There is no doubt that you have seen a Mora knife before. They are common in many applications, and are used to do many things, from gutting a fish to cutting ice into manageable pieces. Even though you may have seen them, what exactly is a Mora knife and how can you make sure you are buying the best survival knife?

Typically used as a description of a belt knife, the original Mora knives came from the small town of Mora in Dalama, Sweden. The Mora knives started their legacy over one hundred years ago, when the then famous knife maker Erik Frost started Frost Knivfabrik in Mora. A knife maker by lineage, the secrets to good knife making were passed down to Erik from many generations of lessons learned, successes, and failures. He built his company around this experience and the undying principle that you must use only the highest quality of steel to create the best of knives.

Because of these incredibly rugged blades, the Mora knife has become a favorite among hunters, campers, and hikers the world over. They’re as rugged as a knife can be, have a 3 inch blade, and usually have a wooden or plastic handle. But what really sets them apart from the rest of the crowd is their price. Most of the Mora knives can easily be had for under ten dollars. Nowhere else in the world can you buy a knife that is backed by over one hundred years of tradition by a lower price.

There are few knife companies that are the brunt of more outlandish folklore than Mora is. Because their blades are created from carbon-steel, stainless, Triflex, and laminated steel, they have earned the reputation of holding a good edge and having a nearly unbreakable blade. Stories exist of campers that were stranded in the woods, yet were able to cut down a tree for their own firewood by using the never-dulling three inch blade. A few other legends exist in which it is purported that a man can stab the blade into a tree and stand on the handle, without any sign of breakage or degradation of integrity of the blade or handle.

While Frosts Knivfabrik sells quite a few different variations of their famous knives, all of them are basic, straight bladed, and very strong for their size and weight. While owning a Mora knife is very common place and can be used for many things, sometimes they just aren’t what you’re looking for in a survival knife. Here are some tips to help you find the knife you want when your life is on the line.

First, make sure you know your metals and know how and why they are used in certain circumstances. This is probably the most important decision you are going to make.

Lastly, visit a local store to view the knife you are looking for, or at the very least check out the closest model the shop has that resemble the blade you’re looking for.  While it may not be perfect, it’ll give you a good feeling going into the purchase.