question for Sal on serrations

[shootist16]

I know that there is a never ending debate on serrated vs. plain. I do not want to start that again. I would just like to get an opinion from the person who should be the most knowledgable on serrations, and thats Sal. Sal what do you think? Which would you prefer on an everyday carry knife? Any input you could give would be appreciated.

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[Jackal]

Well I'm no "Sal"...hehehe... but I'd say it would depend on your daily cutting purposes. I you just shave to show off your knife, plain edge, of course.

If you cut a lot of rope / material, I'd say serrated. -AR

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- Intelligent men, unfortunately, learn from fools, more often than fools learn from intelligent men.

 

[pk]

I am wondering this too... b/c Spyderco seems to put a lot of emphasis on serrations in general (I have to admit, a plainedge Spyderco doesn't always look *quite* right to me, even if they do cut like the dickens). Is it because the average consumer expects to keep little maintenace for their knives, and serrations last longer? or because it's better suited for "heavy" cutting?
pk

[This message has been edited by pk (edited 22 April 1999).]

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Hey guys, I don't think Sal or anyone else will be able to tell you what the best choice is, especially if you don't tell us what you use the knife for. Serrations are better for some things (most noteably, slicing hard materials, also do okay at zipper-cutting very thin materials), plain edge is better at other things (push cutting anything, zipper-cutting thicker materials, slicing softer materials). What I prefer in an everyday knife may be irrelevent to you, since I may be cutting different things than you!

The only really informed answer is the one you come up with after you carry both kinds of knives and see which one works for ya! See, now I've given you an excuse to go buy two more knives

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com

pk: serrations definitely aren't better suited for "heavy" cutting. If you're doing heavy push-cutting or heavy zippercutting on thick materials, serrations still stink. Serrations are better at heavy cutting when the heavy cutting is something serrations excel at! Heavy cutting on something that both plain and serrated are good at, then I'd lean towards serrations also.

 

[William Johnson]

I spoke with Peter in customer service a while back and he indicated to me that Sal preferred serrations. He went so far as to inform me that if Sal ordered a custom made he would ask for serrations.
Hope this helps.

Myself, I prefer plain edge, for ease of maintenance and for the overall tasks I put my knives through.
God Bless

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*Norse Knife Nut*

"Military" Fans Unite!!

"The only limitation is lack of imagination."

 

[Bob Irons]

Joe keeps telling us and we keep asking! Deja vu!

Joe, this really is literally different strokes for different folks. I usually prefer plain for my mundane daily chores, but prefer serrated for other more special occassions.

I believe Sal carries multiples, if I remember correctly, including various prototypes as they come out. I'm so jealous!

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Bob:

Ya! That's what I'm saying, different strokes for different folks!

I think we can objectively say "serrations are better at *this*, but worst at *that*". So if you do a lot of *this*, get serrations. If you do a lot of *that*, get a plain blade.

But you can't say plain or serrated is just better, without knowing what it's supposed to be better *for*. I mean, right?

Joe

 

[Sal Glesser]

Thanx guys - you are all correct! I carry both plain and serrated edges (often times both). They both suck if they aren't sharp.

Serrations do stay sharper longer than plain edges in most instances because the tip of the tooth is protecting the recessed sharp edge. (such as on a cutting board where it is the board and not the food that is dulling the edge). Serrations work better on tomatoes, kevlar, etc. Plain edges are superior for precision cutting chores.

My custom collection is mostly serrated partially because I have campaigned them so hard and because most custom makers had never made one and it provides a very unusual collection.

In a Martial situation, a belt buckle, metal button or bone has been known to "rake" off the entire edge of a sharp plain edge piece. Not likely to happen with teeth.

I think that a more specific testing procedure on different materials would have to be created to "really know" what is best for what.

When we do edge testing, there are two different standards in the test. Plain and serrations, becuase serrations will generally stay sharpner longer cutting the same medium by 3 to 4 times
sal

 

[pk]

I wasn't asking which was "better." My question was why Spyderco the company places so much emphasis on serrations from a marketing standpoint, it is *much* easier and comomon to find a Spyderco wtih serrations in stores than it is to find a plane edge Spyderco. Which type of blade I preferred was not relavent to my question.
pk

[This message has been edited by pk (edited 22 April 1999).]

 

[pk]

Sorry, perhaps "marketing" was a bad choice of words... but you get my drift.

 

[Sal Glesser]

pk - Yes, you are correct. (Less maintenance, greater edge retention and aggressive cutting).

Spyderco promoted serrations very heavily from the early '80's on. Primary advantages listed above. Those attracted to Spyderco's knives were mostly for working knives and found those advantages suited their needs.

Sales for most of our models have always favored serrations from 85% in some models to 60% on others. Hope that helps.
sal

 

[pk]

Thank's sal... that does help.
pk

 

[Kysa]

Wow, Sal just said something I never realized before, but I've always done. I carry a full or partially serrated knife for 'working' duty (to school and work) and tend to carry a plain-edge on lighter, more romantic occasions, such as going to dinner, a movie, etc. I love serrations, but dislike resharpening them.

Oddly, though, the most incredible serrations I've come accross were on the KP-04 kitchen knife! Man, that thing would slaughter Godzilla's daddy with one swipe!


[No philosophical statement needed - I'm just talking knives.]

 

[Sal Glesser]

Kysa - thanx on the K04 kitchen knife. I would personally "stack" that knife up against any production kitchen knife in the world, for convenience, utility and being the most used knife in a kitchen. (Just my opinion).
sal

 

[Bartman]

I suggest to try carrying plain and serrated for a while(two knives) and compare them yourself..Or if you feel brave, carry a combo edge..you might be surprised..I was!!
Just my actual opinion

 

[William Johnson]

Present/Future carry mode
Strong side pocket: Military (plain edge)

Weak side pocket: Military (serrated) 'never know when ole toothy might come in handy' (have as yet not acquired)

Why not get one of each? I am sure Sal won't mind.

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God bless!

Romans 10:9-10

"Military" Fans Unite!!

 

[Sal Glesser]

I believe that "Man who beat on own chest knock self over backwards", but also I believe that all serrations are not created equal.

Testing our edges against competitors finds Spyderco's edges often times 300% more effective that "well known competition". Especially as a "slasher".

Perhapos the judgement many ELU feel about serrations were made using a non Spyderco serration. Also, serrations are easier to sharpen than plain edges using a Sharpmaker.
Just some opinion.
sal

 

[shootist16]

I agree Sal, Spyderco has some of the best serrations. I've been comparing the serrations of my new military with some other name brands. They are also more user friendly and easier to sharpen. I really dont understand why some companies make really "strange" serrations that are almost impossible or outright impossible to sharpen. I like the serrations so much that I bought an Endura98 to replace my Cold Steel.

 

[Corduroy]

I agree there. I've seen the serrations of a particularly boastful Spyderco competitor frequently have the thin little points of their fine teeth sheared right off just cutting heavy carboard...and not cutting it as well, either! Then another competitor in the "bug business" had rounded serrations for a while that looked like Spyderco's ground backwards - and worked about as well as you'd expect a good idea turned completely around would

. No, Spyderco got it right. Nowadays most of the knives I see have serrations that look identical to Spyderco's so I can't really say they're any worse, but when folks have tried to build a better mousetrap I've only seen them catch their own tails.

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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)

 

[Parker]

Sharpening Serrations a problem?? Obviously you have not tried a spydie-made sharpener, Kysa. Use it to sharpen the side of the serration that has the edge ground out of it only. If you sharpen both sides of a psyderco or any other serrated edge you will grind off the teeth.

I did that once a long time ago when I first bought my spyderco sharpener and called the factory for advice about my semi-serrated custom edge I had just created. They told me to sharpen only the one side and it had forever after worked. I have used that thing for almost eight years now and am going to replace it due to the corners beinbg rounded and the stones so used I can no longer unclog the pores.

I carry serrations because they work. They also take about fifteen seconds to sharpen to razor edge with the idiot proof sharpmakers.