Efficiency of Serrations

[winmagfrog]

I never have understood why people are anti serrations. If you take two knivesof the same design and one is serrated and one is not, will the one that is serrated not out perform the plain style in most any hack and slash type stuff? I say YES, it most definately will.

Now for a skinning knife, or plain old utility box cutter, I don't really want or need serrations. For a knife I'm going to need to hack through something quickly with, be it a seat belt or a couple of layers of clothing, I'll take serrated over plain any day. In my experience, a serrated knife gets through nylon or canvas with a push cut a lot quicker than a plain blade. For me, especially on the water, that's important.

I'd really like to hear why most folks don't care for them.

 

[Cobalt]

I never have understood why people are anti serrations. If you take two knivesof the same design and one is serrated and one is not, will the one that is serrated not out perform the plain style in most any hack and slash type stuff? I say YES, it most definately will.

Now for a skinning knife, or plain old utility box cutter, I don't really want or need serrations. For a knife I'm going to need to hack through something quickly with, be it a seat belt or a couple of layers of clothing, I'll take serrated over plain any day. In my experience, a serrated knife gets through nylon or canvas with a push cut a lot quicker than a plain blade. For me, especially on the water, that's important.

I'd really like to hear why most folks don't care for them.

It all depends n the serrations. The ones on The NARK shown above would be perfect. And that is a great place for them. The ones in paddling_mans pic, no.

Good serrations do cut better and do cut longer than plain edge. But when they blunt are a hell of a lot tougher to get a real good edge on them. I like serrations on the first third of a blade. But the teeth shown in the NMOASH or FNMOASH just don't do anything for me.

Also, good serrations are ground thinner than a std edge, so you are likely to damage the edge in heavy chopping, that is why you do not see them in big choppers usually.

Also, any sharp change in direction on any steel is a potential stress riser and a place where a crack in the metal can begin and propagate.