Best utility blade shape...your opinion?

I love the shape on that hawksbill/Wharncliffe TNT. I was using the spyderco harpy as my edc for utility at work and loved it. I recently bought an Emerson P-Sark and relly put the less curved blade to good use at work and even in the kitchen. the hawksbill is perfect for the stuff that I do every day such as cut wire, rope, hoses,boxes and stuff like that. my other favorite is the recurve with plenty of cutting power like my BOA or the Emerson Commander.
 
My favorite bladeshape is ....without a doubt...and after much testing.....back by popular demand.....fresh from an engagment @ the deer-camp.....THE DROP POINT. See below......:D
 
I really like recurves like on the Commander, but I'm also very partial to hawksbills, drop points, and tantos. They all rock for there respective purposes.
Matt
 
This one has about the best overall blade shape I've ever handled, nice low point, but still enough of a curve to slice well also.
This one is made by Rob Criswell, blade of ATS-34, scales are paper micarta, the handle is quite nice for grip and I like the fact that he didn't use an abrupt notch before the edge starts, so when you go to cut something the material doesn't get hung up on that but slide and then start cutting. Thanks to Win Heger for this find...:D

G2
 
I really like the blade shape on my Nimravus. Benchmade calls the blade shape a modern tanto point. Whatever. All I know is it rocks!
 
For utility purposes:

I really like spear points and drop points, as long as the grind is such that it is fairly pointy. I've see a number of forged drop points where the tip ended up being too obtuse/blunt, i.e. the belly had too short a radius, not enough gentle sweep. Chris Reeve has a great spear point type grind on his Project I:

http://www.chrisreeve.com/project.html

I even like drop points, if flat ground, for big camp knives... here is a great example with a flat grind and a convex final edge in a no-nonsense utilitarian design. For "camp knives", a clipped point is fine too if left with some meat for durability.

http://www.mullin-custom-knives.com/images/camp.jpg

I also like semi-skinners a lot, mostly for medium sized or larger game cleaning, especially if the grind is done so it has enough "point" left as well. But they are good utility blades also. I've never liked upswept blades where the point is above the spine, so the semi-skinner is a great compromise grind when you need a good bit of belly for skinning. The Spyderco Wegner is an example of a semi-skinner, but that Spyderco opening hole hump gets in the way and it doesn't quite have enough hump IMHO in the semi-skinner bump section. I own Dozier's nifty little K-8 model 3" semi-skinner, and I also had him make me one in that pattern but with a 3-3/4" blade, still thin and not tall, and it's a great game knife.

http://www.dozierknives.com/

What I've gotten used to calling a "spear point" is what is on the Spyderco Terzuola Starmate, or Terzuola's own custom Starfighter and ATCF. In truth, that blade style is probably more correctly described as a saber grind with a swedge, but everyone calls that "spear point" so I do too typically. That is probably my favorite all around grind. I think I'd prefer for such a grind to be done "flat" or at least with a 12" or 14" wheel so it was nearly flat (ala Darrel Ralph and others).

Every time I've used a wharncliffe or tanto blade, I've reaffirmed that I like drop points and spear points. With a wharncliffe, you seem to either be using the point, or you use the whole length of the blade when cutting something on a flat surface. No in-between. Point, or the whole length of blade.

With a knife that has some belly, you can use the point, use the belly (no point, but short section of blade), or use the flat/straight part of the blade on the back 2/3 of the knife. When you use the belly, the point stays out of the way.

The Sebenza has a great, practical blade profile, and Scott Cook's rendering of that blade shape in his Large Owyhee has a slightly thicker stock and thicker grind towards the point for strength, so it's even better in my book. I'd prefer these drop points be done flat ground or with a 14" wheel, but they are very nice anyway.

I love radiused spines on blades by the way. Jimping on spine? Usually no, but for self defense, sure, as long as it isn't left with really sharp edges for utility times.
 
Large%206K%20TNT.jpg



Nothing else comes close!!!!!!!!
 
Depends on what the intended purpose is. . .

Clip Point
Drop Point
Tanto

And not necessarily in that order. :D
 
Gary, I've got to agree about the Criswell. If I'm Home that is the knife on my belt. I might have a Harpy or some other blade handy but always have the Rob's knife.

Will, that is one of my other favorites for fixed blades in the woods.
 
I like a mild recurve, the varied profiles it offers seem to match the tasks I encounter with an EDC knife.

onions.jpg
 
Darn Tom Mayo, You make a drop dead beautiful wharncliff
knife!!!!!! I've always liked your work but couldn't afford it.
Now I see your wharncliff utility blade and almost have the big one.

Pant, Pant, give me a minute I'l be ok..........
 
nevermind...:( . Tried to get something going, nobody took the bait.

He does make a helluva knife Tightwad:D

And beauties too!!:cool:
 
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