dumb Q#1: why are Spydie serrations on the left side?

S

storyville

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I’m not particularly fanatical about serrations belonging on one side or the other. But it does seem logical that, for righties, serrations be ground on the right side of the blade; and, for lefties, the left side. Given Spyderco’s attn to detail, why are all Spydie teeth uniformly cut on the left?

Just curious --
Glen
 
Glen - When we first decided to produce a serrated knife, we began testing various folding and kitchen knives that we had designed (1981 Clipit "Mariner" & K04 kitchen knife). Naturally, we followed "logic" and serrated the right side (back side when drawn) of each.

In testing, especially with potential ELUs, there was a common complaint that the knife blade, while cutting something, would gravitate to the left. This was because the serrations were ground on one side only. Usually the left hand was holding what the right hand was cutting, so the knife was gravitating towards the hand. This made most nervous about the possiblility of unintentionally cutting themselves.

When we moved the serration to the left side and made the same tests, there were some complaints about the blade gravitating to the right, but no fear.

All of the early Clipits (Worker C01, Mariner C02, Hunter C03, etc up to the CoPilot C09) were produced with 20% of the model in a left handed mode. This included reversing the serrations to the right side as well for the lefties.

Most of the time a serrations is being used, it is because one is desiring a more aggressive matter separation, rather than precision matter separation (that's what plain edges are for). The "next logical" solution was to use a left side serration.

It has worked well for 18 years with few actual performance complaints. Sometimes "theories" do not include all of the information.

Most, if not all, of the knife companies have followed our lead. Few, if any, will cut alongside of ours. 18 years of actual "in the field" R&D teaches much.

One of the problems that we have is that now most every knife company provides "teeth". Most have "sucky" performance because they don't haved our experience or knowledge. Many that "aren't fond" of serrations are judging all by the one or two tried. All serrations are not created equal.

It might also be of interest that he serrations on the serrated SpydeRenches were originally on the left side. The first 500 or so.

Because there is no front scale on the SpydeRench (other than the Rench itself, we changed the serrations to the right side so the sharp edge would "hug" the back side scale closer. Spyderco is big on refinement as "real" knowledge increases.

Hope that helps.

sal

[This message has been edited by Sal Glesser (edited 17 November 1999).]
 
How about on the kitchen knives? Much less pressure is needed, particularly with the razor sharp MBS-26 blades, and your hand isn't usually as close to the material you're cutting. In cases where you are slicing, a little diving into the material helps compensate for the lack of blade support on the "slice" side of the action.
 
Jeff - it was ladies using kitchen knives that preferred the serrations on the left side.

I think that a knife aficianado "thinks" about cutting more deeply than the average person doing food prep.

Most just want the knife to cut without smashing, tomatoes without stabbing, etc. sharp and stay sharp, especially on cutting boards (where serrations excel).

sal
 
Something I've learned:

The serrated edge in it's usual left-side configuration works surprisingly well for peeling apples. (I'm right handed, by the way.) The teeth dive under the skin and want to stay there, and the "gravitation" effect described by Sal is just the ticket to follow the curvature of the apple.

When it comes time to slice the apple and remove the core from the sections, however, the above advantage is pretty much cancelled out.

You know you're a knife nut when you need three different knives to eat an apple.

David Rock

------------------
AKTI Member # A000846
Stop when you get to bone.
 
Thanks for the replies, Sal and others. I should've specified that I was thinking of the kitchen knives, but no matter, as it turns out. I don't use serrations very often; when I have, the side of the grind hasn't made any noticeable difference... Presumably makes a significant difference on chisel grinds, I suppose, but remains largely "theoretical" for serrations...

Thanks,
Glen
 
TTTT - We made some protos with serrations on both sides, worked very well...just very difficult at this time. One day.

the serrations that Blackie used were good in theory (for cutting wood) but don't perform well on a knife the way they were made.

I believe I convinced Bill Meyer (Meyerco) to switch to the more conventional teeth.

sal
 
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