The Horton TS-1

[OldPhysics]

Well, I have a new knife in the 6" class. A fine piece of steel by Jeremy Horton of Tennessee. I like this knife quite a bit, so I've decided to post a brief review here for everyone.

The knife:

The blade is 6.2" of S-7 steel. As you can easily see, it has a full tang covered with machine textured then hand-smoothed black micarta slabs held very solidly in placed with flared brass tubes. The knife is 11.25" long with a handle that is about 5" long.

Mr. Horton only makes users, so you don't often see a Horton knife with this much attention to the polish. It's a bit tough to see, but the edge has a true mirror polish as does the area near the spine (including the swedge).

This knife has an extremely sharp, convexed edge (a "platinum edge" in Horton's lingo). The knife is much more than shaving sharp -- it will easily split arm hairs. Sorry I don't have the macro lens necessary to demonstrate this.

The knife is made from 0.30" stock, but it starts thinning halfway down the blade where the swedge starts; it is 0.12" thick at the spine 0.25" back from that sharp, useful point.

The handle is extremely comfortable -- just right for my middle-sized hands. Here's a close-up of the butt:

The mid-section of the handle:

And the section of the handle near the blade:

There's little danger of accidentally running your hand off the handle and onto the blade, as there is a small guard near the blade (visible in the picture) and a nice, useful thumb ramp at the top.

 

[SpookyPistolero]

That's a very handsome blade! You're right though, I don't see his work much around here. The edge looks great and I'm sure it's a good slicer. The length is more than I prefer, but I'll bet with all the tapering towards the front that it handles very lightly in hand.

Thanks for the pics!

 

[OldPhysics]

As I suspected, the knife is excellent in the kitchen. Despite the thick stock, that mirrored edge is perfect on vegetables and fruits.

Here's an available apple:

The knife just slid right through it.

In fact, it was easy to shave the apple:

I could make arbitrarily thin slices with no troubles.

Tomatoes, cucumbers (dinner salad) were just as easily dealt with. Meat? No problem at all.

I attacked a piece of paper with it:

A push cut was no problem at all:

Frankly, kitchen duties are no challenge to this knife. It's a trifle heavier than your standard kitchen knives, but since I wanted this for woods use ... well, this is entirely appropriate. Mr. Horton designed the knife to balance at the transition point from blade to handle -- thus, it is "neutral." This makes it very handy for camp chores.

 

[kgd]

Looks like a great blade. Reminds me of the Ratmandu without choil. Very nice and looks like quality grips! Lets see some fuzzies when you get a chance!

 

[OldPhysics]

As expected, the knife likes wood:

That sharp tip is very "stabby" -- it bites right in with no trouble.

I was surprised to discover it's a pretty good chopper!

I just swung from the wrist and it sank right in. I wasn't expecting that, since it's pretty short and it isn't tip heavy (like a typical chopper). It's probably the smooth finish and that wonderful convexed edge.

If you like to make fuzz sticks, you'll like this knife:

It's no effort at all to make wood curls.

I attacked a dry, dead limb on one of my trees, using just the wrist and a little bit of elbow:

That's three swings on the left and four on the right. With good, firm swings I would have been through that dry branch much more quickly.

 

[TheGame]

Nice little review. Thanks for sharing. Don't see many of his blades shown around here. A shame if they are all as good as it looks like they are.

 

[PatriotDan]

Great to see a review of a Horton knife. Never seen one before but wondered about them for some time. Thanks for sharing :thumbup:

Is it handle heavy with that thick stock???

 

[OldPhysics]

KGD has already noted the relationship to the Swamp Rat Ratmandu. I've had several of those and they're one of my favorite smaller blades ... I like the TS-1 better.

Here's a comparison shot:

That's the TS-1 at bottom. Above it is a SR Ratmandu (the only clean one I have left), the new Hinderer fixed blade, Andy Roy's (Fiddleback) outstanding Woodsman knife (all cleaned up for the pic, Andy!), one of Jerry Busse's old style Satin Jack knives, and the extremely handy R.A.T.-6.

Every one of these knives is excellent, or I wouldn't still own them. Any one of them is a great choice in the 5" - 6" class.

Andy Roy's Woodsman is, to me, probably the perfect example of the small outdoors knife. Light, handy, and able to every job but chopping. The handle is smooth and comfortable; it fits perfectly in my hand. Food prep, fire making, and general cutting are all easy with this knife, and it does hold its edge for multiple camping sessions.

Jeremy Horton's TS-1 seems to be at the other end of the spectrum of small outdoors knives. The handle is also very comfortable, but it is much "grippier" with its textured micarta. It can definitely do the basic chores, but it is surprisingly useful as a tough little chopper, too. The point is quite sharp, but also very tough -- I think it will stand any reasonable abuse I could hand out (it drills right into soft and medium woods). The edge is just amazingly sharp ... and it retains its sharpness after about an hour in the woods working on soft and medium woods. No use showing you a picture, since the edge just cleaned right up by the end of testing. I can re-sharpen a convex edge, but THIS edge just demands an improved level of expertise. Looks like I'm going to have to get some more practice!

It will take more experience, but I think the TS-1 is right up there in Swamp Rat and Busse territory in terms of ability to withstand ridiculous abuse. I can't bring myself to try it, but I suspect I could stab my way through a steel garbage can with this knife ... or reduce a few bricks to powder.

But, I'll leave that sort of abuse to someone with a different attitude toward knives. I'll just say that the Horton TS-1 is a definite keeper and is now one of my favorite outdoors knives.

 

[OldPhysics]

Great to see a review of a Horton knife. Never seen one before but wondered about them for some time. Thanks for sharing :thumbup:

Is it handle heavy with that thick stock???

Nope. Mr. Horton cleverly designed it to be neutral; the balance point is between handle and blade.

 

[OldPhysics]

Nice little review. Thanks for sharing. Don't see many of his blades shown around here. A shame if they are all as good as it looks like they are.

I've only got a few, unfortunately.

This TS-1 and a smaller EDC. I've also got a "BT-4" that's mostly the work of Ban Tang (another forumite with knifemaking skills).

I like every single one. And, of course, I'll be after Mr. Horton to get some more.:thumbup::thumbup:

 

[kgd]

Very cool Old Physics - also thanks for the comparison shots. They really help alot! I really love the tip on that thing!

 

[OldPhysics]

Very cool Old Physics - also thanks for the comparison shots. They really help alot! I really love the tip on that thing!

You're welcome.

It's tough to understand a knife through words and pictures.

I really ought to consider a pass-around ...

 

[jaypopsti]

Excellent review physics!

 

[fugawee]

Great review OP!
Outstanding pictures as well.
Thanks for your time.

 

[Kougera]

I can absolutely back OP up on this review. The little woodwork I have done with it was a piece of cake. So was the kitchen duties with tomatoes, onions and some meat. Jeremy's edges are hair popping sharp, and beautifully polished.

Here is a crappy pictures of my TS-1 on an outing:

Mine is slightly different with a transition from hollow grind to flat grind about halfway on the blade, but still a .300" stock of S7. This was an experiment from Jeremy's side, so this is a 1 off.

I hope you dont mind me putting my two cents in OP!

 

[OldPhysics]

I can absolutely back OP up on this review. The little woodwork I have done with it was a piece of cake. So was the kitchen duties with tomatoes, onions and some meat. Jeremy's edges are hair popping sharp, and beautifully polished.

Here is a crappy pictures of my TS-1 on an outing:

Mine is slightly different with a transition from hollow grind to flat grind about halfway on the blade, but still a .300" stock of S7. This was an experiment from Jeremy's side, so this is a 1 off.

I hope you dont mind me putting my two cents in OP!

Heavens, no! Beautiful picture ... reminds me just how gorgeous your "neck of the woods" really is.

Hang in there, young man. And say hello to your lady from me.

 

[Kougera]

Thanks bro!

Will do! :thumbup:

 

[Rockywolf]

Nice little review! I like the look of his knives...a lot. I might just consider one. Do you have a pic of it in the sheath?

 

[Chuddy Bear]

Nice review OP. I have owned one of Jeremy's EDC's for about a year now and it is a great knife. I also have a TS-1 and one of his larger choppers in my shop now to have sheaths made. His knives have one of the finest polished convexed edges I have yet to see from anyone. The Ts-1 is truly scary sharp.

Jeremy let me beat on one of his blood grooves last summer and it was an outstanding chopper. Not many knife makers will let you use one of their knives when its in for a sheath.

 

[peppercorn]

Great review OP!
Comprehensive and thorough, I also have a TS-1 and find it to be extremely tough and one of my most versatile knives.