**Updated** Traditional w/ Wharncliffe Blade for Slacks

L

Lock1454

Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
885
* A Case Mini Copperhead won the election, yay! Follow up questions in post #14*
**Pictures in post #19**

Starting a new job that has me wearing slacks and am looking for a new toy to carry with me. I really enjoy having a wharncliffe + another blade that has some belly on my traditional folders. I am looking for something in the 2.5-~3.25' length and topping out in the low 2's for weight. I like to stick to bone/wood handles and am not too particular about the steel. It can be a limited run model (e.g. Case's mini wharny trappers), just as long as it can still be purchased for a reasonable price. I am not looking to spend a ton of money, ~$75 tops (prefer in the $40-50), so I am likely limited to production knives and not customs.

I currently have a Case Mini Wharn Trapper and a Case SBJ. The trapper is great but a wee bit big. The SBJ is awesome and has everything I really want, except for one thing, it's not a brand new toy to fondle :P (I am also aware of Case's Mini Copperheads as a very suitable option).

So if you guys have any patterns, specific knives or stores to browse - I'd really appreciate the recommendations :)
 
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Lock1454 said:
The SBJ is awesome and has everything I really want, except for one thing, it's not a brand new toy to fondle :P
Click to expand...

Aw, that was going to be my recommendation. :)

Beyond that, I'd say you're on the right track with the wharncliffe Mini Copperhead. :thumbup:

~ P.
 
Case mini copperhead with wharncliffe makes a very nice small knife.

Edit : I saw this post and didn't refresh before adding my redundant 0.02.
 
Queen made a half whittler with a wharncliffe/pen that measured 3 1/8". D2 steel.
Mike @ collectorknives.net has a few in stock within your budget but they're not wood or bone. They're abalone and pearl.
 
The mini Copperhead is sweet!

minicopper.jpg
 
For under $70 you can find various GEC 3" pattern #25 wharncliffe jacks (some under the Bulldog name). The Queen bdev mentioned is in winterbottom bone, and is not easy to find and will probably cost more than you want if you do. If you're patient, you can troll eBay for various half-congress knives from Camillus or Case. I've pulled a couple off there for very reasonable prices. The main blade is a sheepsfoot, not a wharncliffe, but still straight and just as useful. Even a Case 62052 (get a vintage one with 1 backspring rather than a newer one with 2) at 3.5" makes for a very slim, lightweight EDC. I've picked up a couple of 3 1/8" Camillus half congresses for dirt cheap, and while the blades are quite short, it's a very small and unobtrusive EDC...longer than a peanut, but thinner.

I'm throwing out these other options because you asked, but frankly though, I think you already mentioned what to get next. A Case mini copperhead. Or another Sway Back Jack. Or even a Sway Back Gent. Sure, the pen blade is useful, but a Gent will be thinner and lighter than the SBJ.
 
Might want to look at the #57 Halfwhitt. Single spring...but ...on the high end of your price range, but a nice comfortable knife. Oh...and the other good thing about the knife, is, that with socks, the joints are pretty well buried....meaning less of that sharp exposed 1095.

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Peter
 
Why not another Case SBJ with some fancy scales to fondle? :)
That, or a Case mini wharncliffe trapper might work fine.

Fausto
:cool:
 
This is an AG Russell that is 3 inches ling. You might be able to find one of these for sale. It's a great little knife and I carry it several times a week.
 
AG Russel curved jack puts out a wharncliffe model that looks to be a possibility. I don't have a link for you though.

Andrew
 
You owe it to yourself to try a mini copperhead. Another possibility is the GEC houndstooth.

Ed J
 
Houndstooth that I just picked up impresses me a lot, won't weigh you down either.

The 57 Half Whitt as shown offers a decent Wharncliffe&Pen, I'd look for the Coffee House acrylic, it's super!

CASE used to do single blade Trappers with a Wharncliffe, a Bay hunt could yield one.
 
Okay, I went ahead and ordered a Mini Copperhead (it was in the running as to which knife to buy when I chose the SBJ so figured I owed it to get it next :P).

Since I am rather inexperienced when it comes to traditionals, I have a couple of quick questions about the knife/pattern that I just want to check to see if things are the way they are supposed to be.

1) The tip on the wharn main blade isn't as pointed as the other two case wharnies that I have, is that typical for this model? The same can be said of the pen blade but that looks like it would be easy enough to sharpen out.

2) I have never handled a pattern where two blades share the same backspring. The main blade holds open pretty nice but the secondary pen blade is much, much weaker. Normal?

I am a worrier by nature so figured I'd ask instead of tormenting myself wondering if these concerns were typical or not :P
(Also, if they are defects, would it be better to return to the merchant or contact Case?)
 
Yeah I believe the pen blade on mine is a bit lazy too. Also make sure you have cleaned all the compound out of it. Cases often are dirty with compound, without the telltale grittiness of some manufacturer's dirt.
 
It is probably pretty typical. As far as the pointedness of the main wharncliffe mine is plenty pointy, but Case sometimes doesn't get the point as sharp as it should be (IMO) on some examples of their knives (not limited to MCHs), but it shouldn't be a problem to hit with the stones and get it like you want it. My pen blades all feel lazy on opening, not as bad on closing, but I don't have any problem using the pen. However, if you do a bit of carving, the pen might not be good for "poking" in a hard wood. I rarely use the pens on my MCHs, maybe that's why it doesn't bother me.

Show us a photo of the one you got!!

Ed J
 
Here's the new bugger
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The family
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jIDqnMV.jpg



Can you tell which tip belongs to the MCH in these pictures?! :P
8YdljJJ.jpg

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