Poll for Plain, Serrated or Combo Edge Blades. The last word.

Which do you prefer if you had to choose only one?

  • Plain Edge

    Votes: 1 100.0%

  • Serrated Edge

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Combo Edge

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    1
Well, I can't vote so I'll post my opinion. If I had to pick just one, it would be a plain edge as it is capable of fine cutting that a serrated edge can't do. But overall, I prefer serrated blades. They don't have to be sharpened as frequently and they do a much better job on most of the tasks I use a knife for. Additionally, most serrated blades have a short fine edge section that can be used when serrations would not be appropriate. This is especially true of Tanto blade shapes such as CS's Voyager line where the edge between the primary and secondary points is a fine edge. I find this to be highly usefull and perhaps the closest to the "one blade for everything" concept. Still, there are a few tasks that I wouldn't use such a knife for. So if I had to pick only one, it would unfortunately be a fine edge blade.
 
Axlis!!! said:
Could not vote, but I strongly prefer PE. While I know that SE sharpness lasts longer, I like to make a clean controlled cut :)
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Many thanks to Hair for making a good case for Combo Edges. I used to be firmly in that camp, but now I tend a bit more toward Plain Edges.

Axlis, I am right there with you about making a "clean controlled cut".
That, and the fact that I like to be able to easily service gear that I own (i.e. sharpen the blade) means I like plain edge a lot, and really really dislike totally serrated edges. I've always felt that strictly serrated edges were just knives that would eventually get duller and duller and duller and then never be used again -- since I can't see myself actually sharpening serrations effectively (but I'm quite good at plain edge).

That's the main thing: there doesn't seem to be any truly easy, effective way to manually sharpen spyderedges. Oh, and I also don't like the fact that serrations are, in effect, "chisel ground." I hate blades that are ground on only one side. The big lie is that you have to sharpen only one side: of course you cannot just sharpen the ground side of a chisel grind! If you did that, you'd just have a burr on the back side and the edge would suck! :grumpy:


I also could not vote in the poll, but now you know how I feel. :)

-Jeffrey
 
Give me one or the other, or as I carry them, one of each. I like a fully serrated blade for non-precise work, a plain edge for precise. Most of the cutting I do at work is definitely non-precise. If forced with the choice of only one knife, I'd take a plain edge. I don't like combo edges, since I don't feel that either portion is long enough to be useful enough to warrent carrying it over a full plain or full serrated.
 
I can't vote in the poll, but it's plain edge all the way for me.
 
Its funny, my least flashy/fancy knife is the only one that I have used to actually "save my life". Nothing serious, but I was wading through a shallow but rapid creek, and my foot/boot got snagged by a fibrous tree branch type of thing. I had to use my Spyderco Rescue to basically saw through the damn thing so i could keep going. Took about 10 minutes and was made harder due to lack of clear visibility and really cold water doing its number on my hands. If I didnt have that knife I would have been out an Ecco boot!
 
I would prefer fully serrated if someone else sharpened them for me. I go with plain edge for easy of sharpening and usefulness when sharp
 
J85909266 said:
I have two answers:

I've taken plain edge knives to work, and they just don't keep cutting like a serrated knife does. It's a no brainer to me.
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What kind of steel and blade geometry did these knives have (both the the serrated and the non-serrated)? These are critical factors in edge retention. Serrations are just one factor.

I would never expect a $15 Gerber or Schrade with a plain edge to outlast a Spyderco with VG-10 steel, regardless of whether it has serrations.

EDIT: I don't mean to imply that you're using cheap Gerbers or Schrades. Just used them as an example to illustrate my point.
 
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Well I can vote and did; think it says IF you had to pick ONLY one; I went with plain; have I used and apreciated combos, yes; think I have a fully serrated cheapie sold as a rope cutter, whichh is what I bought it for but seems like whenever I am cutting rope I have something else in my pocket so it has seldom been used. Right now I have a Meadowlark Byrd in my pocket which is a combo; been working out in the yard of late and it hasn't missed a beat; good inside for boxes, etc. No it isn't my edc all the time and , thankfully, I don't have to choose only one but IF I did it would be a plain edge.
 
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