combo vs plain edge [revisited]

M

Manji

Joined
Feb 21, 2002
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i'm guessing that if i ask most of you on this board if you like plain or serrated you guys would say plain. but what i want to know is if you guys like combo edges? some of you guys might say that if it's combo you won't have enough plain edge and not enough serrated so both ways you lose out but on a over 3" blade i feel that there is enough of each. imo serrated cuts much better in most cutting applications and even though some of you guys might say you can sharpen part of the plain edge to have micro serrations, but even then it won't be as good as a true serration. others say that the serrated part being on the inside won't help in a defensive situation cause it's highly unlikely you can hit the attacker with the inside serrations but if you had a plain edge you'd be in the same situation so you don't have anythnig to lose
 
Far as i'm concerned, unless you are talking about a very long-bladed knife, comboedges are damn close to useless.
 
Ditto. One thing I regret about my CRKT M16 was that I got combo edge on it.
The blade was way too short to really have a good proportion of serration and plain edge.
Sure, some situation would be handier with serration, but that's why I'm planning to get a Spyderco Harpy ;)
 
but the question here is whats there to lose with a combo? i mean whats a plain edge good for thats better then serrated? push cut? how much plain edge surface do you need?
 
I was a die hard plain edge carrier.

but lately I think mostly for self defense that spyderco full serrations are better. I think that bite could really help in a fast slash and run self defense situation.

so many times I have cut something quick with a plain edge and find that they slip on a smooth surface like a nylon jacket or leather. where as the serrations would grab and bite.


though all my knives are plain now, when I get cash to upgrade I will go for serrated.

manji, to answer your question I think a plain edge is better for preparing your lunch peeling fruit. carving wood.

serrations are great on rope and self defense.
 
I hate combo edge knives. So far as I'm concerned, they reppresent the worst of both worlds. I use almost exclusively plain edge, but if I need serrations, I'll use a fully serrated blade. Not sure which you'll need? Carry both!
 
I also think a combo edge is the worse choice. If the combo edges had the serrated portion on the end of the blade, for slicing; and the plain towards the handle, for push cuts (peeling apples, shaving) I would like them a lot better.
 
Check out the following:http://www.equipped.com/devices5.htm#SharpsToAvoid

This will give you an expert's insight into what is desirable and what is not. I have both a combo folder ( in my brief case) and I carry a plain edge CRKT Ryan 7. A combo blade of less than 6 inches long is useless in my opinion for general purpose use. A general folder's blade is generally up to about 3.5" in length, making a combo blade absolutely useless even for self defense. A plain edge will always win no matter what the task is, provided the blade is kept razor sharp!!!!!!! The Cold Steel Vaquero Grande is a little too radical and Gung Ho for my liking, but that is the serrated blade to get if you must have one.

Summary: for your average 2.5" to 3.5" folding blade, your best bet is plain edge according to the experts and I agree. The same goes for fixed blades too.
 
You may want to read Joe's serrtaed versus plain FAQ

I will have to say, I prefer plain or full serrated. I can and do use comboedge. I have found it to be a compromise, I have had times I was glad they were there, but I have never wished they were not. IMO, they can stay or go.
 
I do most of my "work" with the part of the blade close to the handle... cutting 1/4" and 3/8" braided vinyl tubing is a major part of it.

That said, I do not like and don't buy combo edges, nor will I ever buy a full serrated edge for myself.

I just love a razor sharp plain edge!

Joe Shmoe
 
I bought a lot of combo edges when I first started buying knives. I regret those decisions now. I do find combo edges to be useful on longer blades (four inches or longer), but pretty much useless on small knives.
 
If you need serrations enough to have them, get a fully serrated blade. Combo edges do not give enough of either (in folders) to be truly useful. I find a plain edge to be the most versatile by far.
Your mileage may vary...

Paul
 
I have more of a minimalist attitude (and wallet); I only carry one knife all the time and with a multitool at work. I want that one knife to do as much a possible for me. My EDC is a Spydie Endura partially serrated. It is large enough that the PE and the SE are both useful. If there is something this won't do, I probably either don't need to be doing it or go get the right tool (i.e. chainsaw, screwdriver, pry bar, etc.) out of the truck.

Okay, go ahead; I have now donned my flame retardant suit.

--Edited to state that I do agree that a blade much smaller that this is much more useful with only a plain edge.
 
I was camping last weekend and it came time for the requisite roasting of the marshmallows. The only knife I had brought with me was my Kershaw Ken Onion Scallion with combo edge. I was sent into the wilds by my wife to hunt down and kill several suitable sticks for the roasting process. When I found suitable green alder I was surprised at how well the serrated part of the combo edge let me cut through the green wood. I know that it would have been more difficult with a plain edge and was glad my cheapie knife had the serrations. That said I still prefer a plain edge in most of my knives although some I have for defense have combo or full serrations. They have there place. I think for cutting most textiles and "abusive" cutting the serrated blade fares better.

Dave
 
Wow, this is more lopsided than I've ever seen it, against combo-edges. I'm not a combo-edge fan either. The main question was, "what do you lose with a combo-edge?" Here are two things that spring to mind. First, if you do any food prep at all with your knife -- camping, maybe, or wahtever -- the serrated part at the back can be a total nuisance. Second, as JoeShmoe said, there are plenty of things that are best done with the part of the edge closest to the handle -- that part that would be serrated on a partially-serrated blade.

I also don't think you should take our word for it. You obviously like your combo edge, and if it's working for you, stick with it.

Hey, one other point on serrated vs plain performance. You are right in that given two Spyderco enduras (say), the serrated one will beat even a coarse-ground plain one on certain materials, certain ropes being an example. But note that there's another possible approach. If it's soft rope we're dealing with (manila, say), I can grind my edge down and razor polish it. Now it won't slice worth anything, but I can simply push-cut it through the rope! And push-cutting will be easier than slicing with even a serrated blade. I noticed this when I did rope-cutting tests that included serrated blades and plain blades. My plain-edge Calypso Jr. was the best manila rope cutter -- I used almost no slicing motion at all, just push-cut it through.

Joe
 
My first "real" knife was a combo AFCK, and I learned lots about edges from it.

From my usage, I've concluded that combo edges are a waste for me. Most of the things I cut, a plain edge will work better than a serrated one. I have found that cutting small sticks/plants with the serrated section works quite well, but what I don't like is that since the section is so smal, I use MEGA pressure trying to cut the material before I run out of the 1.x inches of serrations, and frankly that scares me!

You see, I like long knives. I prefer my folders to be as close to 4" as possible, because the length sure makes many cutting chores easier. I find that combo edges take nice 4" folders, and give you 2 small knives instead. I don't want a 2" serrated and a 2" plain edge knife!

As wise Joe said, the deciding factor must be how much combo edges suit YOUR needs. If they do, then great! Most people who post regularly here, though, do prefer plain edges.
 
I've always been a fan of either full PE or full Serrated. The combo edge fad has had me scratching my head in amazement for a couple of years now as I could not see any real valid use for a combo edge on anything under 4" blade length.
But, it seems to work for many people which is evident in the huge number of models from various companies that feature this design. I've suspected this would be a passing fad and recently I have seen evidence that this may, in fact, be the case. Several dealers in my region have told me of declining sales and demand for the combo edge format. One dealer has even started clearing much of his remaining stock of combos out. He has a box on his counter stating 1 for $29.00 or 2 for $50.00. In this box is a diverse assortment of fairly high quality stuff from names like Spyderco, SOG, Gerber, CRKT, Moki and others. I believe he even had a couple of Benchmades in there.
While plain edges rule, there is still a market for serrated edges on knives. I just think the days of the combo edge on folders is numbered. This is, of course, just my opinion. ;)
 
I like the 50/50 combo edge alot. Unlike some others here I hav'nt found the combo to be useless at all.
I like the plain portion for some tasks and serrations for other tasks, and I don't want to carry two knives.
The serrations are just so aggressive and bite so well, they really do make cutting tough stuff so much easier--and they save you from quickly dulling your plain-edge.
I really hav'nt found anything my plain-edged blades can do that my 50/50 edge can't, but I have found some cutting jobs that my 50/50 excelled at while my plain-edge struggled with.

Some folks carry two knives, but if you carry only one, the 50/50 makes alot of sense.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
I like plain edges best (for the usual reasons), but recently, I have had a renewed interest in fully serrated blades, because they do cut somethings better.
I don't much like combo edges, but I do see why they have a following. One of the knives I use most in the kitchen is a Japanese hunting knife that was sold in Germany, with about a 3.5 in. blade of which maybe 1 in. is serrated. When the blade gets a bit dull, I find that I can start the cut with the serrations, and then use the plain edged portion to complete it. I don't tend to work too close to the handle with this knife, so the serrations do not get in the way.
I also have a Adventurer SAK with a combo blade with the FRONT 3/4 of the blade serrated, with the rear 1/4 plain edged, so it is easy to whittle with.
 
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