I've been thinking about picking up an Urban when they hit the stores. :) I've read several posts where people are dying for the Wharncliffe version. What benefits does this style of blade offer? I've looked at the Centefonte 4 but passed on it for other things. I have no experiance with this blade type. I would like to see how many out there prefer them over other designs.
It may be time to try something new... Mix that with the orange handle and I'm really stepping out of my comfort zone!
I carry three to four wharncliffe blade designs each and every day...I can't say enough about the cutting power of this blade design...I carry mine mainly for SD, wharnies cut much much deeper than any other blade design with little or no resistance felt, they usually cut deeper than the blade length cause most if not all of the blade comes in contact with the material you are cutting.Not all wharnies are created equal...a lot of it's deep cutting power comes from the blade geometry...For instance the Ronin and Yojimbo cut much deeper than larger wharncliffe blades like the CRKT "Dragon" and even the little KaBar "Last Ditch" cuts deeper and longer than most 3-4" knives of other blade design. Only the recurves come close in all of my meat testing experiments. The Cento IV is a light sabre and you should not have passed it up.....Doc :D
"Always Judge a man by the way he treats someone who could be of no possible use to him"
If I'm dressed, there's a Kiwi in my pocket. A wharncliffe blade is an excellent choice for any task where straight edge works best. It is ideal for tasks where you're cutting with the tip of the blade, like slicing leather or cutting something out of a newspaper or magazine. The only chores it's not good for are those where "belly" is desirable. Which is why I almost always carry a larger knife like the Stretch or C83 Persian with a more conventional blade shape in addition to the Kiwi.
Will take Doc's word for the SD potential of wharnies, but I'm inclined to consider it academic for a slipjoint like the Urban.
I often carry my Centofante 4. What I give up in not having belly(almost nothing for my day to day stuff) I get back by having a nice sharp point for splinter picking. The blade has amazing cutting power due to it's shape and thinness. Add to this light weight and a thin classy looking handle, and you've got a real winner for EDC around town.
I carried stockmen for years and years. All of them show the most wear on the Wharncliffe blade. It's a very useful shape.
I suspect from being on British knife forums that much of the enthusiasm for the orange wharncliffe urban is born out of the perception of that blade shape being less threatening to NKPs. I don't particularly like the look of wharncliffe or sheepsfoot blades and for little other reason I don't have any in my collection. I would like an orange urban but won't buy one with the wharncliffe blade. With this being the case it looks like I'll just have to bite the bullet and complete the UKPK/DKPK set by getting the orange UKPK instead. :D
I always carry a Kiwi for all the reasons cited above and because its the most useful shape for wood carving. I supplement it with a 3" curved blade - just ordered an Adventura because the concave portion of the blade is useful for roughing out hiking staffs.
I seem to prefer the wharncliffe blade in smaller blades. I love the Kiwi, but I like a little belly in blades that are 3 inch or larger. The Kiwi is great for office work; cutting out articles, opening the mail etc...
CTfam wrote:I've looked at the Centefonte 4 but passed on it for other things. I have no experiance with this blade type. I would like to see how many out there prefer them over other designs.
I tend to favor hawks and wharncliffes, both for SD and utility.
CTfam wrote:It may be time to try something new... Mix that with the orange handle and I'm really stepping out of my comfort zone!
Go for it! You've got nothing to lose and potentially much to gain!! :D
Agent Starling
"Too many was too many, but way too many was just right."
i have one wharncliffe-the secondary blade on a pre-war boker tree brand 2-bladed slipjoint. the prinary blade is a sheepsfoot and both have years of hard use so I know it was a well-love well-used knife (traded a baseball card or two for it about 15-20 years ago :D ) It's cool having a piece of history and knowing what someone used and why.
I've become a huge fan of wharncliffe blades recently. I will be picking up an orange wharny Urban when they become available. One of my current favorite knives is a custom fixed blade wharncliffe. It's gone hiking, hunting, farming, etc. with me and makes for an excellent utility blade.
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword..." Hebrews 4:12
I realy like my Boker subcom f and i was thinking the Wharcom would be a great second addition to these great little knives.i love 'em. this ofcourse would be my first wharnie..
Halfneck wrote:I will...as soon as I get my Orange G10 Urban Wharneclife. :D
:D I hear you... More New Graham boxes please! :D
Any word on prices for the Urban? I'm hoping I can get 2 for $100. Is that reasonable?
Also, I think I read that you can get either G-10 color with any blade combo. Can someone please chime in with an answer here. I see in the catalog it's listed as Orange Wharny and Green Leaf Blade. I'd like to get it the other way around for some reason.
Benchmade's Gravitator is what I carry sometimes. The silver twill G-10 bolster is real nice, and all titanium liners with nice barrel spacers and liner lock.
For about the last 2 weeks I've been carrying the Centofante 4 my wife got me last year. The knife freaking rocks. I have not yet been in an issue where I wished I had a blade with a belly. I love the Wharncliffe.
:)
"I'm calling YOU ugly, I could push your face in some dough and make gorilla cookies." -Fred Sanford
