Morakniv of Sweden has been making blades for over a hundred years. While the company has undergone a few name changes, their commitment to crafting ultra-sharp knives for use at home or in the field has never wavered.
I recently received the Morakniv Tactical for testing and evaluation. While I’m busy taking this thing out and working it over, I wanted to drop a preview here to show off its features a bit.
- Carbon steel blade with DLC coating for unmatched edge sharpness and retention
- 58-60 HRC hardness
- 4.25″ Drop-point fixed Blade with no serration
- 9.25″ Overall length
- MOLLE compatible plastic sheath
- 4.2 oz
- Rubber handle
- Ground spine for use with firestarters
If the name wasn’t enough of a giveaway, the design of the blade clearly lends itself to use in the tactical and outdoorsman realms. The rubber handle is grippy and stays that way even when wet. The carbon steel blade comes from the factory supremely sharp and can be counted on to stay that way with a hardness rating of 58-60 HRC. The “shave test” is a popular way to check how sharp a knife is and there is a nice bald spot on the back of my hand to attest to the factory edge Morakniv put on this thing.
Carbon steel knives are well-known for being capable of a sharper edge than their stainless steel counterparts and also being able to hold that edge through more use and abuse. The downside to this is carbon steel’s need for a little more maintenance. If your grandpappy handed down a knife that still seems impossibly sharp, I’d bet dollars to doughnuts it’s of carbon steel construction. Stainless is more convenient, sure. But for the demanding owner, go with the one that contains the hardest element on earth, carbon.
The plastic sheath is very reminiscent of my dive knives, with a rubber retaining ring that pulls down over the butt of the handle to keep ahold of the Tactical when not in use.
Wipe off the blood of your foes (the fish you caught or that buck you bagged), clean and oil your Morakniv before putting it away and this will be your favorite knife for years to come. The Tactical comes in at $68 on Morakniv’s website.
