Serrated or Not Serrated?

Q

qualm

Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
7
Well hello, I read a lot here but don't really post a lot. I have a question for all you knife fans out there. I have been searching for a new EDC and have narrowed it down to the BM Mini Rukus or the Spyderco Manix. Now I have held the Benchmade, but not the Spyderco knife and I have read here that the grip and feel of the Manix is unbelievable. I kinda don't like the way the mini Rukus tapers toward the end of the handle, as I have real large hands, and the clip just seems in the way. I think that the only way that I will be able to hold the spyderco Manix is to buy one and I have been meaning to buy a Spyderco anyway because I have yet to own one. Also i know that the Manix is discontinued and im sure that the Rukus will be around for awhile longer.:rolleyes:

So now that I have decided on the Manix ,I think LOL, Shall i go with serrated or not? I would like some pros and cons of each if you don't mind. Also maybe some other suggestions on a nice folder under 150$ for a good EDC.


Thanks in advance,
Nathan
 
Plain edge no question. So long as you keep it sharp there is a huge advantage to plain edge blades. They cut better and are easier to take care of. There is a reason that plain edges are worth ore on the secondary market.

Great choice with the Manix as well. It has one heck of a lock and is a fantastic knife.
 
well, serrated arent that hard at all with the sharpmaker, in fact, it is pretty much the same.

if the blade is big, then a little serrations dont hurt.
 
Now, I have both serrated and non-serrated, and I really think I prefer the ability to resharpen that a good steel plain edge blade provides. I have a REKAT Pioneer II in ATS-34 that is tuff as nails and sharpens up REAL good! It's plain edge.

All of my serrated knives have held up well. I think the Spyderco tooth pattern works best for me, but my MicroTechs, which are not THAT much more money, are a better quality knife, and their serrations are pretty tight as well. With the increased surface/cutting area that the serrations provide, cutting is a lot easier.

Serrations are HARD to sharpen. I own a couple of Spydie Sharp Makers, and I have almost always shipped my knives (w/some $$$ now) to the OG MFG for plant service. I have been VERY lucky.

Just keep in mind, BM will service their knives, but they won't sharpen the serrations. Or at least they wouldn't.

Good Luck.

VR/S in CT
 
Unsub said:
Plain edge no question. So long as you keep it sharp there is a huge advantage to plain edge blades. They cut better and are easier to take care of.
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How can you give that advice and not ask what the main primary use would be?

Since actual tests confirm the truth of the conventional view, what more is there to be said? The problem is that the tests are often not as thorough as they need to be. That is, when testing plain vs. serrated performance, most tests are comparing a plain polished edge to a serrated edge. Given that, it is no surprise that the serrated blade easily outperforms the plain blade when cutting (for example) rope.

However, you can use a coarse stone to sharpen a plain edge, and make micro serrations.

If the blade is big enough, both would be ideal for a use knife, If its not big enough to enjoy the performance of both, then it should be decided on what type of cuts you will mostly perform.
 
Are Microtechs that much better? I have never owned or seen one. They are about 100$ more than the Mini Rukus and the Manix. I am really just looking for a good knife thats comfortable with a real descent blade on it, something with d2 or S30v preferably.
 
Im still kinda looking for advantages and disadvantages of serrated and non serrated blades. So far I have got that without serrations there is a tremendous ease in blade sharpening. I have also gathered that a long enough blade with serrations is not that bad. What are some pluses with serrations? What are they generally used for? What else is the advantage of a non serrated blade?

Thanks for answering my questions the only other people i have to ask are sales people and you know how that goes.
 
qualm said:
Im still kinda looking for advantages and disadvantages of serrated and non serrated blades.
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Serrations = bite. This kind of edge is popular for cutting fibrous or some stiff/hard materials. Think of a serrated edge like a saw (yes, I know they're not the same thing).

Plain edge = cutting/shearing. If you need a smooth cut this is the way to go. If you want an extremely sharp knife this is the best choice. Plain edges are also superior for chopping.

When in doubt go with a plain edge.
 
AfterTFD said:
Serrations = bite. This kind of edge is popular for cutting fibrous or some stiff/hard materials. Think of a serrated edge like a saw (yes, I know they're not the same thing).

Plain edge = cutting/shearing. If you need a smooth cut this is the way to go. If you want an extremely sharp knife this is the best choice. Plain edges are also superior for chopping.

When in doubt go with a plain edge.
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What he said. :cool:

I owned several serrated knives before I learned to sharpen a plain edge blade, since serrated will usually continue to cut okay even when they start to dull. SInce learning to convex a plain edge, both by hand with sandpaper and strop, and now with my HF belt sander, I much prefer plain edges for the vast majority of daily utilitarian uses. I don't cut rope, seatbelts, or other similar stuff on a daily basis (how many of us do?), and I prefer plain edge for what I DO cut daily or frequently: mail, cardboard and plastic packages, food, etc. Also, I prefer the look of a PE blade.
 
Too bad you can't get a knife blade that's partially plain and partially serrated. It would be...wait a minute...you can get such blades! But seriously, there are many different serration patterns and frankly some of them are horrible...horrible cutters. CRKT serrations are, in my opinion, awful. Cold Steel has very fine, very useful serrations, but if you overdo it, you can chip some teeth. Still, those are the serrations I recommend. I have a Cold Steel Gunsite that's wonderful. And lots of people like Spyderco's pattern.

Fine patterns are excellent for emergeny uses, cutting nautical rope, nylon cord and heavy packages. They're also great for cutting branches and for self defense.

The more rugged patterns I have no use for. I saw a TV show about a guy who was trapped under a rock. Another hiker was frantically trying to saw through a thick branch or shrub to use as a lever with a plain edge knife. It was raining and I believe the guy was using a slip-joint, and he was cutting up his hands because he either couldn't get a good grip or because the blade kept snapping back on him. Anyway, just about any serrations would have been a great help.
 
AfterTFD said:
Serrations = bite. This kind of edge is popular for cutting fibrous or some stiff/hard materials. Think of a serrated edge like a saw (yes, I know they're not the same thing).

Plain edge = cutting/shearing. If you need a smooth cut this is the way to go. If you want an extremely sharp knife this is the best choice. Plain edges are also superior for chopping.

When in doubt go with a plain edge.
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+1 for that explanation.

It is said that you can easily sharpen serrations on a Spyderco sharpmaker. I wouldn't know, I always buy plain edge. I don't cut a lot of cordage or seat belt materials. (But my son works with ropes a lot and I gave him a serrated blade.)
 
For cutting man made materials, (plastic packaging, rope, clothing, boxes) serrations are better IMHO. My ATR SE was laughing at my PE Endura Wave when it came to opening that clear plastic clam-pak stuff. SE I find is actualy easier to sharpen than PE on the sharpmaker, for some reason I can get it way sharper than my PE.

For natural materials (wood, paper, muggers) the general consensus seems to be PE all the way. You can whittle with SE, but not as neatly, and I doubt you could batton with it.

Now, in terms of the knives your interested in, I recomend the PE manix. It will serve you well, and it's gaining in value by the day- 2 months ago they were on ebay all day for $99 bucks, now their at least $120. The PE will hold its value better than the CE manix, and, for this particular knife, it just looks way better in PE IMO. Its also a woods knife that you could batton with, so PE realy is the way to go. For such a beast, its suprisingly playful in the hand, and its just super sweet knife, so you should get one while you can.
 
Being Combat Search and Rescue....serration is the way to go....needing to cut through seatbelts or other military type canveses and materials is hard work...and a straight blade wont work..specially in a confined area where you need a small blade and the razor edge of a Randell Bowie wont manuver well....got to knible it away.....My fav
Good old Spyderco Rescue....
RAH
 
qualm said:
I have also gathered that a long enough blade with serrations is not that bad.
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As everyone else has said, it will depend on what you need the knife to be able to cut. My first real folder arrived a couple days ago... a Delica 4 CE. I had originally planned on getting a PE, but a guy at a knife store that I've dropped into a few times said that Spyderco is known for their serrated blades, but I KNEW I didn't want a full SE, so I thought the CE might be the best of both worlds. Well, yes and no. It's not that often that I cut rope (and hopefully it stays that way for seatbelts too!! :o ), so for me, it's unfortunate that the serrations take up as much of the cutting edge as it does (1" out of 2 9/16"). It's still too early for me to say for sure, but I think if I were to do it again, I'd probably get a plain edge, since that would be more useful for my needs. Now a CE on a longer blade might be more the best of both worlds that I was envisioning. Good luck with your search!!
 
I prefer serrations on my saws, not my knives. Having serrations does not make a knife sharper, unless you are one to let your knives get dull.
 
AfterTFD said:
Serrations = bite. This kind of edge is popular for cutting fibrous or some stiff/hard materials. Think of a serrated edge like a saw (yes, I know they're not the same thing).

Plain edge = cutting/shearing. If you need a smooth cut this is the way to go. If you want an extremely sharp knife this is the best choice. Plain edges are also superior for chopping.

When in doubt go with a plain edge.
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go after what he said, it really depends on what you will use your knife for
 
I have plain and combo (50/50) edge folders. It really depends on the task you would be using it for. But if my life depended on it (for example; if i was hanging from a rope around my neck) i would go with at least a combo edge to cut myself free. But if you know how to get a good edge on a knife and keep it sharp at all times, then you would be ok with a plain edge. It also depends on the length of the blade IMO.
 
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