Cold steel tuff lite serrated or Byrd cara cara rescue?

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Casey Conley

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Oct 25, 2022
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I work in a steel mill as a foreman and need a knife with serrations to somewhat abuse. A good portion of my day is cutting through packing tape, breaking down cardboard boxes, cutting plastic strapping and stuff like that. I've been looking at both the cold steel tuff lite and the Byrd rescue knife. Which is the tougher of the two and does anybody have any other suggestions? I was also looking at a smiths worksite hawkbill but it's only half serrated
 
Casey Conley said:
I work in a steel mill as a foreman and need a knife with serrations to somewhat abuse. A good portion of my day is cutting through packing tape, breaking down cardboard boxes, cutting plastic strapping and stuff like that. I've been looking at both the cold steel tuff lite and the Byrd rescue knife. Which is the tougher of the two and does anybody have any other suggestions? I was also looking at a smiths worksite hawkbill but it's only half serrated
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I'd generally prefer the Cold Steel , especially with a plain edge . Cold Steel serrations are a PITA to sharpen .

If serrations are a hard requirement , better go with the Byrd or some other easier to sharpen , Spyderco type .
 
if you plan on disposing of it when it’s utterly dull: either one, slight nod to the CS.

If you plan on sharpening it: plain edge CS or fully serrated Byrd. The CS has a better steel and geometry. Nobody enjoys sharpening CS serrations.
 
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Why do you need serrations for boxes and tape? It does cram more cutting edge into the blade length, but it's going to be more difficult to sharpen. Usually people use serrations for things like rope.

Lansky makes a sharpening stone specifically for the Cold Steel serrations, but a lot of users complain that the Cold Steel serration design is more fragile than the one used by Spyderco and the teeth can get knocked off.
 
As a knife enthusiast I overlooked the obvious answer: box cutter. If you’re stationary, an ergonomic, bulky one. If you’re on the move constantly, maybe a folding one.

I’ve worked in similar environments, and used a box cutter for heavy repeated cutting, and any knife I liked for anything else. Between the two you mentioned, I’d go Tuff Lite but with plain edge.
 
Of the two mentioned I’d go with the Tuff Lite but plain edge. If you want something serrated I would go with a Spyderco because I think they do the best serrations overall. But I wouldn’t do the Byrd unless you just want a cheaper “throw away” type work knife.

Personally, if I were in the market for something like this, I would buy a Delica or Endura in K390 with a wharncliffe blade and plain edge. The wharncliffe has more of a utility knife blade shape and K390 is tough with very good edge retention with abrasive materials. Just my .02.
 
Serrated knife blades and whatever that $400 box cutter is.

I actually quite l8ke the gerber tachide

And am very interested in the cold steel click and cut.
 
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By the way for work. I am not a big fan of a lockback.
Basically I don't need triad lock solid holding for my work cutting tasks. Also boxes and stuff. They don't put much pressure on the lock.

But what I do need is to pull it out of my pocket, use it and then put it back quick enough that I am not tempted to leave it somewhere open. And then have someone cut themselves on it.

So liners, buttons that kind of thing.
 
jux t said:
As a knife enthusiast I overlooked the obvious answer: box cutter. If you’re stationary, an ergonomic, bulky one. If you’re on the move constantly, maybe a folding one.

I’ve worked in similar environments, and used a box cutter for heavy repeated cutting, and any knife I liked for anything else. Between the two you mentioned, I’d go Tuff Lite but with plain edge.
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I completely agree. I like the Tuff Lite as a general abuse knife, but for OP's use I'd honestly just get a box cutter lol.

It's nice to have a knife that you can just use and abuse without having to strop/sharpen constantly. This little button lock Milwaukee might be the best $13 bucks I've ever spent. Carry it every day along with a standard folder and it takes 90% of the abuse.
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I would never buy another Cold Steel serrated blade. As other folks have mentioned, they are impossible to sharpen properly. I have the Lansky sharpener. It does not work. And Cold Steel serrations don't even cut very well.

I used a serrated Byrd Meadowlark around the farm for about nine months, by which time it was getting a little dull. But the main problem was that the action would get stiff, and I would have to take it apart about every 3 months and do a clean-lubricate-adjust. Other Spydercos I have are not nearly so sensitive to dust and dirt.

The Meadowlark has 8Cr13MoV steel, which a lot of people hate, but for me, it has better edge retention than LC200N. It does get wet sometimes, but no rust so far.

I sharpen Spyderco serrations with DMT tapered diamond rods and a marker. Takes five or ten minutes depending on how many gullets there are.
 
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. My main reason for wanting serrations is that the tough plastic strapping dulls a plain edge knife like no other. Up to this point I'd been using one but it takes sharpening several times a week and the blade is now noticably smaller than when I started
 
Spyderco rock jumper wharncliffe serrated is a good deal right now and would work well for u
 
Casey Conley said:
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. My main reason for wanting serrations is that the tough plastic strapping dulls a plain edge knife like no other. Up to this point I'd been using one but it takes sharpening several times a week and the blade is now noticably smaller than when I started
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A saftey slitter and a boomerang tether


Because of the angle the slitter is a plastic strap cutting monster
 
If you want cheap, a Mora knife 7.50$-20$ will cut cardboard and plastic straps all day long. I don't like the short length of a utility knife.
 
Casey Conley said:
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. My main reason for wanting serrations is that the tough plastic strapping dulls a plain edge knife like no other. Up to this point I'd been using one but it takes sharpening several times a week and the blade is now noticably smaller than when I started
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Would this plastic strapping be polypropylene, polyester (PET), or what?
 
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