From the floor of canyons carved by the majestic American river, to the stunning summits of the Sierra Nevada, the Black Tactical from Morakniv has been a constant companion. It has seen the best and the worst of days – the unrelenting sunshine and the deep mud. Along the way, this knife has earned every scratch, every scar, and every story.
On Performance and Design…
The reality is that the wilderness can be a harsh and unforgiving place, and the Black Tactical is exactly the type of tool such landscapes demand. New to the Bushcraft line, and available through UCO Gear, this knife readily meets the needs of bushcraft enthusiasts and tactical users alike offering the impeccable craftsmanship and resilience that has earned Mora an earnest following within the knife community.
The dependable design starts with a high-carbon steel blade that takes and retains an edge that would make a surgeon’s scalpel jealous. With a profile identical to that of a knife that survived from the Vikings heyday, the 4.3 inch fixed blade design means that there are no moving parts to gum up and fail in the field and offers a generational tried and true design. But there’s another reason that the size of the Black Tactical’s blade makes a significant difference.
When it comes to bushcraft and wilderness use, bigger is not always better. If your blade is too big, you sacrifice the ability to effectively use it for detailed tasks such as dressing small game or carving precision snare sets. Too small, you sacrifice the ability to use the knife for batoning or assist in building shelters. For our field team, the length of the Black Tactical hits the sweet spot of versatile performance; not too long, not too short, just right.
At 3.2mm, the Black Tactical is also the thickest blade in the Morakniv lineup. Consider the thickness of your blade the force multiplier, helping with many of the hard use tasks to which your knife will be subjected. This design allows the knife to withstand more lateral stress which is vital when projects such as tinder prep becomes a cut-a-little / pry-a-little operation.
Now if you spend a little time researching online, you’ll find that one of the knocks leveled against the Morakniv Bushcraft line is the handle design. Admittedly, the composite rubberized handle falls short in aesthetic value, especially when compared to some of the stunning handcrafted options available to the consumer. But remember, in the backcountry, function trumps form every time.
A good knife doesn’t have to pass a beauty test, it just needs to be a comfortable size and shape for your hand, allowing for a sure and easy grip. The Black Tactical far exceeds those baseline standards with rugged durability and unparalleled ergonomics for repetitive use with minimal strain. The rubberized grip and impressive balance not only offer excellent maneuverability, but superior control in a variety of situations and conditions. All told, these features combine to make field work faster and safer, ensuring that the knife is a virtual extension of your hand.
Of course, the Black Tactical wouldn’t live up to the ‘Bushcraft’ moniker if it fell short in its ability to help start a fire. Towards those ends, the Black Tactical delivered in spades with a spine that has been ground especially for use with a fire starter (sold separately). Simply strike your fire starter along the spine of the Black Tactical and bear witness to the shower of sparks and molten metal that cascade onto your kindling. Because of the 90 degree edge on the spine, it also enables you to use it as a tool for scraping a tinder bundle from a branch which also helps save your blade for fine cutting tasks.
All told, this versatile blade tackled every task we set before it and then begged for more. But if you’re looking for an even greater testament to its precision, power and performance, you should know that the Black Tactical is already in use by law enforcement and military agencies across the European landscape. Which is also one of the reasons the Black Tactical comes with a fully MOLLE compatible sheath giving it multiple carry options.
Notes from the Field…
Perhaps the only criticism that we can offer is the fact that the Bushcraft Black Tactical does not offer a full tang build. “Full tang” indicates that the blade and handle are constructed from one continuous piece of metal. This type of design not only makes the knife more robust, but is generally considered a better option for a survival knife as it provides the entire knife with increased strength as well as force leverage through the handle against the resistance of material being cut by the blade.
Instead, the Black Tactical employs a modified rat tail that runs almost to the pommel. And while this may come as a concern to those bound to the idea of a full-tang knife, we have yet to experience any issue with the overall build of the knife. The strength and resilience of this knife continues to impress our team, leaving us fully confident in giving it our highest recommendation.
Bottom Line…
A premium knife, minus the premium price point, offering you unsurpassed reliability for adventures planned and unplanned.
*Gumption Gear Review received a product sample of the item featured in this review from Industrial Revolution at no cost, and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The item featured was provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.