Serrated or Plain blade?

A

Accord

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Apr 2, 2006
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I'm about to buy a Microtech HALO 3, but I can't decide if I should get it with a plain edge or partially serrated.

It's going to be my EDC knife that I will use for regular everyday utility type stuff and also it will be my last resort self defense weapon.

I just don't want to spend $350 on a knife and then regret not getting serrated, or get serrated and then regret not getting a plain edge.

What do you guys think? For the purposes of an EDC utility knife that will also be used as a last resort self defense weapon, should I get serrated? A plain edge definitely looks cooler, but is it as practical as a partially serrated edge for my purposes?

Anything advice you guys may have which will swing me in one direction or the other would be appreciated!

Thanks
 
Everyone will have an opinion on this, and here is mine. I do not like a combo blade on a folder. 90 percent of the time I want a non-serrated slicer. More infrequently, serrations would be nice. My EDC at present is a plain edge Swamp Rat Rat Trap. My 10 percent knife is a serrated Spyderco Native. I don't see why a true knife knut would need or want a combo edge, as we are going to have more than one knife anyway. (It is true that the serrated Native has a very small straight edge at the tip, but it is almost insignificant.)
 
If you have the discipline to keep the blade sharp I recomend the plain edge. In my experience most fellas with a plain/serrated combo use their blade as a screw driver then the serrated part handles all of the cutting. Full plain edge, real sharp, that's cool. Nacci.
 
If you buy part serrated you've got to know how you're going to keep the serrated part sharp. And then you've got to do it. ;)
 
I personally own no serrated edges as I just don't like them. If I wanted a saw, I'd buy a saw. I guess that a plain edge requires a little more maintenance, but I personally enjoy putting a great edge on a knife.

Lastly, combo edges are a total waste as there isn't enough of either.
 
i would go with plain edge for general edc. if you worked around a lot of rope or had to cut fibrous material all day i'd say serrated but not for edc. as far as combo edge goes i'm not sure but i think they are of the devil. later,ahgar
 
tim8557 said:
Lastly, combo edges are a total waste as there isn't enough of either.
Click to expand...


I agree with what this guy said. However, I do carry a SE Delica on my waistband for emergency situations. They cut ropes and seatbelts better. I always carry full serrated when boating and they perform better than plain edge in this environment IMO.

99.9% of the time I carry a small plain edge folder in my RF pocket. I find that for most of my day to day uses plain edge works much better.

Both have their place, but for most situations plain edge is the way to go.
:thumbup: :thumbup:
 
Lots of different opinions. Does anyone think that proprietary serrated edges vs. a 'regular serrated edge' really make a difference i.e. Spyderco or is it marketing hype? Spyderco for instance talk alot about its research into how its teeth are specially designed etc....etc... Is there anything a serrated edge can do that a plain edge cannot do?

THanks!
 
Serrated edges perform well on fibrous material like rope or cardboard. Plain edges can be sharpened to perform pretty well on cardboard too -- just leave a coarser, toothy edge rather than polishing the edge with fine ceramic rods or a hard stone.
 
Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of both,
I carry one of each.

A 3 inch plain blade and a 4 inch serrated.
I use the plain blade much more often.
But I'm glad to know I have the serrated if I need it.
 
I think that the above posters have just about nailed it. Plain edges are much better for everyday use and you can buy and carry an inexpensive fully serrated edge for the few times when you might need it. I have one combo edge knife that I bought a long time ago and I will never buy another as they are not enough of either blade to really do the job.
 
I'll go against the plain edge grain and state that I like serrated. My EDC is the Spydie Salsa half/half. I like have the 25% more cutting edge. The serrated edge is there if I need to do some beefy cutting. It is a pain to sharpen but I don't mind. Alot of my hunting knives are also serrated. I do prefer a half/half compared to a full serrated because sometimes you do need a straight edge.

Reid Allen
 
on most knives i prefer a plain edge. it cuts just about anything just as good as a serrated and is a lot easier to sharpen, also looks better on most knives, to me anyway.

that said some knives to me just dont look right if they are PE, the spyderco civilian and police come to mind, i prefer them with the serrated, thats just me go figure lol.

dont like combo edges on anything though.
 
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