What makes it a....

[Boattale]

This whole thread underlines the importance of reading, and understanding History!!
And shows the damage the screwed-up, un-informed statements of opinion and advertising can do to our ability to talk to each other!!!

You need a beer or something.

 

[ea42]

Man that's not even close to a wharncliffe. If anything it's a sheepfoot. That just proves how clueless these makers are as to what these blades historically look like. With the long pull running straight out the end it does actually look like a broken blade, so I guess that part of the name rings true. I never realized how bastardized the word has become. It's really depressing. A wharncliffe is a unique blade, that's what makes it so cool. It's usually quite thick yet extremely tapered to get into the smallest spots, making it perfect for heavy whittling. It's a shame so many others don't get it. They've once again turned a unique item into yet another blanket catch phrase for idiot marketing.

This is a wharncliffe blade.



As is this:



There's really no other way to put it. Anything else has a different name, at least to those who know the actual history of knives. This IS the Traditional Forum. History, context and accuracy actually do make a difference here.

Eric

 

[Un-Chained]

@ea42
Dear Eric.... Gawgeous examples and blades

 

[waynorth]

History, context and accuracy actually do make a difference here.

Hear Hear!!!
You've hit the cliched Nail on the Head!!!

 

[knarfeng]

There's really no other way to put it. Anything else has a different name, at least to those who know the actual history of knives. This IS the Traditional Forum. History, context and accuracy actually do make a difference here.

Eric

I agree 100% with Eric. History, proper terminology, and understanding form vs. function are part of the primary reasons for the existence of the Traditional Forum. (Just talking about where to buy the latest GEC is not on the list. )

It's OK to be passionate about one's hobby as long as the discussion does not devolve into insults.

 

[knarfeng]

The fact that some marketing sites use the terms incorrectly does not validate the incorrect usage.

 

[waynorth]

I agree 100% with Eric. History, proper terminology, and understanding form vs. function are part of the primary reasons for the existence of the Traditional Forum. (Just talking about where to buy the latest GEC is not on the list. )

It's OK to be passionate about one's hobby as long as the discussion does not devolve into insults.

Amen!!

 

[waynorth]

The fact that some marketing sites use the terms incorrectly does not validate the incorrect usage.

Yes!! . . . .This!!!

 

[Just Tom.]

I took a sheepsfoot like this:

And turned it into a Wharncliffe like this:

I wanted to make this one into a Wharncliffe, but couldn’t do it without decapitating the poor okapi, so I am calling it a Real Modified Dropped Wharnsfoot :

 

[EngrSorenson]

You need a beer or something.

For context, Charlie has devoted himself to knives and learning knife history. It’s frustrating to constantly curb the dissemination of misinformation. I’d bet he does need a beer after reading some of the incorrect posts here.

Lambsfoot, sheepsfoot, and wharnecliffe blades are distinctly different and unique. As with most things there are gray areas, but in general you know them by a straightforward definition.

@waynorth, is the Ramsfoot (featured on the #93) a newly minted blade style by GEC? Or is there a historical precedent?

If it helps, my simple view is thus:
wharnecliffe’s are very different from the others due to the curvature of the spine. Lambsfoot, sheepsfoot and ramsfoot are like a family of blades, in my mind: taper narrowing, essentially no taper, and taper bellowing out (respectively). There’s probably more to it than that, but it’s a good working definition of things for my purposes.

 

[kamagong]

@waynorth, is the Ramsfoot (featured on the #93) a newly minted blade style by GEC? Or is there a historical precedent?

Not at all original. Take a look at this old Camillus.

 

[JohnDF]

I thought Bill Howard coined the phrase "Ramsfoot" as a joke... funny to see it gaining traction.

 

[Boattale]

For context, Charlie has devoted himself to knives and learning knife history. It’s frustrating to constantly curb the dissemination of misinformation. I’d bet he does need a beer after reading some of the incorrect posts here.

Lambsfoot, sheepsfoot, and wharnecliffe blades are distinctly different and unique. As with most things there are gray areas, but in general you know them by a straightforward definition.

@waynorth, is the Ramsfoot (featured on the #93) a newly minted blade style by GEC? Or is there a historical precedent?

If it helps, my simple view is thus:
wharnecliffe’s are very different from the others due to the curvature of the spine. Lambsfoot, sheepsfoot and ramsfoot are like a family of blades, in my mind: taper narrowing, essentially no taper, and taper bellowing out (respectively). TherNoe’s probably more to it than that, but it’s a good working definition of things for my purposes.

For Context: He's (waynorth/Charlie) been more than rude to me. On the forum and in PM. He's the first user here that I've felt the need to find an ignore function for. I asked a simple honest question and for some it's become a crusade over a discussion of blade profiles. I'm here to have a good time and learn a little something along the way. If that's a problem then it's not my problem it's somebody else's.

That said, thanks for your information. Helpful in learning about blade terminology that's not been part of my life up until now.

 

[AntDog]

For Context: He's (waynorth/Charlie) been more than rude to me. On the forum and in PM. He's the first user here that I've felt the need to find an ignore function for. I asked a simple honest question and for some it's become a crusade over a discussion of blade profiles. I'm here to have a good time and learn a little something along the way. If that's a problem then it's not my problem it's somebody else's.

That said, thanks for your information. Helpful in learning about blade terminology that's not been part of my life up until now.

Your question - “So what am I missing with what makes a blade a lambsfoot?”



The answer is that^^^. That blade shape is what makes a blade a lambsfoot.

The differences between wharncliffe, sheepsfoot, lambsfoot, and ramsfoot have been discussed and no matter how the terms were coined, they’re pretty well defined. It is what it is. As for the crusade over blade profiles - that’s what all of us knife guys do in discussions like this.

Don’t take any of this too seriously. No matter how anybody acts, this is supposed to be fun. Knafs ain’t serious bidness.

 

[waynorth]

is the Ramsfoot (featured on the #93) a newly minted blade style by GEC? Or is there a historical precedent?

There are precedents for a widened Sheepfoot actually, as Christian has shown us in post #31 above!! It is the coining of the name "Ramsfoot" that is the fun Bill had with his blade!
It was a shot at my Lambsfoot, and a funny one, IMO!!
Of course, a Ramsfoot is actually a traditional Rope pattern blade, with a new name!!

And a Lambsfoot tapers the other way!! Neither has anything to do with a Wharncliffe.

And here is a Wharncliffe blade!! Please excuse the glare off the edge!!

 

[baxtrom]

Interesting thread with facts, factoids and a bit of heat! Some related questions re blade shapes, is there a universally recognised knife bible listing these definitions? I am not a knife expert, and will hence use terms that may be misplaced (I am a mechanical engineer, English being my 2nd language). For example, re blade geometry I will use the following temporary definitions in this post; profile for the profile of the blade seen from the side, and cross section for an imagined section cut through the blade (which generally varies along the length of the blade).
I believe I get the general idea re wharncliffes, sheep’s- and lambsfoot profiles. What about said cross sections? Do they differ?

 

[Campbellclanman]

The samples shown of the Wharncliffe, The Sheep's-Foot and The Lambs-Foot are self explanatory, the samples shown also are good examples of the amazing yesteryear Cutlers versions of these names, what other sites may call them and use the more Traditional terminology to sell their wares doesn't make it correct, by listening to extremely knowledgeable people like Charlie and Eric is a really good idea, as you wont get anyone else who would know more so in the real depth of Traditional Knives and the people who made the originals and the people who make the most amazing examples you can get today - Eric is one of those people and Charlie is an Historian of the Traditional Knives who has done such important work with the real deal in Knife Manufacturing , so showing a bit of respect to these Gents would be appreciated by all, if at all you cant accept the answers they have given you, you have missed out on something important.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Your question - “So what am I missing with what makes a blade a lambsfoot?”



The answer is that^^^. That blade shape is what makes a blade a lambsfoot.

The differences between wharncliffe, sheepsfoot, lambsfoot, and ramsfoot have been discussed and no matter how the terms were coined, they’re pretty well defined. It is what it is. As for the crusade over blade profiles - that’s what all of us knife guys do in discussions like this.

Don’t take any of this too seriously. No matter how anybody acts, this is supposed to be fun. Knafs ain’t serious bidness.

Isn't the ability to identify them from appearance really what matters most anyways ?
I know I've got one when it looks like one.
Maybe it's nice to know ( I'll forget anyways ) the definition of each, but it's always going to be easiest to simply show them than explain them to someone unfamiliar.

This discussion has been interesting for sure.

 

[black mamba]

Being a stockman guy, I've always liked a sheepfoot blade, and a good stout one at that. But it goes as a secondary, with a slender pointed clip blade to get into those hard to reach places. The Wharncliffe is super pointy, but that long slender tip is a little weak, and prone to snapping off, and is usually paired (though not always) with a fuller tipped secondary. For a single blade knife, the lambsfoot works beautifully as a hybrid of the two. It gives a slender enough tip to be more useful than the sheepfoot, while having more tip strength and being less prone to breakage than the Wharncliffe. They are easily identified by the visual cues listed above, but they are what they are because of the different uses they each excel at.

 

[hornetguy]

For Context: He's (waynorth/Charlie) been more than rude to me. On the forum and in PM. He's the first user here that I've felt the need to find an ignore function for. I asked a simple honest question and for some it's become a crusade over a discussion of blade profiles. I'm here to have a good time and learn a little something along the way. If that's a problem then it's not my problem it's somebody else's.

That said, thanks for your information. Helpful in learning about blade terminology that's not been part of my life up until now.

You know.... Charlie might be a lot of things, but RUDE is not one of them. If he disagrees with you, that's not being rude. If being disagreed with hurts your feelings, perhaps you are not ready for open discussions.
Aside from that, he was probably working with, and collecting knives before you were born. You should learn to disagree respectfully. And, just perhaps, you should try to learn from other folks' experience and knowledge.