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JubilantBear
100
Mar 23, 2018
Sheepsfoot, really? Looks like a wharncliffe to me...
Omniseed
1972
Mar 23, 2018
JubilantBearWharncliffe blades require a straight cutting edge, that plus the reverse-tanto profile to give the tip a point that allows for precise piercing cuts is what sets them apart from a sheepsfoot. Also the spine will have distal taper where it slopes down to meet the cutting edge, where a sheepsfoot will generally leave the front portion of the spine more or less full thickness to help avoid accidental piercing.
This has a a tip profile that is also basically a reverse tanto, but it looks like it maintains the spine thickness and has a stylistic swedge, it's got belly to the cutting edge, I think modified sheepsfoot is an appropriate term for it.
JubilantBear
100
Mar 23, 2018
OmniseedI find it a little ridiculous that if the cutting edge is not completely flat then it can't be a wharncliffe, even if that is the definition states. The intent behind the shape in my mind is more important. A sheepsfoot blade has no sharp point/ tip/ piercing point at the end of the blade to avoid accidentally stabbing something. This blade clearly has a sharp point at the tip so it really becomes absurd to call it sheepsfoot.
Relatively flat cutting edge + acute point = wharncliffe
Relatively flat cutting edge + non-sharp point = sheepsfoot
Relatively flat cutting edge + 90deg angle = chisel
Kavik
5531
Mar 23, 2018
JubilantBear& @omniseedYou both make good points.... It's definitely a hybrid of blade types. Guess that's what you get when you try to shrink an ancient sword style down to a knife blade lol
There's definitely some taper on the spine down to the point though.....if i HAD to call it something (like it's up to me lol), "modified wharncliff" seems to be the name i see lately on wharncliffe with curved bellies
crossfire713
45
Mar 24, 2018
JubilantBearIt does say " modified " sheepsfoot
Omniseed
1972
Mar 25, 2018
JubilantBearIf modified sheepsfoot isn't the best term for it, reverse tanto certainly is.
In fact, I bet they conspicuously tried to avoid calling it a reverse tanto because of the Benchmade association with that style of blade. Tantos can have belly and are better versions of themselves when they do, and the reverse tanto designs basically all have the same kind of modest sweeping belly that the Buc has.
Sheepsfoots don't need belly to make their definition, they can be flat like a Wharncliffe or have tons of belly, it's more about the angle of the dangle as the spine drops down conspicuously further than a drop point. They can have a little bit of point to them, they should have a small and obtuse point even, but I think the defining feature of the sheepsfoot (or modified) is that the tip is well below the position of a drop-point's tip in relation to the pivot. And the steeper the drop of the spine, combined with limited distal taper, is a key factor in rating how close to a traditional sheepsfoot it is versus a more modern modified sheepsfoot.
Look at the sheepsfoot Guardian 3 vs the Giant Mouse 1 vs the Factor Iconic, they're all derived from the same classic sheepsfoot blade profile, but the GM1 has a slightly higher point than the G3 and it's kind of a mix of drop-point and classic sheepsfoot.
The Iconic is definitely based off the GM1, but it has a still-higher point that is probably best described as a broad-bladed drop point that has some functional similarity to a sheepsfoot due to its tall blade and somewhat steep curvature as the spine drops to meet the edge.
It's all a little semantic, but I don't think it's pedantic for enthusiasts to hash out the design language of these different blade profiles.
After all, how else would we convince ourselves that we're buying something new for the collection when we pick up our umpteenth version of the inescapable drop-point or other profile?
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