Best fully serrated folder under $75

cchu518

cchu518

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Mar 6, 2013
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Need some help, looking for a yardword/garden dedicated serrated folder.

I'd prefer the serrations to go the full length. So far I'm considering the delica, tenacious, Byrd rescue but are there others that I am leaving out? Thanks!
 
There's a minute difference in the SE pattern used for Byrd, vs. the regular Spydie line. Plus, the Spydie brand will give you better steel options. A Salt would be your best bet for anti-corrosion, given your stated use. You literally don't have to worry about rust. You would want to rinse out the knife if you dropped it into the dirt or much, just to be more kind to the pivot and locking areas. :)
 
Absolutely one of the Spyderco Salt models. The H1 steel works very well serrated and won't rust. You can easily open and close the full sized models one handed with a lightweight glove on. I frequently use a Tasman SE which is a hawkbill shaped blade for doing gardening, landscaping and other chores. I mostly like that model for how aggressively and quickly it slices open feed & fertilizer sack, harvests, and prunes small stuff so easily on a pull stroke. The Salt 1 SE, which is more Delica sized or the the Pacific Salt SE, which is more Endura sized are excellent too. If you like the blade profile of the Byrd Rescue then take a gander at the Salt Saver as well as the Atlantic Salt.
 
I would go for a FFG serrated blade like the Tenacious. The thinness of the blade helps a lot for thicker soft stuff like giant bird of paradise, banana fronds, etc.

Also, machete.
 
Cold Steel, without a doubt. Get an older XL Voyager that is fully serrated. It will be a beast in the garden.
 
RemyKaze said:
Cold Steel, without a doubt. Get an older XL Voyager that is fully serrated. It will be a beast in the garden.
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Sorry, but I must disagree. I don't find Cold Steel's serrations that good, personally. They are comparatively fragile, and by Cold Steel's own admission are meant primarily for cutting meat/flesh rather than general use. If you want a serrated knife for "tactical" use, or to use to cut your steak, by all means, go for Cold Steel. But if you're planning on cutting anything OTHER than meat, go with something else...like the Spyderco Salt line.
 
DShiflet said:
Sorry, but I must disagree. I don't find Cold Steel's serrations that good, personally. They are comparatively fragile, and by Cold Steel's own admission are meant primarily for cutting meat/flesh rather than general use. If you want a serrated knife for "tactical" use, or to use to cut your steak, by all means, go for Cold Steel. But if you're planning on cutting anything OTHER than meat, go with something else...like the Spyderco Salt line.
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I used a serrated voyager for years cutting through solidified chunks of plastic as thick as a person's thigh nearly every day without a single resharpening. I also did much trimming/garden work with it in my grandmother's yard when she needed help. It stayed sharp until I changed jobs and got bored of the serrations. I have factual proof that it is fit for the job, and the 5" blade of the XL ensures that it will be less work to trim thicker plants if need be.

Please relate a real world experience where the Salt has done something similar for you. Reading information on websites is all and good, but if you're going to bash a suggestion, please have proof of both the inferiority of what you are bashing, and the superiority of what you yourself are suggesting.
 
I have ONE serrated folder in permanent rotation and it is a Pacific Salt. I'm usually a plain edge guy but I couldn't deny it's ability. When I received it, the scallops were able to whittle hair. I couldn't believe how sharp it was. I've maintained it on the SM, may not be hair whittling but incredibly sharp nonetheless. I'm gonna take advantage of Spyderco's free sharpening service soon, and ask them to get it hair whittling again lol... All the while getting the H1 harder: H1 is a little unique as it absolutely excels at serrations since it is work hardened and the grinding process to produce the serrations hardens the steel north of 65 rockwell. It will stay sharp for a looong time and if you have a SM, you can maintain a phonebook paper sharpness if you want.

I've put it through a wide range of tasks: A dang steak knife (for kicks), impromptu bread knife, yard/garden work cutting stems roots weeds flowers fruits, cutting hoses and zip ties etc when fixing my cars, breaking down an insane amount of cardboard in our warehouse at work, taken it on vacations to Thailand-Hawaii and used it as my only knife there...beach/kitchen you name it, took it camping and stayed in my pocket in Yosemite.

Spyderco was the first to put serrations on folders and it has been in their wheelhouse from the start (think Police, Endura, Civ, Millie etc). The scalloping pattern evicerates and tears through with ease. Not the "neatest cut" producing serration pattern if you care. The Pacific I own is strong (lockback), three ounces, and very thin in the pocket... All this equates to pocket time. It's even my first option to carry when I go IWB wearing sweats or basketball shorts.

Oh, and it doesn't rust.
 
I picked up a Byrd Wings as a beater knife to keep on the boat. Having a plain and serrated blade has been very handy. It is a little chunky but has a nylon sheath and would be perfect for the garden or around the house.

 
I would also suggest that you consider looking at a Silky Saw Pocket Boy to assist you with yard & garden duties. I use a Spyderco Salt SE, Silky Saws, machetes and axes for garden & grounds maintenance around my place and wouldn't want to be without any of them. If I'm cutting roots or branches with a larger diameter than lets say a pencil then I go for the Silky as it will make much quicker work of it than anything else that fits in my pocket except for perhaps pruning shears which just takes all the fun out of it. . When it comes to SE folders the Spyderco Salt series are superior to anything else serrated or half-serrated I have used including other Spydercos, Gerber, CRKT, Cold Steel, Victorinox, ESEE, Ontario and Kabar knives.
 
Brisket I'm DIGGING that Silky Saw thanks! I don't think that's what I had in mind but I want it. It looks really useful for what you had noted. I hadn't considered the salt series. I had recently traded out a Ladybug Salt.

I've had the half serrated Delica, and you folks are saying the serrations on the Salt are 1) different than a regular serrated Spydie 2) cuts better?
 
This is a no brainer. Pacific salt or salt 1 depending on which size you prefer. I use mine every single day...HARD! They are tough as nails and serrated h1 has superb edge retention while still being an extremely tough steel.
 
I'm going on 6 years now with my serrated Tasman salt clipped to my back pocket everyday. My dad carries a Pacific salt for a few years now too.
 
cchu518 said:
Brisket I'm DIGGING that Silky Saw thanks! I don't think that's what I had in mind but I want it. It looks really useful for what you had noted. I hadn't considered the salt series. I had recently traded out a Ladybug Salt.

I've had the half serrated Delica, and you folks are saying the serrations on the Salt are 1) different than a regular serrated Spydie 2) cuts better?
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You are welcome. Silky Saws, big and small are amazing.

Regarding the Salt serrations vs. regular serrated Spydies, the serrations are the exact same pattern and depth from my understanding and observation. H1 just seems to work better in SE than VG-10 does in SE. My yard & grounds knife used to be a beater Delica ZDP combo edge and I can attest to the fact that a full serrated Salt was an upgrade in performance for those tasks.
 
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