Wharncliffe vs. sheepsfoot

dsvirsky

dsvirsky

Joined
Aug 2, 1999
Messages
1,910
Not a rant or anything, just an observation. Folks seem to call anything with a straight edge a wharncliffe blade, even if it's more accurately a sheepsfoot blade. The A.G. Russell Knife Encyclopedia describes a wharncliffe blade as having, "a straight edge and an almost needle like point," while a sheepsfoot blade has, "a straight edge with the back of the blade falling in a strong curve to the point of the blade."

For example, I recently purchased an R.W. Clark wharncliffe mini-aikuchi from TADGear; it's a great little knife and exactly what I wanted, but, to my mind, this is a sheepsfoot blade rather than a wharcliffe:
miniaiku-wharn.jpg

(image borrowed from TADGear)


And let's not even get into how some people refer to just about any drop point with a minimal belly as a "wharny."
 
That's an unusual blade shape, almost what the Sheffield makers would call a lambsfoot - where the downward slope is not quite as sudden as a sheepsfoot. I like it.
 
Yep RL that be a wharncliff, much like this one I used to own...miss that one too, like all the knives I once had! ;)

G2
 
Where as this one sort of fits in the Not quite Sheepsfoot and Not quite Wharncliff, maybe Warnfoot or Sheepscliff? :D

G2
 
I have to agree with you. But anyway, aren't the Clark knives just plain awesome?! I have a mini tanto and it is awesome.
Matt
 
Mentally, I think a Wharncliffe is the knife that you can still pierce with, and sheepsfoot is something that you can't. I'll probably think that if you form a tangent line near the very tip and that angle with the blade is more than 45, I myself would consider it more sheepsfoot than Wharncliffe.
 
dsvirsky ,Great minds think alike. I have the same knife
(R.W. Clark wharncliffe mini-aikuchi from TADGear)but with
red interlay (they are cool)gotta had it to R.W. .But I am in
complete agreement,and love both types very much ;)
 
Here is a BIG comfy wharncliffe (Ed Schott- Sir Wharncliffe Mistress)
 

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Come on y'all.
I'm really diggin' all the Wharnfoot and Sheepscliff blades.
Please post more pix!?!
Lenny
 
I bought this Wharncliffe about a year or so ago, haven't really used, but I like the design and feel quite a bit.
 
Wharnie on top (by Richard Rogers).
Sheepsfoot on the bottom (Case Classic Gunboat Canoe).
Never seen a goat's foot (yet) :D
 

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Originally posted by calyth
Mentally, I think a Wharncliffe is the knife that you can still pierce with, and sheepsfoot is something that you can't. I'll probably think that if you form a tangent line near the very tip and that angle with the blade is more than 45, I myself would consider it more sheepsfoot than Wharncliffe.
Click to expand...

I think Calyth got it right- sheepsfoot is supposed to be safety design, therefore if you can still stab yourself with it, its a wharncliffe :)
So sheepfoot is safer but wharncliffe is more versatile, its fine tip is good for many things- fine draw cutting, picking splinters, delicate or accurate piercing or puncturing, etc.
Martin
 
Originally posted by martin j
I think Calyth got it right- sheepsfoot is supposed to be safety design, therefore if you can still stab yourself with it, its a wharncliffe :)
So sheepfoot is safer but wharncliffe is more versatile, its fine tip is good for many things- fine draw cutting, picking splinters, delicate or accurate piercing or puncturing, etc.
Martin
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Laufer, get rid of your Wharncliffe at once!!!:eek: :D ... we don't want you stabbing yourself anymore...;)
 
Glad you guys like those little ones. They are a heck of a good time to make. Thats about as much angle as I can put on a little blade and still have any blade left. Did TAD treat you guys good? They will be getting some Boron Carbide Minis in pretty soon also.

Ok, so we got Sheeps foot, lambs foot, goat foot:confused: ;), but what about a camel toe?:footinmou Sorry I just could not resist. :D
 
Wharncliffe is a great useful blade style. One of my favourite EDC:s is a CRKT small Mirage with a wharncliffe blade.
 
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