In the past, it was common for so-called homework, a kind of job done at home for one of the industries here in the village. Our company driver drove around with the company cars a few times a week and handed out assignments. If I remember it correctly, it was a dark blue Volvo Duet 445 with a white roof and a blue Volkswagen Pickup.
During the 1990s, an acquaintance of mine worked for Segerströms in Stockholm, a subsidiary of the telephone company Ericsson, formerly LM Ericsson. By this time, the business had been corporatized and in a larger storehouse stood a number of galvanized baskets that no one wanted to know about and even less to pay warehouse rent for.
As you probably know by now, the area around Mora has a solid experience of knife making and the local manufacturers have never been involved in the manufacturing of folding knives. Although Jönsson's so-called barrel-knife was developed once, and the sheath maker Rombo-Anders Eriksson-Ström each produced a variant, the latter of which never came into production.
Today these knives have evolved into collector’s items as they have their rare background and history. The knife manufacturers in Mora competed for 100 years with the other Swedish knife town Eskilstuna, but today all their knife production has since long ended, not being able to compete with other manufactures. However, back in the days when knives from Mora started to conquer the world it was noticed with irritation in Eskilstuna.
From the beginning, our classic knives were used for all sorts of everyday tasks, and when the blade was ground down that much that it had become a significant narrower blade, it was even better suited for all kinds of whittling and woodcarving. However, it was not until the late 1950s that we noticed that special knives intended for whittling and woodcarving was included in the knife catalogs from Mora.
I get many questions regarding edge angles in various forums and therefore thought I could tell you why we have the edge angles that we have. A guideline for our Craft and Outdoor knives are that most knives up to 2.5 mm blade thickness usually have a total edge angle of 23 degrees, about 11.5 degrees per side.
To continue the celebration of our 130-year Anniversary, we proudly present an exclusive Q&A session, together with Product Specialists Pär Brask & Thomas Eriksson. These legends possess knowledge passed on from generations of craftsmen around Mora to enable the highest quality knife making, always with our heritage in mind. Enjoy a moment of Morakniv history, knife knowledge and beautiful memories.
In an old newspaper clip from Dagens Nyheter on July 24, 1989, you can read the following: “A love carving from 1881 in a pine tree outside Mora now enjoys protection from the forest management board. It was the mechanic Halvar Anders Eriksson and Stenis Anna Persdotter who stopped at Eldris during a walk to the summer cottage in Garberg. During the break, they decided on an engagement. Eriksson peeled the pine bark and engraved his trademark and the initials "AES". There under Stenis Anna's trademark and her initials "APD". As the crown of the work the year 1881.
In the spring of 2017, during our first Morakniv Adventure, we were out in the woods just north of Mora. There were several adventurers who asked me about old knives and how we could recognize the various local manufacturers who have been active here in Mora and also the time period they came from.
When you’re cooking in the kitchen, chop vegetables and then scrape down what is cut in the salad bowl, always make it a habit to turn the knife over and scrape with the back of the knife. If you scrape with the knife edge, the outermost foil-thin part of the knife edge is bent sideways and is clearly visible under a microscope. This is exactly the part that a sharpening steel has the task of straightening.
