One reason why serrations suck!

The knives were not great quality, but Colt once made (and maybe still does)
serrated folders that could be sharpened in a plain old "pull it through" carbide sharpener. The serrations were actually just very narrow slits cut into the blade at regular repeating angles. It looked like /////////// along the bottom edge of the blade when held horizontal. I never owned or used one, but it looked like a simple way to make a serrated knife easier to sharpen. Also, on some knives where one side of the blade has angled serrations, but the other side keeps the same flat angle up to the serrations, I just run a DMT slab sharpener over the flat side to sharpen up the serrations. I wish I could explain that better. If you don't catch what I mean, let me know.
 
Ditto what bigjimslade said. They have a place in sawing through rope and cardboard, but compromise the length of blade in regular use. The only decent ones I've used lately was an 887 Tarani PA. About the only thing I liked about it that worked - but it sure looked mall ninja.

I put serrations right along with tanto points, checkered grips, and liner locks. :D
 
I used to hate serrations....then I owned a spyderco and a sharpmaker. Now I love having a knife with serrations. Sure almost all my folders are PE but I carry a SE Para-mili that cuts like a champ. They are mean lil sob's when you know how to keep em sharp.
 
I put serrations right along with tanto points, checkered grips, and liner locks. :D[/QUOTE]

I'm no big fan of serrations or liner locks either, but what's wrong with a tanto point? To me, tanto points make the blade tip stronger and provide better penetration and prying ability. I also like how a tanto point makes a great box cutter for opening the tape on packages or slicing paper or cardboard.
 
i like serrations but not comboedges. i will never ever get another combo edge knife, serrated or plain doesnt matter to me.
 
One view of the history of tanto points was that they were simply broken tips resharpened. They do have more thickness closer to the cutting edge to support thrusting and prying. But they are blunter - and my impromtu can cutting tests led me to think a thinner, longer point penetrates more easily - by hand. Probably a concept reflected in law - daggers, et al, are not so good to carry in many jursidictions because they penetrate more easily. Tanto points carry no such negativity in that regard.

Penetration tests in wet phonebooks seem to bear that out. There are some posts in forums on the topic.

I've also found blades that are straight - like box blades - cut better for me, because it's a matter of how you hold it. Tanto points aren't really used slicing boxes, unless you hold vertically or even push the blade. I find a BM CQC7 is no match for a SnG. The chisel ground blade is thick, even if the point trails quickly. The SnG has enough belly to get out of the cut, but the flat grind is what really does it. Hollow grinds are even worse if the shoulders get in the cut, but this is all a matter of degree. Glock 19C's are lousy box cutters compared to an axe.

It's interesting to note the ubiquitous box blade is exactly the opposite of a tanto - and they are the accepted standard because they do so well.

If they work for you, great - but a lot of preference comes out of what your "muscle memory" is used to, not the knife. There is a lot of BS out in the street about what works and doesn't. I just find what suits me; serrations and tanto points interfere with a lot of utility cutting I do.

Serrations don't cut, they rip and tear like a narrow saw. It takes more energy to cut some simple things sawing than cutting. The rubber hose manufacturers use flat ground blades in factory and for parts houses, most stores use flat ground blades for box opening and flattening, and most materials aren't that fibrous to require serrations.

So it comes down to tanto points and serrations don't do the jobs. Eye candy.
 
dennis75 said:
i freakin' hate serrations, stupid gimmick evil-looking cool let's buy it and show off knives. even those from spyderco......
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Do you really think Sal Glesser (Mr. Engineering Research Geek himself) only makes serrated knives to cater to the "evil-looking cool let's buy it and show off" crowd? Really? Do you know anything about the man? Do you know anything about the research he and the other geeks at Spyderco HQ put into their designs?
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I don't think the problem is with the serrations as much as it is with the people who haven't learned how to sharpen or use them.
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:thumbup: And I'm getting pretty tired of it, quite frankly. It's the product of ignorance, people that have never really used one and never taken the time to learn about them because they care more about how their knife looks than how it performs.
 
I'm not a fan of serrations either.

I don't do anything that requires them, and I find them aesthetically displeasing.

Also, I'm a big balisong fan, so the last thing I need is that tear and snag action on my fingers.
 
Serrations aren't hard to figure out how to use, and with Spyderco sticks easy to sharpen. They do what they do and mostly do it well, on the limited number of things that need it. I have a Gen 1 all serrated Endura I used specifically for rappelling.

That doesn't make it a good EDC for my criteria, and I have stayed away from combo edges lately. I does appear that marketers like combo edges because of the selling power to younger inexperienced users.

As the market ages, what will happen then? Probably a burst of self justification, then design specific sales pitches. Serrations will become a niche on overhyped tactical knives that are never actually used in combat because . . .

Oh, we're there already.
 
Serrations are not MEANT to cut cleanly. That's what a plain edge is for. After trying an SE Delica as my primary EDC for a week, I was sold. Spyderco serrations are not like other serrations. If it rips rather than cuts, then your serrations are not sharp enough.

Serrations aren't for all uses, but just because you don't have those uses doesn't mean serrations are rubbish! I used to open a lot of boxes, plastic bags, cut plastic hose, etc. and serrations were perfect for that.

If you want to experience serration excellence (IMVHO) buy a SE Atlantic Salt. I think it's the nearest I've ever seen to the perfect cutter, and it is very easy to keep insanely sharp on a sharpmaker.
 
A fully serrated civilian or police spydy is an amazing weapon that is scary looking enough that it could prevent you from having to use it.
 
So the intimidation factor is important? I recently posted on a discussion about street confrontations and the use of a knife as a self defense weapon - so I'm not going there. I just take it thats what you need.

On the function of serrations, yes, Spyderco does an excellent job, but most serrations I have don't - Benchmade, Gerber, et al, aren't that different, but the details cause higher friction than a sharp flat ground blade.

The meat processing industry doesn't use them, which I take as a statement of professional opinion. If serrations were worth it on the production line, they would be there. Some may have positive experience with them, but overall, I'm like others. Not so much.

Except on a nice loaf of fresh baked bread.
 
talonturbo said:
aren't vettes hatches?

well some are, some are "coupes" with trunks. Not to be a dick, just thought it was funny. Everything has it's place I guess.
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I thought the exact same thing. lol



Why does it really matter if they are chisel ground? just curious, is this an aesthetic quality you dont like? because they certainly still function well.
 
im with you serretions limit the functionality of a knife,try to skin a squirrel with a serrated knife
 
I've always found a partially serrated blade (under 1/2 serrated) very useful as a EDC work knife. Especially when I was in the tree business. I found myself cutting everything from rope to radiator hose on a daily bases.

I do think they are overhyped though. If you plan on doing any heavy duty cutting, you'll be glad they are there, but if you will never or rarely need them they are definately a waste (eg: 2" EDC I now carry at school is straight, 3.5" EDC I carry at work is half and half)
 
Chisel ground blades tend to draw the slicing motion off center. They work great as patch cutting blades for muzzle loading the old fashioned way, but using a BM CQC7 for two years took some time to get used to it.

As a general utility pattern in the field, they had some minor shortcomings that flat ground drop points never present. With serrations, I feel they are even more limited. I think the originals set the standard for toughness in a folding field knife, so the tactical market followed, and then the magazine writers.

I think it's a strong point that Buck is the one I've seen to put serrations on their 800 series Striders. It didn't improve it's box cutting ability, and for me creates a line in the sand between professional grade and mass marketed copies.
 
When at work, I EDC a PE Manix. I open boxes, but only with the front 1/8 of an inch, so that I do not cut a wire on a $10,000 piece of equipment. When breaking boxes down, I find serrations to clog up and become useless. When in the woods, I carry a 4" fixed PE fixed blade. It cuts rope excellently, and when skinning game, don't even get me started on serrations. I don't care about others liking serrations, I have just never found them useful at all. I just wanted to express my dislike of a certain option, kind of like how some of you don't like liner locks, or wire clips, or tanto points. P.S. I own four spyder stones, and know how to sharpen serrations very well.
 
i don't think i will ever get a partially serrated knife again, for me it's all or nothing, serrations are great for heavy\coarse cutting but this is not what i primarally use my knives for. once i find a fully serrated knife i really like i will probably EDC both
 
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