Plain or Serrated for EDC

I dont much like SE,but I do like my SOG Mini Pentagon.one side,all PE the other,SE and damn sharp for a factory job.
 
I have the best answer!!! One knife, both blade types and never worry.


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My only plain edge knife is my Leek, and guaranteed at least half the time I'm carrying it I run into a situation where I wish I had a combo edge! From most of the replies here it seems most people think that any combo edge leaves you with too little of each edge. While I do agree with that statement regarding small (~3") blades, it's completely untrue when talking about any 3.5"+ blade knife! Typical combo edges only have about a 1" serrated section, which is plenty for making quick work of any fibrous material you're likely to come across, and the remaining 2.5"+ of plain edge is plenty for the rest of your cutting chores.
 
If like me, you only EDC one blade at a time, I guess it comes down to what you're going to be using it for every day. I find myself facing zip-ties without a toolkit handy at least once a week. Zip-ties and cord, those are the two main reasons I've gone back to EDC'ing a combo.

One thing I find curious is that while a sharp PE will cut through anything, won't accidentally smacking your PE into the B-post mess up your shaving-sharp edge? :confused:
 
I have always been a one knife EDC guy until I got a PE and FS Spyderco Caly 3. I sometimes carry them both. I'm squarely on the fence over which is better for every day use. I'm leaning towards the serrated one as I think it will do everything a PE will do and do it quicker in many cases.
 
I think DonThomas hit the nail on the head. Depends on what kind of cutting you do. 48 weeks out of the year I tend to opt for a plain edge EDC (or two or three, depending on my mood). But for those four weeks when I have a different routine, doing warehouse work, a combo edge is my first choice. I agree with many others here that a sharp plain edge will do anything a serrated edge will do, and quite possibly better, but if I'm cutting zip-ties, plastic cables and the like, only a serrated edge seems aggressive enough to get through it quickly.

For the emergency situations mentioned, I'd feel perfectly comfortable only having a plain edge on me. That being said, unless you're going for a small knife (under 3") it couldn't hurt to have partial serrations.
 
I vote for PE as well. I do a lot of rope cutting and the PE performs just as well when sharp. From what I have found, serrated will perform better for longer than the PE but initially they seem to be similar. Actually, I can get the PE sharper and performing better from the factory edge (not talking spyderco's here).

The PE can usually be brought back by simply stropping it on the back of your belt as long as you don't let it get too dulled before doing this. This is what I do when we are on the boats all day, I just strop my blade when it starts to gets a little resistant on its cutting. A quick micro-bevel at night on crock-sticks followed by stropping brings you right back. This only takes a minute or so. Since I tend to enjoy the edge maintenance routine at night I don't find this a problem at all. I usually go through all of our kitchen knives and make sure they are in good order at the same time.

If you are less into sharpening than the serrated may be better for you.
 
i wish i had a dime for every post "whats better SE or PE" lol.

FWIW i prefer PE, ususally, some knives look better to me SE, the spyderco police and civilian to name a couple.
 
Well, I carry either a Cold Steel Vaquero Grande or a Voyager X2 (both with 6-inch blades and serrations). I like Cold Steel's serrations as they cut like a plain edge but have the advantage of a plain edge. They cut most anything and can even be used for yard work. I've got a half-serrated tanto 5-inch Gunsite knife, too, but it's brand new and I've never carried it.

With other knives, I'd choose a plain edge. If you've ever tried cutting something sinewy with a serrated knife, it's bump, bump, bump, bump. It can leave a mess. I agree with those who say that if you keep your knife sharp, you won't need the serrations. For social purposed, however, the fine serrations of the Cold Steel help.
 
i like pe as they are easier to steel and sharpen but i think se more practical when it comes to cutting over a longer period without touching up. yes the cuts of a se will never rival that of a PE. Se would cut through wood (across grain) faster than PE.i prefer pe as i think its how a quality of blade shows.
 
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