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- Mar 15, 2000
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Back in September, I picked up Jeremy Horton's signature model, the Camp Blood. Though I've had this 7" camp knife for a while, only recently have I been able to put it through any paces. What follows are some physical data and my subjective impressions of this knife.
Model: Horton Camp Blood
Blade length: 7"
Overall length: 13"
Blade thickness: .320"
Blade width: 1.5"
Steel: A2
Handles: Hand-shaped black micarta with tube fasteners
The knife is nicely balanced, with a slight weight forward feel. The balance point sits just ahead of the front guard. The contoured micarta slabs make for a full, comfortable grip, and there is plenty of room for a larger hand like mine.
I wanted this one as a camp knife that could do some chopping, and it excels in that capacity. The relatively thick spine gives the blade considerable momentum, and the knife has plenty of bite due to its excellent convex edge. Two days ago, I cleaned up a number of limbs, ranging from one-inch to three-inches thick, and the Camp Blood made short work of them. Yesterday, I split a number of logs by batoning them. Here, the thicker spine and convex edge helped expedite the process. My knife has a fairly thick tip, which allowed me to pound on it with a baton log without any concerns of breakage.
I also did a bit of close-up work, whittling some sticks for marshmallow roasting. The knife has a functional choil that allows for a choked-up grip and greater control when performing smaller detail work. In this capacity, the Camp Blood did a fine job, mainly because of its edge.
Jeremy takes great care convexing his so-called "Platinum edges." Back when he was still doing modifications, he convexed a couple of my knives that previously had V-grinds, and his work in this regard is top-notch. My Camp Blood edge is flawlessly straight, symmetrical, and polished mirror-smooth. I also know Jeremy invests in his heat treatment, and the edge retention of my Camp Blood reveals how such investment pays off. After two days of various chores, chopping and batoning hard woods, the knife was still sharp to my touch. A few passes on a leather strop loaded with green paste, and it was back to its original razor-like feel.
The knife is a well thought-out and executed design, and I am quite pleased with the overall finish and feel of my knife. Be warned though. Horton's knives are not always aesthetically perfect. Jeremy is a machinist by trade, and his blades might sport a signature tool mark or two. By his own admission, his primary goal is to make solid, working knives with exceptional edges. In this vein, he excels. My Camp Blood is a study in function and utility.
I own quite a few camp/outdoor knives in the 7" range. These include the Swamp Rat Ratweiler, the Swamp Rat Chopweiler, the Busse Special Forces Natural Outlaw, the Busse Steel Heart Ergo, and the Becker BK-7. My favorite? Well, right now it's a tie between the Camp Blood and the Ratweiler. Though they have different lines and they feel different in hand, these two knives are remarkably similar in terms of performance.
Model: Horton Camp Blood
Blade length: 7"
Overall length: 13"
Blade thickness: .320"
Blade width: 1.5"
Steel: A2
Handles: Hand-shaped black micarta with tube fasteners
The knife is nicely balanced, with a slight weight forward feel. The balance point sits just ahead of the front guard. The contoured micarta slabs make for a full, comfortable grip, and there is plenty of room for a larger hand like mine.
I wanted this one as a camp knife that could do some chopping, and it excels in that capacity. The relatively thick spine gives the blade considerable momentum, and the knife has plenty of bite due to its excellent convex edge. Two days ago, I cleaned up a number of limbs, ranging from one-inch to three-inches thick, and the Camp Blood made short work of them. Yesterday, I split a number of logs by batoning them. Here, the thicker spine and convex edge helped expedite the process. My knife has a fairly thick tip, which allowed me to pound on it with a baton log without any concerns of breakage.
I also did a bit of close-up work, whittling some sticks for marshmallow roasting. The knife has a functional choil that allows for a choked-up grip and greater control when performing smaller detail work. In this capacity, the Camp Blood did a fine job, mainly because of its edge.
Jeremy takes great care convexing his so-called "Platinum edges." Back when he was still doing modifications, he convexed a couple of my knives that previously had V-grinds, and his work in this regard is top-notch. My Camp Blood edge is flawlessly straight, symmetrical, and polished mirror-smooth. I also know Jeremy invests in his heat treatment, and the edge retention of my Camp Blood reveals how such investment pays off. After two days of various chores, chopping and batoning hard woods, the knife was still sharp to my touch. A few passes on a leather strop loaded with green paste, and it was back to its original razor-like feel.
The knife is a well thought-out and executed design, and I am quite pleased with the overall finish and feel of my knife. Be warned though. Horton's knives are not always aesthetically perfect. Jeremy is a machinist by trade, and his blades might sport a signature tool mark or two. By his own admission, his primary goal is to make solid, working knives with exceptional edges. In this vein, he excels. My Camp Blood is a study in function and utility.
I own quite a few camp/outdoor knives in the 7" range. These include the Swamp Rat Ratweiler, the Swamp Rat Chopweiler, the Busse Special Forces Natural Outlaw, the Busse Steel Heart Ergo, and the Becker BK-7. My favorite? Well, right now it's a tie between the Camp Blood and the Ratweiler. Though they have different lines and they feel different in hand, these two knives are remarkably similar in terms of performance.
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