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

I used this (German) E.J. Coles rigging knife I picked up while I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch in the mid 70's to cut a carpet to size and install in my old apartment in NYC back in the day. Worked surprisingly well. (And I still have it.)

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Blues said:
Keeping with the aquatic theme, sailfish sailfish , it looks like a duck. :cool:

Yeah, it's got elements of a (quasi) wharncliffe with some belly at the tip...and a clip but it's clearly not a traditional version of either. Looks like it could be a useful companion.
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I think the clip is just an illusion. The spine definitely goes straight to the point. Regardless though, I've actually been sharpening this one straight across so the slight upturn sharpens out eventually into a true wharncliffe.

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So I pose this question to the others who also prefer straight edges over a quasi. Do you find that a hawkbill fills your needs as well? I find that they provide a lot of the same advantages of a true wharncliffe plus a little more specialized utility, and as far as daily use in a pocket knife goes they actually serve me better than even a moderately bellied blade.

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sailfish said:
So I pose this question to the others who also prefer straight edges over a quasi. Do you find that a hawkbill fills your needs as well? I find that they provide a lot of the same advantages of a true wharncliffe plus a little more specialized utility, and as far as daily use in a pocket knife goes they actually serve me better than even a moderately bellied blade.
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I like straight edges a lot, but the knife I have carried most over the last year is a large hawkbill, a CS Tigerclaw with the ring cut off. The size gives me a lot of edge to work with, which is nice because it's got to fit in the curve if it's going to get cut effectively. The 2 best things about a hawkbill are being able to pierce at a 90 degree angle to the handle, allowing for precise cuts, and the ability to have a spine and end blunter than a sheepsfoot to work into tight or delicate spaces. I use mine as a marking knife, I've sawed away PVC pipe in the ground, shaped wood as required, and sectioned off many a sandwich.
 
sailfish said:
So I pose this question to the others who also prefer straight edges over a quasi. Do you find that a hawkbill fills your needs as well? I find that they provide a lot of the same advantages of a true wharncliffe plus a little more specialized utility, and as far as daily use in a pocket knife goes they actually serve me better than even a moderately bellied blade.

0wuoIIs.jpg
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Good question. I like Hawkbills and serrations in use ... I’m just too lazy to sharpen either :)
 
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Really like this. Fingers fit the groove but also super thin so pinch grip is easy if you want to choke up. Super sharp of course and pops open in a flash.
 
Blues said:
Up front, let me say that I have many traditional knives, (wharncliffe trapper by way of example), which incorporate the wharncliffe blade, and I have an appreciation for it.

But this thread is meant to pose the following question:

Outside of the fact that you just like the profile...for utility purposes, if you didn't need to put the entire edge of your blade on the material to be cut, why would you choose this blade pattern...

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...over any of the following examples?:



View attachment 1548373 View attachment 1548374 View attachment 1548375

To my way of thinking, any of the last three are much more useful for EDC or any utility task but those requiring the full edge to be laid on the material.

So, unless you want a $400 box cutter, just prefer the blade pattern, or find it useful for self defense, why would you choose the straight edge wharncliffe?

(There is no right or wrong answer, just your well considered opinion is sufficient.)
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Because box cutter.
 
sailfish said:
So I pose this question to the others who also prefer straight edges over a quasi. Do you find that a hawkbill fills your needs as well? I find that they provide a lot of the same advantages of a true wharncliffe plus a little more specialized utility, and as far as daily use in a pocket knife goes they actually serve me better than even a moderately bellied blade.

0wuoIIs.jpg
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Nice line-up!

What happened to the tip of the tanto sebbie?
 
353 said:
Ouch..

My condolences.
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Was cutting some foil tape away from a duct and must've caught the tip under a screw head or something. In hindsight I should've been using the secondary point, a feature I constantly laud the tanto blade shape for but failed to utilize when I needed to most. I'm a lot more careful about keeping my cuts straight in line with the blade if I can't see what I'm cutting into since that happened. I've gotten the point a lot better since then with negligible loss in length at least. Was using the new K390 wharnie on some thick insulation the other day and it made me kinda nervous.

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sailfish said:
Was cutting some foil tape away from a duct and must've caught the tip under a screw head or something. In hindsight I should've been using the secondary point, a feature I constantly laud the tanto blade shape for but failed to utilize when I needed to most. I'm a lot more careful about keeping my cuts straight in line with the blade if I can't see what I'm cutting into since that happened. I've gotten the point a lot better since then with negligible loss in length at least. Was using the new K390 wharnie on some thick insulation the other day and it made me kinda nervous.

eD7GWHw.jpg
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Tes, that looks a lot better!
 
I love it, love cutting with the whole edge and the pointy tip. It just feels great. I am talking about the Yojumbo. I need another one. I want one in S90V for utility and cutting and one in S30V to stay sharp like the Civilian. I also want one of those Otter-Messer Sailor knives, with the sheepsfoot blade and the anchor? Ooh, I just LOVE that. There's also the Imperial or whatever Chinese Schrade "Catamaran", which has a half-serr sheepsfoot blade, but I mainly wanted that for the marlin spike and I can just buy a marlin spike attatchment for an Endura...

I just carry a knife with some belly like a RAT or PM2, as well!
 
BitingSarcasm said:
I like straight edges a lot, but the knife I have carried most over the last year is a large hawkbill, a CS Tigerclaw with the ring cut off. The size gives me a lot of edge to work with, which is nice because it's got to fit in the curve if it's going to get cut effectively. The 2 best things about a hawkbill are being able to pierce at a 90 degree angle to the handle, allowing for precise cuts, and the ability to have a spine and end blunter than a sheepsfoot to work into tight or delicate spaces. I use mine as a marking knife, I've sawed away PVC pipe in the ground, shaped wood as required, and sectioned off many a sandwich.
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Thank you for this info, I was wondering myself whether I could use something with the blade shape of a Spyderco Matriarch for utilitarian purposes, as I do the Yojumbo! It sounds like it's very useful!
 
I love wharncliffes and sheepfoots and all those "modified" versions. I really like a straight wharny for jobs around the house, cutting boxes and plastic wrap at work, and all types of handyman type chores. Although my absolute favorite is when they have just a slight belly in them. They can be drop points too if they have a real low tip. I just find them to be the most useful blade shape for me. Really the only time I can think of that I needed a knife with more belly is if I'm skinning a rabbit or something, but I don't hunt really anymore. Low tips knives started out being my favorite because they were so much easier for me to sharpen. Now I can sharpen whatever I guess, but it still makes it easier. And the lower the tip, the less attention I have to pay when stropping between sharpenings.
 
LimpCroissant said:
I love wharncliffes and sheepfoots and all those "modified" versions. I really like a straight wharny for jobs around the house, cutting boxes and plastic wrap at work, and all types of handyman type chores. Although my absolute favorite is when they have just a slight belly in them.
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Interesting preference. With all due respect, I cannot tolerate any Belly or Recurve on a wharncliff sheepsfoot coping blade. They have to be laser straight from ricasso to tip.

I do find that it can be beneficial to be slightly narrower at the Ricasso and wider at the tip. It sort of gives the benefit of a karambit or other hook knife without the baggage that goes with the recurve.

To each his own.
 
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