Small Wharncliffe utility folder for newbie

M

muso

Joined
Sep 23, 2012
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27
Newbie here. I'm trying to find the best little light duty pocket knife for me given that most of my uses are opening envelopes, cutting paper and breaking down boxes. Since in the past I've successfully used bulky box cutters I'm thinking that a straight-edge blade would be best for my needs. I don't think I need a big blade, and I'd rather keep it as small as possible in my pocket. Also, my understanding is that resharpening a wharncliffe for a newbie is easier because of the straight surface.

(Like I said I'm a newbie, so if there are substantial advantages to drop point etc please correct me.)

I don't need a knife that lasts forever, I'd be happy to get good bang for the buck and toss it after a couple of years of regular use. This will be my one and only carry knife. Utility only, not for defense, etc.

From googling and reading these forums I think I'm focusing on the Boker Wharcom and the Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite plain edge. I like the ability to choke up with my thumb on the jimping for fine cuts (mostly cutting out newspaper articles).

They're in the same price range, around $25-$30. The Mini Tuff Lite is hollow-ground, the Wharcom is chisel-ground. I'm a lefty: will the Wharcom's single-edge grind work against me? Wharcom is AUS-8 steel, the MTL is AUS-8A.

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A friend of mine said that in his opinion the best bang for the buck is the Ladybug in ZDP 189. Twice the price, which I don't mind paying, but I just get the feeling that the blade shape is not ideal for my needs. All I really have experience with is box cutters so....

Two more things. I do not like slip knives (otherwise I'd probably get a Spyderco Kiwi3), and I live in NYC where assist-knives are illegal. Carry knives can be up to 4 inches but I really don't think I need anything over 2.5" anyway.

So which of these two do you prefer? Or is there something else I should be considering?
 
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Cadillac J said:
Get a Leek...perfect little wharncliffe, frame lock and they sharp extremely easy.
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Unfortunately owning an assist-type knife in New York City can result in arrest. A former law enforcement officer discusses this in a thread from 2008 where he says that in NYC "gravity knives" are considered anything that can be flicked open and so are illegal:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-SpeedSafe-legal-in-NYC?p=5610954#post5610954

In a different thread someone else said a prosecutor told him he's seen specific cases where NYC police will construe almost any folding pocket knife as a "gravity" knife if you can "flick" it open with the snap of a wrist...therefore any "opening assited" knife MAY BE in a dangerous gray area for NYC...this includes any "torsion bar" or mere "ball bearing" assisted open folder knife.

A shame, it's a nice looking knife.
 
I just finished reviewing the Cold Steel Tuff-Lite & thought it was a pretty decent knife. For $30 something bucks it's a nice knife for the money.
 
I own a Boker Wharcom, but no Mini Tuff Lite yet. I can tell you that the Wharcom is incredibly thin and lite so you forget you're carrying it. I have no problem reaching past the knife to pull a phone out of my pocket, which isn't so easy with larger knifes.

Of the knives you listed:
- Ladybug is a nice choice but IMO too small to be comfortable for breaking down cardboard boxes. No pocket clip, but "cute" enough that people really wouldn't mind if you used it at the office. With ZDP-189 the knife would last a LONG time between sharpening if you're just cutting paper. I'm told it takes longer to sharpen unless you use diamond stones, though, because of how hard the steel is.
- Boker Wharcom is thin, light, cool. I think the clip is a little ugly but otherwise love the knife.
- Mini Tuff Lite looks very ergonomic and would be my choice if you break down a lot of cardboard boxes. I'm not a big fan of backlocks but that's just personal preference.

I don't know how true it is but I've heard that NYC police pull people aside and harass them if they see a knife clipped sticking out of a pocket. If that's true then definitely get the Warcom because it is much thinner than the Mini Tuff Lite. Sometimes I carry the Wharcom IWB (inside my waistband) clipped to the top of my pants and then a belt covers the clip which is what I would consider if I lived in that particularly ridiculously oppressive city.

Personally I like the wharncliffe blade shape because it looks really cool but I don't think it is any easier to sharpen.

-StaTiK-
 
I love the Tuff Lite. The full sized version of the mini Tuff Lite. I'm a lefty too and the tip down carry was okay. The AUS-8 steel is okay. You will need to sharpen it regularly.

I loved the Tuff Lite design so much I contacted Alan Davis to create a SUPER VERSION.

DavisTuffest.jpg
 
Go with the Wharncom for now at least would be my suggestion. The Wharncliffe design is my favourite blade design, and I find your choice to be a great entry to the Wharncliffe family. If you were not asking for a small clipped folder (it helps to be very specific about this point as there are many good Wharncliffe slipjoints and fixed blades), my suggestion would be the Spyderco Centifante 4- a great medium sized folder, thinly ground to be a great slicer. But as I said- you won't go wrong with the Boker- unobtrusive in pocket due to flat profile, while the handle is filling enough to be used for most light/meduim duty tasks due to not being both thin and narrow. I changed the scales from a desert tan Subcom to give it more character.

I do find the straight edge to be easier for rookies to sharpen on bench stones (I use diamond primarily for most of my edges, and a Spyderco sharp maker when I feel lazy), the straight edge isn't as limiting as some would think, and if you cut on plates as I do, I find only the very tip dulls to any degree, making less of a need to sharpen as much as the blade. If you use it a lot on plates and such you may occasionally need to reprofiling the entire edge, or put up with a bit of a curve to the tip- really up to each owner.
Good luck and welcome to the Wharncliffe family!
 
StaTiK said:
- Boker Wharcom is thin, light, cool. I think the clip is a little ugly but otherwise love the knife.
- Mini Tuff Lite looks very ergonomic and would be my choice if you break down a lot of cardboard boxes. I'm not a big fan of backlocks but that's just personal preference.
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Well, light use. Any differences between chisel-ground (Wharcom) and hollow-ground (Mini Tuff Lite) I should be aware of?

StaTiK said:
I've heard that NYC police pull people aside and harass them if they see a knife clipped sticking out of a pocket. If that's true then definitely get the Warcom because it is much thinner than the Mini Tuff Lite.
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Interesting point.

StaTiK said:
Personally I like the wharncliffe blade shape because it looks really cool but I don't think it is any easier to sharpen.
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What I'd heard was that for newbies especially it's just easier to push a wharncliffe across a stone and get evenly applied sharpening.
 
willydigger said:
I love the Tuff Lite. The full sized version of the mini Tuff Lite. I'm a lefty too and the tip down carry was okay. The AUS-8 steel is okay. You will need to sharpen it regularly. I loved the Tuff Lite design so much I contacted Alan Davis to create a SUPER VERSION.

DavisTuffest.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow, that looks awesome.
 
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