Kellam Mora Style Utility Knives

[Browning]

I picked on of these up, the Green Kellam Utility Knife.

It's part of their 'S Line' of knives.

http://www.kellamknives.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_33_83_85

It cuts just as well as the Moras from Frost, but it has a slightly better feel to the handle and a better sheath.

Not bad for $18.80 (+ S&H).

Anybody else have one?

 

[shecky]

Ragweedforge sells one version, at bottom of page. I wouldn't mind getting one in stainless.

 

[Tom Krein]

I am always pleasantly surprised by the cutting power of the Mora's.

If you are looking for an inexpensive knife they are very hard to beat!

Thanks for sharing!

Tom

 

[Mongrel]

Very nice looking utility blade...

Did anyone notice the French and English trade knives? Real cool 'old-school' looking stuff for $34.

Thanks for the link!

 

[hangtime]

Yup, I got one each of that whole series. . . . .

and they are great working knives IMO. Inexpensive, relatively easy to sharpen and the handles and sheaths are well designed. Did you order directly from Kellam?

 

[hso]

Being my normal picky self I feel compelled to point out (at least the voices tell me I must) the "green knife" looks like a pukko instead of a mora.

Classic Mora

Green Knife

Classic Pukko


The only significant difference in the blades is at the tip (although Finns and Swedes might argue they're "nothing alike") where the spine of the pukko is straight and the mora dips at the tip slightly.

 

[Browning]

hso : Being my normal picky self I feel compelled to point out (at least the voices tell me I must) the "green knife" looks like a pukko instead of a mora.

I've just always lumped the cheaper plastic and rubber handled Scandi knives into the Mora category.

Also in this instance to me it looks more like those blue handled Moras than it does a Puukko, but I guess it has features from both kinds of knives.

Mora 760


Kellam S6 Utility Knife

See what I mean?

 

[hso]

There's not a lot of difference unless you're a Swede talking to a Finn (or a Dane or a Norge).

The Scandinavians have a great deal of pride in their knives and almost as much in their steel (maybe more). I've seen good natured "arguments" break out between a Finn and a Swede over knives while a Dane stood on the sidelines and taunted them both over the quality of Danish steel being better than either.

 

[Browning]

There's not a lot of difference unless you're a Swede talking to a Finn (or a Dane or a Norge).

Yeah, I hear that.

People from all four Scandinavian countries seem to delight in taunting each other.

I'm mostly Danish, so I've heard a few barbs here and there from my father and grandparents about the people from other Scandi countries. Usually it seems pretty good natured for the most part though.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Danish Utility Knife

Personally, I wish Denmark would join the other Scandinavian countries in producing a line of utility or hunting or field knives.

I'd like to see how they'd do it.

I don't know what it is that keeps them from manufacturing what is certainly a traditionally Scandinavian item.

If they're trying to bury their Viking past . . . well I hate to break it to them, but they're stuck with the Viking thing, so they might as well cash in on it.

It could be that they actually DO make a line of knives and I just don't know about it.

I find out they are, I will certainly acquire one.

Anyone who remembers the Scandi joke whose punchline goes, "Are you from Finland? No, I'm Danish -- but I've been ill," will appreciate the irony of Finland making a line of outdoor knives while Denmark does not.

 

[Browning]

Well there are a few Danish knife manufacturers (Anso and Jesper Nielson immediately come to mind) out there, however they're just dwarfed by the huge number of manufacturers from countries like Finland. They also seem to stay away from making inexpensive mass produced knives (which make up a large number of the knives in circulation).

http://www.ansoknives.com/



http://www.handmade-knives.com/index3.htm



http://www.handmade-knives.com/index3.htm

 

[hso]

Browning,

There's a very important, even critical, distinction between a "knife manufacturer" and a custom knife maker. The first mass produces the same knife over and over again. The latter hand crafts individual knives that even though they may be the same pattern, no two are exactly alike.

Jens Anso isn't a Danish "knife manufacturer". He's a talented custom maker. He comes to the Blade show in Atlanta every spring/summer and just blows you away with the beautiful knives he makes by hand. Nice guy also.

Jesper Nielsen is also a custom maker and not a manufacturer. I haven't met him.

 

[Skofnung]

Oh man, that bottom one with the seax type sheath is calling my name!

 

[Tom Krein]

What about a knifemaker that also has a production company....

Just pulling your chain HSO.

I know Jens Anso and Jesper Vox, both EXTREMELY talented knifemakers and they both take pride in the fact that their knives are NOT traditional Danish patterns. These guys have some SERIOUS SKILZ!

I find all of the Scandinavian traditional knives to be very good and well thought out. They simply work and work well! Whats not to like about that? They are also usually pretty reasonably priced.

Tom

 

[sm]

I may not know come here from sic 'em , but I do know I really like the first knife Browning posted a picture of in post 11 !

Whoa!

 

[Eric Draven]

I would like ot add my +1 to Tom Kreins post that the Mora knife is hard to beat as far as good inexpensive knives go.
They have definetly made a mark on the knife world. Simple, yet powerful...

 

[hso]

I think you'll find that the Mora has the NIH mystique that simple carbon steel blades made here don't. SM talks about small Old Hickory and Chicago Cutlery knives being good performers, and they are. They're draw back is that they lack sheaths and anything approximating a choil or guard (you have to fix that yourself with a file).

 

[T.R.]

I was first introduced to Mora knives by my USAF buddy. He is Finn from UP of Michigan. His whole family (of hunters) carry these knives.

TR

 

[Browning]

Browning,

There's a very important, even critical, distinction between a "knife manufacturer" and a custom knife maker. The first mass produces the same knife over and over again. The latter hand crafts individual knives that even though they may be the same pattern, no two are exactly alike.

Jens Anso isn't a Danish "knife manufacturer". He's a talented custom maker. He comes to the Blade show in Atlanta every spring/summer and just blows you away with the beautiful knives he makes by hand. Nice guy also.

Jesper Nielsen is also a custom maker and not a manufacturer. I haven't met him.

Yeah, true enough.

I just meant that there are some people in Denmark that produce Scandi style knives.

There aren't any inexpensive massed produced Scandi style knives in Denmark that I know of.

 

[kevenn]

Bowning

Shecky is right, the knife you bought is available under the Ahti line at Ragweedforge. It's only $11, and uses a Lauri SS blade. The knife is full tang believe it or not! It extends right to the lanyard hole! It would be a great buy at this price, especially if you wanted to do a rehandle project. I seen the same Lauri blade at Brisa.fi and it's almost $9 EURO, which equals about $14-$15 USD??

That is why I bought 3 of these knives!

 

[Browning]

Yep, It sure is.

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

Too bad I didn't check RWF before buying it, I was under the impression that it was a Kellam exclusive.

Oh well, live and learn.

On the plus side of the bargain though at least the handle on mine appears a little more solid and the color a little more vibrant than the one on RWF, but that may just be due to the slightly fuzzy picture.

 

[kevenn]

Browning

I think it is just the picture, the handle on my knives look just like the Kellam picture; though the Kellam blade looks like it has a satin finish, whereas the Ahti is highly polished. I've made that mistake before though, many of the items at Kellam.com are way overpriced. The M571 for example is $22.50 there, but at Bensbackwoods.com it's only $15!! It's the same knife made by Marttiini.