Comparing Morakniv 120, 122, and 106: What's the Best All-Around Knife?

I bought the 120 because I thought its smaller size would mean fewer accidental cuts. Turns out, it's less about the size and more about being careful! I generally prefer the 106 for most of my work. Just a heads up!

For a beginner I’d suggest the C (carbon) or S (stainless). The LC (laminated carbon) is a superb knife, but the characteristics of strength, flexibility, and edge holding provided by the laminated blade may be too subtle for a beginner. And the C is superb in its own right, you can’t go wrong there. The S is no slouch—one of the best stainless steels I’ve ever seen, and has the advantage of not rusting.. which might be an advantage if you’re not used to taking care of a carbon steel blade, or if you tend to carve ‘in the wild’ where the blade may be more exposed to wind and weather. Don’t discount the 106. The 120 and 106 differ only in length, and many consider the 106 to be more versatile; if you’re going to have a “first” carving knife it may be ideal. (All that said, my first was a 120-LC, but the price was right and the seller mislabeled it as a 120-C!).