Trying to design a good-looking wharncliffe knife
- Thread starter Jim Bowie
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earlthegoat2
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I’m a fan of the Yojimbo 2.
That is a nice looking knife, but I think to make the most of a wharncliffe blade you need to lower the angle of the blade so it is more inline with the handle. If I am using a wharncliffe style blade I generally am cutting leather on a table or things like that where you are using the point and drawing the knife back towards you (think of cutting carpet or cardboard with a boxcutter). With the swept back blade on your current design I think you would have to hold your hand at an awkward angle to use the tip of the knife, but I am basing that on a photo and not actually holding it.
Speedo66
Member
EDC Ruger LCP and Klotzli w/ polished carbon fiber.
Here's a wharncliffe design, but on a folder.
Been there a time or two. Its a good looking knife, but I think for better function you'd want the tip of the blade down on plane with the choil. Finish it up tough, you may find its handy as all get out just like it is. Making a new pattern is always an experiment.
The above is the classic Wharncliffe blade shape. Unlike a sheepfoot, it tapers from ricasso to tip and isn't as rounded so it has better piercing properties.
I wouldn't consider the tip of your knife to be a classic Wharncliffe with that straight angle defining the tip, but more a utility tip.
I like the cant to the handle allowing the edge to lay flat on the surface while keeping the knuckles clear of the surface. You try a version where you curve the handle back down where it parallels the edge while retaining the clearance for the knuckles just as a variant.
You could make a version where the spine drops to the tip gently in a sinusoidal curve, but you'd want to start the drop of the spine to the tip further back or incorporate the sinusoidal form from the grip to the tip.
Are you having trouble ordering steel? NJ Steel Baron seems to be able to fill orders.
Heat treat it a bit thick if there's a concern and that should just give you some more grinding to do.
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Gordon
Member
While not sold to me as such , I consider this to be a "Wharncliffe" type blade . It is beautiful and a wonderull blade design. I guess if the reinforced 45 Degree point area was changed a bit it would be totally Wharncliffe.
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RA40
Member
Very nice! Seeing yours and the pics here reminds of ones I made back in '00 with 440-C and marble handle scales. This was hot rolled 440-C that had deep pitting so it was unsalable. I dropped it last week and chipped the stone handle so it will be re-handled.
This is an early one from '97 that came back with a chipped blade so it was shortened and profile adjusted.
Master Smith Mick Langley's from Canada. His design inspired mine.
This is an early one from '97 that came back with a chipped blade so it was shortened and profile adjusted.
Master Smith Mick Langley's from Canada. His design inspired mine.
Ah, the Shivver.
Gordon
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