FlexCut vs Mora vs BeaverCraft: Best Sloyd Wood Carving Knife Review!

Picking out the best sloyd knife for whittling and wood carving is hard if you have no way of comparing the different knives on the market. In this video I compare 3 different brands of sloyd knives; Beavercraft, Morakaniv, and Flexcut.
Each brand of knife offers their own key benefits and all are at different price points, which needs to be considered when choosing the right knife for you.
I personally like the Mora 120 over the rest for the balance of price, size, and quality, but you can pick up all of them on Amazon or Ebay for a great price:
Beavercraft Sloyd and Sheath:
amzn.to/3r4nbNU | ebay.to/2FeBiKF
Mora 120:
amzn.to/3oXxcd3 | ebay.to/3ajO7i7
Mora 122:
amzn.to/3G3u6v9j | ebay.to/3arwi0V
Mora 106:
amzn.to/314Cj33 | ebay.to/30JYvwA
Flexcut Stub Sloyd:
amzn.to/3cLQKv5 | ebay.to/2XKJgBF
Flexcut Sloyd with Sheath:
amzn.to/3nPAQ9o | ebay.to/2XPt0PA
Links to Amazon and Ebay are affiliate links, for more information click here: carvingisfun.com/affiliate-li...
#whittling #woodcarving #woodcarvingtools

[@CarvingisFun]

To see more knife reviews, check out my review playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLhLMm2vJBECQUrOMb8Ri5r-ueBWYiDldC

[@Joxman2k]

ANY More knife in my opinion is the best. They are fairly inexpensive, yet high quality. I have a Mora companion from 18 years ago and it has never failed me. And I have beaten the crap out of it over the years. Never disappointed

[@ethernectar]

Thanks for the overview! I’m a new carver and recently bought a small BC Sloyd to try out to see how it fits my style/process. Good to know that the Mora’s are a good option.

[@CarvingisFun]

You're welcome!

[@scottmarshall6766]

Good over-view and dead on accurate as far as I can judge. I don't have any of the Flexcut Sloyds, but do have a Kn13 carver and Kn23 detail knife. They're great, the Kn23 detailer is nearly the universal carver, from my perspective. It's very small and thin(ish), but has the strength you need for most work, provided you take reasonable cuts. The Flexcuts hold an edge great, and will go forever with only a stropping, as will any of these knives. Flexcut is certainly top shelf and I'm sure their Sloyds follow true with that tradition of quality. I have the Mora 106, and it's a wood mover for sure with very good reach for spoons etc. I also have the 122, which is the straight edged version of the 120, and it's a terrific roughing knife. The Mora laminated steel holds an edge as well as anything I have used. If you buy a 122, watch out, it has an ambidextrious grip and it's very easy to pick it up and lay your thumb on the edge. I marked mine so even if I'm not paying attention, I see which side to grip. It's not happened to me (but close), you could easily get it flipped and push with your thumb only to end up in the emergency room. When I 1st started I bought a Generic 3 pc set for $28, I believe they are Beavercraft, or made by them, and I still have a soft spot for the 2 straight blades. They all hold an edge nearly as well as the more expensive stuff, are thinner than the Moras, and have very good shapes, both in blade and grips. They have the black walnut which is a nice touch, and I still use them, even though my main cutter is a Drake Square handle detailer. That's my thoughts on the subject, which generally back up your analysis. Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents as I really enjoy these knives, and don't think any of them are a bad deal. I don't use the hook Beavercraft much, but if you had the need, it's probably up to the task, especially if you doctor the edge a bit. Good video, Thanks!

[@CarvingisFun]

Thanks! I do like the Mora knives quite a bit and can see how you can get the 122 and 120 flipped around and cut yourself, never considered that! Smart move by marking them :) Drake knives are amazing and I have a few myself, highly recommend those knives for anyone who is reading (video review will come out later as I am testing several similar knives side by side right now).

[@AdamiIAm]

Thanks so much for this very helpful info, as I will be ordering my first set of carving tools soon...I almost ordered Beavercraft 😮; sure glad I did not...

[@scottmarshall6766]

@@AdamiIAm Enjoy the hobby, glad I could help!

[@mikereed4876]

:58 finally see what ya look like there mr carver! - thanks for the videos

[@aurtisanminer2827]

I love the blade shape on the mini beavercraft.

[@ivancho5854]

Great comprehensive review. I'm really enjoying your channel. Have you any thoughts on the Mora 122 - which appears to be a 120, with the cutting edge on the flat edge? Thanks. 👍

[@CarvingisFun]

Thanks! I really like the 122 if I want to make a flat cut on one side (like a wood planer) but find the 120 to be overall useful as it is easier to slice with.

[@ivancho5854]

@@CarvingisFun Thanks for the insight. 👍

[@2371Anita]

I don't know if you have Instagram. But gloss of steel, sells great knives!

[@CarvingisFun]

I dont use it too often but I will check them out!

[@tbrew8222]

I like the rubber grip glove. I havent cut myself too bad, but decided to get a glove before I actually do. I got a serrated rated glove with steel woven in the kevlar, and it is really slick with no grip. My work was slipping around so much I almost cut myself a few times. The gloves work for cuts, but are the reason I slipped, so its a toss up until I find a way to give them some grip, or find better ones. Im thinking of trying a bit of shoe goo in a few places, or maybe silicone caulking rather than tossing them.

[@CarvingisFun]

I had some of those myself and also didn't like how much the work slipped in my hands. Adding silicone ended up just getting messy and falling apart everywhere, so I don't recommend that at all. I want to say that there is some sort of spray on rubberization somewhere, but durability and longevity may still be an issue.

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Stipple with a soldering iron? That work on silicone?

[@1striperon]

The size of the handle is also a criterion. My hands are large, smaller handles can lead to cramps if carving for an extended time.

[@CarvingisFun]

This is very true! I too favor the larger handles myself.

[@CaptainPupu]

Hey Bryan! I would need your opinion about this: my old main knife had served me very well but it's not as it was when I bought it, it got some wobble in the blade. Served me for lots of carving, so it's time for me to get another blade. I never used a sloyd knife, so I would like to ask you, which one do you think would be better to get as a main knife? A flexcut sloyd or a flexcut roughing blade? I would use it mainly for removing stock and perhaps some bigger detailing work with the tip. Thanks in advance.

[@CarvingisFun]

Oooo! Good question! The answer may be more personal preference but I will give it a go. If I am removing a lot of wood, I typically reach for my Flexcut Stub Sloyd (or mora 120) as it has a full tang blade, a wider handle for a full grip, oil finished handle that is less likely to slip, and a wider blade that I don't have to worry about damaging if I get too rough with it. The stub sloyd is also much shorter than the regular sloyd and allows me to be able to add details. The Rouging knife is a great option if you want to make rough cuts that don't require a bunch of power behind the blade. Plus, it would easily transition to a longer detailed knife. Personally, I have found that I don't like the longer roughing knives and reach for my sloyds instead. Now, a knife I am myself interested in getting is the Flexcut Skewed Detail Knife (KN34). It seems like it combines the best of both the sloyd knife and roughing knife. It looks to be a bit thinner than the sloyd, but has a wider handle for a better grip than the roughing knife. Plus you get the nice curved blade to help promote slicing which is beneficial when removing lots of wood. So, my choices would either be the Stub Sloyd (KN53) or the Skewed Detail Knife (KN34). Now I'm going to have to explain to the wife why I need another knife to mess with....

[@CaptainPupu]

@@CarvingisFun wow! Thank you so much for the comment. I was also thinking about either a mora or a flexcut. A full tang would definitely be a good choice for sturdiness . Will also check out the kn34. Ultimately, I guess it comes down to being able to cut lots of material effectively, and sturdiness... Among all these knifes, it's a tough choice lol

[@CaptainPupu]

@@CarvingisFun by the by, sorry I forgot to ask in my last reply, what do you think about the mora 106? I think it would be better for removing bigger chunks because the bigger blade? I'm not sure as I never owned a mora before.

[@CarvingisFun]

Both the Mora 106 and Flexcut KN50 are great for removing lots of wood as you can get a longer slice. But I find them unwieldy for much else. Lately. I have been favoring the flexcut sloyds over the moras purely for edge retention and a nicer sheath.

[@CaptainPupu]

@@CarvingisFun thank you once again for the tips. I've watched the full vid now and you already answered much of the questions there lol sorry. Im ordering a mora 120 thanks once again, Bryan :)

[@MorrowSind]

I need to get some of that blister tape. I just carved my first spoon. I looked down at my hand, and I have too blisters right where your hand is taped. Where do I get the stuff, and what brand do you use? And, thanks for sharing. I enjoyed watching. :)

[@CarvingisFun]

I actually use something similar to self adhering ace wrap that I picked up at my local pharmacy. Its cheap, durable, and reusable. Check out this video for more details kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWPYmKOdd8xrq7c

[@MorrowSind]

@@CarvingisFun Will do. Thanks for the quick reply. :) I just noticed that I spelled "two" wrong.

[@Northanteus]

I ordered the Morakniv 106C and it will be here tomorrow. The C is made of carbon steel, and not laminated like you have in this video. I was curious if you'd do a review of the 106C? Guessing it'll hold its edge longer due to being full carbon steel. It is around $30 on Amazon right now. I am thinking about carving my own blade cover to slide over the blade and have the tip (maybe around a centimeter) of the blade sticking out to carve fine details ? I'm a carving newb, and hope this will work out. Will be interesting to try. ☺️

[@CarvingisFun]

Howdy! While I didn't do a review on just the 106, I did a combined review on the 106, 120, and 122 together here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJybpZSZeZKIgLc Your suggestion for creating a custom sheath on the blade to only have the tip pointing out is ingenious! I would instead allow 2cm to come out as it gives you more blade to worth with and not have the sheath hiding the detail work you are trying to achieve.

[@Northanteus]

@@CarvingisFun I just got the Mora 106C the other day and I spent around 20 minutes carving and digging out the blade cover and about 2 1/4 cm of the blade sticks out. I had to use my multitool awl, and also the 1/4 inch bit driver with a 1/4 inch drill bit. 😄 I also carved out a sheath from the other half of the stick. The stick is two toned; one side is dark, the other light. Looks pretty cool. I oiled both up with expeller pressed coconut oil (I use to cook with). 🤣 They work well so far. 😁

[@trravisty]

what knife should i get for detail? I need something more better for details because my opinel 7 has a blade thats too big for small details, i was considering beavercraft

[@CarvingisFun]

The Beavercraft C15 detail knife is actually really nice for those fine cuts with the tip of the blade and is very affordable. I would actually pick it over the flexcut KN13 detail knife as the flexcut detail knife tip breaks easily if you are rough with it.

[@trravisty]

@@CarvingisFun oh wow thanks for the advice ill order it now

[@trravisty]

@@CarvingisFun hmm i cant find it how about the c8 or c2

[@CarvingisFun]

I would 100% go for the C8 over the C2 for detail. Its similar enough to the c15 but not as pointy of a tip.

[@trravisty]

@@CarvingisFun ok thanks

[@jimmyrutledge4531]

Are the flexcut sloyd handles thicker in diameter than the mora ones?

[@CarvingisFun]

There is a difference but its best shown in a picture. Send me an email or contact me o instagram and I will show ya.

[@cosmicfxx]

What exactly is difference between “sloyd” vs other whittling style detail knives? What makes a “sloyd” a sloyd knife?

[@CarvingisFun]

Good question! This may vary from person to person, but a sloyd knife is essentially an all around wood carving knife that is usually used to remove large sections of wood. They typically have a much thicker blade than that of a standard bench or whittling knife and have a longer blade. These knives are very useful when it comes to roughing out wood for carving and can take more force behind the blade than your typical whittling knife. I personally only use mine for larger wood carving projects and rarely use them for smaller sculptures as you can't get as precise of a cut when compared to that of a much shorter detail knife.

[@cosmicfxx]

@@CarvingisFun awesome thanks for the quick response and detailed explanation, great vids, subscribed

[@cosmicfxx]

@@CarvingisFun ps ... I was wondering if you could give advice on whether I should get this much cheaper set? As I said it’s cheaper “no name brand” ... do you think it might be a waste of money and that I should rather spend a bit more on some branded known knives? www.amazon.com/Winkeyes-Carving-Beginner-Convenient-Knives/dp/B0863SPW96/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

[@CarvingisFun]

I actually did a quick little review on some cheaper sets here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/invaY6aVnKt-qM0 But in short, if you have the tools, knowhow, and time to fix the edges if they come in chipped blunt, or rolled, then they could be an acceptable beginner set.

[@cosmicfxx]

@@CarvingisFun thanks again, will check that out

[@miguelnavarrete8578]

Nice face reveal 3:43

[@CarvingisFun]

I was wondering if anyone will notice! Those Flexcut knives come honed smooth like a mirror :)