What are the pros and cons of a Warncliffe blade?
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The Magician
Illusionist
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- Jan 19, 2000
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IMHO the wharncliffe is an excellent utility blade shape. In fact it is my favorite. The only drawbacks I can see is that you can't skin with it too well. Living here in the metro I rarely do that so I say, two thumbs up for the wharncliffe.
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The point is great for penetration. The edge usually is straight, but if it has a curve it should be very slight. Because of this, teh blade is easy to sharpen. For your opening mail, opening boxed, opening chips, opening a bag of fertilizer type of work, the blade shape is great.
Cons: Not the toughest geometry, no belly means don't expect an efficient skinner out of it, and try not to chop either!
Cons: Not the toughest geometry, no belly means don't expect an efficient skinner out of it, and try not to chop either!
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Pro:
Excellent for precision cutting at the tip.
Con:
Difficult to manufacture due to minimal material at the tip. Some makers compensate for this by making the top curve steeper (more like a sheepsfoot).
While the point penetrates softer materials easily, it is not especially strong.
Excellent for precision cutting at the tip.
Con:
Difficult to manufacture due to minimal material at the tip. Some makers compensate for this by making the top curve steeper (more like a sheepsfoot).
While the point penetrates softer materials easily, it is not especially strong.
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- Aug 1, 2001
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I really like Wharncliffe blades, so there aren't many cons that come to mind. They are extremely practical, easy to sharpen, and pretty darn good lookin', in my opinion, The worst thing about wharncliffes is that there aren't enough of them to choose from!
The worst thing about wharncliffes is that there aren't enough of them to choose from!Personally, it's not my favorite blade to use.
The tip seems alittle too weak for hard cutting and you're almost certain to break the tip if you drop your knife.
For shear utility I'll take a sheepsfoot over the Wharncliffe.
I do think the Wharncliffe is very useful for fine delicate cutting.
The tip seems alittle too weak for hard cutting and you're almost certain to break the tip if you drop your knife.
For shear utility I'll take a sheepsfoot over the Wharncliffe.
I do think the Wharncliffe is very useful for fine delicate cutting.
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- Jun 23, 1999
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I've used an inexpensive wharncliff to cut roofing paper, so the tips aren't that weak. Very good blade for rope/hose or any kind of "sawing motion" sort of cutting where you don't have to change the angle of your wrist while you cut. Also very good for cutting on a surface, like slicing tape, soft wood, thin tile, or cardboard that is already laying on some other surface, the kind of cutting you might otherwise do with a razor blade, boxcutter, or x-acto knife. OK for vegetables and things like that, but not for dicing or meat cutting which requires some belly.
I'm not a knife fighter by any means, but I can't imagine the shape would be too good as a defensive blade. If you thrust, the tip will penetrate, but only the lower edge will cut, the rest will only push tissue out of the way. If you slash, the tip will engage the target, but there will not be as much edge applied to the cut as there would be if the blade had a belly.
I'm not a knife fighter by any means, but I can't imagine the shape would be too good as a defensive blade. If you thrust, the tip will penetrate, but only the lower edge will cut, the rest will only push tissue out of the way. If you slash, the tip will engage the target, but there will not be as much edge applied to the cut as there would be if the blade had a belly.