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Does a Wharnecliffe style blade make a good fighter? If so, why?
- Thread starter misque
- Start date
Laci Szabo seems to like it (with variations). So does Fred Perrin, in his original and large La Griffe designs. You can check out both their designs/work at www.bladeart.com. Having done some work with a Griffe, I can say that it pierces cardboard and other test materials exceedingly well compared to many other blade shapes, I think due to the acute point geometry, and the fact that it tends to "lead with a cutting edge." Additionally, the Strider guys have pointed out that an unsharpened top edge will tend to force the sharp edge through whatever medium is being cut on a stab, and this is a characteristic of most wharncliffes.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2000
- Messages
- 735
Michael Janich also favors the wharncliffe. His collaboration with Mike Snody, called the Ronnin, is a defensive neck knife and uses a blade like this, as will the future spyderco MBC knife the Yojimbo. He says that it forces the point through the material on a cut.
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2000
- Messages
- 643
Well, think about it Misque. With a Wharncliffe blade, the entire sharpened edge is at the same relative angle to your hand and body depending on how you hold the knife. And if the knife is made so that the blade is canted downward at the tip it becomes even more effective for reaching out there and touching someone and leaving a very greiveous wound behind with minimal effort. The tip is especially vicious when you think about it. As a side note, the Wharncliffe blade is the best steak knife in the drawer too. The only part of the edge that contacts the plate while cutting your meat is the very tip. Very efficient.
It's also an easy edge to maintain. One of the simplest to sharpen that I've used. But, surprisingly, it's a little difficult to end up with a perfectly flat, pointed tip on a Wharncliffe every time depending on your grinding equipment. But, on the other hand, there's probably no easier blade for grinding a final bevel on. And of course the next step is a hawkbill. Now that's a nasty blade!
It's also an easy edge to maintain. One of the simplest to sharpen that I've used. But, surprisingly, it's a little difficult to end up with a perfectly flat, pointed tip on a Wharncliffe every time depending on your grinding equipment. But, on the other hand, there's probably no easier blade for grinding a final bevel on. And of course the next step is a hawkbill. Now that's a nasty blade!
Interesting reading here. The Wharncliff is a very efficent cutting tool as
well a one of the most mis-understood blade shapes. It is by far the most
useful of all blade shapes for daily utility. As to defense uses the Wharncliff
has few equals in hidden cutting power. With ALL of the cutting stroke concentrated
at the very point of the blade it is flat mean.
well a one of the most mis-understood blade shapes. It is by far the most
useful of all blade shapes for daily utility. As to defense uses the Wharncliff
has few equals in hidden cutting power. With ALL of the cutting stroke concentrated
at the very point of the blade it is flat mean.
- Joined
- Nov 3, 1999
- Messages
- 1,685
While I do not own custom Wharncliff (someday, I hope), I do own an inexpensive Kershaw Mini Task with plain jane 440C. I use that thing on many different mediums. The last couple of weeks, I have been using it to back cut copes on African mahogany. It shaves end grain!!
And I , too, will add that it's by far the easiest and fastest knife to sharpen. The tip stays scalpel sharp!
Good luck,
Barry H
And I , too, will add that it's by far the easiest and fastest knife to sharpen. The tip stays scalpel sharp!
Good luck,
Barry H
- Joined
- Jul 9, 1999
- Messages
- 3,316
Gentlemen,
Thank You for the food for thought. It's really great to be able to go to a place where others share your interest and be able to learn something new nearly every day.
I was pondering over a couple of Wharnies I have and trying to envision them as defensive tools. I see where they would be great kitchen/gardening knives and even awesome steak knives
, but, the transition to weapon wasn't clicking for me. I guess I'm just a big fan of knives with bellies, because I was hitting a dead end trying to see them in that light. When this happens, it's always a good idea to come here and get some other points of view.
I guess they would do pretty good as defensive tools after all.
That straight edge powering thru cloth and flesh on a commited slash probably would be extremely nasty.
And the point on this blade's profile is pretty needle-like, when executed correctly in manufacture.
Cool!
Thank You for the food for thought. It's really great to be able to go to a place where others share your interest and be able to learn something new nearly every day.
I was pondering over a couple of Wharnies I have and trying to envision them as defensive tools. I see where they would be great kitchen/gardening knives and even awesome steak knives
, but, the transition to weapon wasn't clicking for me. I guess I'm just a big fan of knives with bellies, because I was hitting a dead end trying to see them in that light. When this happens, it's always a good idea to come here and get some other points of view.I guess they would do pretty good as defensive tools after all.
That straight edge powering thru cloth and flesh on a commited slash probably would be extremely nasty.
And the point on this blade's profile is pretty needle-like, when executed correctly in manufacture.
Cool!