Plain or Serrated for EDC

W

Whiteknight

Joined
Apr 27, 2007
Messages
13
I've carried a fully serrated Delica for several years now and I'm considering getting a new knife. I'm tempted to get a plain edge, as I think it would be more useful in my day to day life, but I can't shake the feeling that I ought to have at least a combo edge.

I've searched and read many previous threads on this forum regarding the straight vs. serrated issue, but the thing I can't get past is that if this is my EDC, it'll be the knife I have on hand in any unforseen emergency that I encounter. Sure, I may use a straight blade more, but what happens when I need to cut a seatbelt? What about someone tangled up in some sort of cord or rope? I know that these scenarios are rare and a bit extreme, but I'm less concerned with the situations I can imagine than I am with the situations I can't imagine. What if I get stuck with a plain edge in an emergency that calls for a serrated edge?

Can anyone offer a convincing argument that I'm just being paranoid? How do all of your plain edge EDCers see it?
 
There is nothing a SE can do that a sharp PE can't do. Yesterday I cut through some electrical con duet with one of my 705s ( we did not have a hack saw on hand). It cut through it like it was nothing. PE are easier to sharpen as to SE.


Get what feels right for you.


Best of Luck,
John
 
I used to carry a combo edged EDC, but the past 6 months or so I have gone 100% PE.
I haven't missed the serrations at all, and I have cut rope and bread etc. Keep a PE sharp, and you don't need serrations.

David
 
For EDC I prefer plain edge knives. I used to have Spyderco Endura and Emerson Traveler with CE and I didn’t find them very useful in my life. For me either PE or SE.
So if you have doubts regarding PE, why you can’t EDC both or get Spyderco Dyad. It is out of production, but can be found on e-bay.

good luck
 
The only serrated that I have is the Germany Army SAK. That thing is wicked. However, I carry a tradition slipjoint EDC.

I think it depends on what you use your knife for and what works best for you.
 
Sure, I may use a straight blade more, but what happens when I need to cut a seatbelt? What about someone tangled up in some sort of cord or rope?
Click to expand...

A well maintained plain edge will handle those without any problems.
 
I know that this has been mentioned in several previous threads, but I think that it bears repeating. Part of your choice depends on how you sharpen the PE. If you sharpen it to a polished edge, rope and seatbelts could be a problem but if you leave the edge a little coarse with micro-serrations you shouldn't have any problem. The issue that I have with combo edges is that I don't tend to have enough PE for precision cuts, and I encounter this problem much more often then I do seatblets. IMHO a SE is better then a CE if you think serrations may be necesary in a situation you may encounter. BTW, I don't think that you're being paranoid. Part of choosing an EDC is deciding what situations you may encounter and how you would like to be prepared.
 
Rescue hooks designed for seatbeat cutting are PE...

As mentioned before, a PE sharpened with a coarse diamond hone will have micro serrations that will bite into rope.

I sidestep the issue by having a serrated Rescue Blur in the car and a PE with me...

:D
 
The only serrated knives I like are the Spydercos. For some reason, I prefer my Enduras, Delicas and Rescues with serrations. They are also the only knives that I think look better serrated. I think that may be because they were originally designed with serrations in mind, rather than with serrations added as an afterthought. All other makes I prefer PE.
 
Whiteknight said:
What if I get stuck with a plain edge in an emergency that calls for a serrated edge?[QUOTE]


Ok, folks, here's the question right out in the open - and I can't think of a single situation so tightly restricted that only a serrated knife will do. I can think of many where a PE is better, tho, so live dangerously, walk the wild side, and carry a PE.
Click to expand...
 
I almost always go for partially serrated edge on my tactical folders- I like having the option of serration for cutting things that need to ripped througg, like rope and some vegetation or for food prep.
 
I used to like partially serrated knives, but then I learned how to correctly sharpen a knife. No need for serrations now. Thats just me. I carry a plain edge LW T2, and it out performs any of my serrated knives.
 
I used to think partially serrated was excellent, but since switching the fallacy of my previous opinion has become apparent. There just isn't enough of either edge type to be useful enough, and the serrations just tear food messily. A PE knife is much more EDC useful IMHO.

David
 
I carry a C44P&S Dyad all the time. I use the serrated blade more than the plain, but it still totals less than 10% of my total knife use (yes, I carry multiple knives ;) )

Serrations are handy once in a while, but if I had to give up one or the other, the serrations would go before the plain. Why give up the ease of sharpening and smooth cutting of a plain edge for the one chance in a thousand that you might actually run into something only a serrated edge can do?
 
I tend to favor a plain edge. I do have a Salt 1 that is serrated in my vehicle for that just in case seat belt situation.
 
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