Plain Edge, Combo or Full Serrated

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WoodenChicken

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Sep 11, 2008
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Sorry if this has been asked before, but I'm kind of new to knives, or should I say quality knives.
I have mostly plain edge knives, mostly because I believe them to be much easier to sharpen. What are some pros/ cons between PE and serrated or combo?
Is there anything a serrated knife can do that would not be possible with a plain edge? And vice-versa?
Thanks.

To Life---
 
a plain edge can do mostly what a serrated can do and one can have a coarse edge on a plain that is almost like smaller serrations. it comes down to what are your intended uses, everyday cutting chores. In the city I have plain. on the farm a serrated can cut through tougher material (saw and rip through material), such as harder plastic straps. I have more plain than serrated and prefer plain. but I do feel I need a serrated in my pocket on the farm with my Burger EXK1 or Grip 550.Combo....have one knife.don't like it The only combo knife I would like is a sebenza large.
 
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serration pluses
Really good for ropes and saftey straps.

Plain edge pluses
Easier to sharpen.
Less intimidating to the blade challenged.
Easier to get a nice clean cut line.

Combo pluses
If you have a large enough blade, say 4"+, you can get enough of each edge type to maybe make it worthwhile. On anything shorter, there is not enough of either type edge to do anything.

I prefer plain edges
 
I use plain edges exclusively. I have one serrated knife; a fully serrated (not half) Spyderco Tenacious. I use it for ropes and fibrous materials. To me, plain edges are easier to keep sharp and easier to use. If I'm cutting rope, I'll use a fully serrated blade. Anything else, I use a plain edge. Same with fixed blades.

Some have said that serrations weaken the blade, but I've never seen a blade break just because it had serrations.
 
serrated edges stay useable longer. Plain edges loose their ability to cut well faster. Serrated edges can be used for bushcraft too. With little practise fuzzies and carving works just fine. For strict hunters/woodscraft blade I'd go with plain edge, for ems/mil/leo use serrations come at play.
 
i prefer combo just for the fact that sometimes if you need something cut in a hurry a plain edge just wont cut it (pun intended) ive also found that differant companies have beter combo edges than others, benchmade is great but the best IMHO is the new generation Kershaw disc serrations they cut like nothing else i have

cheers!

the colonel
 
I prefer plain edges because they are easier to maintain, get very sharp, can cut most things that serrations will cut, in my experience they leave a cleaner cut, and they are less scary to the sheeple.
 
What about a six or seven inch fixed blade for hiking or camping? I have noticed most reviewers seem to prefer plain. Does this have anything to do with batoning?
 
Locust said:
What about a six or seven inch fixed blade for hiking or camping? I have noticed most reviewers seem to prefer plain. Does this have anything to do with batoning?
Click to expand...

Bigger the blades the less serrations on them. Like I said serrations are pointless in bushcraft/camping/woodcraft.
 
"There is very little a serrated edge can do, that a well sharpened plain edge can't do..."
 
I preferred to use plain edge knives, mainly because their easier to sharpen. That is until I recently got an HK14210 in trade, which has a combo edge. The Combo edge is really starting to grow on me, and this knife has been at work with me since I got it. I'm an electrician by trade and like the serrations for cutting jetline and pull strings, the blade also has enough plain edge to cut open shipping boxes. As for sharpening I have a Spyderco Sharpmaker and really am not having any issues touching up the serrated edge. Anyways, while I still prefer a plain edged blade for a general purpose knife, I do see a good use for a combo edged blade in my trade.

Davereb
 
If you can afford it, buy a lower priced serrated knife and try it out. If you dont like it, I am sure someone will take it off your hands at not too much of a loss.

By lower priced, I don't mean a chinese made rip off knife, buy the lower end Cold Steel, Benchmade or Spyderco. At least then you can be assured of getting a quality knife.
And dont forget, if you plan on buying and using a serrated knife for a while, factor in the cost of a decent sharpener for a serrated blade.

As for me, I carry a Benchmade Rift regular edge.
 
I have primarily PE knives for their ease of sharpening and what I use them for. Most of my knives end up getting used in the kitchen or camp kitchen at some point so I like having a PE.

I have a CRKT M-16 that is CE and I love it. I use that knife in the yard and I enjoy having the serrated edge to cut through thicker pieces of brush or opening bags, etc.

I've owned a fully serrated knife once and never had a use for it.
 
Buy some Byrd "Wings" or a Spyderco Dyad and you get both in a nice folder

Oh... and most of my knives are plain edge
 
I never liked serrated blades until I bought a Victorinox OHTrekker.

I still prefer a plain edge for most cutting I do, but I must say the OHT has made me appreciate that serrations can be very useful in some situations.

If I couldn't get near a sharpener for a few days I'd take my OHT with its serrations over a plain edged knife.
 
Basically I prefer sharp plain edge because it can cut much more cleanly.
Moreover, polished edge lasts longer than coarse one in cutting hard material.

But anyway, plain edge is a microscopically serrated one.
 
I just bought a Wenger half serrated half regular blade (Ranger Model) Normally, I like plain edge knifes, but I must say, this knife took a scary edge in both areas in about 2 minutes. I use the "Sharpmaker" sharpening system which is specifically designed to sharpen knives with serrations; so that may be the difference. If it weren't for that sharpening system, I'd not own a knife with serrations. As others have said, there are times/applications where serrations are hard to beat.
 
i prefer plain edge cause it easier to sharpen and i don't like the looks of a serrated one
 
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