The mora pathfinder is the most controversial mora to date. Is the price jump worth it? Does the knife still perform like a mora? In this video we find out.
I don't understand why you use the belly of a long knife when performing tasks that require force and control and complain about your performance (blaming it on the knife). You should do most of your whittling with the part of the edge closest to the handle, it's almost like choking up on the blade, except you get a comfortable grip and no risk of injury from slipping on the blade.
There were two weaknesses portrayed in this video, neither were to do with the knife. The sheath needs replacing as soon as possible. The tasks were not carried out well enough to show the true ability of this knife.
The sheath is fine. If it's truly an issue for some persons than just soak the nylon in water and then dry and press form it so it is further away from the blade. But really it's not an issue as I've had the knife for 5 years and used it 1000's of times.
I`m guessing you did were fortunate to not have the issue with the hilt-strap of the sheath getting nicked by the blade. Over time this could have led to either loss of the knife, or/and injury to the wearer.
Always honesty is the best policy, I'm like you I think Moras have been way under priced and I think people are spoiled, I never figured out how they could import knives to the US and sell them for under $20 and stay in business..Thanks for the review Brother! Great job as always!
Thank you sir. The knife was great!! I really enjoyed using it and will enjoy it in the future. I don't mind the cheap sheaths on the others but this one really deserves more. If it came with something a little more functional I would pay the asking price all day long.
Good honest review Justin. The Pathfinder is now $86 on Amazon, compared to the Bushcraft Black which is $63. It's $23 more for two more inches. That cost seems justified and isn't outrageous by any means. As far as the sheath, press some hot glue into the fibers of the strap where the blade contacts it and it'll protect it. This knife isn't for me though, because if I want a long blade, I want a stout heavy full tang knife, not a lightweight Mora.
I bought one to try, its ok, but sheath plain sucks, made my own out of rawhide dogbone from backwoodsman mag article, works great, knife is good camp knife, but still prefer my bushcraft black. Price wasn't bad as shopped around online and got it for 78.00 with shipping. Easternwoodsbum
The field test you're giving it is real world. When I have a large knife I very often require it to go through hell and come out the other side smiling and asking for more. Knives don't have to be giant, but they need to be good quality, able to handle abuse and what should be normal use. What you are doing I call normal use. Good job.
Good review. I was a bit confused when you said it was a good chooper but I assume you were meaning it was good at battoning and carving. I have been wanting to give one of these a shot but am not sure I can justify the price. Especially now that You showed the weakness of the sheath. Take care!
Is what I meant is it probably will do better then what I showed. I suck at chopping because I just never do it. I see what your saying though. Thank you.
neemancallender1 I have both and don’t carry them because there both 2 damn heavy for practical use. All the 9 does well is chop. The 7 ain’t much better considering it’s a combat knife
Some very good points regarding the knife and sheath, tell it how it is. A very honest and truthful review. I also agree that the price does not justify an extra 2", and a unreliable sheath. Thanks and all the best. Take care Alan (UK)
Great review Justin! I'm now carrying a 6 inch Mora blade that my brother put a custom wood handle on. Before I was carrying the Black. The longer knife took some time to get used to but feels good now. I made a simple leather sheath for it. Chris
I bought one cuz my son wanted to play with one...... That being said I'll stick to my robust and wait patiently for my skookum. Great video Justin. Keep them coming please. ATB Neil
Thanks for the video Justin. I'm still on the fence with this knife. Which really doesn't matter because I have no need for another knife. On a side note, I've watched your sheath making videos and learned a lot. I'm making my own now and hope to sell a few. If you had any advice for someone new to leather, what would it be? Keep up the great work, in leather and in videos. Krik
I would say "get out while you can!" lol.... The material cost is through the roof and at times it feels like your working for free. Making knives has far less material cost. Other then that I would remind you to always look 5 times before cutting. Once you cut there is no going back. Also make sure your blade is always sharp.
Same I quite like this knife!! Great quality and size. Balanced and razor edge. I don't split wood with a knife either, I use an axe!! The sheath is durable, I draw my knives with great care so there's no chance to "cut" the holster - never experienced that one. Thanks for the review
Hi Justin. Thanks for the thorough field test; looked like a good knife. For my usage I like my inexpensive Mora Robust; I only needed to sharpen the spine.use with a ferro rod. Take care, Ken
thanks for the review buddy you helped me out as I was torn between the path finder and the 848, will grab an 848 as its a lot cheaper and without the sheath problems.
Great video and great testing. Exactly what I would have done. I really wanted to see this scenario. I believe in the right tool for the job and would never feel right batoning with a 3/4 blade. Yet, I love a blade that can for survival purposes. I love the feel and comfort of the Mora Bushcraft Black and will just substitute either a better knife,ax,or saw. No doubt. Thx Grierwolf! :)
Good Video, I got the knife, (Hate the Price) The first time I pulled the knife out cut the strap all most off . Now I need a sheath for it. Glad u showed that.Thanks......
Great video. Honest. Just what I was looking for. I personally own 2 Companions, A Classic No.2, and a Craftline Q Allround Fixed Blade Utility Knife. All are amazingly sharp. I use them for different things. One of the Companions is strictly an at work knife: Box cutting, plastic strap and wrap cutting, etc. For camp craft, serious batoning, and chopping power, I use a Schrade SCHF9. I have large hands, and I'm not concerned about weight. At 15oz, it's hefty, but cost me half of the asking price for the Pathfinder. Great knife, the Pathfinder looks like it fits the bill, but not an $85 bill. My beast of a SCHF9 cost me under $40.
Thank you for showing this review I have seen the pathfinder advertised but just din't know what the hell it was now I can see its just a bigger bladed black, I'm with you I do not chop with a knife and I only batton small wood for fire building, I have several different knives and also make my own but my 'go to' knife is my Mora companion (with 90 deg spine) I dont really use any blade over 5 inches except my machetes so I dont see any reason for it myself, now a full tang 5 inch blade Mora with Kydex/leather sheath now that would be the money......thanks again mate great job
I think that both the knife and your video is pretty good, but with that being said I feel that people sometimes maybe expect too much from their knives. I would say that any mora is a decent budget knife. But they do work pretty good. But this is a good video man
Very good review. I carry the pathfinder in a Leather sheath as well the garberg in a cross sheath on my 5 clock position. ..the mfc sheath it's standard. It's a very good knive the path for batoning and heavy duty tasks. I don't do chop better use the folding saw. Don't waste time and energy. Sometimes I substitute the Path for an Small Forest Axe and became more versatile.
the blade snob community will appreciate the price hike, now they can own a Mora without feeling that they're slumming it too bad, lol, good video, I can see what you mean about not being able to choke up on the knife, it looks like a lot of blade with very little handle to compensate, thanks for the review.
I own a Pathfinder and I love it. I use my smaller Mora's the most but when I need a larger knife I go to my Pathfinder. Mora makes the best knife for the money hands down in my opinion.
Very good review. The luck of weight of that knife makes it not very useful for chopping. I'm used to use a saw for cutting and chopping. (when I was younger I used a very big knife) You save a lot of energy. I think that a smaller Mora can do the same things than the big one and it is more comfortable to use. I've enjoyed a lot the vid. Thank you for your advices and for sharing
Sir, thank you very much indeed, for an honest review on this MORA Pathfinder Knife, "chips fall where they may". I myself started to get impressed with this weapon as you brought it out, however, as you encountered, the blade was just too long, without any jumping of sorts, to better accomplish a simple task, like "feather-sticking". I think that a blade length like somewhere between this Pathfinder and a Garberg, would've been better suited for a perfect overall survival/bushcraft knife. As it stands, this Pathfinder knife is too long, and the Garberg knife is too short, to be considered "ideal". Just my opinion. MORA, --> this reviewer is precisely correct in his assumption that, for the price point of this weapon, a much, much better sheath should be part of this offering. Again, thank you Sir, for your honest review of this weapon. Oscar
Awesome review! I love my Mora Companion and Classic #2 and wouldn't give them up for the world. I carry a full tang knife as my primary blade, but always pack a Mora as well. But, for the price, I don't think that the Pathfinder is worth it. For the price tag that it's commanding, to not be full tang and not have a good sheath is a rip-off. One of the greatest draws for a Mora is the quality to cost ratio. The Pathfinder exceeds that by a wide margin.
Your feather stick improved because you finally used the correct portion of the blade which is closer to the hilt where the greatest leverage and control is available.
ding174 There is no correct portion of the blade for this. Each knife makes feathers a bit different. Some knives won't make feathers from this position.
For all these years Mora has been nearly giving away the best knives in the Craft and Outdoor markets. Now they are definitely cashing in on the popularity of the BC Black. The $35 knife when it came out is now over $50, of course the Pathfinder is most pricey but even a black blade Companion is available now for $12 more than the uncoated! I don't blame them but it is an obvious cash in on Americans buying trends. Loved the review BTW.
Great review Justin, it did all the tasks I think you need. For bigger diameters it really seems great to batton. I had to lough about the sheath-issue, because I think Mora really isn't too much into sheaths, lol. Some of the plastic sheath hold the knife kinda good, some don't. But I have to agree, this nylon sheath is really a no-go! Anyway, with a solid leather custom made sheath it is a great light weight high quality knife that offers the extra length of a blade that one may miss on the Bushcraft or Companion. You know I own the Companion Heavy Duty on which you made the fantastic sheath for and it's always at my backpack as my fine-task / secondary knife. If I didn't have the Bushtool, maybe the pathfinder could be an alternative. The Bushtool costs 60 $ more than the Pathfinder, so I think, a comparison won't be fair. Thanks for the great video, Cheers, Marc
You know I didn't even think about that Marc. The knife is very lite but does offer that extra length for those that want or need it. Great point bud. I really wish I would have thought about that. I would rather have the plastic sheath over this nylon one. I don't mind this on the other moras but not this one. At that price I would expect more.
***** I totally agree on the sheath issue. Yeah the minimum weight of the Moras is often not mentioned, maybe we take it for granted because they are always light weight ;-) Take care brother
been carrying one for several weeks, the sheath is crap, but it gets the job done, its easy to mount and hide it under clothes. also you can sew a ruber band (or something stretchy) on that strap, so it would fold back by itself.
What could Mora do now to make that sheath usable and so it lasts? Is the retaining strap the only problem with the sheath? The current price Jan 2015 is $89. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K70MLKK/sr=8-1/qid=1421375033/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1421375033&sr=8-1
Justin, this field test video was outstanding. From your field test, I can say that I totally agree with your thoughts on it. I have the Mora Black, and that is preferable to me. I also have something better if I want to baton, or chop. When you showed the Laplander at work, you really impressed me. That is why I have one. No sense chopping, when you can saw much easier, and faster. A saw is made for that purpose. (or use an axe for large pieces) I especially agree on your thoughts concerning the sheath. There is no reason they cannot have kydex sheaths made for the Pathfinder. The plastic sheath is preferable, if they won't go to kydex.
Mora 731 plastic sheath fits the Pathfinder.. I use it while waiting for the custom leather one I ordered from a guy. Hope this helps 🇫🇮 czcams.com/video/7aq7s1s0A_A/video.htmlsi=y9E4-EVUaw-QmrXm
There are more than a few guys in the military who carry the Mora Pathfinder. They aren't "bushcrafters". They want a good field knife which can also be used for a killing knife. Maybe this clears up a couple of things. It's easy to put a heavy coating of epoxy on retention straps to prevent them from being cut. Have a lovely 2024.
Hi, thank you for your review of this knife. Thank you for being so honest about the sheath problem. I would like to know how much you charge for custom sheaths? I am in the process of making some knives, but I am not at this time capable or knowledgeable about how to make a sheath for the individual finished knives. I will be studying your video on, " Building a sheath for a Jeff White knife ", but I would like your input on how much you charge for your knife sheaths! Stay safe and enjoy life!
Great honest review Justin ! is it worth it ? i agree with you if it had a better quality sheath i would say yes , i will stick to the companion ! thanks for sharing this review ,, atb john
I watched Dave's video on this knife, and he feels the same way. He thought this was too much money for this knife. Second Dave hates the sheath too. He had the prototype for over a year before they went into production. but has no control over the price. He beat the shit out of the prototype and I will say it looked great knowing when Dave beats up a knife it is going to be beat up. So other than the price and you made it clear there are other knives out there and they all cost over 200. I know I own many of them. Great review. keep them coming. Mike
Glad to hear Dave thinks the price is too high too, I take back the greedy asshole comment. I like Dave but i thought he had gone off the reservation with this one.
Fantastic video, Ive used Mora's for ever, I've never owned another make of knife, my current one is the Bushcraft Black and I just love it. I don't need or want a high end hand made knife its simple I see constantly the high end knives being used as a status/ego item, do they, would they (the owners) use a £200 / £300 pound knife in the same way they would a £50 Mora I don't know?. You cannot fault or knock the fantastic workmanship shown in hand made knives they are worth every penny. But does this new addition to the Mora Knife range command the price hike, simply, no it does not. Unless a knife manufacturer (any that is) is going to raise the bar in quality and performance along with the price they expect us to pay for the new knife then they are missing the point. I am happy with my Bushcraft Black it does everything I need it to do...... its simples.
Agree. I have a knife addiction but most are Mora or the amazingly similar and great (worth a try) GPS brand out of Ukraine. I have one long “survival” knife and it’s my Schrade SCHF52. It does everything I need and it allows me to carry my mora for most tasks that don’t require such a large knife. I always go out with both. Would you suggest the mora bushcraft black over the bushcraft stainless steel ones? It’s the only model (besides this pathfinder & the Garberg) that I don’t have. Heck my basic 511, my 13 year old Robust, and the Companions (really like the heavy duty) can do just about anything I ask of them. I’m just worried about corrosion with the bushcraft version even though these rarely have that. Sorry for the long question.
Great review. I have to say I had already made my mind up that I did not like it before you even started it just doesn't look balanced. Thanks for the great review. Jason
i like that Mora went with a sheath that can support a horizontal carry but instead of nylon security, they could've went with rather a friction hold (like how typical kydex sheaths work). it could work better as anti-cougar/anti-bear than bushcrafting but who knows. edit: when i hike, i carry a glock 78 knife (anti-4-legged-beasts) and mora companion (for everything) but if someone wants to save weight or just want simplicity, i think this could work?
It was the strangest thing. It didn't feel right. The knife was to big but felt to lite if that makes any sense. However, the knife did perform well so I can't knock the feel. I know I'll get use to it. Thanks for watching.
Your absolutely right, I was thinking the same thing. And the price is outrageous. I think mora is trying to compete with the jakkari puukko. I have around 12 Mora's. And this long bladed mora is just out of place.
I have to say, that the Mora Pathfinder is a good knife, however like you said, i would not pay the current price ( $85 ). However a knife is worth what your willing to pay for it.
ZimCo Survival amazon has the blade blanks for 20 bucks. . carbon no. 3 is what I think it is listed as, check the spec in description. . total overall 10 inches or so with 5.9 inch blade. pretty sure it is the same or so darn close
Great knife to have as a companion to your Bushcraft Black or HD for batoning larger logs, if you don't want to carry an axe with you, combined with a Bacho saw, you can't go wrong, atb....Sev.
Thanks for a really good review. What can I say, Mora Pathfinder 6.0" blade approx 130 USD and Mora Bushcraft Black 5.0" blade approx 48 USD, in spite of I'm a huge Morafan/man/user I have only one thing to say, if someone pays 82 USD for 1.0" and a crappy sheath I must say that this person is not stupid, he or she has only bad luck when they are thinking... :) Please guys misunderstand me right on this one... :)
Great honest review. The knife is just too long for me. I have tried long blades and always migrate back to 4.5 to 5.5 inch blades. I just don't feel like I have as good control with longer blades. Like you, I don't baton or chop. There are much better tools for that. Keep up the good work!
i ain't gonna beat on the knife, either. i have a 19" short axe for that and that's what the axe (tool) was made for - not a knife, but hey like you said, each to their own. it's just that i agree with you. thx4vid!
Honestly, I'd rather have Mora Bushcraft Black over Mora Pathfinder even if they were the same price. I just feel like Morakniv known for great small-to-medium functional and practical knives tries to jump niches by doing nothing but extending the length of a blade. There is more to making large knives than just making a longer blade. So the choice between Mora Black and Mora Pathfinder will boil down to having an excellent medium sized knife or a decent long knife.
Appreciate the Honesty. And your right. I came to you for a real Sheath. Who is your Kydex recommendation for any future needs I may have. Oh, by the way....Nice Leather Shealth you made for me. Thanks!
Thank you Gary. I appreciate it. I do kydex as well but won't be taking custom orders for a couple months. If you don't wish to wait check out my friend Gary Lawson at c2gfab.com Let him know I sent you.
Thanks for the review & field test. I have the Mora BCB & have been thinking about getting this one.If you really want to get rid of it, I'd buy it from you at a used price! Laterz, - danofiremano
I agree Justin it isn't worth $100 when you can get schrade SCHF9 for lees than fity busk and have 1095 carbon steel that's 1/4 " thick ! Holds an edge as good as any or better than most! It has a full tang that's not skeletonized ! The sheath it comes with is better than that mora but needs to be better still! That's just my opinion though I am sure someone will have something to say differently so I will insert (the one that I received is) lol Good honest review!
Most bush craft knives are way over priced. If a mora sold for 15 dollars and cold steel, or ontario knives can be produced and sold for under a 100 dollars Why would a person pay more? These knife makers mentioned here have a history of producing excellent knives. Tough,dependable, easy to sharpen and maintain. Buy two keep one for a spare, which you will probably never need. Learn how to treat your tools and they will treat you well. This spiel was not directed at you personally just towards knife makers in general. I enjoy your videos, Thank you.
The Pathfinder, while being a very strong and capable knife, will not be quite as strong as the Garberg due to the Garberg's full tang design and shorter blade.
Best reason for the longer blade is hacking brush and battoning thicker wood and heavier blade for chopping and that is why the bushcraft is really the best all around knife for its length and weight
For the price you'd probably be better off with a Becker bk9 cuz it can chop and baton better than the pathfinder and it costs less. Overall still a great review.
You're absolutely right about the sharpness of the spine of this knife - I use my Mora Pathfinder to throw sparks off my cheap eBay ferro rod, and holy fuck, it throws a whole forest fire...
Are you familiar with the Mora classic number 3? It looks like the same blade on the classic red handle. It's a good deal cheaper but it may be later wait I'm not sure?
When asking if the knife is worth is, we forget the fact that most of us carry more than one knife. Seems to me, that will be a good chopper, and If I had one, I would still end up using my Companion for feather sticking and small camp tasks. So is 100.00 bux worth the quality and capability? Maybe.... But With a multi knife system, is it still worth it? I dunno.
based on what I saw it is a 95.8% price increase over the regular bushcraft. That said it is a 54.8% increase in weight which, assuming the handle is identical, is a lot more steel in the bade. if you look at design and tooling and probably lower sales numbers due to the higher price i can kind of understand the higher price. Dave Canterbuy has laid out his critera for a 1 tool survival knife. the mora bushcraft missed it by 2, length, and not full tank. This addresses the length, not sure about the full tang issue. for me, I prefer a full tank knife to baton.
I don't know, I use a schrade and it's cost is in my range. Kinves cut, whittle, carve, stab, baton, and what ever else knives do. You need to get to know your knife even if its a cheaper one. I do fine with it.
I think you are being too hard on the sheath. It's nothing a little black duck tape won't solve when it comes to the retention strap. To me this knife is worth the cost. Great kitchen/butcher knife. Great bush craft knife and a very lethal combat knife. I don't need it to chop or split. That's what I got my 2hawks path finder scout tomahawk for.
I don't understand why you use the belly of a long knife when performing tasks that require force and control and complain about your performance (blaming it on the knife).
You should do most of your whittling with the part of the edge closest to the handle, it's almost like choking up on the blade, except you get a comfortable grip and no risk of injury from slipping on the blade.
Great video, my friend, as always! Was really looking forward to a real test from this knife and you stepped up, yet again!
Thank you. I really appreciate that.
One of the best knife reviews i've ever seen. Well done sir! Greetings from good old Germany.
Kay Wöhst Thank you sir. I appreciate it.
One of the best review's I've seen. Couldn't agree with you more. Thanks for keeping it real and honest.
That's the only way to have them. Honest. Thanks for watching bud.
Thanks for the informative review.
Very straight forward and honest.
Sikorsky67 Thank you sir.
There were two weaknesses portrayed in this video, neither were to do with the knife. The sheath needs replacing as soon as possible. The tasks were not carried out well enough to show the true ability of this knife.
The sheath is fine. If it's truly an issue for some persons than just soak the nylon in water and then dry and press form it so it is further away from the blade. But really it's not an issue as I've had the knife for 5 years and used it 1000's of times.
I`m guessing you did were fortunate to not have the issue with the hilt-strap of the sheath getting nicked by the blade. Over time this could have led to either loss of the knife, or/and injury to the wearer.
Another great review Justin
Thanks for the review. You've helped me make up my mind on which mora I will not be adding to my collection.
RowdyRoddy Thank you sir.
Always honesty is the best policy, I'm like you I think Moras have been way under priced and I think people are spoiled, I never figured out how they could import knives to the US and sell them for under $20 and stay in business..Thanks for the review Brother! Great job as always!
Thank you sir. The knife was great!! I really enjoyed using it and will enjoy it in the future. I don't mind the cheap sheaths on the others but this one really deserves more. If it came with something a little more functional I would pay the asking price all day long.
Good review Justin.
Great vid as always. Thank you for the honest review.
Thank you sir. Glad you liked it.
Good honest review Justin. The Pathfinder is now $86 on Amazon, compared to the Bushcraft Black which is $63. It's $23 more for two more inches. That cost seems justified and isn't outrageous by any means. As far as the sheath, press some hot glue into the fibers of the strap where the blade contacts it and it'll protect it. This knife isn't for me though, because if I want a long blade, I want a stout heavy full tang knife, not a lightweight Mora.
I bought one to try, its ok, but sheath plain sucks, made my own out of rawhide dogbone from backwoodsman mag article, works great, knife is good camp knife, but still prefer my bushcraft black. Price wasn't bad as shopped around online and got it for 78.00 with shipping. Easternwoodsbum
The field test you're giving it is real world. When I have a large knife I very often require it to go through hell and come out the other side smiling and asking for more. Knives don't have to be giant, but they need to be good quality, able to handle abuse and what should be normal use. What you are doing I call normal use. Good job.
Excellent review... I appreciate your balanced review.
Thank You Shane.
Good review. I was a bit confused when you said it was a good chooper but I assume you were meaning it was good at battoning and carving. I have been wanting to give one of these a shot but am not sure I can justify the price. Especially now that You showed the weakness of the sheath. Take care!
Is what I meant is it probably will do better then what I showed. I suck at chopping because I just never do it. I see what your saying though. Thank you.
Thanks for the honest review!
No problem. Thank you for watching.
very good professional video!
thanks
For the price point of this knife you can buy a Becker 7 or 9 that will be indestructible
add $10 for a companion or classic for fine work
I can agree with that.
neemancallender1 I have both and don’t carry them because there both 2 damn heavy for practical use. All the 9 does well is chop. The 7 ain’t much better considering it’s a combat knife
Thank for the review! Agree with your talking points...
Thank you.
Great review, thanks.
Michael Cervantez Thank you sir.
Some very good points regarding the knife and sheath, tell it how it is.
A very honest and truthful review. I also agree that the price does not justify an extra 2", and a unreliable sheath. Thanks and all the best.
Take care
Alan (UK)
Exactly. If the knife came with a better sheath then I personally could except it. Not with that sheath though. Thank you Alan!
The sheath is fine, just to learn to draw a damn knife properly. Honest and truthful mean the same thing Alan.
Great review Justin!
I'm now carrying a 6 inch Mora blade that my brother put a custom wood handle on. Before I was carrying the Black. The longer knife took some time to get used to but feels good now. I made a simple leather sheath for it.
Chris
That's cool Chris. I'm glad to hear the feel will come.
Good video. Thanks for the review. The limitations of the sheath you revealed to all, 'nuff said.
+Terry “Ruck Up” Rach Thank you Terry.
I bought one cuz my son wanted to play with one...... That being said I'll stick to my robust and wait patiently for my skookum. Great video Justin. Keep them coming please. ATB Neil
Thank you Neil
I suppose Mora constructed the pathfinder because of all batonging-requests from the batonging-enthusiasts.
Thanks for the video Justin. I'm still on the fence with this knife. Which really doesn't matter because I have no need for another knife. On a side note, I've watched your sheath making videos and learned a lot. I'm making my own now and hope to sell a few. If you had any advice for someone new to leather, what would it be? Keep up the great work, in leather and in videos.
Krik
I would say "get out while you can!" lol.... The material cost is through the roof and at times it feels like your working for free. Making knives has far less material cost. Other then that I would remind you to always look 5 times before cutting. Once you cut there is no going back. Also make sure your blade is always sharp.
Leatherworking is an apprenticeship. Not just something to learn on youtube.
Same I quite like this knife!! Great quality and size. Balanced and razor edge. I don't split wood with a knife either, I use an axe!! The sheath is durable, I draw my knives with great care so there's no chance to "cut" the holster - never experienced that one. Thanks for the review
Hi Justin. Thanks for the thorough field test; looked like a good knife. For my usage I like my inexpensive Mora Robust; I only needed to sharpen the spine.use with a ferro rod. Take care, Ken
The Robust us certainly a FANTASTIC knife. I love mine.
thanks for the review buddy you helped me out as I was torn between the path finder and the 848, will grab an 848 as its a lot cheaper and without the sheath problems.
No problem man. Thanks for watching.
Great video and great testing. Exactly what I would have done. I really wanted to see this scenario. I believe in the right tool for the job and would never feel right batoning with a 3/4 blade. Yet, I love a blade that can for survival purposes. I love the feel and comfort of the Mora Bushcraft Black and will just substitute either a better knife,ax,or saw. No doubt. Thx Grierwolf! :)
Mykel Caret Thank you sir. I appreciate it.
Good Video, I got the knife, (Hate the Price) The first time I pulled the knife out cut the strap all most off . Now I need a sheath for it. Glad u showed that.Thanks......
No problem. Glad you liked it.
Dig the indexing and grip flip Sir. Nice test.
Great video and review ***** Justin and thank you for your assessment. I think I would agree with you
Thanks bud.
Great video. Honest. Just what I was looking for. I personally own 2 Companions, A Classic No.2, and a Craftline Q Allround Fixed Blade Utility Knife. All are amazingly sharp. I use them for different things. One of the Companions is strictly an at work knife: Box cutting, plastic strap and wrap cutting, etc. For camp craft, serious batoning, and chopping power, I use a Schrade SCHF9. I have large hands, and I'm not concerned about weight. At 15oz, it's hefty, but cost me half of the asking price for the Pathfinder. Great knife, the Pathfinder looks like it fits the bill, but not an $85 bill. My beast of a SCHF9 cost me under $40.
Great review.
Thank you Dean. I appreciate it.
Thank you for showing this review I have seen the pathfinder advertised but just din't know what the hell it was now I can see its just a bigger bladed black, I'm with you I do not chop with a knife and I only batton small wood for fire building, I have several different knives and also make my own but my 'go to' knife is my Mora companion (with 90 deg spine) I dont really use any blade over 5 inches except my machetes so I dont see any reason for it myself, now a full tang 5 inch blade Mora with Kydex/leather sheath now that would be the money......thanks again mate great job
I think that both the knife and your video is pretty good, but with that being said I feel that people sometimes maybe expect too much from their knives. I would say that any mora is a decent budget knife. But they do work pretty good. But this is a good video man
Very good review.
I carry the pathfinder in a Leather sheath as well the garberg in a cross sheath on my 5 clock position. ..the mfc sheath it's standard.
It's a very good knive the path for batoning and heavy duty tasks. I don't do chop better use the folding saw. Don't waste time and energy. Sometimes I substitute the Path for an Small Forest Axe and became more versatile.
Thanks for your review. I'd love to see your recommendations for a Kydex sheath for this blade.
Excellent review. Just subscribed.
snowpuppy77 Thank you sir.
the blade snob community will appreciate the price hike, now they can own a Mora without feeling that they're slumming it too bad, lol, good video, I can see what you mean about not being able to choke up on the knife, it looks like a lot of blade with very little handle to compensate, thanks for the review.
I own a Pathfinder and I love it. I use my smaller Mora's the most but when I need a larger knife I go to my Pathfinder. Mora makes the best knife for the money hands down in my opinion.
think you did a great review, be a good larger knife. Moras are great knives.thanks man
Thank you Kull.
Very good review. The luck of weight of that knife makes it not very useful for chopping. I'm used to use a saw for cutting and chopping. (when I was younger I used a very big knife) You save a lot of energy. I think that a smaller Mora can do the same things than the big one and it is more comfortable to use.
I've enjoyed a lot the vid. Thank you for your advices and for sharing
i did enjoy the review, looked like a great knife..
..bill
The knife was great! The sheath, not so much.
Sir, thank you very much indeed, for an honest review on this MORA Pathfinder Knife, "chips fall where they may".
I myself started to get impressed with this weapon as you brought it out, however, as you encountered, the blade was just too long, without any jumping of sorts, to better accomplish a simple task, like "feather-sticking".
I think that a blade length like somewhere between this Pathfinder and a Garberg, would've been better suited for a perfect overall survival/bushcraft knife. As it stands, this Pathfinder knife is too long, and the Garberg knife is too short, to be considered "ideal". Just my opinion.
MORA, --> this reviewer is precisely correct in his assumption that, for the price point of this weapon, a much, much better sheath should be part of this offering.
Again, thank you Sir, for your honest review of this weapon.
Oscar
Awesome review! I love my Mora Companion and Classic #2 and wouldn't give them up for the world. I carry a full tang knife as my primary blade, but always pack a Mora as well. But, for the price, I don't think that the Pathfinder is worth it. For the price tag that it's commanding, to not be full tang and not have a good sheath is a rip-off. One of the greatest draws for a Mora is the quality to cost ratio. The Pathfinder exceeds that by a wide margin.
Most people with experience pays for quality and craftsmanship 👍🏻
how did I miss this one great review Justin iv used it I'll stick with the black rear review brother atb ,.,...tom
Your feather stick improved because you finally used the correct portion of the blade which is closer to the hilt where the greatest leverage and control is available.
ding174 There is no correct portion of the blade for this. Each knife makes feathers a bit different. Some knives won't make feathers from this position.
Thanks for the review Justin. Seems to be good Mora knife. I'll think I'll stick with my $15 Mora companion.
Can't say that I blame you Larry. Thank you sir.
For all these years Mora has been nearly giving away the best knives in the Craft and Outdoor markets. Now they are definitely cashing in on the popularity of the BC Black. The $35 knife when it came out is now over $50, of course the Pathfinder is most pricey but even a black blade Companion is available now for $12 more than the uncoated! I don't blame them but it is an obvious cash in on Americans buying trends.
Loved the review BTW.
Great review Justin, it did all the tasks I think you need. For bigger diameters it really seems great to batton. I had to lough about the sheath-issue, because I think Mora really isn't too much into sheaths, lol. Some of the plastic sheath hold the knife kinda good, some don't. But I have to agree, this nylon sheath is really a no-go! Anyway, with a solid leather custom made sheath it is a great light weight high quality knife that offers the extra length of a blade that one may miss on the Bushcraft or Companion. You know I own the Companion Heavy Duty on which you made the fantastic sheath for and it's always at my backpack as my fine-task / secondary knife. If I didn't have the Bushtool, maybe the pathfinder could be an alternative. The Bushtool costs 60 $ more than the Pathfinder, so I think, a comparison won't be fair. Thanks for the great video, Cheers, Marc
You know I didn't even think about that Marc. The knife is very lite but does offer that extra length for those that want or need it. Great point bud. I really wish I would have thought about that.
I would rather have the plastic sheath over this nylon one. I don't mind this on the other moras but not this one. At that price I would expect more.
*****
I totally agree on the sheath issue. Yeah the minimum weight of the Moras is often not mentioned, maybe we take it for granted because they are always light weight ;-) Take care brother
This apparent problem with the sheath is an illusion, just don't draw the knife fast like a sword readying for battle and it will remain undamaged..
been carrying one for several weeks, the sheath is crap, but it gets the job done, its easy to mount and hide it under clothes. also you can sew a ruber band (or something stretchy) on that strap, so it would fold back by itself.
Yeah, it gets the job done but I honestly feel if a knife is over $100 it should come with a good sheath. Kydex is not expensive.
What could Mora do now to make that sheath usable and so it lasts? Is the retaining strap the only problem with the sheath? The current price Jan 2015 is $89. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K70MLKK/sr=8-1/qid=1421375033/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1421375033&sr=8-1
Justin, this field test video was outstanding. From your field test, I can say that I totally agree with your thoughts on it. I have the Mora Black, and that is preferable to me. I also have something better if I want to baton, or chop. When you showed the Laplander at work, you really impressed me. That is why I have one. No sense chopping, when you can saw much easier, and faster. A saw is made for that purpose. (or use an axe for large pieces) I especially agree on your thoughts concerning the sheath. There is no reason they cannot have kydex sheaths made for the Pathfinder. The plastic sheath is preferable, if they won't go to kydex.
Completely agree. I would much rather have the plastic sheath then this thing, but they can still do better.
Even if it came with a standard Mora plastic sheath it would be better. I appreciate your candor. I still want one.
!00% agree. I would rather have the plastic one over the one they made for it. Although at the price they could make a nice kydex one.
Mora 731 plastic sheath fits the Pathfinder.. I use it while waiting for the custom leather one I ordered from a guy. Hope this helps 🇫🇮
czcams.com/video/7aq7s1s0A_A/video.htmlsi=y9E4-EVUaw-QmrXm
There are more than a few guys in the military who carry the Mora Pathfinder. They aren't "bushcrafters". They want a good field knife which can also be used for a killing knife. Maybe this clears up a couple of things. It's easy to put a heavy coating of epoxy on retention straps to prevent them from being cut. Have a lovely 2024.
Hi, thank you for your review of this knife. Thank you for being so honest about the sheath problem. I would like to know how much you charge for custom sheaths? I am in the process of making some knives, but I am not at this time capable or knowledgeable about how to make a sheath for the individual finished knives. I will be studying your video on, " Building a sheath for a Jeff White knife ", but I would like your input on how much you charge for your knife sheaths! Stay safe and enjoy life!
Come to my website Larry. This will give you an idea. wolfecustoms.com/
Great honest review Justin ! is it worth it ? i agree with you if it had a better quality sheath i would say yes , i will stick to the companion ! thanks for sharing this review ,, atb john
Thank you John. I appreciate it bud.
I watched Dave's video on this knife, and he feels the same way. He thought this was too much money for this knife. Second Dave hates the sheath too. He had the prototype for over a year before they went into production. but has no control over the price. He beat the shit out of the prototype and I will say it looked great knowing when Dave beats up a knife it is going to be beat up. So other than the price and you made it clear there are other knives out there and they all cost over 200. I know I own many of them. Great review. keep them coming. Mike
Thank you Mike. I'm glad you liked the review bud.
Glad to hear Dave thinks the price is too high too, I take back the greedy asshole comment. I like Dave but i thought he had gone off the reservation with this one.
Fantastic video, Ive used Mora's for ever, I've never owned another make of knife, my current one is the Bushcraft Black and I just love it. I don't need or want a high end hand made knife its simple I see constantly the high end knives being used as a status/ego item, do they, would they (the owners) use a £200 / £300 pound knife in the same way they would a £50 Mora I don't know?. You cannot fault or knock the fantastic workmanship shown in hand made knives they are worth every penny. But does this new addition to the Mora Knife range command the price hike, simply, no it does not. Unless a knife manufacturer (any that is) is going to raise the bar in quality and performance along with the price they expect us to pay for the new knife then they are missing the point. I am happy with my Bushcraft Black it does everything I need it to do...... its simples.
WoodlandCPS I can't disagree with anything you have said. The bushcraft black is tops in the world of manufactured knives imo.
Agree. I have a knife addiction but most are Mora or the amazingly similar and great (worth a try) GPS brand out of Ukraine. I have one long “survival” knife and it’s my Schrade SCHF52. It does everything I need and it allows me to carry my mora for most tasks that don’t require such a large knife. I always go out with both.
Would you suggest the mora bushcraft black over the bushcraft stainless steel ones? It’s the only model (besides this pathfinder & the Garberg) that I don’t have.
Heck my basic 511, my 13 year old Robust, and the Companions (really like the heavy duty) can do just about anything I ask of them.
I’m just worried about corrosion with the bushcraft version even though these rarely have that. Sorry for the long question.
Great review. I have to say I had already made my mind up that I did not like it before you even started it just doesn't look balanced. Thanks for the great review.
Jason
It doesn't feel balanced either but yet it still performed just fine. Very strange.
Thanks man I'll probably stick with my companion. Good video
4 directions bushcraft Certainly no reason you can't. The companion is such a great knife. Thanks for watching man.
i like that Mora went with a sheath that can support a horizontal carry but instead of nylon security, they could've went with rather a friction hold (like how typical kydex sheaths work). it could work better as anti-cougar/anti-bear than bushcrafting but who knows.
edit: when i hike, i carry a glock 78 knife (anti-4-legged-beasts) and mora companion (for everything) but if someone wants to save weight or just want simplicity, i think this could work?
nice honest review, for me the term " it didnt feel right" summed it up, its too long for a Mora
It was the strangest thing. It didn't feel right. The knife was to big but felt to lite if that makes any sense. However, the knife did perform well so I can't knock the feel. I know I'll get use to it. Thanks for watching.
Your absolutely right, I was thinking the same thing. And the price is outrageous. I think mora is trying to compete with the jakkari puukko. I have around 12 Mora's. And this long bladed mora is just out of place.
I personally like the smaller Mora knives. I think that is there market to stick with.
+grierwolfe thank you for giving an honest review about the knife.
+Jonathan Berumen No problem man. Thanks for watching.
I have to say, that the Mora Pathfinder is a good knife, however like you said, i would not pay the current price ( $85 ). However a knife is worth what your willing to pay for it.
ZimCo Survival amazon has the blade blanks for 20 bucks. . carbon no. 3 is what I think it is listed as, check the spec in description. . total overall 10 inches or so with 5.9 inch blade. pretty sure it is the same or so darn close
Great knife to have as a companion to your Bushcraft Black or HD for batoning larger logs, if you don't want to carry an axe with you, combined with a Bacho saw, you can't go wrong, atb....Sev.
Nice review, are you going to make a sheath for it?
I already have bud. Take a look. wolfecustoms.com/?attachment_id=515
Thanks it looks great
Thanks for reminding me why I subscribed! :)
Thank you sir. I appreciate that.
*****
Not a problem, you're very welcome!
Thanks for a really good review. What can I say, Mora Pathfinder 6.0" blade approx 130 USD and Mora Bushcraft Black 5.0" blade approx 48 USD, in spite of I'm a huge Morafan/man/user I have only one thing to say, if someone pays 82 USD for 1.0" and a crappy sheath I must say that this person is not stupid, he or she has only bad luck when they are thinking... :) Please guys misunderstand me right on this one... :)
The knife is $69 USD currently. Never seen it go above $90 USD.
I have expensive knives, but my favorite is the Old Hickory, and that Mora reminds me of it. except for the price. Just get used to it.
Great honest review. The knife is just too long for me. I have tried long blades and always migrate back to 4.5 to 5.5 inch blades. I just don't feel like I have as good control with longer blades. Like you, I don't baton or chop. There are much better tools for that. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Philip. I appreciate it.
i ain't gonna beat on the knife, either. i have a 19" short axe for that and that's what the axe (tool) was made for - not a knife, but hey like you said, each to their own. it's just that i agree with you. thx4vid!
Seemed like an honest, straight-forward, no BS review.... I think I am going to pass on the Pathfinder.
Honestly, I'd rather have Mora Bushcraft Black over Mora Pathfinder even if they were the same price. I just feel like Morakniv known for great small-to-medium functional and practical knives tries to jump niches by doing nothing but extending the length of a blade. There is more to making large knives than just making a longer blade. So the choice between Mora Black and Mora Pathfinder will boil down to having an excellent medium sized knife or a decent long knife.
I completely agree I'll choose the black over this one every day.
Appreciate the Honesty. And your right. I came to you for a real Sheath. Who is your Kydex recommendation for any future needs I may have. Oh, by the way....Nice Leather Shealth you made for me. Thanks!
Thank you Gary. I appreciate it. I do kydex as well but won't be taking custom orders for a couple months. If you don't wish to wait check out my friend Gary Lawson at c2gfab.com Let him know I sent you.
Thanks for the review & field test. I have the Mora BCB & have been thinking about getting this one.If you really want to get rid of it, I'd buy it from you at a used price!
Laterz,
- danofiremano
I would but I need it for my business.
I agree Justin it isn't worth $100 when you can get schrade SCHF9 for lees than fity busk and have 1095 carbon steel that's 1/4 " thick ! Holds an edge as good as any or better than most!
It has a full tang that's not skeletonized ! The sheath it comes with is better than that mora but needs to be better still! That's just my opinion though I am sure someone will have something to say differently so I will insert (the one that I received is) lol
Good honest review!
lol.... Thank you John. I seen that you sent me an email. I'm going to be addressing them all tonight. Thanks man.
Most bush craft knives are way over priced. If a mora sold for 15 dollars and cold steel, or ontario knives can be produced and sold for under a 100 dollars Why would a person pay more? These knife makers mentioned here have a history of producing excellent knives. Tough,dependable, easy to sharpen and maintain. Buy two keep one for a spare, which you will probably never need. Learn how to treat your tools and they will treat you well. This spiel was not directed at you personally just towards knife makers in general. I enjoy your videos, Thank you.
quercus I appreciate the feedback sir and I agree with you.
Hi, I'd like to ask: is the Pathfinder as strong as the Garberg in hard use in general and in batoning in particular?
The Pathfinder, while being a very strong and capable knife, will not be quite as strong as the Garberg due to the Garberg's full tang design and shorter blade.
I wouldn't mind the hard plastic sheath like the rest of the Mora's.
muddog1561 It would have been much better I think.
Best reason for the longer blade is hacking brush and battoning thicker wood and heavier blade for chopping and that is why the bushcraft is really the best all around knife for its length and weight
How much did it cost back then?
For the price you'd probably be better off with a Becker bk9 cuz it can chop and baton better than the pathfinder and it costs less. Overall still a great review.
I carry a Silky Gomboy folding saw for that reason. ;)
Does the Mora Pathfinder have a full tang?
no sir. 3/4 tang.
You're absolutely right about the sharpness of the spine of this knife - I use my Mora Pathfinder to throw sparks off my cheap eBay ferro rod, and holy fuck, it throws a whole forest fire...
i would like to see it get the same symmetrical sheath of the garberg
Are you familiar with the Mora classic number 3? It looks like the same blade on the classic red handle. It's a good deal cheaper but it may be later wait I'm not sure?
+Steve Brettell This knife is much stronger/durable than the Mora classic number 3.
Ebay has it for $72.99 and if performs anywhere as well as my "Mora Light My Fire" it's worth it. No complaints.
Where did you get that ferro rod. It really thorw's some serious sparks!!!
Here you go. www.selfrelianceoutfitters.com/ferrocerium-rod-fire-starter/
I wish Mora made a plastic sheath for the Pathfinder like what the Bushcraft Black has. That way, the cost can go down a little.
Good description. Personally, I don't see the need to buy this knife. I would stay with the black and use it as a back up.
Agreed.
When asking if the knife is worth is, we forget the fact that most of us carry more than one knife. Seems to me, that will be a good chopper, and If I had one, I would still end up using my Companion for feather sticking and small camp tasks. So is 100.00 bux worth the quality and capability? Maybe.... But With a multi knife system, is it still worth it? I dunno.
Hi! Thanks 4 your video. Good outdoor knife but I think 15 Cm blade would be enough..the sneath is really crappy)
Urban Survival Thank you sir. I appreciate it.
based on what I saw it is a 95.8% price increase over the regular bushcraft. That said it is a 54.8% increase in weight which, assuming the handle is identical, is a lot more steel in the bade. if you look at design and tooling and probably lower sales numbers due to the higher price i can kind of understand the higher price. Dave Canterbuy has laid out his critera for a 1 tool survival knife. the mora bushcraft missed it by 2, length, and not full tank. This addresses the length, not sure about the full tang issue. for me, I prefer a full tank knife to baton.
I don't know, I use a schrade and it's cost is in my range. Kinves cut, whittle, carve, stab, baton, and what ever else knives do. You need to get to know your knife even if its a cheaper one. I do fine with it.
I think you are being too hard on the sheath. It's nothing a little black duck tape won't solve when it comes to the retention strap. To me this knife is worth the cost. Great kitchen/butcher knife. Great bush craft knife and a very lethal combat knife. I don't need it to chop or split. That's what I got my 2hawks path finder scout tomahawk for.