“Sheepsfoot” terminology pedantry time! (+ bonus term suggestion)

Comeuppance

Fixed Blade EDC Emisssary
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
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The term “sheepsfoot” has a specific meaning that some people can (arguably justifiably) get kinda pedantic about.

This is a sheepsfoot blade:
sheepsfoot2-600x389.jpg


However, this is the blade shape you see more typically described as a sheepsfoot:
IMG_00091.jpg


The addition of belly (and the more pronounced point) makes it not a sheepsfoot blade, but what is sometimes called a "modified sheepsfoot" if, indeed, any distinction whatsoever is made by the manufacturer.

To prevent misuse of the term, or the pitfall of running into the same kind of situation the "tanto" blade shape ran into (where the typical term used is "tanto" when the most accurate term would be "americanized tanto" as a traditional tanto point does not involve straight lines), I want to suggest a possible term that's a little snappier than "modified sheepsfoot": Sheepsbelly.

I like the sound of it, and think it reflects the difference from a sheepsfoot blade without being a clunky term. Input / countersuggestion is very welcome.
 
I'm actually a fan of the term "modified Sheepsfoot". It gives off the impression that it's a modern take on the very traditional design.

That said I see nothing wrong with toying around with some new terminology. No harm no foul, after all.
 
I call everything w/o a straight edge a modified sheepfoot but I could get on board with sheepsbelly.
 
The term “sheepsfoot” has a specific meaning that some people can (arguably justifiably) get kinda pedantic about.

This is a sheepsfoot blade:
sheepsfoot2-600x389.jpg


However, this is the blade shape you see more typically described as a sheepsfoot:
IMG_00091.jpg


The addition of belly (and the more pronounced point) makes it not a sheepsfoot blade, but what is sometimes called a "modified sheepsfoot" if, indeed, any distinction whatsoever is made by the manufacturer.

To prevent misuse of the term, or the pitfall of running into the same kind of situation the "tanto" blade shape ran into (where the typical term used is "tanto" when the most accurate term would be "americanized tanto" as a traditional tanto point does not involve straight lines), I want to suggest a possible term that's a little snappier than "modified sheepsfoot": Sheepsbelly.

I like the sound of it, and think it reflects the difference from a sheepsfoot blade without being a clunky term. Input / countersuggestion is very welcome.
You're absolutely right about that not being a sheep's foot.
If it doesn't have a straight edge it is in no way shape or form a sheep's foot.
I can't stand these blades or the fact that they're wrongly called sheep's foot blades.

They remind me of something I also hate which are cheep Chinese stockmans where poor grinding at the factory results in them having some belly, I would be different if it was intentional but it's even worse when it's not.

I don't know what to call this, but they do pretty much look like upside down drop point blades.
Maybe a reverse drop point, calling thise modified sheeps foots give real sheep's foot blades a bad name.
 
Hmmm. This is a knife I made and sold as a "sheepsfoot" utility edc. Should I have called it a modified sheepsfoot? It was intentionally designed with an ever-so-slight rise towards the tip. What do you guys think?

3cDhEsZ.jpg
 
The term “sheepsfoot” has a specific meaning that some people can (arguably justifiably) get kinda pedantic about.

However, this is the blade shape you see more typically described as a sheepsfoot:
IMG_00091.jpg


The addition of belly (and the more pronounced point) makes it not a sheepsfoot blade, but what is sometimes called a "modified sheepsfoot" if, indeed, any distinction whatsoever is made by the manufacturer.
Modified sheepsfoot maybe but one thing for sure, it's not a sheepsfoot.
 
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