Serrations are OK I grudgingly admit

Buck268 said:
I just don't see how a SE could be any better, if my PE cuts through most everything I ask in one slice? I mean, if it didn't then yes I would definately try out the SE, but it goes right through all type of ropes, clothe, paper/cardboard, food, you name it, like a hot knife through butter.
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Hi Buck,

Superior serrations on a superior steel will cut some things far better than a PE, especially in one cut after another. I would suggest you cut 1" diameter hemp through 20 cuts.

sal
 
I treid a full SE the first time with the Caly 3 passaround, and it definately holds an edge much longer than a plain edge. The downside is some tearing on some cuts where you don't want it, but if you practice that can be minimized. The Sharpmaker brought it back to real nice sharpness easily after a week of use (it took that long to get it dull, with lots of cardboard and tough cutting), and when kept sharp the scallops can easily pushcut newsprint and the yellow pages, so if you can control your cuts you can still get clean cuts. I still prefer PE, but if you are going to cut lots of rope and cardboard their is no doubt the SE would be a much better choice for edge retention and agressive initiation of cuts.

Mike
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Buck,

Superior serrations on a superior steel will cut some things far better than a PE, especially in one cut after another. I would suggest you cut 1" diameter hemp through 20 cuts.

sal
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This is undoubtably true. Luckily I rarely have to cut that size rope these days. If I get back into tree work, that may change, though...
 
Buck268 said:
I just don't see how a SE could be any better, if my PE cuts through most everything I ask in one slice? I mean, if it didn't then yes I would definately try out the SE, but it goes right through all type of ropes, clothe, paper/cardboard, food, you name it, like a hot knife through butter.
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My SE's get treated like a red headed step child. Plastic banding, tie wraps and carpet will dull my PE right quick. My SE will keep cuttin these materials far longer and far easier and spares the PE for materials that need a PE, like fibrous filter material, wire insulation, gaskets and cable sheathing. It's really a whole other ball game with an SE. I feel completely naked without a knife in my pocket. If I don't have an SE along with a plain edge, I feel less dressed. Like my fly is open or my shoes are untied.
 
I too never like serrations much until recently. My gf started to do a lot more hiking in the winter with me, and I found that to make a good walking stick, I usually cut blown down saplings. The serations cats thorugh twisted bark much easier than plain edge, definaitly has it's place.
 
kgriggs8 said:
For example, the Caly III is best as a PE.
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I think the marketplace agrees with this one to a huge extent. I've tried to sell a CC Caly 3 SE and nobody is interested whatsoever. However, it's worth more to me than what I could sell it for, so I'm keeping it. It's a good looking knife as a SE, IMO
 
I have decided finally after a bit of trial to keep a fully serrated endura and a plain edge endura on me and a comboedge edge endura when I cant carru 2 knives. Now my wife wants a se delica in zdp-189. Sal is there any hope for se waved endura's?
 
I would be willing to bet that at least 80% of the knife enthusiasts who claim to hate serrated blades have probably never tried to use one in a serious maner. I bet they have never even attempted to use one on a serious cutting job to see how they compare.

There is so much baseless predjudice out there concerning serrated blades that it is truly amazing in one sense. I literally dare anyone to either get an older, possibly used SE Harpy or SE Police model and just try to work with it. In other words give the knife a fair trial. I bet most of you will change your mind.

What it all boils down to is that most knife enthusiasts have admitted to me that they simply don't like the looks of them. Granted it is a different tool than a PE Knife. And it does have it's strengths and weaknesses as any other tool does. I was the same way till I actually put one to hard use about 3 & 1/2 years ago. Cutting rope, tough plastic, leather and other tough, fibrous materials it's literally a "no brainer".
 
I too have come to better understand the virtues of SE as of late, and I've always been a hardcore PE guy!

I'm carrying an SE as my primary right now, seeing how it goes.
 
JD you are right thats the reason I was reluctant to try serrations because I dont like the looks. I still think pe is more visually attractive but serrations are a must for cutting cordage.
 
I love serrations. I'm glad I had my old remote release when I had to recover a driver's air bag for evidence. Let me tell you cutting through one of those is hard work. Luckily, it wasn't as hard as it would have been with a plain edge.:D
 
Sal Glesser said:
We did learn, and share, that serrations had some real advantages:
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Sadly sharpening is a disadvantage, though perhaps a Dremel tool might help work.

That said I am very fond of my Native III, which manages to push even my prized Fällkniven TK-3 to the side when it comes time for real work...
 
Hi Jrv,

Welcome to the Spyderco forum.

Sharpening our serrations on our sharpmaker is actually easier to do than sharpening a plain edge.

sal
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Jrv,

Welcome to the Spyderco forum.

Sharpening our serrations on our sharpmaker is actually easier to do than sharpening a plain edge.

sal
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That was the experience I had with the Caly 3 SE. I just used the corners of the rods in the 40 degree slot (20 per side, as the edge was around 19 degrees chisel ground) and sharpened the scallops until I raised a burr, and the used a nearly flat to the stone (maybe 5 degrees) pass on the backside and the knife was nice and sharp again. I then did the same with my Ultra Fine rods, and that knife could pushcut newsprint and the yellow pages very easily, well away from the point of hold. With PE I end up chasing the burr a little more (I try to avoid raising one in the first place), where the chisel grind of the SE makes it quicker (for me at least) to raise that burr on one side then just cut it off with a couple light strokes. I was surprised how quick and easy it was, as I rarely sharpen SE knives (just the CE portion of a couple knives that I very rarely use), so with the proper equipment a SE shouldn't scare you off due to it being hard to sharpen. I've also heard that Spyderco's Pro Files work extremely well at sharpening SE, for those more inclined to freehanding.

Mike
 
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