KNIFE DEEP DIVE: MORAKNIV DALAHORSE WOODCARVING KIT

The knives from Mora’s carving series have simple barrel-shaped wooden handles that offer a neutral but positive grip. They have no finger guard or choil, which means that the knives can be gripped as close to the edge of the blade as possible. This gives maximum control while cutting. Mora has left the handles free of any finish like laquor or varnish. Because of this, they provide a tremendous grip. The front end of the wooden handles are fitted with a metal cap or ferrule to protect them from damage or splitting.

There are different special blade shapes available in the carving series, each meant to perform one specific carving task really well. The hook knives, for example, have curved blades that work for carving out hollow spaces, while the carving knives have relatively short and thin blades, made to precisely carve out intricate details. The tangs of the blades are fitted all the way through the handles, making for a solid full tang construction. Like their plastic-handled counterparts, the blades in Mora’s carving series are scandi ground, but have a finer, more high-polished finish.

To introduce people to Mora’s woodcarving series in a fun way, Mora now offers the Dala horse woodcarving kit. It comes with the model 120 short carving knife in carbon steel and a roughly sawn-out horse figure that you have to finish yourself. In this way, you can get to know the great sharpness and ease of use of the knife, while simultaneously trying out a new hobby. Perfect as a gift for a younger person or someone new to handicrafts.