Partial Serrations on a blade - opinions?

V

velocityresearch

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Dec 11, 2005
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First off, I have had a number of knives over the years and I just received my RC-4SMB earlier in the week - wow. Great knife for my GHB that I will be putting through some paces during backpacking soon. More to follow around that.

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OK, to my question. To serrate or not, that is the question? I have mostly gotten my knives with partially serrated blades since they cut some types of rope and clothes a bit better than plain blades (I know YMMV). The serrations are harder to sharpen, no question there, but they are not impossible. I'd like others opinions on serrations, positives - negatives. Thanks.

To the RAT Cutlery folks, no more Ontario knives for me after reading what is going on. Best of luck.
 
I would say I don’t really have a preference when it comes down to it as long as the knife is not fully serrated …. Nice Pack man…
 
1st off Welcome !
Ok the SE version is not harder to sharpen,use a standard stone and go to work or use a 3/8" diameter rod,I believe and next thing you know back factory sharp..I have a SE RC4 & RC3 and I use the serrations to cut rope and straps and the diameter of the Serrations work great for making fuzz sticks and or using the serrations for striking the firesteel and not dulling your PE .
 
I like a knife that is part serrated. If I am using it to clean a animal then no but if it is a tac knife or a blade for multipurpose then yes.
 
I would buy every knife with serrations if they were on the point end of the blade instead of the grip end. Hard to bushcraft with serrations by the choil.
 
I don't think a knife with serrations can do anything a well sharpened plain edge won't do so as a primary wilderness blade I say no to serrations. If I were police etc. where I might be doing more cutting of seatbelts etc. than bushcrafting then I would say yes to serrations. I think a lot of people buy them (serrated knives) because they look cool though they rarely need or use the serrated feature. I use my PE RC-4 for everything from all around camp knife to gutting and butchering deer. I have a serrated blade on my Leatherman which I have rarely used if needed.
 
I prefer blades without serrations. I have serrated blades on my Victorinox SwissTool and Spirit, if I need serrations at all. So far, the need for serrations has been very small in my life.
 
shangchi108 said:
I prefer blades without serrations. I have serrated blades on my Victorinox SwissTool and Spirit, if I need serrations at all. So far, the need for serrations has been very small in my life.
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Me too. I hate serrated blades. My SwissTool Spirit has all the serrations I will ever need, or want.
 
I dont like serrations either but i wanted to try out the Rowen serrations on the Rat knives. I have to say I love the design of the serrations. very easy to sharpen and cut great. I have the RC-4 with serations. I want either a RC-3 or Izula plain edge to go along with it though.
 
I personaly don't use serrations but I know they work great for LEO, mil guys who encounter a lot of rope, webbing, etc, to cut. The serrations on our RAT Cutlery knives are as easy to sharpen as the rest of the plain edge. Use the same hone for plain egde and run it all the way back on both sides of the serrations. Becasue of the way they are cut into the steel you do not need to use a round rod or any other special sharpening tool to sharpen them. Mike
 
Not a fan of serrations. I do like the ones RAT uses though. Very nicely done. I still prefer none though.
 
I've changed my mind on this over the years.
Initially I liked partial serrations because they can be useful for cutting rope. But it's the rare blade that is long enough to give you both a healthy cutting edge and a serrated (sawing, because that's what it does) edge, each long enough to be useful.
I have some blades that have a serrated top edge so there in fact are two useful edges, but my favourite is a relatively specialized kayak/canoe knife made for me by Mr. Blackwood. I love that knife.
Although I'm not a fan of "survival" knives, which often have a serrated top, very few have serrations that can actually be used, but those that do certainly do have some advantages. But I don't like the Rambo look.
I'd love to try a RAT, though.
 
I don't like serrated spines or saw back spines since they tend to hang up if you are traveling through the bush without them sheathed. Now, some folks may wonder why anyone would travel with a knife in their hand but in thick underbrush it is necessary sometimes. Anything that is jagged on the spine makes for problems.
 
I generally dont like serrations, but I have had good luck with them. Ka-bar 8" tanto has some and they never got in the way, the only serration style I really like are kershaw's, Vic's and RAT style. the clamshell style are the best If I HAVE to use them.
 
No serrations. I don't see the need and they tend to get in the way. On another topic that's been brought up, most LEO and military personel really don't know much about knives, thus you see them with half-serrated blades often. Plain edges do fine on clothes, rope, webbing, etc; you just have to maintain it!
 
I have used serrated knives a lot when I worked with Ropes, and nylon webbing (especially tubular webbing). It made fast work of those, especially if they were under load. For general use I find myself going with a plain edge more. My RC3 with serrations is probably going to get traded off soon, It is a great little knife, I just never found myself using it.
 
I can't stand serrations. They remind me of the dull cheap steak knives they give ya in restaurants. For cutting light cord (paracord etc.) in the field a sharp straight edge works better. For cutting heavy rope or vines a machete, axe, or the use of a baton is better than sawing with serrations. A razor sharp plain edge has never failed to cut anything I've needed to cut.
 
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