Pros and cons of a warrncliffe blade?

C

Cowboyfromhell666

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May 13, 2019
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So I'm intrigued by the warncliffe blade shape as I don't have any experience with one. I have been thinking of getting one to try out. I'm looking at the xm-18 3.5" if that makes any difference. I would appreciate any feedback from knife enthusiasts who have extensive knowledge of these warncliffe blades. Thanx a bunch
 
I don't have extensive knowledge of them.
But... they are very useful and one of my favorite shapes.
They can offer for more precise cutting tasks.

Consider how utility blades are shaped.
They can give good control on cutting chores.
 
Skar said:
Consider how utility blades are shaped.
Click to expand...

Yep, great utility shape. Awesome for opening packages, too; it's easier to control the tip than it is with some other blade shapes. There are some self-defense wharnies out there too, like the Spyderco Yojimbo. The blade shape allows you to put a lot of force on the tip and apply it consistently through the entire cut, making it useful in that role as well.

The biggest con for me is that they have no belly, which makes some types of cutting more difficult. For a general do-everything, all-rounder type of knife, I don't prefer Wharncliffes for this reason.

The Hogue Deka is one of my favorites, a great little slicer with a modified Wharncliffe blade.

SpXmev8.jpg
 
The CRK insingo blade shape is extremely close to a wharncliffe...dang ugly shape...but my absolute favorite for my work duties.

True wharnies are one of my absolute favorite blade shapes. Great tip control, lots of cutting edge. I say go for it...you wont be disappointed.

MolokaiRider MolokaiRider ’s post has serious merit.
I can testify to that. :)
 
Dash over to Kershaw Guy and get a Blem Leek.

I could have asked folks on here all day about the Wharnie shape, but in the end it took me using the hell out of them to learn them.

What might be a pro or con for ME with this blade shape might not be for you.

Pros for me... I like the control for those "x-acto" knife moments, and the tip is really good for piercing.

Con for me... I'm usually pretty rough on my knives, so I have to be extra cautious of the tip strength.

Happy Wharnie-ing.
 
Sharp & Fiery said:
The CRK insingo blade shape is extremely close to a wharncliffe...dang ugly shape...but my absolute favorite for my work duties.

True wharnies are one of my absolute favorite blade shapes. Great tip control, lots of cutting edge. I say go for it...you wont be disappointed.

MolokaiRider MolokaiRider ’s post has serious merit.
I can testify to that. :)
Click to expand...

Thank you sir. It’s a handy profile for sure!
 
Wharnclifffe fan boy here.

DSC_2811.jpg

Power on the edge through full stroke.
Full power on in the tip. See above.
Depending on design, tip can also be excellent penetrator.
Easy to sharpen.
IMO, looks cool.

As some have pointed out, be careful of tip. I just got a hollow ground wharnie and the tip is delicate to say the least. Still...I would stay with flat or sabre. Actually kinda thinking about a scandi wharnie.
If you do break the tip (haven't, yet), it does appear to be easy to grind it back, unlike other designs.
Radial/curved spines don't work to well for cutting board applications especially if handles dip below blade line (see middle and last knife).
Not intimidating looking compared to say tactical/fighter knives. This can be a good thing.
Forgot one more thing: you're probably not going to be skinning any animals with a wharnie! Though I suppose in a pinch...

After thinking about it, I got all Wharncliffe blades because of the tip. That's where I do most of my work.

DSC_3009.jpg
 
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The Spyderco Swayback is worth checking out, if you are interested in high end wharncliffe folders. The knife has mixed reviews, but people seem to unanimously like the blade.
 
they tend to give you the ability to make extremely precise controlled cuts at the tip but can be more delicate and might be more likely to accidentally puncture something when using a sweeping slice motion such as when skinning animals great for whittling and utility blades but impractical for hunting knives and tolerating certain types of abuse.
 
I really depends on the actual knife to me. I have an ancient Gerber folder (somewhere) that was hollow ground from the kick/sharpening choil to the tip. It was fragile to be sure, but with care it was a mean slicer. So it had its purpose. I think the most likely reason is that I never damaged the tip was because it was probably pretty soft stuff. I had one model of Kershaw along the way when I had one foot in the white collar world and one in blue collar. It was a great slicer and I didn't overwhelm it because the blade was pretty short. Got tired of it because the blade was too short.

My favorite by any means is the offering posted here by Chief Chief about 9 years ago. I didn't want to copy his pic without permission, so here is the whole thread. The two pictures after the building pic is the same one I bought. Now, after many years of carry the beautiful white bone has ambered and beautifully aged by sweat, dirt, use and time. It is a great working folder, and the blade is thick all the way down to the point. Still pointy, but really sturdy since it is a thick blade with a flat grind. I have used the hell out of the knife with no damage to it at all. Since I bought the Russell wharnie, I haven't bought another.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/ag-russell-store-visit.896058/

Robert
 
Just remembered there's also a thread in the Spyderco forum you may want to read. Michael Janich, the designer of the Yojimbo chimes in.
 
midnight flyer said:
My favorite by any means is the offering posted here by Chief Chief about 9 years ago. I didn't want to copy his pic without permission, so here is the whole thread. Robert
Click to expand...

Thanks for your consideration, have quite a bit of time and money invested in equipment / software. Anyone is welcome to use my photos for illustration purposes, as long as they aren't using them for profit. Have discovered folks using my pics to sell their knives on other websites. Dishonest to use my photos of my knife to sell their knife, so I currently put my copyright information visible in text and in the EXIF information contained inside the file.
 
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