Plain Edg Vs Serrated Vs Combo

T

The_Maverick

Joined
Aug 19, 2013
Messages
12
Good Morning everyone,
So this is kind of an update to my other post on Warranty Questions. It looks like CRKT will replace my old knife with a brand new of equal value to what mine is. So i'm thinking of switching blades. Right now the one I have is the CRKT M16 12z. Tanto blade with half plain and half serrations. I was thinking of just getting a plain blade with a spear tip because of DC laws against serrations, plus I have a Benchmade Grip that's a combo edge. Just thinking of mixing it up a bit. I tried to do a search to see what people think about serrations and came up nill.

So what are people's thoughts on my Title of this post?

Thanks

Jimmy
 
I stay away from partial serrations like the plague. They are almost always at the base of the blade, which is prime whittling territory, and the times serrations are useful are pretty rare. As someone wisely put it on these forums years ago, "there is nothing a serrated blade can do that a plain blade can't." If I get serrations on a knife, it is for avery specific purpose (namely, for a purpose-made self-defense knife). Unless your line of work involves cutting lots of fibrous materials, stick with the plain blade. I think you will also find the spear point much more useful than the tanto.
 
Most people here hate combo edges it seams, however, I tend to favor a combo edge if the blade is over 3.5 inches long and is to be used as a work/user knife.

For a collector piece I prefer a plain edge.
 
stiletto raggio said:
i stay away from partial serrations like the plague. They are almost always at the base of the blade, which is prime whittling territory, and the times serrations are useful are pretty rare. As someone wisely put it on these forums years ago, "there is nothing a serrated blade can do that a plain blade can't." if i get serrations on a knife, it is for avery specific purpose (namely, for a purpose-made self-defense knife). Unless your line of work involves cutting lots of fibrous materials, stick with the plain blade. I think you will also find the spear point much more useful than the tanto.
Click to expand...
:thumbup:Amen!:thumbup:
 
I came to really appreciate a combo edge when I worked in a shipyard. It came in really handy for cutting rope (anything from 1/8" tarp lines to 4" mooring lines.)
It all depends on what you're using the knife for. If you use the base of the blade for delicate work then stick with the straight edge. If think you'll need an aggressive edge to help speed through tough material without concern for a clean cut, go combo.
 
Personally, I don't care for partial or full serrations on blades. Give me a plain edge. That is not to say they are not useful, I've just never really found them to be aesthetically pleasing nor have I found a real need for them. Of all the serrated knives I've owned and currently own, I got them as a kind of last resort where I wanted the knife but was only left with the option of getting it with serrations being that the plain edge model was unavailable. Since then, I've learned to wait and get what I want rather than settling. To each his own though. If you like full or partial serrations, go with it.

:D
 
Wow thanks everyone for the quick replies!!!! I'm a desk jockey so i'm not doing a lot of heavy cutting on a day to day basis. I even thought about some of their smaller less expensive models to maybe get a couple or one and a sharpener. But chances are i'm going to go with the M16 03z which is their spear point, full plain edge. I think that will be a good model as an EDC.
 
Good luck, I went threw the same thing with CRKT, I sent my old knife in, and not just to the normal W/R address, I C/O'd it directly to the woman I had been dealing with. We had it all setup, when my old knife got there they would ship out the M16 spear point plain edge silver blade, 3 weeks go by and what comes? An exact replacement of my broken M16-10KZ (black tanto blade, combo edge). I was rather dissapointed with the outcome, I hope your experience with CRKT goes as you expect it to.
 
Thanks CK, i've been emailing a woman there and i even called her yesterday to get a verbal confermation that i could swap out as long as the price point was the same. The one i picked out is and she confirmed that. I was planning on putting a not in the box to tell them to swap out my old one with the model i was looking for. She said since the old one goes to the warranty warehouse they will just put the new knife (hopefully the new model) in a box and ship it right out. But i also look at it like this, i would love for a swap, but if they send me the exact same model back just new, then i'm happy and grateful. Most companies don't seem willing to be as accomidating like CRKT has been so far. Plus if need be i could always sell it and go buy the one i wanted to get.
 
Stiletto Raggio said:
I stay away from partial serrations like the plague. They are almost always at the base of the blade, which is prime whittling territory
Click to expand...

Now I'm thinking of a knife with a plain edge near the base, and serrations on the belly. Okay for wood working... and for steak? Hmmm...
 
i almost always opt for a knife with partial serrations...at the moment i'll choose from either a combo edged zt200, zt350 or HEST T3...they just cut faster and therefore more efficient for me in my work...if my xm18 had a combo edge it would be in the mix too but it doesn't...
 
serrations are an EPIC pain in the ass to sharpen. They offer pretty much no benefit whatsoever for normal daily use. I could imagine them being somewhat useful on a fully serrated hawkbill or kerambit for offensive purposes just because the cuts would be so much more gruesome but i don't tend to do a log of human gutting so it's a non-starter for me
 
The_Maverick said:
Thanks CK, i've been emailing a woman there and i even called her yesterday to get a verbal confermation that i could swap out as long as the price point was the same. The one i picked out is and she confirmed that. I was planning on putting a not in the box to tell them to swap out my old one with the model i was looking for. She said since the old one goes to the warranty warehouse they will just put the new knife (hopefully the new model) in a box and ship it right out. But i also look at it like this, i would love for a swap, but if they send me the exact same model back just new, then i'm happy and grateful. Most companies don't seem willing to be as accomidating like CRKT has been so far. Plus if need be i could always sell it and go buy the one i wanted to get.
Click to expand...
I'm not trying to argue with you at all and like I said I do hope it all goes perfect for you but I was in the same situation, I emailed the woman (Karen) several times before hand, I also sent the knife C/O (care of, directly to) her and I included a note in with the knife reconfirming what was going in and it still got messed up.

Actually your story has made me want to have them make it right, I just emailed them asking if Karen was avaliable and if we could now (a year later) swap this one out for the one I was originally supposed to get so thank you for that. And to answer your orignal question, I too hate combo edges and have very little use for full serration, I own one (a Spyderco Tasman) but it lives in my F.A.K. and I can't think of a time I've used it a PE wouldnt have worked equally as well.

Again good luck, you need it.
 
Hey CK, No worries. I didn't think you were trying to argue at all. I was just sharing my story so far. I do hope that it works out. But in the end a new knife for almost free when they don't have to is better than no knife. hahaha and if i get the same one, i'm sure i could sell it. I hope you can get your situation fixed as well. If you want to PM me and i can give you the contact info of the person i was talking to. I'm not sure what the forum rules are for giving out info like that.

Jimmy
 
Wait, DC has regulations against serrations?... I'm speechless :dejection:

I like plain edge for what it's worth. I find them easier to sharpen.
 
I have knives with both. I prefer the combo edge for edc, but a straight edge for camping, whittling, etc. Like others have said, serrations are a bitch to sharpen. I am carrying a straight edge blur today, but for cutting straps and stuff for cartons of paper and other big boxes with fibrous straps, the serrations come in handy.

In your case, I would get the spear tip straight edge.
 
I EDC small fully serrated fixed blade, which I love to use as a portable steak knife. It kicks butt. For folders, I prefer plain edge, and a plainedge knife is always the first I'll reach for.

My favorite folder is partially serrated. I like having the serrations there, but they are neither a necessity nor a real hindrance in my use. They're just there, and I like 'em.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top