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Mora Companion Black vs Hultafors Craftsman’s Knife

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Carving and test cuttingI seem to have a problem with stainless Mora knives. I broke one after abusive testing last year. Then (or maybe it happened first), the brand new cutting edge of another stainless Mora bulged out while carving a piece of green elm. I’ve never had any of this happen to me before or after with any other knife. Sounds like a good reason to test this steel again and compare it to another cheap stainless steel on a very similar knife – Hultafors Craftsman’s Knife.
Mora and Hultafors SS-2

I took the hardest, most knotty piece of dry blackthorn to prove that Mora’s stainless warps on hard wood and stainless Hultafors does not. And I failed. Well, at least partially (no pun intended). The Mora did not bend like I expected (I had convexed the edge very slightly though). Neither did the other knife. The whole carving test didn’t last more than 10 minutes but it already revealed something I suspected. Both edges started to dull and the edge of the Mora seemed to like the treatment less than the Hultafors.

It’s true, the difference is very slight at this stage. But given more time it gets more and more obvious. I just didn’t have two hours to show a completely blunt knife to prove it. I have done that, however, while carving and the results and my perception were similar. Mora starts skimming the surface of the wood much sooner. In fact, I’ve never got any of my Hultafors knives that dull.

So, what is that super stainless steel used on Hultafors knives? In the video below, I admitted I didn’t know that at the time. I do now. And just like in the case of their high carbon steel choice, I was quite surprise again. Hultafors Group answered me on their Facebook page saying, for their stainless knives they use AUS-8. That’s right. The same steel Cold Steel likes to use and the same steel the famous Ontario Rat – 1 is made out of.

Ontario Rat 1 closeup

So I suppose, that’s another thing Hultafors and Cold Steel have in common. Both these companies make use of relatively inexpensive Japanese steels (SK-5 and AUS-8) and they do it very well. Knowing what stainless steel I’ve been so impressed with, and that chemically, it’s not much different from 440 A, I’m really convinced that heat treat makes all the difference, although I must admit, I’m not sure how that works with stainless steel. Especially that many people, myself included, have complained about edge holding of the RAT – 1. I found it a bit ‘chippy’ at first. I guess the very slight strop convexing did the trick again. Nevertheless, I never had these problems with any of my stainless Hultafors knives, which left me even more surprised.

Sharpening Mora Pro Robust & Hultafors GK

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Mora Robust Pro & Hultafors GK Heavy Duty KnifeAfter the abusive field test and pull ups, it’s time to restore the edges of the Mora Robust Pro and the Hultafors Heavy Duty.

There are numerous ways and sharpening systems available. However, none of them will be perfect and suitable for all the different blade types and designs.

 

People are generally unable to maintain an angle while sharpening, therefore, we inevitably create edges which are more or less convex. To avoid that, we invented various useful devices, which hold a knife, as well as the sharpening stone, at a fixed angle. One of such devices is the Lansky Deluxe Knife Sharpening System (in the picture above), which allows us to create those perfect, razor v-shaped cutting edges.

The problem with such edges is, as shown in the test, that they are fragile. They tend to chip, roll and dull quicker than convex edges. Yes, they cut better but is it really noticeable in a day-to-day use of a utility knife? Take a look at the video below, where I show how a strong convex edge push cuts paper towel. Do you really need your bushcraft/survival knife to be sharper than that? I know I don’t.

Therefore, for my bushcraft or EDC knives I tend to use other sharpeners and save the Lansky System for special occasions. If I’m out in the field, I might use a simple double sided DC4, which can bring your edges to hair popping sharpness even without a strop. It’s small and lightweight which makes it easy to transport. I might also use an even smaller, lighter and simpler diamond pen rod, which also works well, although, it seems to require a strop as it is much coarser.

Those are great in the field but at home their, otherwise advantages, small size, makes them quite inefficient and less safe. It takes more time to remove steel with such a small sharpener, plus it’s easier to cut yourself when you have to manoeuvre round small surface with a large sharp object.

For me the choice is simple. At home I use water stones grit 400 to 3000, followed by a home-made strop. While they are a bit a pain to use as they need to be soaked in water for several minutes before use, they get worn out and need to be evened up every now and then, and the whole process of sharpening can be a bit messy, they are still the best option for more serious home sharpening. Why? They’re relatively inexpensive, they don’t have moving parts (easy to use and can’t break unless you drop them on the floor), don’t require extra special equipment, are large enough but not too large, and do not determine your sharpening angle, which allows you to slightly convex your edges if you choose to do so.