Does Anyone Prefer Combo Edge?

R

RedLynx

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Aug 5, 2011
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Hi guys,

Kind of a two part question. Talking with a fellow forumite about a cool knife that I'd like to have but that is currently combo edge only, it got me wondering... how many of us here actually prefer it/use it more than plain edge? I personally don't. When I was younger I usually chose combo edge actually, but mostly because I thought it "looked cool" rather than "that could be useful." Nowadays I buy almost exclusively plain edge and tend to avoid combo only options. But many cool knives I'd like to get are combo only. It got me wondering, is there more of a general market demand for combo edge? I mean, I sometimes see plain edge only knives I guess, but very rarely, and usually they have a combo counterpart, whereas oftentimes it's a 50/50 chance that a combo edge knife won't have a plain edge counterpart. I guess logically it must be market demand, but it's an interesting topic, I think.

Also, out of your friends/coworkers who need and use knives but might not necessarily be knife people, do you notice combo edge models being carried more? I know we don't always pay attention to that but I am curious.

Thanks for your thoughts guys.
 
My first (ok, my second) decent folder was an Endura 50/50 I bought off ebay to the US from Spain when I didn't know any better. Well, while I do like the knife, I don't use it much. I truly wish it was full serrated or 100% plain edge. My feeling is that even 4" is a fair amount of blade, 2" of each (serrated and plain) do not allow to fully use the benefiths of either one.

I have another folder (Colt AR15) that is also 50/50 and I don't use much at all.

Mikel
 
I typically avoid them, except in one instance. My first Blur was a combo edge drop point DLC coated that is about 60/40 plain to serrated ratio. I don't really carry the knife much at all anymore, especially since I bought the S30V plain edge, but it sees good use on my boat still. The combo edge Blur and my Spyderedge Tasman Salt are the knives I use around the water, the Tasman won't rust and the Blur, due to the DLC coating, hasn't shown any corrosion at all so far.
 
I feel like with most combo-edges, you don't get enough serrated edge or plain edge for either portion of the blade to really be useful. Not a fan of combo edges in general but there are a few that I do like.
 
Mikel_24 said:
My first (ok, my second) decent folder was an Endura 50/50 I bought off ebay to the US from Spain when I didn't know any better. Well, while I do like the knife, I don't use it much. I truly wish it was full serrated or 100% plain edge. My feeling is that even 4" is a fair amount of blade, 2" of each (serrated and plain) do not allow to fully use the benefiths of either one.

I have another folder (Colt AR15) that is also 50/50 and I don't use much at all.
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That's sort of my feeling as well, even fully serrated has its uses, but half and half just cuts the use of each in half. No pun intended. :p
 
John_0917 said:
I typically avoid them, except in one instance. My first Blur was a combo edge drop point DLC coated that is about 60/40 plain to serrated ratio. I don't really carry the knife much at all anymore, especially since I bought the S30V plain edge, but it sees good use on my boat still. The combo edge Blur and my Spyderedge Tasman Salt are the knives I use around the water, the Tasman won't rust and the Blur, due to the DLC coating, hasn't shown any corrosion at all so far.
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One of my first Kershaws was the tanto edge combo DLC Blur, mostly because it was at Walmart and I got to open and close it before buying and it was cool.

Like you I later got a plain edge (and drop point this time). Gave the combo Blur to my brother in law
 
A combo edge is a total deal-breaker for me. It's kind of a shame, as there are a number of combo edge only knives that I rather like but can't bring myself to purchase.
 
In my youth, working at a shoe store (cashier, sales, unloading trucks, opening and breaking down boxes etc) I found a combo edge worked great as you had the serrated for ripping through cardboard and the thick plastic ties, and the plain for more precise work like cutting tape etc. My SOG mini X-Ray Vision was brutalized by five years of this (and is now retired). I've been a desk jockey for over ten years now, and rarely have a use for serrated. I have 3 combo edge folders, BM 530, CS Recon 1, and SOG Flash 1. Everything else is plain edge.

Buying the BM 530 combo edge was stupid of me. The blade is not thick enough to really use the serrations.
 
In my personal experience Average Joe "I don't care if it's made in China of crap steel, I only use it until I break it or lose it anyway" guys love 'em. Knife collecting aficionados hate 'em. I'm in the later group. Not all serrations are created equal either. I love me a Spyderedge but no combos unless it's on a collector auto only offered in a combo for me.
 
I don't mind a CE, for some things it actually works great. Cutting hard plastic or pallet straps is something where serrations work great and you can cut bubble wrap or tape with the plain edge part. I like having options, it makes the knife more versatile for me.

My knives usually have easy-to-sharpen steels, so resharpening isn't a big issue as well. The only thing is the blade has to be >3", on a smaller blade I'd definitely go with a full plain or serrated edge.
 
There's knives i like with CE and knives just want plain. Mostly like plain but my CE knives get alot of use. If i know I'm going to be cutting through alot of plastic, cardboard or wood going to carry a CE blade for sure. Works great to practically saw through hard materials. I definately perfer combo edges 1/2 the time i use a knife. Don't own any full serrated blades.
 
For a long time all I owned was CE's. In the field they offer the advantage of extended sharpness when you are not in a position to sharpen your knife. The serrated portion will stay sharp far longer.

As far as cutting performance there are times serrations are better suited for the job at hand and the serrated portion of the CE helps tremendously to get the cut started.. An example is wet nylon lines where plain edges tend to slide and not cut as well, where the serrations will "bite" into the material and get you started.

I also think the serrated portion of a CE is better suited for ropes in general, heavy burlap, straps, zip ties, and fibrous materials.

Now retired my cutting needs are very different and I tend to prefer plain edges. Mostly because of the ease of sharpening and esthetics. Plus the fact I'm not cutting lines or other heavy materials anymore but I definitely see the value in a CE blade.
 
I won't buy a combo edge. If I need a saw, I'll use a saw.
Plain blades only for me.
Rich S
 
K.O.D. said:
In my youth, working at a shoe store (cashier, sales, unloading trucks, opening and breaking down boxes etc) I found a combo edge worked great as you had the serrated for ripping through cardboard and the thick plastic ties, and the plain for more precise work like cutting tape etc. My SOG mini X-Ray Vision was brutalized by five years of this (and is now retired). I've been a desk jockey for over ten years now, and rarely have a use for serrated. I have 3 combo edge folders, BM 530, CS Recon 1, and SOG Flash 1. Everything else is plain edge.

Buying the BM 530 combo edge was stupid of me. The blade is not thick enough to really use the serrations.
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Very interesting point about also needing thickness to effectively use serrations. I hadn't really thought about this aspect.
 
cncpro11 said:
I like combo edge. Slice apples and cut cable and zip ties with the same knife.

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I love combo edges on a recurve knife. The recurve lends itself perfectly to a combo edge blade, because the serrations will provide insane cutting power on the recurve portion.

I tend to go full plain or full serrated on my other knives.

I will say, though, that Victorinox has made an interesting innovation by putting serrations on the far end of their blades in their locking SAKs. It allows you to do detailed, fine work with the area closest to the handle, and then more powerful, leverage needing cutting at the second 50% of the blade, which is serrated. Wish more were made this way.
 
I prefer plain edge over combo. As mentioned by others, a very short serrated portion is really too short for decent work. Sometimes, however, the short serrated area is of use if the plain edge portion has become dull from use, you don't want to (or can't) take the time to strop/resharpen and you need to cut something "right now", e.g., string, twine, plastic bands, small stuff .

inane, OT aside - "small stuff" is a Navy term for line (what civilians call 'rope') less than 1" or so in diameter.
 
No! It destroys the flowing lines of a blade. I would rather, and have, carry two Knives than buy an ugly combo edge.
 
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