- a robust knife with an elaborate appearance
Hornbills belong to a category of birds with very large and peculiar beaks. Therefore, I think that the name feels rather well chosen. What we have before us is certainly a knife that is not very large so on that point it may not be on par with its namesake. But otherwise, it has a very special beak, sorry blade.
Time to take a closer look at a knife from QSP that is not among the simplest in terms of shape but with more decoration than usual.
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| QSP Hornbill |
Hornbill is available in four different designs. With a blue handle like here alternatively, or a "golden" handle as they call it. Then you can choose between blades that are either satin or black. Thus, you get both shape and color regardless of the combination. In other words, this is not a discreet knife in that area.
Speaking of area, the area of use is of course "EDC" or as a pocket knife depending on how you want to phrase it. But it can be added that it is a very sturdy knife, so if you want to use it as a supplementary outdoor knife, it will also work well. It's just not the vibes it gives off if you put it that way. More espresso than making coffee over an open fire, one could also say.
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| Both the blade and handle of this knife offer several details to study |
Short version: QSP Hornbill, is a pretty sturdy little knife with a very distinctive look!
Blade
The group of birds this knife is named after have large beaks which are also provided with a large outgrowth on top which gave them their name. It is of course reflected here. However, the basic form is not complicated. It is a very low drop point. Low means that the tip is found below the knife's imaginary centerline, which gives the blade a slight belly.
But the blade is not really that simple. In addition to that, there is a thumb ramp equipped with grooves that then transitions into a recess where a finger can be placed when alternating grips. Then the blade has a swedge which also descends in two steps towards the tip.
Furthermore, the blade has an elongated and somewhat teardrop-shaped blade hole and in connection with it a pair of thumb studs. Was there any detail I missed? Well, that's right, the back of the blade is slightly rounded and has a recess for the index finger as well. All in all, it's an advanced blade viewed from a design perspective.
Otherwise, the blade speaks for itself. Namely, there is no text or logo that does that. The blade is completely sterile. The finish is a satin which is then semi-polished.
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| The blade with all its details is completely unmarked |
The blade is basically completely flat ground from a thickness of only 3 mm. I'm using the word "only" because the knife is otherwise a bit chunky and it would be tempting for a manufacturer to add a thicker blade to match it. I'm glad they didn't.
It results in a decent thickness of approx. 0.3-0.4 mm behind the edge. Speaking of edge, the one from the factory was very nice. Not the sharpest I've experienced, but sharp enough and, above all, both smooth and symmetrical. In addition, the indentation in the blade also acts as a "sharpening choil", so there are no worries when the knife is going to be re-sharpened.
The steel comes from American Crucible and is the by now more than well-established S35VN. A steel most knife enthusiasts know and appreciate. For those who don't know, it is what was considered "super steel" a number of years ago. A lot has happened since then, but it is still a very fine and well-balanced steel that is more than sufficient for everything a pocket knife can be expected to encounter.
The length of the blade is just over eight centimeters and the height is three centimeters at the most.
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| The almost completely full flat-ground blade is quite thin behind the edge |
Overall, Hornbill is very likable to work with. The rather wide and above all thin blade slides through e.g. cardboard in a meritorious manner. In order to get more hours of use, I have taken the knife to work (in a professional kitchen) where there is a lot of packaging opening of various kinds. After careful cleaning, it has also happened that it was used for chores such as peeling onions, celeriac, and the like. Here, too, the blade excels as the tip is excellent and the blade is thin behind the edge.
The same characteristics are of course also reflected in the role of a pocket knife. Cable ties and slightly tougher plastic, for example, the knife cuts well, especially as the handle is comfortable. The same goes for rope, although I personally more often handle strings of different thicknesses. Everything from wrapping string via cotton string for binding steaks to hemp rope. Thicker nylon rope I cut mostly as a test object, to be honest. But this knife handles most materials in a good way.
Handle
The handle on the Hornbill is very striking whether you choose this blue version or the "golden carbon fiber" one as they call it. The dimensions are more mundane and are 108 mm in length, 14 mm in width, and with a height of 23-25 mm. A little chubby simply.
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| The handle is characterized by high-quality carbon fiber |
As advanced as the handle sides are, the construction is just as simple and straightforward. The foundation is a heavily lightened steel frame. A frame that is nicely treated as it is both polished and above all softly rounded everywhere it should be. The latter can also be missed by larger manufacturers from time to time, but not in this case.
However, the actual method of joining the different parts is simpler and feels somewhat cheaper. That is, the sides are screwed to the outside of the frame instead of it being found inside the carbon fiber. The result is a thicker and bulkier handle.
The handle is held together with two T6 screws which, however, are deservedly countersunk. The back is open and there are two hourglass-shaped spacers.
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| The frame is nicely worked but not recessed |
One of the things that makes the Hornbill a visually exciting knife is of course the handle sides. In addition to being made of very high-quality carbon fiber, it is milled in an intricate way that highlights the material's inherent luster. Here you get not just one but two patterns. A micro milling that gives a bit of structure and therefore traction and then the big clear waves that extend from, well what? A little odd detail on the handle that makes it look like it was prepared to house a button belonging to a "button lock", which is not the case in this edition. But I wonder if it could conceivably come further, as it has happened with another model recently.
The pattern provides even more grip and has also been rounded at the edges and corners and given a beveled edge where the index finger mostly ends up.
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| The thickness makes this a comfortable handle and there are many grip options |
In the usual hammer grip, the Hornbill becomes almost a three-and-a-half-finger knife for me. The reason is not the length of the handle, but the choice to incorporate a 50/50 choil, i.e. a recess for the index finger if you want to sneak closer to the edge, which consists of equal parts blade and handle. It forces the hand back a little, but it still has room. The fact that the handle is thick improves the feel at that point.
It gets even better in the saber grip. The thumb naturally falls into place on the ramp provided for the purpose and in this grip, the back end of the knife ends up inside the hand. The situation is helped by the fact that the rear end has a slight rounding and not least by the fact that the attachment on the clip is beveled. Sometimes small details are important.
Then there is another awarded grip on the Hornbill, and that is to crawl forward with the index finger in the recess just mentioned and let the thumb slide forward towards the landing place for it, which is achieved by the shape of the blade. In this case, the grip works very well so congratulations to those of you who like finger choils, on the Hornbill it is well done although perhaps a little on the small side.
Opening and Lock
I have previously mentioned the trend of multiple opening methods on folding knives. Hornbill is a shining example. It can be opened almost any way, it feels like. That isn't completely true, but aside from the ubiquitous two-handed option, there are three more ways to do it if you don't count variations such as middle finger flicks.
As can be seen, the knife has a blade hole, which of course is there to open the knife. The function is excellent and, in addition to a normal thumb opening, you can also use the index finger on the back if you so wish. In addition to that, a pair of double-sided thumb studs are added, which are also very effective.
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| Front flipper, thumb studs, a blade hole, and two-handed opening. There are many ways to open this knife |
What is not as clear is that Hornbill also has a front flipper. It is visible but not extremely prominent. This also means that in order for it to work as intended, the user has to slide his hand forward to get the right flick. If you do that, it works very well.
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| A simple but effective liner lock protects against accidents |
Regardless of how you choose to get your knife blade out, it goes quickly. Hornbill has a fairly hard-tuned detent ball, which means that the movement itself, once released, becomes explosive.
Something that contributes to the speed is, of course, that the blade is quite tall, which gives more steel and thus weight, and that the Hornbill, like basically all folding knives from QSP, comes equipped with ceramic ball bearings.
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| Access to the lock bar is average but the function is satisfactory |
This is a liner lock, no more no less. But QSP really knows how to execute them well by now. There was one time when the company was relatively new that I ran into a sour lemon but since then I have never experienced any problems. You don't do that here either. The lock engages exemplary and thus holds the blade in place without any perceptible movement. It also does not slip if you apply pressure from the wrong direction and it is reliable. That is, it falls into place every time you open the knife, regardless of speed.
It is also relatively easy to disengage the lock. A recess in the opposite side of the handle simplifies access and grooves on the lock bar prevent the thumb from slipping unnecessarily. A small but important detail when closing a knife is also that the detent ball itself engages early so it does not stop the movement. Here it is correctly executed.
To Carry
A bit chubby, that's how the Hornbill feels in the pocket if the impressions are to be summed up. Now it's not so damn thick but still measures almost 1.5 cm across the back. In comparison, it can be said that the pocket knives that are perceived as thin are perhaps around a centimeter instead. In percentage terms, the difference is quite a lot after all.
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| A chubby little knife with a nicely milled titanium clip |
Length and weight are otherwise not a deterrent, this knife weighs 110g according to my scale. Not an extremely lightweight knife compared to blade length, but not heavy in absolute terms either.
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| The clip is small and stiff but fairly discreet |
The clip is actually prettier than it is good. By that, I mean that because it is small and made of milled titanium, the tension is not as good as the corresponding clip made of spring steel. The same can be said about the ramp as well as the space under the clip. It is noticeable that it is more suitable for say a pair of slacks rather than jeans or hiking pants. But that may be in the nature of the knife.
An excellently executed detail that I previously touched on is the back end of the clip around the mount. It is heavily chamfered, which provides much better comfort against the hand than a straight and higher edge would have done.
The screws used are the now almost standardized small T6s. Then the clip cannot be moved. The reason I suspect is strictly cosmetic. A couple more holes and a recess on the other side would ruin the pattern on the handle.
To Conclude
The QSP Hornbill is a very striking knife in terms of appearance. All three major elements contribute to it, the blade, the handle, and the clip. As described earlier, the blade is full of details to explore, and the handle sides as well. It is rounded off with a matching clip in milled titanium.
Usually, I'm into slightly simpler, straighter looks but QSP has plenty of those in the catalog too and as I usually say, variety is the spice. Then I appreciate that despite a lot of effort being put into the visuals, it's basically a simple and well-functioning tool.
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| Hornbill is a good EDC knife for those who want their pocket knife to radiate a bit of exclusivity |
The handle is certainly a little short for me with this design, but otherwise comfortable. The blade is practical with an edge made to cut with as in that it is thin and capable and above all the tip is easy to handle low placed as it is.
Then QSP has topped it off with the usual good action, the knife is both easy to open and close.
Everything is then seasoned with well-chosen and fine materials. Carbon fiber of the highest quality, titanium in the clip, and S35VN in the blade.
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| QSP Hornbill is a finely crafted knife in good materials |
The QSP Hornbill is a knife that sells on looks. Not because there is anything wrong with either function or material as said. But it's the multi-colored carbon fiber with its inherent luster and the many visual elements of the blade that's the main draw and that's what you're largely paying for.* A lot of machining time has gone into this knife and it shows in the end result. If there is something that appeals to you, just go for it because as a cutting tool, it is good!
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| QSP Knife |
Specification:
Length Overall: 191 mm
Length Folded: 108 mm
Weight: 110 g
Blade Length: 83 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: S35VN
Handle: Carbon fiber
Lock: Liner lock
Produced by: QSP, made in China
/ J - carbon fiber hunter
* MSRP from QSP is $159 and at the time of writing it costs exactly the same in Euros, €159
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