazon here in the US dropped to $60 for the carbon with basic sheath. It's a nice knife, but it's not a $100 knife.
It’s on par with custom knife makers in terms of performance. It’s a full tang mora that’s nearly indestructible. It’s basic sure. But it is well worth the MSRP. The only reason people like you ding it is because others like yourself are so used to the cheaper, well performing moras. It’s hard to fathom that a higher quality version of a mora can be made. If mora had just came to the market with the garberg as their first knife. They could ask $150 and everyone would be singing praises of how great the garberg is. Just some food for thought.
I found a Garberg for $53 in stainless and $60 in carbon. But I really like Mora. I've checked Ontario, Gerber, Kershaw, Cold Steel, Ka-bar, even Bench Made, and the Garberg is the way to go.
Where did you find it
Have the garberg both in carbon and in 14C28N steel ... sweet knives yes... but I use mostly the joker lynx ... joker lynx is a bohler n695 steel knife, full tang, micarta handle .... leather sheath... really amazing. Love it
I don’t agree. I like the first knife you compared with but not the rest. I’m literally in love with my mora companions, mora clippers, and their king, mora Garberg carbon. I have many fancy and great custom knives but whenever need a knife I grab a mora unconsciously. 🔪
Honestly i think they really jad a winner with the bushcraft black, that handle is soooooo comfortable
I own a Mora Companion. Excellent starter knife. Wanted to graduate up and watched this video. Your argument was so compelling that I bought a Joker Ember with curly birch handle scales. Absolutely love it. Looking forward to a future purchase of the Joker Nomad 6.5.
we used the Garberg last two days. It was the favorite of all our options that we have. Litte and sharp. I will probably get my gf a companion. Lifetime warranty is a plus.
hultafors ok4 and fiskarsx7 and you are set for the wild and it wont break the bank you would be set,that didnt exist back in the day ,it frees up money for a backpack and other gear for getting out there.i dont think there has ever been so many budget alternatives at good quality as now.
i really wish you would have listed the knives in the drop down.
Great and intelligent video. You made some logical, sensible points.
Your video inspired me to buy a Garberg. Especially now since the price is $68. Now I own a LOT of knives. I stopped counting after 40 drawers full of knives. I own many many bushcraft knives (especially customs) and I was the first to review the Woodlore in Tactical Knives magazine (I've written dozens of magazine articles on knives.). I always thought the Garberg was overpriced but now that I have one, I think it was probably worth the initial asking price. It is one helluva bushcraft knife. It ticks all the boxes. It's not really much of a camp knife in the traditional sense. The blade is too thick for most camp kitchen chores. But otherwise, a wonderful knife. Great quality, excellent steel (the perfect stainless for the outdoors). I've always been a fan of the exposed tang and Mora did it right. Not pointy, but designed for scraping and some hammering. Perfect, for instance, for harvesting tinder fungus which requires driving the knife (gently) under the fungus and then gently prying it loose). Now I'm not one to beat up a knfe but after watching Survival Lilly beat the crap out of a Garberg, I was impressed. Beat on the butt of a knife without an exposed tang and you run the risk of cracking or loosening the scales, many of which are only glued on with pins that are not peened. So, in summary, an excellent knife for bushcraft, well worth the $68. I would avoid the leather sheath as then it takes two hands to sheath the knife and as for the absence of a pronounced guard (Survival Lilly's only complaint), I find that a plus for serious woodcraft.
I picked up a Mora Garberg Carbon recently for $60 US. I was going to get a Condor but have seen too many horrible reviews on them. I like the poly handle for durability, although I did make a leather sheath. I’ve hammered that plastic handle and have barely put a scratch on it. I ended up with an extra Garberg Carbon (long story) that was slightly damaged so I decided to torture it. I beat the crap out of the spine using it as a flint and steel fire starter. It threw good sparks, but there was some major wear and tear on the spine. I’d rather just use a ferro rod, which I’d have on hand if I still had my knife. I also stabbed it into and struck concrete with the edge. The tip did not break, but the edge did roll as expected. I put the blade standing upright in a vise and tried to bend it, I bent it over to at least a 20 to 25 degree angle multiple times and not only did it not break, it did not even take a set bend or warp. I went as far as I could without using a cheater bar. I would have liked to have gone to the point of failure but was worried about the possibility of a portion of the blade becoming a projectile. My last test was to take the knife in gloved hand and strike it as hard as I could without losing it into the edge of a quarter inch thick steel bar, edge to edge. As expected there were huge chips taken out of the knife, but it was hacking huge chunks out of the bar and did not break.
My conclusion is that for $60 I dare say you would be hard pressed to find a knife that is as functional and durable as the Garberg. What I did was far beyond any reasonable use, so with day to day use all the way to survival situation I’ll pick the Mora Garberg at least until I see other knives put to similar ridiculous tests. Let’s see a $300 Tops or Esee do some torture runs.
More Companion HD, $20 = winner.
Don't overpay for gimmicks or marketing.
@@DinoNucci not gimmicks or marketing. I felt like the extra thickness of the blade and the steel composition was worth the extra money. I don’t think a good knife should cost three hundred bucks like some do. Also, I forge my own knives, but my every day beater is my Garberg.
@@ostekuste3646 you’d be wrong. I’d take my 300 dollar brk or lt wright over a garberg or other moras. Sorry about your feelings
@@ostekuste3646 mora companion hd has the same blade thickness as the garberg
The reason the Garberg is not in the budget knife price range is because it’s not a budget knife. It’s a quality knife (forget the handle…that’s for show and has nothing to do with performance.)
Not all 1095 steels are equal. Mora got the heat treatment on this model right. Just like Bucks 420HC is superior to other manufacturers.
Watch the guy on YT who drives the Garberg over halfway into a stump and literally had to stand on it it to get it to fail. Prior to that, the steel was bending at unreal degrees and returning to virtually straight. It was amazing to watch. THAT is why it’s not a budget knife. I gave mine to my grandson and bought a new one within the week.
BTW, we tested several different budget Mora models (both carbon and SS) on a 4” fire steel rod. NOTHING came close to the Garberg. Try it yourself. It excels at that. Some Mora’s would barely throw a spark, much less a shower. And I ALWAYS have a Mora Companion in my truck. But they are NOT THE QUALITY of the Garberg.
Since you asked, yes, I think you’re knocking the knife based on the plastic handle. Since when did a fancy looking wooden handle make a knife perform better?
And, is it a chopper? Of course not. I did Search and Rescue a few years back…too old now. I had 1 knife on my belt and 2 in my Wilderness backpack. NO knife does everything; that’s marketing-hype and wishful thinking.
Final comment: If I had to pick just one knife, it wouldn’t be the Garberg…but I’ve never HAD to pick just one. Why would I? 😂
Sorry but not impressed. There is a utube video where a 230 pounds guy steps on and actually jumps up and down on a Hultafors hvk knife buried in a trunk NOT FULL TANG, lot thinner than garberg and the knife did not bent, the knife costs 5 euros!!! Also the bigger “brother” of this knife called Hultafors gk heavy duty, under destruction tests in the between 11 knives INCLUDING GARBERG this knife survived all brutal abuses and remained one piece. The garberg BROKE !!! Please note 2 things 1)The Hultafors gk heavy duty IT IS NOT EVEN FULL TANG 2) It’s cost is ……15 euros (around 18 dollars) !!!! So if the garberg it’s not a budget knife because …it’s not a budget knife rather an expensive QUALITY knife, then the Hultafors gk heavy duty WHAT IS…??????!!!!!!! If you wish to watch the test the utuber called JOE X and he makes destruction tests for knives
Actually I do like the plastic handle, I even think it's one of the strong points of the knife.
Most manufacturers do "full tang" knives because it's cheaper. You cut your steel blank, heat treat it and then slap slabs of materials. But to be ergonomic the knife has to be wide enough but then the "full tang" is too heavy so if you remove the liner you'll see the "full tang" has been drilled or skeletonized, so it's kind of nonsense. They do it because it's cheaper this way.
The plastic handle is actually "the expensive cheap option". Why ?
It's injected plastic. You need a lot of tooling to start with: injection machine, molds... But then every single piece is cheaper. So it's really a long term game: you have to bet in the long term sales will pay for your investment. That's why not many makers do it and if they do they have to sell many knives to make a profit.
Plastic handles are actually my favorite material. No maintenance, they are light and tough, and you can do "wrap around" handles which are the best handles for a variety of reason: you don't touch the bare metal, handle shape is not constrained by tang shape... Also they use firm hard plastic which I think is better than rubbery type which will give you blisters in no time.
The downside is plastic is not considered "a noble material" and looks cheap, but that's all cosmetics.
Actually I have other problems with Garberg, notably steel: stainless is not hard enough and carbon might not be tough enough.
You don't like the knife, ok. But when, exactly did micarta and g10 stop being plastic?
Great video i prefer full flat but not gor heavy wood working. Now i got my Garberg $89.00 American. and the leather sheeth on sale.
Now its definitely not budget, but it's a by once cry once, but it's not even that much to cry about.. price.
If taken care of properly it will last way longer than the rest of those knives you showed, I carry the tiny little more eldris daily i love them my first one was a companion my kids both have a 5-11 for camping. NOW that those are all amazing knifes i would trust for a survival situation short term, but the Garberg is way more heavy duty it's not just a Bushcraft knife it's a
(survival bushcraft knife) the reason I say this, is because it will far Outlast many knives made by mora and other companies by far iv seen it out preformed knives that are $200+ more than it is, because its built like a tank you could bet your life on it. Again great video, but the Garberg is is in the top best bushcraft knife you can buy hands down if not the best one out there. I love mine and it will be passed down to my son and grandkids.
Not a big fan of N690 steel. Might be ok on a pocket folder, but I need a tougher steel for my full tang. Look at the steel specs between the steel on the Mora Garberg and those Joker Knives..
(Mora Garberg) 14C26N Toughness: 9/Edge Holding: 3/ Corrosion Resistance: 8.5
(Joker Knives - Most of them not all) N690 Toughness: 3.5/Edge Holding: 4.5/ Corrosion Resistance: 8
Based on those specs alone the only thing N690 has on 14C26N is Edge Holding. If I was basing my purchase on steel alone the 14C28N wins hands down. So as for handles, I don't mind using plastic as it's better in the cold and easier to clean then Micarta or G10. Plus on top of that, the handle material is always added into the price making the blade even more expensive. For a full tang Garberg at roughly 90 dollars it's a little on the steep end, but Gerber was selling the Strongarm for around the same price and their blades are using the 420HC which is almost the same to 14C28N except the Garberg's steel has better edge holding, but the toughness is identical. Now the Joker Knives that had the 14C28N were not bad, but I looked at their prices on Amazon and some of them were about 60 dollars more than the Garberg. The price for the Mora Garberg (Carbon Steel) was around 69.00 bucks on Amazon.
Mora are great knives, but I use always the companion HD and I can do everything with it, and It cost only 19,95 euros. I always use the combination, an axe, mora companion HD, a laplander and my Buck 110 for foodprep.
So you always carry 4 or 5 tools around with you?
Got it for fifty bucks recently and I couldn't see why I wouldn't get the better model for that price. I wanted to be able to break glass with the exposed tang and strike a ferro rod, and in my opinion that alone is worth the extra twenty or so bucks. But on top of that you're getting a better steel, a thicker spine, and full tang. You're one hundred percent right about them capitalizing on the hype, but now that the price has gone down due to cheaper and better alternatives appearing, (Thanks Terävä Jääkäripuukko!) It's clearly the go-to Mora knife. I personally chose the Garberg over the Puukko for one reason and one reason only, the handle is much less likely to break or come loose. Under normal use this wouldn't be a problem for either knives, but I didn't want to take the chances of my blade just sliding out of the handle. That would be embarrassing! I will give the Puukko credit on having a higher quality, premium looking leather sheath and more durable steel, but It still doesn't have the utility of the Mora plastic sheath with all its different mounting options and accessories. Also there is that ugly ring for some type of rope which I never understood. You're going to make a wrist strap and dangle an extremely sharp knife from your forearm? Maybe It's for some people, but I know I would become unaware of that dangling knife and seriously injure myself. I prefer the exposed tang for smashing! These are just some of my thoughts on why the Garberg is worthy of It's price tag. It's not the sharpest most durable steel, but It's damn sharp and damn strong. And it's not the most flashy handle, but It's never coming off or vibrating loose from impact. And sure the plastic sheath Isn't as sexy as a leather one, but you can always replace the sheath and the plastic one serves a lot of utility. At the end of the day I think no matter which of these knives you will get, as long as they're used and maintained properly you will not be let down.
Where did you buy for $50?
Yeah that ring thing looks hideous. Whoever designed that has a really odd aesthetic.
The Joker knives are nice. I'm picking up a Nomad after seeing one of your thorough reviews.
I like it a lot, it's starting to be one of my favorite stand alone knives in the wilderness. You will love the handle and balance✌️
I’m with you with this 100%! Push full tang for $100+ dollars. Like everything today; make $$$$$. I won’t buy another Mora.
$50-$90 usd here... Depending on the model (Stainless, Carbon, Leather sheath, plastic sheath, MOLLE Mount, etc...)
Your point is well taken; I still love my Garberg, but certainly your other choices are nice with better sheaths. Thanks for the review.
Still a good knife to have but I couldn't help but make these points✌️
"Better" sheaths in terms of looks, Did you try to do some wild edible gathering with your outdoor knife? That's a main use for such a knife and only Mora sheats work, for that kind of jobs. For those who 're just collectors, a Joker is a better knife ,for those who are users, the Mora is a better knife by far. (Better edge geometry, blade thickness, proper usable sheath.) leather sheaths isn't that their not just practical, it's also literally unusable in many ocassions. Even for siting in a drawer as a collectors piece, they will rust the knife with the moisture they collect....
Great video, I never understood the Mora Garberg craze. I agree with you 100%. Oh my gosh I was crying with laughter with the plastic part, soo good!. Cheers, Dave.
😁
I happened upon this vid during yet another gear or knife search or whatever I was up to at the time. I often say "some gear you can go buy at Canadian Tire, but for more advanced 'better'/stronger performing kit, you go to a more specialized store" brands fit in there too, though usually I'm referring to clothing and general use gear... That's not to say I don't buy some critical supplies at places like Canadian Tire, just depends what you know and need.
In regards to the Mora Garberg; I find it's at a great price for a very capable knife! I've put some serious beatings on mine in all kinds of conditions, and it's never let me down for the past 3+ years, I won't go in the bush without it. Easy enough to sharpen and keep sharp, nice and light even with the multimount sheath, as well as a custom kydex sheath I ordered onlone and rigged up with paracord for various carry options. Compared to a lot of knives out there that are referred to as bushcraft knives I find the price for the Garberg and most Mora knives pretty fair vs some that are through the roof. I have had a Gerber LMF2 break/chip where the blade meets the handle, though I was abusing it, but Gerber did replace it at no cost. As well as the rubberized handle pealing back from the back and forth in the sheath most recently. Despite it's weight I still have a fondness for it for it's full feeling in my hand and over all beast of a blade that it is...
The reason I went to the Garberg was for a smaller lighter 'survival/bushcraft' knife, as I eluded to above it certainly serves its purpose and then some, though with a much smaller blade.
Like most gear, I think many knives fall into similar categories and personal preference; what's best for the user, and does it have the capability and quality that user needs?. Cheap out and you're going to be in a bind and possibly a world of hurt in the field. Over pay, I hope it does what you need it to do and you're happy.
What's your thoughts on the Mora Pathfinder?
I have every Mora knives 2 Garbergs,I liked the garberg so much I bought the company. Why pay 400 dollars for a Bark River Gunny 🤔 is that worth it.
you make an excellent point. As the price of the garberg has risen and a slew of more affordable, bushcraft style knives have entered the market, notably the Spanish offerings, the value proposition is not there.
I have a Terrasaur and it does everything I need. It's extremely sharp, it's rugged, has a full tang, it has a 90° spine for my ferro rod, has nice handle ergonomics and a good, simple sheath. I paid $42 USD. More expensive doesn't necessarily mean better.
No it doesn't, I have expensive knives too that don't really do a whole lot more but it is more for my collecting hobby than big functional gains. The terrasuar is all you need👍
Heat treat isn't an issue, either. I've had mine for quite a while and used it for multiple tasks with no issues. I've only had to sharpen it twice since I purchased it, and that's been almost 2 years ago.
As long as you don't hit the handle with a baton (which many people do), you'll be fine. One weak point of the Terrasaur is the handle material which is not very durable and only a very thin layer of that material above the spine of the blade. A few hits with a wooden stick and you split open the handle in that area, exposing the blade spine inside.
The Garberg not only has much more material thickness in that area, they also use a very tough polyamid plastic that can take quite a beating without taking much damage at all.
If you don't baton with your knife or at least never hit the handle, the Terrasaur is fine (except for the sheath).
Yeah Condor Terrasaur is a great knife! I got 3 of them!
Handle it's not a "plactic", (personally I thing we should distinguish "plastic" materials). Garberg handle its sophisticated material, totally different than Kansbol, which is not visible by naked eye
Great call on the Kellam. I always recommend it. Awesome blade with not much hype for some reason.
Goes great with a hatchet or pack axe!
I love the Garberg and all Mora knives.
I have a Mora Companion Spark and I really like it, the plastic handle is very nice, easy to clean unlike the wooden handle. The plastic handle does not rot, is difficult to break and is easy to use. However, the wooden handle has its own beauty.
I love my Mora Companion HD for a general purpose get-me-home-in-a-pinch knife, but I’ve gotten attached to my BPS Adventurer for keeping on my side out in the woods. Can’t beat the price.
If you wanna do Outdoor stuff, you can invest a hundo for a knife that will last you a very long time.
I prefer the Pro C with an additional Eldris though, but I don't go into a forest to hack, whittle and carve on wood.
Sooooo, where's the hard use and abuse test of these pristine looking knives?
Agree ! For the cost of a Garberg, I'd much rather have a Fiskars hatchet, a Corona folding saw, and a Mora Robust ....and you can even throw in a Ferro rod to boot !!!
Had to turn you off after 5mins - Ive never heard such tripe in my life!! If you cant see the difference between a garberg and a companion theres no hope for you.
I'm Spainiard and ofcourse totally agree with you 🙂 thank you, mora its paying Dave Canterbury marketing of this particular knife
I tell people often that the best knife for the money when it comes to camp/survival is the Mora companion heavy duty carbon. $25 or less and all bases covered. Most couldn't destroy one if they tried. I purchased my first Garberg on Feebay in the summer of 2022. It is stainless and came in the box with a spare Mora leather sheath for $54 shipped (I wouldn't recommend the Mora sheath but the BPS dangler sheath from Amz instead and wet form it). Since then I have purchased two more Garbergs for less than $60 on Amz one stainless for a gift and one carbon for myself both are the best bargain bush/camp knives I own. I also have the Lynx, Campero and the Nomad(the most beautiful knife I own) from Joker. If asked I would say that the Joker brand offers the nicest knife for the money. There are leather sheaths alone selling for what you can buy the lynx for and the joker sheaths are very nice. I think the point of the survivalist on utube recommending the Garberg is that there is nothing to worry about like loose scales or a weak spot in the steel. Heck my go to knife on most outdoor adventures short of hunting lions and tigers is an old trusty Schrade SCHF42D(go ahead and laugh but it is a solid hunk of a knife). I really enjoyed the video.
I laughed at your Schrade SCHF42D. You said I could. So I did. Long and loud. And most likely will continue to do so for many days 🤣🙂
@@KGatLC So you have issues I get it. With the scales replaced it is a good knife. I suppose you are one of the many that thinks a knife has to cost hundreds of dollars to be worthy. Glad I could entertain you.
Terava Jaakaripuukko is bigger, badder, better, and with a much nicer sheath for around the same price. Another great budget option is BPS Adventurer. For $40 you get a great full tang knife with a nice leather sheath and firesteel.
Jaakaripuukko is one of my favourite knives. I do have a bps too now that i'll review in the future. thanks for watching
I have several knives because I like them, but I've never needed anything other than my Mora Companion and a saw. I agree this is better options.
It’s worth the money. I don’t wanna replace replace replace. Options to each their own.
I have a Joker Nessmuk with a flat grind. It's not for wood working but great for skinning and food prep. Any Mora or other scani grind for wood working is best: and I think I agree with Sears mostly, a hatchet, a food prep knife, and one other knife of your choice.
$56 now for Garberg. I really like your knives. And you have an excellent knowledge. I own a Joker too
Paying more, you only do because you like the knife, for the "want" . Nothing wrong with that.
But if it's about function...
Mora Companion Or a Hultafors knife, axe/hatchet, Tramontina/Imacasa machete(low price), saw and you are covered.
Doesn't take premium prices to get the tools that are efficient.
Mors Kochanski favored the Mora 511. The lowest price of the bunch.
It worked fine.
At the higher cost, you portrayed here... agreed to some extent... I'd rather explore alternatives and preference other options in the >$100ish range. That said... Garberg knife has MORA well on target for a well conceived/designed all-rounder based on lineage and demand. It is a reliable, well built 'field' knife (read as not so 'bushcraft' crafty) constructed of highly suitable materials, with excelent quality control. I'd wager even at $100ish... you still have in hand a quite reasonable value to quality ratio with mainsteam availability and benifits of reputable company (meaningful waranty) that stands behind its products.
New subscriber. Love Mora knives and purchased a Garberg. I agree with you on all points. Price, handle, other Mora options, other brand options. Actually the Mora Kansbol is becoming my favorite.
Thanks for subbing, It is hard to take a swing at mora in general as it feels wrong because they offer so much. But the facts are there if one looks ✌️
Garbergs are a great knife. I like my Companions also but the Garberg is a completely different beast. It inspires confidence. My Kansbol will do 99% of what my Garberg will but most knives will. I like the Garberg, it’s close to $200 here in Australia.
Will the Kansbol baton through logs? Being not full tang and all
Partial tang knives will baton.
The condor will do 99% at half the price. A Garberg here in Australia is ridiculously expensive
It will but you have to be careful with the thin tapered front. I have seen it bent while battoning before.
The Pathfinder is more of a battoning beast. It’s not full tang but very strong and reliable.
@@michaelwaldeck7081, there are a lot of knives that are cheaper that will do the same job. I tend to use my Companion HD over my Garberg. I’ve never had a need for more length or thickness and if I do, I grab my Condor Bowie knife.
I do like my Condors, they’re fantastic knives/choppers.
The garberg is imo is largely made popular by instructors at the Pathfinder School in the US like Dave Canterbury and Joshua Enyart (his UA-cam channel is thegreybeardedgreenberet)
Josh specifically recommends the Mora Garberg Carbon for anyone who asks him what ‘survival knife’ they should get.
The Mora Garberg Carbon is robust enough but also shaped and sized to do everything necessary to survive indefinitely in the wilderness from shelter building, fire making (including batoning to prepare tinder and kindling) but also to make all the notches necessary to make traps to procure food. The carbon steel can be used with flint or chert to produce a sparks capable of causing charred material to get an ember (many other steels can’t), the spine of the Garberg is a sharp 90 degree angle so can create great sparks from a ferrocerium rod, it is thick enough to be strong enough to baton through wood, yet thin enough both in blade thickness but also in width that it can carve the fine notches necessary for properly functioning traps. Also, some survival situations may mean it is unsafe for you to attract attention from potentially dangerous people so the fact that the Garberg carbon is black prevents accidental ‘glint’ shining and giving away your position like many stainless knives can, the Garberg is also light enough to not be so heavy or bulky that it is unlikely to be carried for when you need it to survive.
The carbon steel and also the scandi grind are easy get very sharp and easy to keep sharp, it has a lanyard hole and also not just a full tang but the protruding tang enables the knife to be batoned on its end if necessary like to drive the tip of the knife into the end of a branch and use the rest of the blade as a draw knife, also if you have injured one arm you can lock the knife behind the crease in your knee when (while in its sheath) you are kneeling down to grip the knife still while you use your one uninjured arm/hand to strike a ferro rod against the protruding tang to make sparks and therefore still be able to make fire.
But this is what he recommends for most people getting into survival and preparedness as it is sufficiently robust and affordable to be adequate to do everything they will need it to do (at least in America where there is a lot of easily available ‘soft wood’).
He himself as an experienced outdoorsman chooses to carry a custom make Puuko, but he doesn’t recommend it for people new to knife craft as someone could snap the tip off or accidentally run their fingers down onto the blade as there is no ‘finger guard’ at all.
As someone new to learning about survival, some points he makes that I question in my situation is over 90% of the wood available for fire, shelter and trap making in my area are ‘hard woods’ and he says a more robust knife than a scandi mora maybe necessary for use with very hard wood. So that still leaves me with the question as to what the best survival knife for me is. Also, the recommendation of high carbon over stainless just so I have the fire making redundancy of being able to get an ember by using the knife itself with flint rather than just carrying a carbon fire steel in the same sheath I am carrying a stainless blade (with a 90 degree spine to at least use with a ferro rod) isn’t really that critical imo as the idea that I would NEED to use my knife blade since somehow I lost everything else including the sheath that would be attached to me and that has a steel striker attached to it isn’t realistic imo
Also, some say the very fine edge of the blade can actually corrode enough just over night in a damp area which it’s in its sheath whereas a stainless blade wouldn’t, also to maintain a high carbon blade oil needs to be carried to oil the blade regularly and that container of oil is extra weight which effectively makes the knife heavier as to be fair relative to stainless blades you need to include the weight and bulk of the oil too, plus what if you run out of oil in a long term situation?
So I still have questions tbh
Ok, so here is a Scandinavian perspective. We don't really baton with our knives. If we do, it's light kindling. This idea of having to baton ourselves out of a shipping container, during the zombie apocalypse, is not Scandinavian. If we want a show pony of a knife, we either go for bespoke handmade, homemade or some of the fine Scandinavian blades like Helle or fallkniven. A Mora typically lives out its life, in a toolbox, tacklebox, ziptied to the railing of a boat or rattling around in the back of a Volvo 245. As for price. Scandinavia is expensive - period! A 150$ is the price of making quick eye contact with a dentist or dining at a mediocre restaurant on a Tuesday, if you skip coffee and dessert.
I've just bought a mora companion plus the mora companion HD both stainless steel so don't need as much maintenance like oiling for instance, I've also just ordered the mora bushcraft black which is carbon steel so needs more maintenance to stop it from rusting especially if storing them for long periods of time. but all those knives aren't full tang whereas the mora garberg is a ull tang knife n that's why I want to buy one as its slightly heavier than the mora companions n can slice gut better I heard so tes faie nough the garberg might not be a budget knife price wise. but for a professional bushcrafter it is a great knife to use if in the correct hands.
At this price, pay 35 bucks more, get a 120 General from Buck, in Carbon, Cherry handle.
Apply Balistol to any blade you wanna keep 100's oy years. It can also keep guns pristine for decades as well.
Ive got a garberg carbon and i dont regret paying for it, its never gunna brake and came with a farro rod and diamond sharpener. Mind you i buy every knife that takes my interest. A Joker knife is next on my list
Im a huge fan of mora but i totaly agree with you !! None of my moras has the built quality of my joker nomad im not saying the mora are bad knife or bad quality!
The nomad is just so much better !
I mean mora ... they do what you expect them to do and they do it realy good ! But the nomad has exceed my expectation: i am genuinely impressed by this knive!!!
I bought a BPS bushcraft knife via Amazon for like 40$CAD its. Vastly superior bushcrafter than the garberg
All this talk about the plastic handle (and by the way, its fancy name is polymer), and what is Micarta exactly?
Yes, linen... some linen or burlap drenched in a resin... So much better and fancier than plastic... 🙄
And over here, in Europe, I can easily get a Garberg for 80 Euro, can't find a Joker or Casström for that price over here. Even a Brisa (formerly known as Enzo), while offering great value for the money, will not beat the Garberg in price VS quality.
I own 3 Casström knives and love them, but the Curly Birch and Bog Oak handles come at a price, and they need regular maintenance to keep them clean and intact, same goes for the K720 steel they are made from. The Garberg's "plastic" handle on the other hand needs no special care whatsoever, and will last you a lifetime, same for the 14c28n steel it's made from (even the carbon version needs less care as the K720 Casström). And yes, same goes for the plastic sheath from the Garberg versus those pretty leather sheaths that come with the Casström knives (I also own a Garberg with leather sheath, and while being the best leather sheath I've ever owned, it still gets its ass kicked by that plastic Mora sheath).
If I go on a bushcraft weekend in cold, moist conditions, the Garberg is always my choice number one. And over here, we prefer to carry a knife for carving and woodwork and a small hatched for chopping
And if I wanted an American made 1095 carbonsteel, Micarta handle, kydex sheath knife it would cost me anything between 160 Euro and 300 Euro, how many Garbergs can I get for that, at 80 Euro a piece?
But no, the Mora Garberg is too expensive because you can get.... a cheaper Mora 🤔.
And anyone who says a Garberg is just an expensive Companion has never really used both knives in the field.
I agree 100% here. I feel they are over-hyped and over priced for that size. I would much rather buy 4-5 Mora Companion carbon steel and put them in 5 different places to have a knife. Comes down to it, my Ka-Bar Kephart is on my belt long before any Mora will be. That is a knife worth the price. I do like the Mora Companion but only as a backup utility option.
Sorry but I don't trust partial tang knives. If I'm getting a fixed blade it's gotta be full tang. But I've got my essee and I can't complain about it
Location matters. In the US, a garberg can be had for about $60. All of those Joker knives are twice as much. And for a little more than the Joker, I could get an ESEE.
Here, at least, the Garberg is a LOT of knife for not a lot of money.
I just bought one for 66US. I also have a Companion and a Kansbol.
good set of knives!
From cheap gas station gimmick knives to buck, gerber and KA-BAR. I have a garberg but my favorite knife is still the more companion heavy duty. Gets the job done well
I agree with micarta and G10, but not with wood. Wooden scales look and feel nice, but since it’s wood it can expand and loosen or deteriorate with time.
Good to see you bro, you still making knives as well?
Hey dude, no I haven't for awhile. I've moved 5 times since the beginning of the channel so it's been hard to set up a shop. We bought a house last summer though and I'm feeling the itch, so we'll see if I end up scratching it. How you been?
i recomend the elk ridge bushcraft to anyone wantsing a solid full tang bushcraft knife
I got 2 mora garberg carbon and 2 mora garberg stainless! I got my mora's cheap though! I got the carbon for $65 each and stainless at $60 each! Of course I had to pay shipping and taxes on them though! I got a bunch of mora's at $15 to $20! Any knife is better than nothing! Them are some good looking knives you got there! Thanks for sharing!
You make a good point for your market. In the US they're going for a much more reasonable price of $60 ($75 CAD).
I seriously think that knives need to be reasonably thick. That's the reason most Finnish knives are around 3mm. for normal tasks like hunting, carving... Only bigger blades intended for some specific tasks need 4-5 mm. That's why I think the Garberg it is not only expensive, but less useful than other much cheaper options from Mora and Hultafors. I ended keeping the Kansbol, which I think it's the best what Mora can offer as multipurpose outdoor knife, also is the blade selected for the Swedish army for a reason. But other models like the Companion, the Bushcraft or even the humble Basic ones are great.
If you're not interested in knives a US$100 knife may not be a budget knife, but if you are then it is or at least is not an expensive one. Compare it to a Bark River Bushcrafter or Aurora or one of the L.T. Wright made for bushcraft blades for example. Even other known high value bushcraft blades such as Tops is generally more. Of course there are other decent value knife choices too, but calling it over priced is a bit much.