Plain vs. Serrated Blade

baldtaco-II said:
Different tools for different jobs. The umbrella of the “survival” thing is broad and encompasses a bunch of different techniques. Some angles such as classic Bushcraft tend to favor plain utility patterns for the broad range of excellence. Neo-Bushcraft is largely twig carving so fine zero Scandis are often preferred. Paleo/ primitive/reenactment folk often want plain edges for other reasons. All this stuff and more usually gets lumped under the rubric of “survival”. Whether it be for professional reasons or as a hobbyist it is a fair assumption that practitioners at least have some passing interest in how to maintain their tools, and some even relish the opportunity to sharpen their stuff. These people usually have time and resources on their side.

In comparison military stuff doesn't need to appeal to any hobbyist leanings or urges to go sharpen or anything like that. Often the knife will belong to a relatively disinterested party. All that party needs to know is that knife will cut stuff. No delight in kiddy games of whittling bits of hairs, or who can get the sharpest, or what is optimal... just “will it cut”. More specifically, will it keep cutting in the hands of someone without the inclination, the sense, or the dictates of circumstances to protect the knife from stuff that is very hostile to nicely sharpened edges. For this purpose serrations are great. Take a look at the link below. That knife retains cutting power after treatment that wouldn't do a plain edge a great deal of good at all. The only thing that matters is that it can keep cutting, not how sharp it is or the geometry. A serrated blade has portions that protect other portions from becoming damaged. In sum, it is an ugly route but its hard to ignore that is a graceful degradation of cutting power compared to a plain edge. When you look at the kinds of things a military knife might routinely get used for compared to what say Mears uses his for on one of his TV shows there's a great deal of difference.

Video

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Dannyboy Leather said:
I have been given a number of serrated blades over the years; used, sharpened, studied them, the whole bit. They are not for me for what I do in the outdoors. Too, most of the *partially* serrated blades I have seen have the serrations on the wrong area of the blade.

Having been on the local fire station budget committee for a few years - working closely with firefighters and paramedics - I know many of them prefer the fully serrated blades for rescue operations - slicing through slick nylon line, rope, webbed belts, harnesses, seat belts, etc., etc. Their serrated blades often go with blunt points and glass breakers. A valid argument could be made for serrations on a marine or dive knife, too, IMO.

My own personal feelings are that an experienced outdoorsmans primary knife should not have serrations. For a secondary knife, serrations are all fine and dandy if that is what he chooses to carry. One of the three blades on one of my pocket knives has a serrated blade and I have gladly and effectively used it on nasty old rope and tangles around the canoe waters or in camp.

Sharpening serrated blades in the field is not a problem providing you have the right tool for the job. Improvised sharpening methods is going to be much more of a challenge if you are caught without your standard affair.

For about 50 years, I have got by better than most with just a smooth/plain edge, 3" - 5" thin blade, with an axe and saw to perform those things that an axe and saw should do. This primary knife performs all that a knife can be reasonably expected to accomplish, from taking care of hunting and utility needs, carving, to preparing foods for the camp. Serrated blades just don't enter into my needs or thinking when doing these sorts of chores. We also teach a number of classes in the primitive arts and technologies, and wilderness survival skills. I have little use for the serrated steel blade in these pursuits...however, my flintknapping most always encourages a good understanding of pressure flaking (serrations!) when constructing primitive stone blades. :)
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Different opinions above, but I thought both of these were excellent posts!

I really do like serrations for a boat knife where rope cutting, and in my job, entanglement in gillnets which can drag you off boat and into the drink is a real hazard. I prefer fully serrated and a fixed blade configuration. I admit that I'm currently using a plain edged or partially serrated blade for this task right now. Gotta remedy that. A fully serrated aquasalt would probably be ideal for my boat knife.
 
Thanks for the info. everybody. I want a serrated blade in there somewhere. After reading the posts I'm torn between a short nighthawk, and adding a leatherman to my belt along with my 8" plain edge. All the tools on the leatherman look pretty handy. The video that baldtaco provided was very informative. I learned that the serration tips protect the concave blade surface below them so they remain sharp in the grooves. Now I no why the serrations still cut well on an old dull partially serrated knife. I also know that I need to hone 8>) my sharpening skills. Thanks, VCB
 
Try a spydiedge! Look at the fuzzies my new endura makes! :eek: (thanks bapple!)

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Took all of 5 seconds!
 
After reading many of your posts I guess it's fair to say that it may just boil down to personal preference. Now I will take issue with the one brother's post about serrated blades being for a guy who can't sharpen a knife very well. I'm here to tell you that I spent about a year really mastering putting razor edges on a Spyderco/Spyderedge and 2 other great serration patterns on commercially made knives. It's not a piece of cake to sharpen them properly and it does take a bit of patience and some really good sharpening tools. But once you master sharpening serrated blades you can then just about sharpen any edged tool.

Personally I think it's just the opposite: I think that when you master sharpening serrated blades then the plain edges are child's play.

It took me some time to really understand the reasoning behind serrated blades. It's fair to say that serrated blades aren't great for every sharpening chore. And again not all serrated blades are created equal. Many cheap serrated blades are junk and there is no argument there at all. But the serrations I've used on Spyderco, Benchmade and some of the Boker blades I've found to be quite useful for several different outdoor chores.

I do ask you all to do this. The next time you go hunting, fishing, camping, backpacking or do any gardening or food processing I bet if you have a top quality full SE Spyderco folder or any top quality serrated folder or fixed blade handy you will find it quite useful for many demanding cutting chores. Especially fibrous materials, field dressing animals, ropes, leather, many plastics and just about any cloth or textile.

I'll be the first to admit that there is a world of difference between the top caliber serrated blades and the ones you get for pennies at Wally World. When I got my first Spyderco full SE Mariner I was completely astounded at how great that full SE folder was.
 
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dang, I guess my problem is that I'm not a Spyderco fanboy. :eek:

'sides, I was pulling your chain about poor sharpening skills. :D
 
Corners of the Spyderco Sharpmaker rods work great.

Diamond pocket rods (the ones that look like a pen) work great.

I also have a ceramic dog bone type sharpener with a corner on it that was put on specifically for Spyderco's serrations (they also have them for some other types of serrations), although I haven't tried it on serrations yet.
 
kage said:
Corners of the Spyderco Sharpmaker rods work great.

Diamond pocket rods (the ones that look like a pen) work great.

I also have a ceramic dog bone type sharpener with a corner on it that was put on specifically for Spyderco's serrations (they also have them for some other types of serrations), although I haven't tried it on serrations yet.
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Thanks! What method do you use? Just wondering!
 
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