Spyderco Des Horn C153G...

timberweasel

timberweasel

Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
6,194
I don't hear many people talking about the Des Horn wharnie and now that the Gayle Bradley Air has landed, I'm almost expecting to hear even less.

Any thoughts/opinions/observations on this model? I'm kinda undecided about it... :confused:

Thanks!

-Timber
 
I find it to be a nice, elegant little knife. It obviously falls into the limited use category, but its striking design, weight, and blade shape make it a keeper for me. Its only negative (for me) is that it is not the easiest small knife to open one-handed if you have large hands. I think that is because of the narrow frame and small Spydie hole. Regardless, I like it. Posted pics when I got it in the Pics thread.
 
Thanks. If I had to pick a close comparison .... in terms of overall size and blade shape ..... it would probably be the Kershaw Leek. I compared a bunch of similarly sized knives and while the Leek's blade is not quite as narrow as the Des Horn, it is probably the best overall match (very pointy tip and all!). So, if you are comfortable with a Kershaw Leek, you should be equally comfortable with the Des Horn. Also, don't let my negative comment override a decision to purchase this knife. It's not that it is 'difficult' to open one-handed .... it is just that it requires some thought an a different grip if you have larger hands. You more or less have to grip the knife with your fingers rather than holding it in your hand, due to the narrow frame ..... well, at least I do.
 
Opening is not a difficulty I have with it, and my hands are not exactly petite. I think it's a great knife as long as you're right-handed.
 
yablanowitz said:
Opening is not a difficulty I have with it, and my hands are not exactly petite.
Click to expand...

I was hoping I clarified that a little more in my follow-up post. Difficult was probably not the best choice of words. I usually carry thicker and wider knives. Probably more of a muscle memory thing with me. If I hold the Des Horn without a little forethought, more often than not, the tip of the blade would scrape the heel of my hand while opening. I have to change my normal grip to holding the knife more with my fingers and open. For me, it just comes down to the narrowness of the frame .... or maybe it is just my aging hands and fingers that don't work as well as they used to! Probably more of the latter.
 
I posted a review in July on my website, it's a great stylish utility folder. The tip seems much stronger than I expected it to be, it hasn't been damaged from my occasionally dropping the knife on the floor for example. I wouldn't take a Des Horn with me for a camping trip, but for those cutting chores I as a suburbanite office worker encounter, the knife is great.

deshorn_halfopen.jpg
 
Thanks for the link, Mr.Blonde. An excellent review and I enjoyed reading it... :thumbup:

I love Spyderco's wire pocket clips, but I think it detracts from this particular piece. Maybe if it had a dark finish like the Sage 1 or perhaps if it curved to follow the handle embellishments...
 
I like and carry this knife often enough. It has a very useful tip, and the cutting edge has a slight belly, which makes the blade a bit more useful than plain wharnies. The dislikes are the sharp edges of the spine, which can hurt when inserting the hand in the pocket. Also, this knife doesn't react well when removing the clip. I admit it's not a knife with universal appeal, but it's worth a try...
 
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If given the choice between the Des Horn and the Gayle Bradley Air (and I've tried both), I would definitely pick the Air. It feels more secure, and it is smoother and easier to open.
 
I really like the look of the Spyderco Des Horn light gentlemen's folder with a 3 inch balde after seeing it on sale at Blade HQ. Hope it pans out well for me functionally.

C153G_L.jpg


[video=youtube;m7iSRX93VPM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7iSRX93VPM[/video]
 
I finally got around to ordering one and it arrived yesterday. Glad I got one before they disappear! A very cool and unique 'art deco' looking piece, the Des Horn really stands out in my collection.

I only have two nit-picks. The spine came wicked sharp OOB and I actually sliced the inside of my index finger while closing the knife. I'll just knock the edge off with a ceramic stone, so no big deal. The second nit-pick is the pocket clip. Although I'd prefer tip up carry, the clip works well enough, but I don't feel that it really suits the aesthetic of the knife. Maybe I'll remove it.

Anyhoo, the Des Horn is a cool and classy folder! Very underrated and I feel dumb for waiting this long to finally snag one... only took a few years...:o

des01_zpswrmqvyzc.jpg

Spyderco Des Horn

-Brett
 
timberweasel said:
I finally got around to ordering one and it arrived yesterday. Glad I got one before they disappear! A very cool and unique 'art deco' looking piece, the Des Horn really stands out in my collection.

I only have two nit-picks. The spine came wicked sharp OOB and I actually sliced the inside of my index finger while closing the knife. I'll just knock the edge off with a ceramic stone, so no big deal. The second nit-pick is the pocket clip. Although I'd prefer tip up carry, the clip works well enough, but I don't feel that it really suits the aesthetic of the knife. Maybe I'll remove it.

Anyhoo, the Des Horn is a cool and classy folder! Very underrated and I feel dumb for waiting this long to finally snag one... only took a few years...:o

des01_zpswrmqvyzc.jpg

Spyderco Des Horn

-Brett
Click to expand...

Nope.
Not unless you shorten the pivot screw. It won't seat without the wire clip underneath.

Spydergirl88 said:
I got one today and I love it too. Very nice
Click to expand...

Congrats.
I sold mine a while back and I sort of miss its unique style.
Almost grabbed another when I saw the deal you posted yesterday.
 
Not sure if I will like it, but for $62 it's worth finding out. What's funny is that Amazon took almost a full week to ship it with prime. I wonder if they oversold that lightning deal since I was one of the last few people to claim it.
 
$62 huh? Yeah it's worth it for that price, for sure. No brainer there.

A very good fellow named Steve Ketchen shortened the screws on my Des Horns, so I could carry them in the pocket. It's light and thin enough that this isn't a bother, but I also sanded down the butt somewhat because the pokey back end would work itself into some uncomfortable places.

I left the spines sharp because I don't touch the blades of my knives when they are open, and a sharp edge on both sides can be very useful. Overall I think the clipless Des Horn is one of the finest pocket knives I have owned, and I would have bought more had I not gone on an Air bender. Frankly the Air works better for me anyway, as it is shorter and I love the M4 steel and the rounder profile, but while the Des Horn doesn't make its way into my pocket as much, it is used a lot in the kitchen and around the house.

Despite the artsy design and nested liners (cutting a lot of weight and making it look and feel more petite than it really is), this is NOT some super light use knife that can barely hold up to mail duty. It is a serious cutter, and if you know what you're doing you can do a lot of both heavy and highly articulate worth with it. It will take down heavy cardboard, carve wood, and even do some surgical tasks without issue. I have never broken the tip on mine and it has seen some heavy stuff. The fact that it is super thin ground with a narrow tip and no choil seems to scare people, but it's all in how you handle it.





 
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Kind of regret not clicking on that lightning deal. I stared at it a bit unsure what to do, and before I knew it they were all gone!





CapitalizedLiving said:
IMG_34821_zpsqsrlpeyp.jpg
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Sorry to distract (I didn't see a way to message you?), but what is the story on the scales on your Air pair? Polished G10? Is the detent on your Air pair very light?
 
The Air are mods from Steve Ketchen. Detent is somewhat light but not too bad. The detent on my Bradley folder was far worse...
 
Barman1 said:
Nope.
Not unless you shorten the pivot screw. It won't seat without the wire clip underneath.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sparing me a spot of bother, Barman1! Hadn't looked close enough to notice this and it is worth mentioning to prospective buyers.

@ CapitalizedLiving: great comparison photos with the Air... thanks! Those mods look pretty sweet, too :thumbup:

-Brett
 
CapitalizedLiving said:
Despite the artsy design and nested liners (cutting a lot of weight and making it look and feel more petite than it really is), this is NOT some super light use knife that can barely hold up to mail duty. It is a serious cutter, and if you know what you're doing you can do a lot of both heavy and highly articulate worth with it. It will take down heavy cardboard, carve wood, and even do some surgical tasks without issue. I have never broken the tip on mine and it has seen some heavy stuff. The fact that it is super thin ground with a narrow tip and no choil seems to scare people, but it's all in how you handle it.
Click to expand...

Yep. It makes a pretty dandy whittling knife.

 
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