This is the Mora Craftline Carpentry Chisel, a popular half-chisel and half-knife tool that can be used for a wide range of tasks.
I’ve been watching the Mora chisel knife since the Fall, hoping it would be on sale for the holiday season, but the price never came down.
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The price has hovered between $15 and $16 for the past couple of months, rising a bit higher on occasion.
I checked my Amazon cart today, and saw that the price dripped down to $13.48.
While this isn’t as low as I’ve seen it sell for during holiday season deals of the day, it’s a couple of dollars less than it has been selling for.
Given that this Mora knife never went on sale during the holiday season like I had expected and hoped for, this might be the best price we’ll see on it for a while.
Price: $13.48
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Here’s the Ka-Bar BK3 Becker Tac Tool, which I guess can also be used for workshop tasks.
Price: $93
Jared
Just FYI Hultafors and Titan both make a chisel knife too.
I’ve been watching the Mora off and on in Canada waiting for a sale, but its currently $26 here. No deal.
Different style, but another alternative for an easy to carry chisel is the Stanley Fatmax or the Fascap folding chisels. I have the Stanley – it’s a bit heavy and bulky, but very robust. Mine is more than sharp enough to double for most cutting tasks, but obviously the blade is a little small for that duty.
I also have the Fastcap folding pull saw which is a similar design to their chisels – not sure I would trust that as much, but I imagine they are much smaller and lighter.
Just a thought, a chisel knife with a folding handle would be an awesome tool!
Stuart
Since you mentioned them, here’s more on the folding chisels:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/fastcap-pocket-chisels-tools/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/revisiting-stanleys-folding-pocket-chisel/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/stanley-fatmax-pocket-chisel/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Jared
I definitely learned about the Fatmax folding chisel from you Stuart. I really like mine despite the bulk – it’s not exactly pocket friendly but it feels very robust and seems to stay sharp. Perfect for throwing in a tool bag to keep a chisel close at hand.
I considered adding some Fascap chisels in different sizes – but the saw I bought make me rethink that idea. The saw is handy, but not something I depend on regularly – seems pretty wimpy and I don’t trust it not to break (plus this seems to be a common complaint in the Amazon reviews).
The chisels certainly look similar in construction, so I’m not sure they would hold up. Maybe I’ll buy one of the smallest sizes to test for myself. It shouldn’t need to be super tough to be useful in a small size, but that way I can see how it is constructed.
P.S. I didn’t realize the Fatmax was so much cheaper in the USA too! I think it’s retail is $29.99 here and I bought it on sale for $24.99. I think anyone who buys that for $10 in the USA will be very pleased.
Steve Goodman
I love these things. And on a side note is this knife that led me to Toolguyd years ago when researching mora. Bought one then and still have it (albeit pretty wipped). Thanks!
Vards Uzvards
Hultafors ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z9VNGYT/ ) was $9 just couple weeks ago, but out of stock right now.
Jared
One more: Bahco 2448
I know Mora makes stuff for Bahco at times, so this might be a Mora with a different handle.
Jared
Just an update to this old post of mine. I ended up buying the Titan chisel knife a month or two ago. It was on sale with a pretty steep discount at Princess Auto and I was placing a web order – so I figured why not give it a try?
It’s ok. The biggest disappointment for me is that it’s sharpened on both sides like a regular knife – I definitely didn’t realize that looking at the product images. This makes the blades sharper, but considerably more fragile than a traditional single-bevel chisel grind.
The blade is somewhat thick though – so it’s probably more robust than if they just made a knife with a chisel shape. I find it dulls quicker than I would like when using it chisel-style though. I think the sharpening angle is a bit too steep.
It also has a thicker handle than I would like. Some might like this, but I would prefer something skinnier.
The Titan is also listed as a “wrecking knife” – whatever that means.
Robert Landrigan
I have two of the Mora chisel knives, they are incredibly useful. Especially if you are working with a 2d cnc machine and have tabs on your cuts, the Mora is my release and clean up tool.
Big Richard
Probably not as good of quality, but it was cheap enough I had to try it:
https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/dewalt-dwht16065
Ray
The De Walt is designed for Left handed use it seems to me. I have a Mora and it is good or same as De Walt. The cutting edge is on the wrong side is my complaint.
Big Richard
I never thought of that, but I see what you’re saying. I’m right handed, so I guess I would have to try this Mora to see what difference it makes. But I think I like having the bevel side facing away from my hand when I hold the DeWalt? Or maybe I’m just accustomed to that?
Koko The Talking Ape
That grind on the tip made me look again. Then it took me a while to realize that the blade is tapered both handle to tip and right to left. Weird!
Hilton
Geez, I paid $8.75 for the two I bought in 2018.
Stuart
Yep. That’s one of the holiday season deals of the day I was referring to.
But, it’s been close to $16 for months, with no holiday discount this year.
Jim Felt
I just noticed I paid $9.74 for this on Amazon a few years ago. Given the world this now too seems like a fair price.
I might just order another.
Handy little bugger.
Thanks Stuart.
fred
You got a better deal than I did ($12.99 in 2017
Lee Valley also sells a batoning chisel (made in China under their Chestnut brand):
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/chisels/specialty/67735-batoning-chisel
Tom D
I’m trying to conceive the workshop task the second would be used for – maybe killing and skinning a bear?
John
They’ve gone up in price over the last 10 years (well, what hasn’t?) but County Comm also has breacher bars in many different configurations
https://countycomm.com/products/eod-robotics-breacher-bar
dll932
Got one and had use for it.
William Adams
Deal seems to be over, $19.51 for me at the moment.
Bill K
Is the Mora for hand use only? Was wondering if the end and back of the blade could he hit with a hammer with damage.
Bill K
Oops…. “without” damage!
Stuart
Maybe? They can be batoned, and should hold up to *some* abuse.
Brent
I have a Mora Chisel Knife and have used a metal hammer on the back of the blade. It is fine, mine has dimpling from the hammer blows but originally the back of the blade is rounded and looks un-machined from its initial milling of the bar stock. I use it for splitting tasks that a hatchet feels too large for. I’m also struck the butt of the handle and it holds up to hammer blows just fine. If there is grit on your hammer you might embed it into the handle. Would I use it has a rough carpentry chisel? Yes. As a beater chisel? No, it is too nice for that and the the blade Edge would be scratching up something I didn’t want it to or itself getting damaged. But then again I alway use a painter’s tool 15-in-1 has my beater tool. Never a screwdriver nor chisel.
fred
The traditional tool for slicing through (aka splitting along the grain) wood into sheets with an edge and hammer blows ( e.g. to make things like shingles) is a froe:
https://www.amazon.com/Timber-Tuff-TMW-62-Shingle-Froe/dp/B01LZ56XIS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=B01LZ56XIS&qid=1611751341&s=hi&sr=1-1
AC
Nothing has spilled more of my blood, more times, than this chisel knife.
Jerry
IMO the Ontario version is a better value than the Ka-Bar for the average Joe at $60.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07763QCFG/
Stuart
That’s a 10″ machete with 15.2″ overall length.
Jerry
Oops, I meant to link to the smaller one. Anyway, it is flat ground on one side like the chisel knife. Yea, that one would be massive overkill. They make a larger and smaller one and the smaller one would be more comparable to the Ka-Bar you showed. However, the blade is quite thick (on either) and works good as a chisel or for prying.
Jerry
First, my apologies. My computer was acting haywire and I couldn’t get my link to load right and the wrong link was attached. Either that or my brain just wasn’t working lime it should which is just as likely as computer problems. Anyway here is the proper link to the Ontario tool I should have gotten linked to in the first place. It is sold as a pry tool but the edge comes down pretty thin and wouldn’t take much to sharpen if you wanted to use it as a knife. Price right now is about $20 on Amazon. Size is About 6 1/2 oal by 1 1/4 wide by 1/4 thick. About half that length is handle.
https://www.amazon.com/OKC-Para-Pry-Tool-Carbon-Pocket/dp/B07FCTS7MX/
Sorry again for the nonsensical post
Stuart
That pry bar tool makes a lot more sense!!
Doc John
I have one- excellent- practical and handy. Nice deal! Thanks Stuart i but a couple more
Doc John
Never mind
Deal over
Womp
Womp
David Zeller
Edit: look at video at bottom for new version and decent video.
They’re not made anymore, but I have the small and large CRKT Razel knives. They’re pretty cool and have nice handles. This link has carbon fiber, but mine has something like heavily textured antler or something.
https://www.bladehq.com/item–CRKT-Compact-Razel-Liner-Lock-Knife–93124
Some sites call it a reverse tango, which could be correct, but it is very much like a chisel compared to anything else I’ve seen, with a pretty thick blade immediately behind the cutting surfaces. You can still find them occasionally.
Here’s a video: https://youtu.be/hzPvPok1cxc
I think they have a new version available, but I’ve never seen it in person and can’t vouch for it. Edit: it’s new. I found one video. https://youtu.be/BAx-g6Zxm6w
Brent
I have the Stanley one on my tool belt for ruff carpentry duty it is heavy duty and solid you can easily pry with it. For fine carpentry, I have Haltfords one nice fine tool light-duty great for trim and such. I run two different bag setups on belts it works out better for me instead of unloading and loading up, this way I do not forget a tool.