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Does anyone really like 50/50 serrations?
- Thread starter Geoff in Philly
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2001
- Messages
- 1,308
Wow! I'm surprised to find that I am in a tiny minority as one who likes 50/50 serrations!
It's not a clear-cut thing, though.
I love my 50/50 Spyderco Delicas, and I also like my straight one.
I have to admit that I don't do a whole lot of cutting with my EDC Delica. Other posters' experience with 50/50's alleged inadequacies may very well be completely valid -- I just don't use knives enough to have come across such shortcomings. Most of my cutting jobs are just very light-duty. I doubt my EDC knife would be something as, well, flimsy as a Delica if I were really having to beat on a knife. But should a defensive situation arise, or for my average daily chores, I think the Delica with 50/50 does just fine.
I believe I would miss the serrations if I went with an all-straight blade, and I would miss the straight edge and fine cutting ability if I went with full serrations. And I LOATHE the idea of sharpening serrations. I get a nasty edge on my knives with a Profile and I also have a Sharpmaker if I needed to do serration work, but I hate doing it. So on my 50/50 knives, the serrations always go neglected (but they're not real dulled anyway) and the straight sections are always well-maintained.
It's not a clear-cut thing, though.
I love my 50/50 Spyderco Delicas, and I also like my straight one.
I have to admit that I don't do a whole lot of cutting with my EDC Delica. Other posters' experience with 50/50's alleged inadequacies may very well be completely valid -- I just don't use knives enough to have come across such shortcomings. Most of my cutting jobs are just very light-duty. I doubt my EDC knife would be something as, well, flimsy as a Delica if I were really having to beat on a knife. But should a defensive situation arise, or for my average daily chores, I think the Delica with 50/50 does just fine.
I believe I would miss the serrations if I went with an all-straight blade, and I would miss the straight edge and fine cutting ability if I went with full serrations. And I LOATHE the idea of sharpening serrations. I get a nasty edge on my knives with a Profile and I also have a Sharpmaker if I needed to do serration work, but I hate doing it. So on my 50/50 knives, the serrations always go neglected (but they're not real dulled anyway) and the straight sections are always well-maintained.
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2001
- Messages
- 106
In the 70s as a Coastie, I headed up an Oceanographic Deck Force and we were surrounded with working ropes and underway all the time; a dangerous combination. I carried a more than razor sharp Buck Personal (approx. 6" thin blade) which was reserved for delicate surgical cutting as needed. I carried a Buck Folding Hunter for everything including opening paint cans, hammering, and prying. I carried a large Buck Bowie style with a more chiseled edge for all the daily work. I carried a short thin Collins machete' (in a back sheath with the handle behind my neck and it had a filed and honed(thus serrated edge) for emergency rope chopping or cutting of nylon line. Note: our Sampson Double-Braided line ran from 1/2" to 12" and we had perhaps 20 miles of line total on board and often several miles in use at a time. Even a more than razor sharp standard edge would not quickly cut the nylon and hemp was seldom used at that time. That was THEN.
Later, as I worked mostly in professional outdoor photography and rural land sales I carried a large Puma folder on my belt for most things and a very thin more than razor edged Almar folder in my pocket plus larger and larger SAKs ending up with the Champion in the SOS case eventually and re-outfitted all the stuff in the case. That was LATER from the mid 70s to the early 80s when I went to a large Spiderco serrated folder in my back pocket and the Swiss Champ SOS.
NOW... as a less rural Realtor, less frequent outdoor photography and a less "knifey" life style... I carry a mid size SAK in my pocket with all blades specially sharpened; a Cold Steel large Voyager with honed plain edge in my back pocket and a K55K Mercator Cat Knife in my pocket with delicately thin super-sharp for food cutting only. I seldom pry or do heavy cutting now and don't really need anything nearly as large as the CS Voyager but it just feels and seems right regardless. The first two large Voyagers I wore out were serrated but now I carry the plain edge and don't have to re-do the serrations and wear down the blade nearly as much. I don't carry any serrated edges now but do keep one in the car which I've not used in three years.
Later, as I worked mostly in professional outdoor photography and rural land sales I carried a large Puma folder on my belt for most things and a very thin more than razor edged Almar folder in my pocket plus larger and larger SAKs ending up with the Champion in the SOS case eventually and re-outfitted all the stuff in the case. That was LATER from the mid 70s to the early 80s when I went to a large Spiderco serrated folder in my back pocket and the Swiss Champ SOS.
NOW... as a less rural Realtor, less frequent outdoor photography and a less "knifey" life style... I carry a mid size SAK in my pocket with all blades specially sharpened; a Cold Steel large Voyager with honed plain edge in my back pocket and a K55K Mercator Cat Knife in my pocket with delicately thin super-sharp for food cutting only. I seldom pry or do heavy cutting now and don't really need anything nearly as large as the CS Voyager but it just feels and seems right regardless. The first two large Voyagers I wore out were serrated but now I carry the plain edge and don't have to re-do the serrations and wear down the blade nearly as much. I don't carry any serrated edges now but do keep one in the car which I've not used in three years.
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2000
- Messages
- 9
I personally like only plain edge knives...especially so on folders. A nicely sharpened knife will cut anything just as well as a serrated edge. I also do not like the idea of sawing back and forth on a tiny portion of a 50/50 blade and trying to use such a small section of serration. Plain for me !
Like many of you have stated, I didn't think I'd ever own one, having fully serrated Spydies for sawing and mostly plain edges for general use but...
Awhile ago I bought a combo edged Chinook and then recently acquired a 50/50 Delica. I find both very useful indeed, for general all- around use. The serrations are handy for initiating a cut, such as in cardboard and tend to preserve the plain edged portion a little better.
I still prefer the looks of a plain edge, or even a fully serrated edge for that matter, but the combo edges have their place I believe.
Cheers, Jeff/1911.
Awhile ago I bought a combo edged Chinook and then recently acquired a 50/50 Delica. I find both very useful indeed, for general all- around use. The serrations are handy for initiating a cut, such as in cardboard and tend to preserve the plain edged portion a little better.
I still prefer the looks of a plain edge, or even a fully serrated edge for that matter, but the combo edges have their place I believe.
Cheers, Jeff/1911.