Sheepsfoot vs Wharncliffe?

i like the way the sheepsfoot looks over the wharncliffe plus the way it's easier to pinch to open. sometimes i can't put that sheepsfoot single barlow down, i like it that much.
 
For heavy cutting duties, I'd take the Sheepsfoot as it has a stronger tip. For boxes..... definitely a Sheepsfoot. For more elegant tasks, a Wharncliffe might be better suited. Why doesn't anyone make a Sheepsfoot/Wharncliffe trapper framed knife? :p
 
For everyday duties (as heavy as ever), I dream of a double bladed knife wharncliffe / drop or clip point. Best would be a cross pattern with equal blades. Although I could do with something like A.G. Russell's Pinched Peanut, but in man size...
 
Yes, this. As said, i would rather be in for a Cross / Equal end pattern. More, I like a double bladed knife to be rather slim/light. It will be a second anyway : so, 3" (and slightly less) range (A.G.'s is a jewel but also jewel sized)... Your GEC's are main users. My mains are usually single bladed.
 
scrteened porch said:
I'd go with the sheepsfoot, myself. I get better control with it with and it won't wear down at the tip as fast as the wharnie. Also lack of accidental stabbing is a good thing in my book. The sheepsfoot still has a usable point when you want it. But wharnies look cool. Maybe get both.
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I'm in this camp. Wharncliffe looks cool, but I find a relatively short sheepsfoot (think GEC 25 or 61 half congress) much more useful. I don't think there's a better blade shape than the latter for opening plastic clamshell packages.
 
herisson said:
Yes, this. As said, i would rather be in for a Cross / Equal end pattern. More, I like a double bladed knife to be rather slim/light. It will be a second anyway : so, 3" (and slightly less) range (A.G.'s is a jewel but also jewel sized)... Your GEC's are main users. My mains are usually single bladed.
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Ahh, I got ya. http://www.knivesshipfree.com/mini-moose/?sort=alphaasc? 3 1/4" and 2 springs single spring... This GEC is 3 3/8" closed and single spring but the coping blade (sheepsfoot-like but with a sharp tip that I just file down on mine) is shorter and is only available (if you can find it) in buffalo horn or in one of Mike's #33 SFOs. The AGRussell is 2 7/8" or close to it.
 
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jon_slider said:
The sheep does not stab at all, the wharnie does, a lot. The sheep sticks out of the handle profile a lot, the wharnie does not. As mentioned, a sheep is pinchable, a wharnie is not. A sheepfoot blade is Much better than a wharnie at scraping out the bottom of the peanut butter jar, and a sheepfoot is MUCH less likely to stab a sail while cutting a rope on a rocking ship, than a wharnie. The original purpose of the wharnie was as a whittler, the most use of a sheepfoot is maritime.

A Case Bose gent would be my pick for a single wharnie, but in a smaller package I really like the mini copperhead

I really like the GEC 25 single bladed Sheepfoot. The fat handle goes well with the tall blade. A stag or ebony bareheaded sheepfoot 25 would tempt me, a lot.

253113-be-stl-ebony1_zps0096cd76.jpg


And there IS a peanut with a wharnie, the AG Russell pinched peanut
RUS-JJ13-MI.jpg


this thread has more pictures of wharnies and sheep
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/927154-Sheepsfoot-Wharncliff

and this thread is full of 25's with different handles and blade configurations
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...st-GEC-25-single-bladed-Little-Jack-yet/page3

post pics of what you get :-)
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Yeah, I have one of the Russell Warny peanuts and it is very nice. I will say that the back spring does sit a little proud of the back though. AS far as the blades go it near perfection. and the scales are nice. I carry one about half the time. Steven
 
What did you expect ? I want the Ebony now ! Must get down with shipping and CUSTOM fees now...Life IS complicated.
 
herisson said:
What did you expect ? I want the Ebony now ! Must get down with shipping and CUSTOM fees now...Life IS complicated.
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It's comments like these that make surfing knife sites even when not looking for something specific worth it :D Btw, I did have one of these and wrote a short review a while back.
 
oldrifleman said:
Yeah, I have one of the Russell Warny peanuts and it is very nice. I will say that the back spring does sit a little proud of the back though. AS far as the blades go it near perfection. and the scales are nice. I carry one about half the time. Steven
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This surprises me. The quality on Japan made Russell's is just amazing as far as F&F of my (one, adored...) knife go. I can understand, though, that in an industrial process there may be some gaps. Not very willing to do with it, as the customs of old Europe keep killing me.
 
WOW! You guys are awesome! This is exactly what i'm looking for. I whittle very seldom and I just started working in the shipping department of the machine shop that I work in. It's still a hard choice, I am not a hard user and have to look for reasons to use my knife on a daily basis. I'm leaning towards sheepsfoot because of the longevity of the tip and pinchability.

I love the look of the wharncliffe, but would like to be able to pinch the blade. I am also a crazy sharpener and if I can no longer whittle a totem pole out of an arm hair then I tend to sharpen. I might be an over-sharpener, so the wharncliffe scares me.

Thanks for the responses! I will give it a think and update when I find what i'm looking for.

Is the sheepsfoot charlow pinchable?? Or am i better suited to go with the EO boys knife if I want to perhaps open with gloves?
 
Pipeman said:
The one thing I would caution if buying a new knife is check where the tip of the blade sits in the slot. The Charlow sheepsfoot 15 is very well burried whereas the tip of the blade in the long skinny 89 whittler is so close to the top of the slot that sharpening will expose the tip in no time.
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Good point Robin :thumbup:

roninelh said:
Is the sheepsfoot charlow pinchable??
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Yes, and it's a darn good one! :)
 
Woodrow F Call said:
Just had a thought.......

Do we need a Sheepsfoot Peanut/Pemberton type knife?
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That would be pretty good :thumbup:

Edit -



I picked up this curio (top) in the market the other day, going to give it to a pal with the surname Green, who thinks economizing is boozing at home instead of in the pub! :D

It's actually a very common Sheffield pattern, probably made, in this case, for Green's of Wakefield.

(Maybe I could get some made up with 'The Porch' on! :D)
 
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Jack Black said:
:D :thumbup:

Sorry Woodrow, late edit above (if I don't take a hammer to this computer before the day is out it'll be a miracle!)
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Nice. It is cheaper at the house. :D I found a knife in my dad's tackle box the other day I need to take a picture of..... I think you'll like it. ;)
 
I just went through this process and found some great knives along the way. First traditional I picked up over a year ago was the GEC #79 that has this sheepcliff blade



I still love this knife but started using the 53 for its better feel in hand while using. These two knives made me fall in love with the straight blade. I eventually wanted to try out some smaller patterns for the more friendly pocket carry aspect. I first picked up the half whit



but I found many things I didnt like about this model and moved it on. I was scared I would break the tip as it was much thinner and pointier then any of the others. I then commissioned a custom knife from Mr. Oeser



and while this is a grail knife for me, it is a little wide(great for work, bad in pocket). I carry it every week and love it, I reach for it whenever I have no idea what my day will bring me. On days I want something small and thin I reach for my Houndstooth(top in pic)



The handle shape makes it a very usable knife for its size(I know its at the top of your limit). The wharnie sits low enough that I am not worried about sharpening it. I work construction and let me tell you that this tip is strong. I cut caulking off of formica, cut sheetrock, cardboard and whatever else. I own utility knives but rarely use them. It has to be something I know will downright destroy my blade before I switch out to a disposable. I had my doubts about the wharncliffe but found them to be ill-founded with use. The 55 in particular takes a screaming sharp edge and recently found myself scroll cutting my way through some of that thick corrugated cardboard that appliances come in. Only you will know what shape you will like more. Buy two and put them to the test side by side. If you find you dont like one then it should be easy to sell on the X here. Half the fun for me was finding out exactly what I like and why ;). Happy hunting.
 
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