In praise of the humble coping blade.....

[Colonel26]

I was doing some work around the house today. mainly recaulking a leaking shower stall. I had decided this morning to pack one of my favorite edc knives, a Solingen Boker jumbo congress. When it came time to take our the old silicone the little removal tool was doing alright until I came to a corner. So out came the Poker and I opened up the coping blade and zip zap out came the silicone. so for the rest of the job a slice on top, a slice on the bottom, and them zip it out with the little tool. The old silicone came out slick as a whistle.

Many of my favorite using knives have a coping blade: Camillus 72, my congress knives, and my whittlers. A sheepsfoot, which I love too, has a straight edge as well, but there's something handy about that straight edge, thin blade with a pointy tip. We talk a lot about spear blades, clip blades, spey blades, pen blades, Wharncliff blades (which I can take or leave), but the coping blade doesn't get much play here it seems.

Am I alone? Anyone else appreciate the coping blade as much as I do?

Here's the old workhorse, still dirty from working.

[knife7knut]

Coping blades to me work very well for trimming poster board and paper for patterns. For cutting intricate design patterns they are perfect.

[Colonel26]

Coping blades to me work very well for trimming poster board and paper for patterns. For cutting intricate design patterns they are perfect.

I bet it’s perfect for that.

Looks like you and I are the only ones!

[Lansky1]

Nearly every knife I have has a "straight" edge blade of one form or another - either a sheepsfoot, wharncliffe or coping blade. I find that blade style indispensable ...

[cody6268]

Most used blade for me. I only pull out the large blade on a Stockman if I have to cut rope or do some other large task. The spey is used either for peeling fruit, or when I've dulled the other blades.

[Dinadan]

I am also a fan of the coping blade. I usually carry a whittler of some kind with a coping blade. The coping blade gets used as much or more than any other blade. It is perfect for opening boxes and other small chores. I like sheepsfoot blades too. But on most knives that I owned with a sheepsfoot blade, all stockmans, the sheepsfoot blade sits kind of high to very high when closed. On my whittlers, the back of the coping blade usually aligns perfectly with the other secondary blade. Tht is much more comfortable when using the main blade.

Here are a couple of my favorite whittlers with a coping blade: a GEC 38 and a Craftsman 9488.

[Colonel26]

I am also a fan of the coping blade. I usually carry a whittler of some kind with a coping blade. The coping blade gets used as much or more than any other blade. It is perfect for opening boxes and other small chores. I like sheepsfoot blades too. But on most knives that I owned with a sheepsfoot blade, all stockmans, the sheepsfoot blade sits kind of high to very high when closed. On my whittlers, the back of the coping blade usually aligns perfectly with the other secondary blade. Tht is much more comfortable when using the main blade.

Here are a couple of my favorite whittlers with a coping blade: a GEC 38 and a Craftsman 9488.

Very nice whittlers. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good stout sheepsfoot. But a good thin coping blade is a much better tool for many jobs.

As to the sheepsfoot sticking up, the Camillus stockman Knives with the Indian Stag like the 78, 89, etc have a sheepsfoot that is even with the clip. I like those a lot.

[zoogirl]

It was straight edged when I bought it! This is definately my blade of choice on my work knife.
I mostly use it for cutting cardboard strips and scoring boards and edging to snap off.
I did actually try the blade on my 72 and it worked great, but I don’t really want that to be a work knife. The worker is just beat to heck.

[Colonel26]

It was straight edged when I bought it! This is definately my blade of choice on my work knife.
I mostly use it for cutting cardboard strips and scoring boards and edging to snap off.
I did actually try the blade on my 72 and it worked great, but I don’t really want that to be a work knife. The worker is just beat to heck. 253AB9FA-47D0-4AF8-BF76-CC6A36F03121.jpeg

I’ve got a few like that too. This one is near 80 years old. Still doing the business.

Sheepsfoot blades definitely get the nod for heavy cutting. Use that coping blade on the 72 for the precise stuff. That’s one good thing about a congress, ya get both!

[Old Hunter]

I use a Coping and a Sheepfoot interchangeably, essentially the same blade except for size. I won’t long carry a knife that doesn’t have one or the other - main task for mine are cutting drywall samples and packaging - best blade in a pocketknife for that. OH

[Dinadan]

Sheepsfoot blades definitely get the nod for heavy cutting. Use that coping blade on the 72 for the precise stuff. That’s one good thing about a congress, ya get both!

Good point about the congress having both sheepsfoot and coping!

I have a couple of knives with well worn coping blades. This one was like this when I got it: I would have retired it long before it hit this condition.

[Mumbleypeg]

That pointed tip on coping and sheepfoot blades is definitely handy. I just used one to cut a tangled mess of string from my mower blades. (Grandkids! ). It was perfect for picking out the tightly wound strands of string and cutting them. Using the point of a clip blade might have worked okay but possibly would have broken the tip off.

I have to say though that for opening boxes, many times a spey is better because you can cut the box with less danger of penetrating into the contents in the box. Especially when you just need to slice through some tape at the box seam or corners.

Ken

[Colonel26]

That pointed tip on coping and sheepfoot blades is definitely handy. I just used one to cut a tangled mess of string from my mower blades. (Grandkids! ). It was perfect for picking out the tightly wound strands of string and cutting them. Using the point of a clip blade might have worked okay but possibly would have broken the tip off.

I have to say though that for opening boxes, many times a spey is better because you can cut the box with less danger of penetrating into the contents in the box. Especially when you just need to slice through some tape at the box seam or corners.

Ken

Great point Ken. The ever useful spey gets little respect these days as well.

Sheepsfoot blades definitely get the nod for heavy cutting. Use that coping blade on the 72 for the precise stuff. That’s one good thing about a congress, ya get both!

Good point about the congress having both sheepsfoot and coping!

I have a couple of knives with well worn coping blades. This one was like this when I got it: I would have retired it long before it hit this condition.

Someone out there really loves that coping blade! On old stockman knives you find around here, there’s usually always more wear on the sheepsfoot blade than any other.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

I am also a fan of the coping blade. I usually carry a whittler of some kind with a coping blade. The coping blade gets used as much or more than any other blade. It is perfect for opening boxes and other small chores. I like sheepsfoot blades too. But on most knives that I owned with a sheepsfoot blade, all stockmans, the sheepsfoot blade sits kind of high to very high when closed. On my whittlers, the back of the coping blade usually aligns perfectly with the other secondary blade. Tht is much more comfortable when using the main blade.

Here are a couple of my favorite whittlers with a coping blade: a GEC 38 and a Craftsman 9488.

Nice ones. The craftsman 9488 is an excellent tool.

I love a good stout sheepsfoot. But a good thin coping blade is a much better tool for many jobs.

As to the sheepsfoot sticking up, the Camillus stockman Knives with the Indian Stag like the 78, 89, etc have a sheepsfoot that is even with the clip. I like those a lot.

The schrade 861 and 61ot also have the sheepsfoot in line with the clip when closed. It is a very comfortable pattern to use.

[Colonel26]

I am also a fan of the coping blade. I usually carry a whittler of some kind with a coping blade. The coping blade gets used as much or more than any other blade. It is perfect for opening boxes and other small chores. I like sheepsfoot blades too. But on most knives that I owned with a sheepsfoot blade, all stockmans, the sheepsfoot blade sits kind of high to very high when closed. On my whittlers, the back of the coping blade usually aligns perfectly with the other secondary blade. Tht is much more comfortable when using the main blade.

Here are a couple of my favorite whittlers with a coping blade: a GEC 38 and a Craftsman 9488.

Nice ones. The craftsman 9488 is an excellent tool.

I love a good stout sheepsfoot. But a good thin coping blade is a much better tool for many jobs.

As to the sheepsfoot sticking up, the Camillus stockman Knives with the Indian Stag like the 78, 89, etc have a sheepsfoot that is even with the clip. I like those a lot.

The schrade 861 and 61ot also have the sheepsfoot in line with the clip when closed. It is a very comfortable pattern to use.

As well as the Camillus 69. Much the same knives.

[TripleF]

Well....there you have it. I had no idea what a coping blade was....thought it was something on a saw.

[Colonel26]

Well....there you have it. I had no idea what a coping blade was....thought it was something on a saw.

This is a coping saw. The coping blade is very useful for making fine adjustments and cleaning up a coped joint.

[TripleF]

Well....there you have it. I had no idea what a coping blade was....thought it was something on a saw.

This is a coping saw. The coping blade is very useful for making fine adjustments and cleaning up a coped joint.

F266BD9E-A21A-400A-99FF-E37DA2FAC045.jpeg

Coped joint.....and that could be found......somewhere ?????

[Colonel26]

Well....there you have it. I had no idea what a coping blade was....thought it was something on a saw.

This is a coping saw. The coping blade is very useful for making fine adjustments and cleaning up a coped joint.

F266BD9E-A21A-400A-99FF-E37DA2FAC045.jpeg

Coped joint.....and that could be found......somewhere ?????

Most likely the corners of the molding around your wall.

Here’s a very rough description. The one side is cut square and butts up against the wall. The end that meets it to make the corner is cut at 45ish° From the face and just kind of wraps itself around the 90° piece. It makes a good tight, square without having to find the exact degree of the angle of the corner.

58AAC1FF-CEA2-4603-A9CC-1BD283C2F494.jpeg (31.67 KiB) Viewed 880 times

[Paladin]

I use a Coping and a Sheepfoot interchangeably, essentially the same blade except for size. I won’t long carry a knife that doesn’t have one or the other - main task for mine are cutting drywall samples and packaging - best blade in a pocketknife for that. OH

OH, Check your PMs.

Ray

[Colonel26]

I use a Coping and a Sheepfoot interchangeably, essentially the same blade except for size. I won’t long carry a knife that doesn’t have one or the other - main task for mine are cutting drywall samples and packaging - best blade in a pocketknife for that. OH

I agree completely.