Why so few straight edge folders?

S

Stainz

Joined
Jun 24, 2007
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The recent Kershaw 'Needs Work' thread got me to thinking. The straight edge - Wharncliffe-style - blade is awfully useful - and easy to re-sharpen. Sure, there are small auxillary blade slip joint straight edges, but even the Case Seahorse Whittler, with it's hefty such main blade, is out of production - at least for a while. That 'Needs Work' is a great pocket gp EDC - especially, to me, in that G10 variant. Looking through my collection, I could only find, see below L-R, a couple of Buck 315's and a Myerchin mariner series, the G10 Kershaw 'Needs Work', a Benchmade Snody 425, and a slightly curved Boker Haddock - that's about it. What are so,me others like these?

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For straight fixed blades, the pickings are even slimmer. I've found my Bark River 'T.U.S.K.' and Boker Pry-Mate. Then there are the slightly curved Boker Plus Gnome and more curved Rhino - see them with the Pry-Mate, too, below:

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Maybe I just like boxcutters?

Stainz

PS Not all mariner knives are straight - my Vic SAK 'Helmsman' and 'Skipper' have wavy/serrated edges and a slight drop-point edge - with powder blue scales!
 
hey stainz,
the just released spyderco kiwi 3 has a nice warnie blade. straight edge with a nice pointy tip.
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i've wondered why there aren't more warnies out there.
it's such a useful blade.
later,
don
 
I prefer Wharncliffe or sheepsfoot blades myself - it seems to be the best shape for breaking down boxes and precision work that I do around the home. I'm guessing the reason why manufacturers aren't producing wharnies is simply that they don't sell as well as other blade shapes.
 
Most traditional Stockman knives come with a sheepsfoot blade, which are straight-edged.
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Sheepsfoot blades are also common on whittlers, congress, sailing/rigging, and rescue knives.

Horticulture and grafting knives usually have a straight edge blade. Check out the models currently available from Victorinox.

Wharncliff blades seem to be quite the fad now. Seems that almost every company and many custom makers are offering patterns with these.

So no, I don't think there is any shortage of knives with straight-edged blades. ;)
 
The knife I use most is a Case Medium Stockman, the most used blade in it is the flat blade. Mostly because it's so darned handy and because it's the easiest to sharpen by far--a handful of strokes on each side of the blade and it's razor sharp and I never have to worry over a curved edge.

While it's very handy for simple cutting tasks, I think it's the combination of a strait edge in a very small size. I don't think a very large Wharncliff blade would be as useful.

I think it has to do with the rotation of the wrist with a larger blade vs. a smaller blade. The small Wharncliff snicks and cuts with a flick of the wrist, the larger Wharncliff blades need a larger rotation to cut in the same manner.

When I see large Wharncliff blades, I think of Santoku kitchen knives--great for dicing and chopping because you can choke up on the blade and get a lot of control and a wide chopping area.

Just my thoughts. I do however salivate over your 425 Stainz.:thumbup:

Best,

Heekma
 
Me personally? I don't like straight edge folding knives, the tip always seems like its bending away from the stone when i try to sharpen it. So at the end of my sharpening session I always end up with a dull and thick-edged tip and a very acutely ground middle part of the blade. Most of my sheep's foot blades end up being ground into something resembling a coping blade.

Of course this might be due to me liking thin-bladed traditional knives.

My Chinese cleaver has no such problems.
 
I like a Wharncliffe for a lot of everyday stuff-cutting tape, opening boxes, cutting paper, etc. Seems like when I carry a stockman style knife the straight blade gets most of the use.

Two days ago I obtained a Boker Wharcom that I really like.

I have to agree with Javelin though. If I am not really careful when I sharpen the blade, it'll look like it's recurved in a couple years.
 
My two favorites. The Case Swayback Jack in CV, and the Spyderco Centofante 4.
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Not sure how easy to find a Cento 4 it is now. They were discontinued for this year, I think? Got mine brand new from a dealer for just over 30 bucks, so it was a steal. And you will hear nothing but praise for the swayback jack no matter where you look :thumbup:
 
goodeyesniper said:
And you will hear nothing but praise for the swayback jack no matter where you look :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Yep - Case and Tony nailed that little CV Swayback.

I tend to use a fine X-acto-like point almost as often as I use the edge, so the Wharncliffe is my blade profile of choice. The Wharnie's point is set low on the blade's axis, so it 'points' as naturally as a finger and always feels completely predictable. Fortunately, Wharnies are hot right now in traditional slipjoints, so I'm stocking up while the gettin's good. :)

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I love Wharncliffes.
Another great LITTLE knife to look at: Boker Wharcom , Disappears in the pocket, but not the hand. Nice as a box cutter or for following a straight edge.

Folding Razel also a neat knife. Kershaw Leeks are nearly Wharncliffs, and VERY functional.

some more straight edged:
Bark River T.U.S.K.
Graham Wharncliff
Folts Minimalist
Razels
 
Thanks - that's a #610410. Most have Sheepsfoot master blades, but they did a few variations with pseudo-Wharnies that have finer points and sit lower in the handle when closed. Several GEC dealers still have 'em in stock.
 
Rick said:
Thanks - that's a #610410. Most have Sheepsfoot master blades, but they did a few variations with pseudo-Wharnies that have finer points and sit lower in the handle when closed. Several GEC dealers still have 'em in stock.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Will start searching for one tomorrow. Really nice knife!
 
I for one LOVE the G-10 Needs Work, It's been my one and only EDC since I bought It. I still need to see how many I have, I picked up quite a few over the past month. My whine Is that It's too small though, and the blade steel Is not the best, though I had some blades made In 1095 and S30V and S60V, I am waiting on those from the company though.
 
I had this picture of some of the Wharncliffies in my own collection:

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Left (top to bottom):
Case Mini Wharcliffe Trapper
Case LArge Wharcliffe Trapper
Ka-Bar TDI LDK neck knife
Case Swayback Jack

Right (top to bottom):
Spyderco Yojimbo
Kershaw Centofante-Onion
CRKT Dragon
Spyderco Centofante 4

I also just picked up a wharncliffe bladed Böker Fred Perrin Shark neck knife the other day which I am very happy with. :D
 
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Straight edges are great users. I think the market is heavily influenced by looks at the moment ... not function.
 
Rick said:
Yep - Case and Tony nailed that little CV Swayback.

I tend to use a fine X-acto-like point almost as often as I use the edge, so the Wharncliffe is my blade profile of choice. The Wharnie's point is set low on the blade's axis, so it 'points' as naturally as a finger and always feels completely predictable. Fortunately, Wharnies are hot right now in traditional slipjoints, so I'm stocking up while the gettin's good. :)

Wharncliffes007a.jpg


CaseDamascusSeahorse043a.jpg


GECCongress01.jpg
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Beautiful knives and pictures! Thanks!:thumbup:
 
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