serrated vs. non-serrated

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WVHILLS

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quite a few people in this forum seem to prefer a non-serrated blade for survival and bushcraft, i was just curious as to why that is.
 
serrations are a lot harder to sharpen in the field...FOr cutting rope they're champs but beyond that there practicality of a stright blade overshadows them
 
i personally like partial serrations in a camp blade in the 7 inch range. I find that although i don't use them as much as the straight edge, they are handy when you really need to dig into a cut. And of course they go through rope great.
 
I seem to have more "accidents" with serrations, and I've worked with knifes for years, I personally seem to have more control with a plain edge, smooth/straight cuts. And ditto on the sharpening replies..
 
I avoid serrations on wilderness knives for a couple of reasons -

1) if sharpened well, a straight edge will cut just as well
2) serrations are much more difficult to sharpen than a plain edge. When in the field, the last thing I want to worry about is how I'm going to sharpen my knife.
3) for many wilderness tasks, serrations will get in the way of the cutting.

For real serrations, I'd opt for a wood saw :thumbup: ;)
 
IMHO, serrations are just an unneed complexity on a knife. My plain edges cut through rope just fine, so long as I keep them sharp... Now I'm not cutting 5" rope 20 times a day, but not too many people do. I also prefere straight edges for cardboard because I've always had issues with serrations getting stuck and gummed up with cardboard.

But yeah, basically serrations just add an unneeded level of complexity to a blade for a benifit I do not need.
 
In my experience, no matter how sharp the plain edge, it will NOT cut thick rope as well as a sharp serrated blade....not even remotely close. Even if the plain edge is so sharp that it makes people bleed just seeing sunlight glint off it's edge from 30 feet....will it even come near cutting rope like sharp serrations (note I say "rope", not string or light cord, they're different). (I'm tempted to go on.....)

That said, I agree with jarlaxle. With a long camp knife that has plenty of plain edge available, a little serrations are fine. On a shorter blade they just get in the way. As good as serrations are for cutting rope, I still prefer all my blades plain-edged (not that they are, mind you)
 
A LM charge has both blades. Carried with a larger fixed blade and all bases should be covered. Can't beat a serrated blade for ripping thru something.
 
I don't care for serrations period but esp at the tip area. Having said that my EDC is most often a SAK GAK, the German army version of the one hand Trekker. I feed cattle and horses in the mornings and those serrations I don't like sure cut baling twine like butter. When the serrations dull I'll sell off the GAK.
 
One thing not mentioned is that serrations aren't all that wonderful for push cutting. They tend to dig/scrape.
 
StretchNM said:
In my experience, no matter how sharp the plain edge, it will NOT cut thick rope as well as a sharp serrated blade....not even remotely close. Even if the plain edge is so sharp that it makes people bleed just seeing sunlight glint off it's edge from 30 feet....will it even come near cutting rope like sharp serrations (note I say "rope", not string or light cord, they're different). (I'm tempted to go on.....)
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What about those demo's where they cut through rope with one slice? I don't see serrations. (Although I do agree that for us mortals you are right.:p )
 
Serrations are no more difficult to sharpen than a straight edge. I have a DMT diamond encrusted "tapered" rod that sharpens serration like "right now"! It sharpens the conventional edge also, like using a butchers steel. Sure, you can get along without the serrations but since they cut so well, why?
 
Plain blades are preferential (real word?) for most survival/bushcrafty applications because serrations often impede in carving, fine cutting of game, etc... Serrations are good for rough cutting, when you really need to tear into something to cut it, like rope. Even then, I want partially serrated, because full serrations are impractical for most purpose, though I have found serrations to be helpful with some limited vegetation removal as well (small scale- ie getting through something you snagged up in). I own 1 fully serrated knife. Maybe some day I'll get another. Everything else is plain or partial for me.
 
Shotgun said:
What about those demo's where they cut through rope with one slice? I don't see serrations. (Although I do agree that for us mortals you are right.:p )
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The thing with serrations is that they are more aggressive cutters. All other things being equal a serrated blade will outcut a plain one by a ratio of 2:1. That means that a serrated blade will keep on cutting for a longer period too. So, for aggressive draw cutting, serrations will have the lead. One can verify this if they test two otherwise similar knives one that is offered with a plain edge and another that is offered with a fully serrated edge. Serrations however are more difficult to sharpen. On top of that one needs to remember that all serrations are not made equal. Of all the knives that I have tried (and I have a lot of knives) I have found that the most versatile and effective are the serrations found on Spyderco's. Push cutting, chopping and hacking though are different issues. This is where I have found that plain edges take the lead.
 
I understand that serrations have their place, but I really don't have much call for them. I like ONE serration or choil notch, suitable for scraping on a ferro rod. Other than that they're waste of perfectly good blade space, IMHO. If I want to tear something apart I'll use a saw :D

I've never used a serrated knife I really liked and I've met very few straight edges that wouldn't cut well if given some attention.
 
Serrations definitely do have their uses, but those uses are rarely found out in the wilderness. Serrations are great for cutting strong man-made materials like rope, seat belts and plastics. Most cutting in the wilderness is of natural materials, such as plants and wood, which responds much better to a plain blade.
 
i like the idea of having a plain edge main blade and a fully-serrated spyderco folder with me, personally. also some leathermans have both blades separately as someone else mentioned
 
it's plain to see that it's all personal preference here. I'd say get out and use different kinds until you see what fits your needs best.
 
jarlaxle said:
it's plain to see that it's all personal preference here. I'd say get out and use different kinds until you see what fits your needs best.
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You said it best. I'll never be caught with only a fully serrated edge on me while others won't be caught without one.
 
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