Next trending blade shape

The wharncliffe point vs drop point style preference difference seems to differ in part due to the types of cutting tasks the user is prioritizing. A drop point especially one with lots of belly being better for tasks involving lots of slicing the most extreme task which involves this I can think of being the processing of game by hunters. A wharncliffe style blade on the other hand seems to be better suited for tasks involving intricate control of the tip and small push cuts such as one might do while whittling. The trend the OP is seeing of a larger number of wharncliffe(or more extremely dropped drop point blades such as the spyderco police 4 which have less belly) type blades might have more to do with the knife market shifting to a more urban market then was the case a couple decades ago a market where the average customer is more likely to use knife for simple edc tasks such as opening packages as rather then the more historical market of many knife companies which are more likely to include outdoor sports enthusiasts who are more likely to value slicing ability. As for the pocket cleaver thing I really don't understand them, a sheepsfoot blade can be useful, but I wouldn't use one as my edc unless it is combined with a blade with a more pronounced tip as you would find in a stockman style knife a combination which a pocket cleaver usually lacks.
 
Clip point knapped obsidian folder: This is the next trend!
He means to say, "pocket clip," and this one is a spear point, but the clip points are around the corner, I'm sure. ;)

Zieg
 
kephart are trending I think, and I like them over drop point or clip point... in a way it's almost like the combination of those, but more organic, more simple.
 
I would like to see more traditional "styles" knives with pocket clips. I love me some traditional slipjoints but don't carry them due to lack of a pocket clip. That's just me though.

A Case Mini Trapper fits well in pretty much all of my watch pockets so it's generally out of the way and readily available. I prefer the model with the Wharncliffe and clip point blades. I sharpen the clip to 300 grit and strop it. Good aggressive edge for apples and such. The Wharnie I refine up to a black Arkansas and strop. A more refined and smoother edge that is great for utility work like push cutting cardboard.

Really does make for a nice light-duty EDC set up. I haven't felt "under-knifed" since I switched back over.
 
A Case Mini Trapper fits well in pretty much all of my watch pockets so it's generally out of the way and readily available. I prefer the model with the Wharncliffe and clip point blades. I sharpen the clip to 300 grit and strop it. Good aggressive edge for apples and such. The Wharnie I refine up to a black Arkansas and strop. A more refined and smoother edge that is great for utility work like push cutting cardboard.

Really does make for a nice light-duty EDC set up. I haven't felt "under-knifed" since I switched back over.

I had a Trapper Lock for a while. Great little knife but just never clicked with it. It was a little slim for me tastes. Something like a Case Backpocket knife in CF or G10 with a clip would be prefect. I had a black G10 Backpocket for a while and thought about modding it with a clip but that's a little about my capabilities.
 
The police 4 is a modified clip.

I think the next trending style is where it looks like someone cut the tip off the blade at an angle towards the tip. Not my style at all but I see it growing in popularity.
 
There are so many companies and makers right now that I don’t even know how you would determine a trend. Then again, I don’t use snapstagram.

Cleavers were mentioned already, but I think that has already lost all it’s momentum by now and is all but dead.

I think the most notable current trend is making classic-style pocket knives with modern features and/or materials. I’m certainly seeing a lot more slipjoints and clipless knives made with CF/Ti/particle metallurgy steels.

You’re clearly not down with the cool kids. Everyone knows it’s “Snapstaface”.
 
As my typical use would be equally well served by any blade shape, my preference is almost entirely aesthetic. Spear point, harpoon (if not extreme), and drop point appeal to my eye. Tanto, clip point (bowie), compound grinds of any shape, wharnies, cleavers, and smatchets...nope. My current favorite would be the Kephart-ish spearpoint of the Keen (I wish I was being compensated for every time I've raved about the Keen).
 
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You get that when a tool design transitions to man jewelry.

Not at all. From "Sunday go-to-meetin'" knives to gentlemen's knives to William Henrys there has always been practical functional knives that are special, fancy, "man jewelry."

The trends like "cleaver bladed folders" you get when tool design transitions to bad tool design for people who don't care.

Big difference.

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Man jewelry? Jigged mother of pearl? Yes.
Excellent tool design? A peanut? Yes.
 
I'd much rather see a up-swept blade style trend, but for now that style seems reserved for Borka/Persian specialty blades and fillet knives but hasnt really made it into main stream edc category.

With up-swept my wrist doesn't have to contort at weird angles when cutting and it just seems like a better edc choice.
I'm hoping it becomes the next trend.

I was never in love with the up-swept blade shapes until I started frequently carrying an Olamic Swish. It works really well for everyday use, surprisingly well for some tasks like food prep. The sweep of the blade puts your hand out of the way, and I've (for the fun of it, I have really nice kitchen knives) prepped for entire meals using it, even dicing with the front half of the blade holding it a pinch grip just in front of the pivot.
 
Odd shapes (relative to the "normal" blade shapes) seem to be more common. Don't know if it's a trend. I doubt it. I see little point. The odd shapes are often fantasy pieces or knives geared toward self defense. The objective is to remove dollars from your bank account.

Wharncliffe and sheepsfoot blades have been around a long time. I think some people call a lot of blade shapes as wharncliffes, but they are for the most part modified wharncliffes or sheepsfoot shapes. Again, the objective is to sell knives. These tend to be pretty practical designs from my way of thinking.

The biggest trend I see is more expensive knives ($100+) becoming mainstream.
 
IMO, the issue isn't about man jewelry. It's about knife as consumer good. As soon as we regard any object as a consumer object, we set ourselves up for the endless cycle of fashion in which "the new thing" overlays with our romantic ideals of progress (scientific, cultural, moral). And so we become suckers for that new and improved or trending thingamabob on the belief that it will be better than the previous doohickey we haven't managed to wear out yet. We prove who we are with our consumer choices.

God have mercy on us.
 
I just hope thin behind the edge and slicer becomes the norm. Knives that actually cut, not the style of art knives that have a sharp edge and useless blade shapes with overly thick blade stock and thick behind the edge. Tacticool has got to go.

Agreed. And this is why Opinels will always be around and will always be great. The blade shape and geometry just work and are time tested.

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I had a Trapper Lock for a while. Great little knife but just never clicked with it. It was a little slim for me tastes. Something like a Case Backpocket knife in CF or G10 with a clip would be prefect. I had a black G10 Backpocket for a while and thought about modding it with a clip but that's a little about my capabilities.

Just as an FYI in case you might be interested, the Case Trapper (standard two blade slip style) does come in a pocket clip version. I think you can even find them in micarta.

Okay, I'll stop sidetracking now. :)
 
Blades and knives seem to be more about what a CNC machine can do then be functional in many cases nowadays. I don't want my blade to have 9 different geometries just because it looks "cool".
 
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