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Single blades for every carving project

Single carving knives – why a targeted selection makes sense

Anyone who carves regularly knows the phenomenon: a complete set comes with three blades, one of which is constantly in use and two of which are barely touched. Once your carving practice develops, the focus shifts from complete sets to single blades with a defined purpose. That’s exactly what this filter category is for: individual carving knives, selectable by blade shape, application and brand.

If you’re looking for a complete set for the entry – with carving knife, hook knife and wood blank in one package – the filter category Carving Knife Sets is the right place. If you need a single knife to fill a specific gap in your tool drawer, you’re in the right place here.

Which carving knife for which purpose?

Carving knives differ mainly by their blade shape. Here are the six most important families from our range:

Universal and Sloyd knives

The Sloyd knife is Swedish carving tradition: straight blade, rounded tip, robust build, suitable for 80 percent of all carving tasks. In our range you’ll find the BeaverCraft C4m as the long Sloyd knife with ash wood handle, the C1 as a razor-sharp universal knife, the C2 as a small versatile model for rough carving and details, and the C16 as a roughing and all-purpose knife particularly suited to beginners. On the Morakniv side, the Swedish classics 106C and 120C are ready to go – both with straight blade and wooden handle, pure Sloyd tradition.

Detail knives

For fine contours, eyes, feathers, small ornaments and anything that can’t be shaped with a larger blade. The BeaverCraft C7 is the small detail carving knife with 160 mm overall length and 40 mm blade – precise and controlled. The C6 brings versatility for filigree sculpture work, caricatures and small elements in wood.

Geometric blades for chip carving

In chip carving, squares, lines, letters and ornaments are lifted from the wood. For this you need a special blade shape: the BeaverCraft C8 is made for it, as is the C15. Both have a holding edge for smoother cuts and are ready to use directly. If you’re looking for V-shaped or curved profile shapes, also check the filter category Wood Carving Chisels – you’ll find skew chisels, V-tools and gouges there.

Skew and stab knives

When the space for a conventional carving stroke is limited, you need vertical cuts. The BeaverCraft C12 is the matching skew knife, also referred to as a stab knife. The handle yields just enough to follow the contour of your carving, which would traditionally require multiple tools.

Hook knives – the tool for spoons and kuksa

As soon as you want to hollow out cavities – spoon interiors, bowls, kuksa drinking cups – you need a hook knife with a curved, semicircular blade. The BeaverCraft SK1 is the universal hook knife for these tasks, the SK1L is the left-hand version. A Sloyd blade alone is not enough for spoon carving – you need both tools.

Kids’ carving knives

The BeaverCraft C1Kid is the child-friendly version of the C1: sharp enough to allow real carving work, safe enough for guided work from age eight. With safety cap and ergonomic grip in child size. Important: cut-resistant gloves are mandatory when children carve – more in the filter category Cut Protection.

The BeaverCraft C-series at a glance

BeaverCraft sorts its carving knives systematically by task. The most important models in the C-series:

Looking for the complete range with all filter options? Check the Main Category Carving Tools – there you can filter by brand, use case and product type.

Morakniv vs. BeaverCraft – single carving knives compared

If you want to buy a single carving knife, two brands face each other:

Morakniv – Swedish Sloyd classics

Morakniv from Mora, Sweden has been known since 1891 for robust outdoor and carving knives. In the carving area, the most important models are the Morakniv Woodcarving 106C and the Morakniv Woodcarving 120C, both classic Sloyd knives with straight blade and wooden handle. Low-maintenance, reliable, deeply traditional – the right carving knife for anyone looking for exactly one universal tool.

BeaverCraft – Ukrainian carving tool specialists

BeaverCraft specialises in carving tools and offers the significantly broader single-knife range. Anyone who wants not just a Sloyd knife but also detail, roughing, skew or hook knives separately will find the matching blade at BeaverCraft. The C-series is systematically numbered and you assemble the tool setup you actually need.

Rule of thumb: Anyone looking for one carving knife is best served with Morakniv 106C or 120C. Anyone needing multiple blade shapes and not wanting a complete set picks from the BeaverCraft C-series.

Blade steel, hardness and handles

Material determines sharpness, edge retention and care effort. The two brands in our range approach the topic differently: Morakniv works with three different steel grades, BeaverCraft with one, but consistently across all blade shapes.

Morakniv: three steel grades – what C, LC and S mean

The letters in Morakniv model names are not size designations but a steel code. The same carving knife model is available at Morakniv in up to three steel variants:

The traditional variant of the Mora 106 and 120 is the laminated one (LC) – for decades it was the standard version. A few years ago, Morakniv additionally introduced the simple carbon version (C) because demand had risen sharply and lamination production was at its limits. Both carbon variants (C and LC) need to be oiled after each use, otherwise they rust. The stainless variant (S) saves you that step but is less traditional and usually the second choice for pure carving.

Rule of thumb: If you want pure Sloyd tradition, choose LC. If you want to start without going into the premium league, choose C. If you want rust-free and low-maintenance, choose S.

BeaverCraft: one steel type, many blade shapes

BeaverCraft goes the opposite way: one steel grade, but the broad blade-shape range. All carving knives of the C-series and the SK hook knives are made of European high-carbon steel – specifically 1066 (high-carbon tool steel) or 65G (spring steel) depending on model generation. Heat-treated to 57–62 HRC, with Scandi grind and 20° bevel angle from the factory.

Compared to the Morakniv world, BeaverCraft steel roughly corresponds to the C variant (single-layer carbon steel) – rust-prone, easy to sharpen, good edge retention. There is no laminated or stainless BeaverCraft variant. If you want that, stick with Morakniv-LC or Morakniv-S.

Model prefixes at BeaverCraft – what the letters mean

Unlike Morakniv model names, the letters at BeaverCraft are product categories, not steel codes:

Suffixes refine the variant: L marks a left-hand version (e. g. SK1L), m or s indicate size variants (C1m = small whittling knife, C4m vs. C4s with different blade lengths), X indicates a deluxe variant (S13X = Set 13 in premium edition with leather case).

Wooden handles – ash and birch

At BeaverCraft, handles are made of ash wood, hand-finished, polished and treated with linseed oil. Ash is tough and at the same time comfortable – turns evenly darker over time. At Morakniv, traditional birch wood is used, also oiled – somewhat lighter, light-weight and very ergonomic.

Sharpening, oiling, storing

Three points all carving knives in our range share:

• Hardness and edge retention: 57–62 HRC at BeaverCraft, similar at Morakniv (LC: 58.5–62 HRC in the core). This results in blades that become razor-sharp and hold the edge for a long time.
• Carbon steel rusts: all C and LC variants need a drop of oil after use. Only the Mora-S models (Stainless) are rust-free.
• Hand-finished assembly: although BeaverCraft blades are laser-cut and thermally pressed, edge work, assembly and quality control are done manually – that’s the difference compared to mass-produced hardware-store goods. At Morakniv, the lamination of the LC blades is a traditional forging process practised in Mora (Sweden) since the 17th century.

Sharpening and care of your carving knives

A sharp carving knife is not just more productive but also safer – dull blades slip more easily. Three care rules:

• Stropping as standard: a leather strop with polishing compound is enough for normal sharpening. Pull the blade flat across the strop, 5–10 passes per side. Leather strops, polishing compounds and any sharpening stones are in the filter category Abrasives.
• Oil after each use: high-carbon steel rusts without care. Wipe the blade dry, apply a light film of blade-care oil, store in the protective sleeve or leather case – never leave it lying loose. Matching cases are at Carving Knife Cases.
• Oil the wooden handle every few months: rub linseed oil into the ash or birch handles. This prevents drying out and cracking. Never submerge the handle in water or clean it in the dishwasher.

Recommendation: which single carving knife is right for you?

Why carving knives from Swiss-Sale.ch?

We’re an official Swiss dealer for BeaverCraft and stock the full single-knife range of the C and SK series plus the most important Morakniv carving knives. All blades from our warehouse in Menzingen, sharp and ready to use, with personal advice in the showroom or by phone.

• 🪵 BeaverCraft C-series – all blade shapes available individually
• 🇸🇪 Morakniv 106C / 120C – Swedish Sloyd classics
• 🪒 SK1 hook knife plus SK1L left-hand variant
• 👶 C1Kid kids’ carving knife from age 8 (with supervision)
• ⚒️ Blades from European high-carbon steel, 57–62 HRC
• 🪵 Ash wood handles (BeaverCraft) or birch handles (Morakniv)
• ✂️ Ready to use directly – no resharpening before first cut
• 🇨🇭 Direct Swiss shop – no customs fees, no waiting times
• 🏅 Lifetime Warranty at BeaverCraft, statutory warranty handled by Swiss-Sale.ch
• 📞 Personal advice by phone, email or in our showroom
• 📦 Swiss warehouse – free shipping over CHF 100

Browse the BeaverCraft carving knives: BeaverCraft Carving Tools. Or the Morakniv classics: Morakniv Carving Knives. For complete sets, see Carving Knife Sets; for matching wood, Carving Wood.