Which do you like more, a Spearpoint or Wharncliffe?

I know of two of our members here in this thread who have broken the tips on their wharnies. They can elaborate if they wish, but both have posted in this thread. That needle point is not for hard use.
 
arizonaranchman said:
I know of two of our members here in this thread who have broken the tips on their wharnies. They can elaborate if they wish, but both have posted in this thread. That needle point is not for hard use.
Click to expand...

Indeed they have. I was trying to find the thread with the interesting pictures of the houndstooth #55 regrind job that had to be done when a certain forumite lost the first 3mm of the tip - No success.

Each to their own. Both blade styles are popular and have been used successfully for many years. The spear point for instance I would imagine is the oldest cutting tool shape ever used by mankind. I don't really like them though, I must echo Modoc ED because neither wharncliffes nor spear points do it for me.

I have not come across a wharncliffe that I liked the look of enough to buy. I came close with a Northfield deluxe congress (I'm a sucker for congress patterns) but was beaten to the punch on the exchange. I always find sheepsfoot patterns pique my interest and so that's where the money seems I go. I have all sorts of different spear point blades (all SAKs now) that rarely get used because I don't enjoy the profile. I recently acquired one of Mr Campagna's excellent radio jacks in a contest, only to put it up for giveaway shortly after because it just doesn't work for me. I hopefully asked the man if he had a sheepsfoot version in the pipeline, but no.

If I need belly on a blade, I always go for clip points because the shape pleases my eye and because I like the acute tip, which remains sharp as it stays away from where the majority of the cutting gets done.

Arguments about which blade shape is better or that one shape doesn't work for whatever jobs are a bit pointless (no pun intended), it's all sharp steel. It all cuts. For the most part, it's just about personal taste.

- mr OP, if I may, what prompted the question?

Paul
 
Spear. I like a straight-edge blade, but would choose a Lambsfoot or Sheepsfoot a long way before a Wharncliffe.
 
Here is some reading for you guys on a broken tip http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-anymore!?highlight=rockgolfer+wharnie+broken

Thinking on it more and now using the viper which still has a needle point, the tips on wharncliffes are actually pretty strong if the heatreat is right. I used that houndstooth for months of rough tasks on jobsites every day without any ill effects. Think of how you use a disposable utility knife and that's how I treated the 55. In the link you can see how much tip broke, it was less then 1/16th of an inch. I see no use for utility knives anymore, I like to resharpen my knives. I bought the 55 just for this experiment and it proved a lot. Somedays I carry a hay'n helper sheepsfoot, the much more robust tip takes all worry out of my mind on breakage. The wharnie you just have to focus on what you are doing and have proper technique, sheepsfoot blades give you more freedom to be less mindfull in my opinion.
 
I find the wharnie on a Case Seahorse extra stout, and I can't imagine breaking the tip off one of these.
 
Spearpoint. I'm too much of a klutz to be trusted with a pointy Wharncliffe. Spey, sheepfoot, or coping blades are all safer in my shaky hands.
 
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