W
W-1
W1 is basically simple high carbon steel with no vanadium and is easily hardened by heating and quenching in water, just as with plain carbon steel alloys. W1 is commonly used for hand operated metal cutting tools, cold heading, embossing taps and reamers as well as cutlery. Carbon-0.70-1.50%, Manganese-0.10-0.40%, Chromium-0.15%, Nickel-0.20%, Vanadium-0.10%, Molybdenum-0.10%, Tungsten-0.50%
W-2
A tool steel that is not stainless. Shallow hardening, rather weak, and makes durable knives only if held below 54 HRC. Rusts very easily due to the lack of chrome and vanadium. Only alloying elements are carbon and manganese. Carbon-0.85-1.50%, Manganese-0.10-0.40%, Chromium-0.15%, Nickel-0.20%, Vanadium-0.15-0.35%, Molybdenum-0.10%, Tungsten-0.15%
Wharncliffe Blade
A blade with a straight edge and an almost needle like point
Lord Wharncliffe, probably Edward Stuart-Wortly, 3rd Baron Wharncliffe later Earl, was a patron of the then 200 year old cutlery firm of Joseph Rodgers & Sons of Sheffield. He designed a knife for them that still carries his name.
While he designed a complete knife, it is the Wharncliffe blade that through history has been the star. Today, it is one of the most popular put into folding knives. The blade was unusual in several respects, it was almost twice as thick as most blades of its size, it was ground to a thinner edge before sharpening and it is tapered to a finer point than normal. When those conditions are added to the unusual shape of the blade, a straight edge, like the pre-existing Sheepfoot blade, the very sharply curved back and the taper from the choil to the point, you have a MUCH finer point which makes this blade much more useful in many situations. It does not make a good skinning knife.
The thickness at the back of the blade lends strength allowing an edge without so much risk of blade breakage. The Wharncliffe blade was often used as the main blade in a whittler pattern folder, with two smaller blades making the knife even more useful.
Wharncliffe Handle
A serpentine handle with one end larger than the other, often used in three blade whittler patterns.
Whetstone
A stone for whetting, or sharpening edged tools.
White Steel
With traditional Japanese "Shirogami" or "White Steel" blade and bamboo handle and sheath, he has created for us another traditional Japanese hunting knife. "White Steel" and "Blue Steel" are terms that have only recently come into use in the U. S. Created by Hatachi, the terms actually refer to the color of the paper wrapper in which the raw bar stock is shipped. The chemical breakdown for White Steel is 1.4% carbon, 0.1% silica, 0.2% manganese, 0.02 phosphorus and 0.004% sulfur. This is significantly more carbon than is found in most U.S. steels which tend to have about 1.0% carbon. This added carbon allows the blades to be hardened in the mid-60s Rc. allowing for a thin razor edge. With no chromium, this steel is definitely not stainless.
Whittler
A blade arrangement, large blade at one end and two smaller blades at the other, with the large blade working on both springs.