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Wharncliffe.. Why ?
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Will Power
Gold Member
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- Jan 18, 2007
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Just got a Schatt&Morgan series XVIII Barehead English Jack.This has a MONSTER Sheepsfoot as the main blade(large pen secondary).
I'm very struck on the look of these blades(Wharncliffe,Sheep&Lambfoot)as well as their uses in precision work. Hardly used this one as only had it a day, but it slices a rich fruit cake nice and thick!
I'm very struck on the look of these blades(Wharncliffe,Sheep&Lambfoot)as well as their uses in precision work. Hardly used this one as only had it a day, but it slices a rich fruit cake nice and thick!
Buzzbait
Gold Member
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- Feb 25, 2001
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I'm a big wharncliffe/sheepsfoot fan. My ideal is somewhere in between the two, but closer to a sheepsfoot. Something like this:
It's very easy to sharpen, and very good for utility work. Awesome for leather cutting. The point allows for excellent detail cutting when whittling wood.
My perfect knife would have a full sized one of these blades as a secondary blade, and something like a spear or clip for the main blade.
It's very easy to sharpen, and very good for utility work. Awesome for leather cutting. The point allows for excellent detail cutting when whittling wood.
My perfect knife would have a full sized one of these blades as a secondary blade, and something like a spear or clip for the main blade.
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The dreaded clam pack. Anything that will make short order of those things has to be good
FRUIT CAKE ???? I don't remember seeing any of the S&M's like yours.
Got any pics of it, I'd like to see it. Seems I may be in the market for a new knife
Will Power
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338375 Been telling myself to master my digi camera and read a tutorial(if it exists)on putting pix on this site.....
Best I can do for you now is check dealers' sites for S&M series XVIII 2008 Barehead English Jack. Model No. 042429. In comes in wonderful brown 'worm grooved' bone.
4.5" closed, main blade 3.5" pen 2.5" Good snap so watch your fingers...I got it from the Bay but I think dealers such as Sooner State or Collector Knives etc will have them.
And yes, a rich loaf shaped fruit cake got some nice slices cut by this, then I trimmed up a plum tree.
Best I can do for you now is check dealers' sites for S&M series XVIII 2008 Barehead English Jack. Model No. 042429. In comes in wonderful brown 'worm grooved' bone.
4.5" closed, main blade 3.5" pen 2.5" Good snap so watch your fingers...I got it from the Bay but I think dealers such as Sooner State or Collector Knives etc will have them.
And yes, a rich loaf shaped fruit cake got some nice slices cut by this, then I trimmed up a plum tree.
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- Dec 17, 2004
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- 1,212
Welllll....
I was not gonna comment, since you were asking for reasons to try one, not reasons not to try one...
But, I don't like them. They are fine in 1/2" or shorter blades for whittling, fabulous in fact. But for EDC I find them almost useless.
My main peeve is if I need to cut down through something against a surface, there is no room to grip the handle, and still cut with more than the tip of the knife... Hand hits surface, long before anything other than the blade tip contacts it. No slicing against a cutting board. A wharnie / sheepsfoot is great for push cuts, but I never need a push cut.
I tend to slice/draw cut against the bellie of a blade even in 'mid air' non surface/backed cutting as well. So; I guess its just that slicing cuts are extremely hard to do with one, and I cut in that way.
So, I'd say that if you tend to use the forward 1/3 or 1/2 of a clip point or drop point a lot, you might net get along with a straight edge.
By all means, get one, use it and find out whether its for you or not... If ya don't try, then ya don't know! :thumbup:
G.
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- Nov 28, 2008
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- 898
stockman pattern does it all, seems to me. i use all 3 blades ( 340T ) everyday at work . :thumbup:
hunterfisher808
Basic Member
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- Dec 27, 2006
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I just liked the look, but as previously posted it has some specific advantageous purposes, that never really dawned on me till now lol. now I like 'em even more!
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I tend to use the point a lot for detail work in my day to day cutting chores, and the Wharncliffe's fine, delicate point lies unusually low along the blade's axis, so it tends to 'point,' finger-like, more naturally and predictably for me than something like a clip-point. When using a clip-point, I often feel like I want to either arch my wrist or turn the blade edge-up for better point control 
.
.
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338375,
Here is a picture of the Schatt & Morgan knife I believe Willgoy has referenced:
I got picture from a web seller's site. Hope this helps. :thumbup:
Excellent.. Thanks for the pic, I appreciate it
Thanks for the info... Heck if I can put pictures on here, anyone can
Welllll....
I was not gonna comment, since you were asking for reasons to try one, not reasons not to try one...
But, I don't like them. They are fine in 1/2" or shorter blades for whittling, fabulous in fact. But for EDC I find them almost useless.
My main peeve is if I need to cut down through something against a surface, there is no room to grip the handle, and still cut with more than the tip of the knife... Hand hits surface, long before anything other than the blade tip contacts it. No slicing against a cutting board. A wharnie / sheepsfoot is great for push cuts, but I never need a push cut.
I tend to slice/draw cut against the bellie of a blade even in 'mid air' non surface/backed cutting as well. So; I guess its just that slicing cuts are extremely hard to do with one, and I cut in that way.
So, I'd say that if you tend to use the forward 1/3 or 1/2 of a clip point or drop point a lot, you might net get along with a straight edge.
By all means, get one, use it and find out whether its for you or not... If ya don't try, then ya don't know! :thumbup:
G.
Its funny you mention that, because I wondered if that would be an issue.
I've noticed what you mentioned when using a shorter sheepsfoot on a flat surface, so I'm guessing a longer blade would be even more exaggerated.
I agree though, the only way to know if it works for me is to get one and give it a try. Worst case scenario, I can give it to my son to add to his collection.
Pull cut with a wharnie blade on a cutting board
Very lightly, place tip of blade on board.
Hold the knife at an angle that is comfortable to you (try 22 deg)
Pull back the knife across the object to be cut
This cut can be used for halving big sheets of paper, slicing vegetables, or trimming leather
Very lightly, place tip of blade on board.
Hold the knife at an angle that is comfortable to you (try 22 deg)
Pull back the knife across the object to be cut
This cut can be used for halving big sheets of paper, slicing vegetables, or trimming leather
oldrifleman
Platinum Member
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- Jan 5, 2006
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A while ago, before I became as wise as I now, I was into the evil tacticals and loved the recurves and the big bellied Ritter designs. Then I reverted to my distant past and found true enlightenment in the form of our beloved slipjoints. Even then I did not appreciate the Warncliff blade style. I remember a knife maker in Oregon telling me that they were his favorites and wondering about his sanity. Then one day I started carring a stockman again and found that the blade I used the most was the sheeps foot. Then I bought a Case Swayback gents (loved the Stag slabs) and found that the warncliff was indeed a great blade design. Now I EDC a Case Swayback Jack and I very seldom use the Pen blade, but the Main gets used all the time.
I have to admit that I have mixed feelings on the Warncliff blade.
I love the sheepsfoot on the stockman, and I have a Victorinox gardener. I've been exposed to sailors knives. And I do admit the advantages of the Warncliff are very real. Easy to sharpen, fine point right in line with the edge for point strength. Certainly a huge ancestry in history. The old Viking scramasax was a Warncliff. The cowboys must have found it handy since they had one on a knife that became linked to them. And the modern day Stanley Utility knife that is one of the most hard working blades on the planet, owes its liniage to it.
But having grown up with Barlows, stockmen, serpintine jacks, toothpicks (fishin knives), peanuts, sodbusters, TL-29's, and sak's, they still look a bit strange to me as a main blade knife. But I'll have to admit that I do think that Case swayback warnie is one very good looking knife. It awakes feelings of desire I thought I was over. I do not believe all those stalwert Englishmen were wrong, as they got some very good use out of the traditional lambsfoot knife for a very long time. I do like a fine point on a pocket knife, and the Warncliff certinly gives that. A couple years ago I reshaped the point of the classic on my keyring to a warnie. Works great!!!
I think if I were a younger man, I could go for a nice swayback. But at this stage of the game, what would I do with my peanuts, soddie, sak's, and stockmen?
I thought I had reached the age where I was past difficult choices.
I love the sheepsfoot on the stockman, and I have a Victorinox gardener. I've been exposed to sailors knives. And I do admit the advantages of the Warncliff are very real. Easy to sharpen, fine point right in line with the edge for point strength. Certainly a huge ancestry in history. The old Viking scramasax was a Warncliff. The cowboys must have found it handy since they had one on a knife that became linked to them. And the modern day Stanley Utility knife that is one of the most hard working blades on the planet, owes its liniage to it.
But having grown up with Barlows, stockmen, serpintine jacks, toothpicks (fishin knives), peanuts, sodbusters, TL-29's, and sak's, they still look a bit strange to me as a main blade knife. But I'll have to admit that I do think that Case swayback warnie is one very good looking knife. It awakes feelings of desire I thought I was over. I do not believe all those stalwert Englishmen were wrong, as they got some very good use out of the traditional lambsfoot knife for a very long time. I do like a fine point on a pocket knife, and the Warncliff certinly gives that. A couple years ago I reshaped the point of the classic on my keyring to a warnie. Works great!!!
I think if I were a younger man, I could go for a nice swayback. But at this stage of the game, what would I do with my peanuts, soddie, sak's, and stockmen?
I thought I had reached the age where I was past difficult choices.
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- Dec 17, 2004
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A good technique! :thumbup::thumbup:
It was never satisfactory for me- just seemed too much cutting with just the tip or say, the tips 3/8" or 1/2", even in thicker materials, it didn't "feel" right.
By all means, if it works for you, then :thumbup:
G.
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- Dec 5, 2006
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Very utilitarian blade design in my opinion. I love 'em, hard to beat for most needs.
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Ice Tigre, all my fixed blade wharnnies and sheepfeet have the handle higher than the edge (like kitchen knives). That allows me to lay the whole edge against the cutting surface.