Mora 120 Wood carving Knife

I received this today and have to say that I'm really impressed with the triple laminate blade and the handle is comfortable too for a good carving session.

The blade is short so take care when unsheathing as it will come straight out of the sheath so I suggest keeping the hand pulling the sheath at the end of the sheath. The sheath isn't really good for belt wear but you probably won't be carrying this kind of thing on your belt anyway, suffice to say that it keeps the business end safe.

The triple laminate blade is very easy to touch up and only needs a couple of strokes on a ceramic like a Fallkniven DC4 to become shaving sharp again (I was carving seasoned Ash and I felt that it could do with a little touch up afterwards).

I have only just returned to my childhood passion of woodcarving and have spent some time and money seeking the 'right' knife for the majority of tasks undertaken in the process of turning a block into anything that looks remotely like anything else. The major criticism of other blades is that none of the stainless steel ones hold any kind of edge, and when eventually I have managed to get them at all sharp the effect dulls within a short space of time in use. Yet other examples in carbon steel have blades that are too long in the blade profile and often have uncomfortable handles, which means that they are hard to use and even harder to control. The Mora 120 knife came in a state which would have enabled me to shave the hair from my face and has stayed that way through several initial tests of its ability. The profile of the blade is brilliant as its length to width ratio means it feels controllable in use and powerful enough to cut the harder wood types without fear of snapping and potentially cutting me. The Mora's handle is just the right shape, size and feel to make controlling the tool very easy, and this alone inspired me with confidence to experiment in my carving of more adventurous shapes. As with carbon steel, the laminated steel blade of the Mora 120 will require some greater care than a stainless blade would but this is really a minor point as this mainly involves cleaning the tool after use to avoid tarnishing which would ultimately cause it to become less effective.
I highly recommend this well designed knife to all amateur carvers like myself, and at the price you can't go wrong. One useful addition is a suitable means of sharpening - a diamond stone or some other, another ongoing search for me I must confess.

I'm really rather pleased with this knife. The blade is just the right length to make whittling easy, and the handle is a good size, so its not uncomfortable of you use it for a long time. (The wood of the handle is entirely natural though, not varnished or anything, so I guess it could perhaps do with being treated with linseed oil or something at some point).

The blade its self has a nice wide top that is comfortable if pressing down on it with a finger or thumb. The blade was fairly sharp when it arrived, and after a quick go with my whetstone it soon got to shaving sharp. It seems to hold the edge fairly well too.