Best edge for bushcraft, survival, plain or serrated?

I've seen only a few uses for serrated edges, and a lot of bad choices for them

I don't even use them on steak and bread knives, as they simply aren't needed on a properly sharp knife for those uses. (though, the shallow scallops on a carving knife bear as much relation to modern "tactical" serrations as a moose to a walrus)

So, serrations, why have them?

boats are one primary place you MAY want to have serrations, and even then, you want 2-3 inches of them. Personally, The few times I've had to cut cordage fast or else something Bad will happen, I've used a 7 inch fixed blade and just chopped it. (When we lived on a boat I hadn't started making yet and my primary deck knife was my old SOG government)

rescue uses are the only other place I really see it- cutting straps and lines rapidly, be it aircraft, rock climbing, or EMT/SAR type work.

Now, if you need this, go for it, otherwise- well, why bother?

I'm not a huge fan of the idea of taking off into the bush with a folding knife of any type, but I realize it's perfectly workable if you practice bushcraft in keeping with your tools. But if I had the option, for the weight and the size I'd take a pocketable small wharncliffe fixed blade over a folder.

If I was crazy enough to make folders, the one I'd make would have a pen, good tweezers, a thataway compass, flint rod (all of these in the handle scales) and two locking blades. - a 4.25 inch locking drop point or maybe sheep's foot in carbon and a good stainless 4.25 inch saw blade (in the same pattern as the larger victorinox saw blade, but an inch longer)
 
in the seventies i was talking 2 a old codger that was in his seventies,being born in 1895.we started talking about knives and he told me that he remembered his father clamping a knife in a vise and with a round file,filing grooves in it.not the whole blade,just near the handle 4 about 2".it helped him cut rope more easily.
 
I would go for a stainless laminated convex plain edge. I know there are lots of fancy knives out there with fancy this and fancy that but it has to work when you are wet, tired, maybe injured and feeling lost.
I know the new Gerber LMF II has serrations, and the Fallkniven F1 not. They are though developed for the same thing, helping an airman to survive, but in different environments.

I would choose the F1 any day, unless someone convinces me otherwise.
If I need something for chopping/cutting I would pick a folding saw instead of a huge knife, it is more safe.
 
I'm on the list for the Koster bushcraft knife. I like the knife design, but i really wanted to try a scandi grind. What are your guys experience with scandi??
 
On Bush/survival knife serrations have no place. Serrations can break when put under hard work. Use a plane edge which will not break and are easier to maintain. Ive used knives most of my life and a plane edge will cut fiborus material just fine.

Buddylee
 
I've got a Leatherman SuperTool 200 which has a clip plain edge and a serrated sheepsfoot blade. As they are side by side and it's an EDC, I have the opportunity to use both at any time. The knife was discontinued a couple years ago so it tells you how long I've been using this tool. Here's a pic:
42545057-177x150-0-0.jpg


I find I use the serrated edge at least as often as the plain edge. I prefer it for harvesting woody roots and stalks, rope and cord (no brainer) and even yard goods like plastic and canvas sheet. With the latter, once the edge starts cutting it's a matter of pulling the edge straight through rather the material rather than sawing or slicing it. The material 'sees' only a plain edge in that case. On a side note, in the few years I've had it, I've sharpened the plain edge several times but never the serrated edge. That's pretty good considering the use is probably 50/50 (although I'm not looking forward to the day I do have to sharpen it!)

If I could only have one sharp thing on this tool, it would be a serrated edge but I would definitely pack a fixed blade with a plain edge as well. This is the first decent quality serrated blade I've used and I think those who disdain serrations ought to give something like this a try.

In short, I too would pack a fixed plain edged blade if I could only have one cutting tool (mainly for easier field sharpening), but the gap between plain and serrated isn't as wide for me as for others. Or maybe the geometry of these serrations is a little better ?

BTW, these LMs are a little pricier than most but they're worth every penny. They're probably still available as 'new old stock'
 
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