Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The knife arrived quite promptly (from Harry J Epstein Co.)- a day before the earliest predicted arrival date, in fact. :) For those who do not know, this knife, the Mora 860 ("Companion" series) MG heavy duty carbon steel, is an improved version of the Mora 840 models ("Clipper" series). The main difference is that Companion blades have a significantly longer tang. You can google images search the difference in the tang between the Clipper and Companion. I prefer the improved tang because it makes me feel more comfortable using it, and it will hold up better to rough use. The sheath is plain and simple, nothing super fancy, though it is quite durable. If you prefer a leather sheath, you can either make one yourself or buy one online (I recommend bensbackwoods[dot]com though there are many others you can choose from). Like the Clipper's sheath, it comes with a sturdy belt clip, so it is easy to put on and take off. The knife itself is Scandinavian grind and has a 3.2mm thick blade at 4.09 inches long, and an overall length of 8.86 inches with a blade width of a hair over 3/4 of an inch. It has a comfortable rubber handle which won't slip out of your hands easily. The Companion also comes in stainless steel (Companion F, Companion F Rescue, Companion F serrated, and Companion MG, though none have the more robust 3.2mm thick blade), if you so prefer. I personally like the carbon steel because it can be sharpened in the field and will hold a better edge - Mora's carbon steel knives are hardened to 59-60 Rc, as opposed to 57-58 Rc with their stainless steel (Sandvik) blades. The knife arrived very sharp and ready for use. The Companion is a joy to work with, being very effective at chopping and carving green wood - it is also very handy at splitting dead wood, and making feathersticks was easily accomplished. You will find this knife much more capable of batoning than the Mora 2000 and other profile-ground blades, which have a tapered front (meaning the blade thins out towards the point), making chopping and splitting difficult. I can find only one drawback - the back of the knife is not squared-off enough to make it very effective with a firesteel. I wouldn't recommend using the edge of the knife for this purpose, as it will cause the blade to become blunt. If you are prone to placing your knife and-or sheath down somewhere and forgetting where you put it, you might want to opt for the Companion heavy duty that comes in orange - it is much easier to spot. This is an excellent bushcraft knife of high quality and low price. It can tackle a wide variety of tasks with ease and never ceases to impress me. The Companion heavy duty is clear proof that you don't need to spend over $70 for a superb bushcraft knife. Thank you Mora ;). **UPDATE** late July, 2013 - I have been using this knife for over half a year, and it is holding up quite well to regular bush tasks. I have only needed to sharpen it a few times with a fine stone followed by stropping. I also put a forced patina on the blade to give it a rustic look ;). One thing I failed to mention before was that the handle (121mm long, or approximately 4.76 inches) is a little big for people with normal/average-sized hands, yet the knife is still comfortable to hold and not at all cumbersome. This is an advantage in winter, as a slightly larger handle makes it easier to use the knife when wearing gloves or mittens.