Wharncliffe vs. Quasi-Sheepsfoot (Utility, Not Tactics)

OK, I do a lot of "utility knife" stuff and so prefer the straight edge over a "lot" of belly. As most know cardboard is hard on the edge retentionife , the straight edge is somewhat simpler to resharpen for me. The $50 utility knife for me every time.
 
I like the straight edges of the Wharnecliffe as well as the more acute point. A slight curve on a sheep’s foot like the original Griptilian is also nice though I’d probably prefer that blade shape with a straight edge.
 
I don't use my folders for food prep, and I don't slice apples, I like biting into it. For my uses, wharncliffe or semi is perfect.
 
Silent H said:
I have a few Tantos that have straight edges. I can use the secondary point almost like a wharncliff blade, but I can also approximate a belly with the secondary edge.
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The tanto shape on the Umnumzaan is one of my favorite blade shapes because the primary edge has a bit of belly but you still get a secondary edge and a strong tip.
 
The CRK insingo shape is most likely my favorite for work/utility. In all honesty my inkosi tanto is a strong contender. Before I really got into knives or working with a pocket knife, the only two knives I used at work were a Stanley box cutter and a Klein stripping knife. I made it just fine with only those two for years
 
I prefer the CRK Insingo shape as well and the similar blades like my Skiff Drifter or Trevor Burger LEXK with a sheepsfoot. I like more then my Hinderer with a warncliffe. On small slip joint knives I like the warncliffe for trimming small plastic parts that came off the 3d printer.
 
I think I bought into warncliff because they “look less stabby” originally. (Office carry) then I grew to enjoy the aesthetics. They work fine.
 
FWIW, a Wharnecliffe blade was the first style I tried to make. O1 steel, target hardness of 61, 75 degree twist during quench.. Haven’t tried making another since but I have a piece of A2 that looks mighty tempting.
 
I mostly use my knives at work (automotive painter)

Wharncliffe usually excels at the tasks I need (cutting out thin paper/plastic to mask a vehicle , opening packages etc) but I find myself using a lot of sheepsfoot style blades also

I prefer a wharnie but am absolutely happy using a sheepsfoot (I find more styles I personally like at lower prices in a sheepsfoot vd wharncliffe)
 
I find that a straight edge is very handy, but there's a limit to it. I prefer my folding knives to have two blades, one straight, one with a curved edge but fairly pointed. This is why I rarely carry "modern" folders any more. A straight edge, preferably with a good point like a true Wharncliff, is really good at fine work where the point is the focus and you need that needle like ability as well as having a flat, straight, cutting edge for working in corners and inlay cuts. I do a bit of carpentry and find this very handy. Straight edges are best for pulling cuts.

A curved blade gives you more cutting edge in the same linear distance. Due to blade geometry they don't get quite as "pointy", but they can cut more with less effort when the motion copies the curve of the blade. If you've ever tried to skin a critter with a flat, straight, blade you'll appreciate this. I prefer a curved, drop pointed, blade for this work as I rarely work with large game where the deeper bellied "skinner" blades are so useful.
 
Here is the one thing that comes to mind being difficult with a Wharncliffe, the potatoe just being an example, also sometimes needed outdoors. Forgive the lousy quality, don't do videos often ....

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I prefer a modified wharncliff, almost spear point I guess with the point being below center of the blade, more useful for me and less risk of the blade slipping off the material being cut.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
Wild Willie said:
I've found that for my day to day work knife needs a wharnecliffe works quite well. Mostly cutting rope/cordage of some sort, or landscape fabric while helping put in driveways. View attachment 1548936
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What is that? I mean other than GORGEOUS

Seriously, that is a beautiful piece of steel.

I went back to my Wharncliffe. I carried the Hogue Ritter, for a couple full days, got up this morning and grabbed the Yojumbo. The only thing I do that is a little trickier is cut my steak, the Ritter killed it in that department. Otherwise, my Wharncliffe does exactly what I need a knife to. I'm sold on the shape and would have never paid it any mind if M. Janich hadn't pitched it.
 
Trailer_Ape said:
What is that? I mean other than GORGEOUS

Seriously, that is a beautiful piece of steel.

I went back to my Wharncliffe. I carried the Hogue Ritter, for a couple full days, got up this morning and grabbed the Yojumbo. The only thing I do that is a little trickier is cut my steak, the Ritter killed it in that department. Otherwise, my Wharncliffe does exactly what I need a knife to. I'm sold on the shape and would have never paid it any mind if M. Janich hadn't pitched it.
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It's an acquired taste .... like Retsina, if any of you have tried before. Love the Yojumbo, too. In fact so much so, that when Josh asked me for bladeshape of my Kuros, I decide on WC. And I got a "Super Yojumbo", in Cruwear no less :)

i-7qsjD8N-X3.jpg
 
The Wharncliffe is my favorite blade shape and I find it very useful for the types of day to day tasks for which I need a knife. But I'm talking about a true Wharncliffe here with a razor straight edge, a fairly thin profile, and a spine that gracefully curves down to a fine point. Far too many blades classified as Wharnies are anything but with chopped off tips like a Seax, blunted tips like a Sheepsfoot, or any curve at all to the edge. Sadly, the last bastions of the true Wharncliffe seem to be in traditional knives and fixed blades as most modern folders classified as such tend to play fast and loose with the definition.
 
Aside from some of the traditional knives I purchase that are secondary carry knives, any knife I purchase for "edc" has to be able to go to work with me and handle the load. I open a lot of boxes/clamshell packages, break down a LOT of silica infused cardboard, cut a ton of zipties and pallet strapping, etc. I've found that wharncliffe blades just tend to perform best with the variety of tasks I do at work with very little drawbacks as an every day carry knife. I especially like how they don't slip off of zipties when I'm cutting them. They are also ridiculously easy for me to sharpen (even if it's freehand, which I'm still learning), and since I'm breaking down a lot of silica infused cardboard from pallets, that always a plus.

The sheepsfoot on the Insigno and Griptilian's are a not too distant second when it comes to my favorite blade shapes at work though.
 
ferider said:
It's an acquired taste .... like Retsina, if any of you have tried before. Love the Yojumbo, too. In fact so much so, that when Josh asked me for bladeshape of my Kuros, I decide on WC. And I got a "Super Yojumbo", in Cruwear no less :)

i-7qsjD8N-X3.jpg
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I had to Google that. I had never heard of W.E.K. but found one on YouTube with a kind of "battle worn" blk/red finish. Beautiful. Kinda diggin yours more with that sturdy ish looking WC and the checkering on the micarta. That is a sweet looking knife. I might be veering away from production knives soon lol
 
I like the way a wharncliffe pierces, scrapes, picks and digs (did everyone just cringe when they read that?). I also carry a fixed blade with a lot of belly so I have the best of both worlds but I do prefer the wharncliffe for most things.

Though not the strongest, I like that piercing tip. My boy refers to them as the "upside down blades".
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A Zulu is another option for a straight edge with some sweep to it like some of the examples given in this thread. Gives you a little bit of belly with that good forward piercing point.
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Here's the extreme belly I mentioned earlier, everything a wharncliffe ain't.
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