Serrations or plain edge?

Anything I might have at one time preferred a serrated edge for, I have taught myself to do just as easily (and usually more cleanly) with a non-serrated edge over time. On top of that, the additional cleaning/sharpening complexities/kit required for a serrated edge (albeit they tend to need sharpening less frequently), winds me up with strong preference toward non-serrated edges. If I am at the point where I feel like serrations are really needed; I find that I am actually at the point where what I really need is a saw. I don't really like partially serrated blades either, as I feel it usually doesn't give me enough length of either edge type to be all that useful. And it's easy to over shoot the use of one edge type into the other with them.
 
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Blues Bender said:
What???

30-40 inclusive plain edges are useless?
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Not useless, just sad and depressing. And potentially fatal to the owner. But otherwise, like most things, they might do the job.

Blues Bender said:
A 4" blade can't be sharpened freehand?
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Oh, of course, if you think 30-40 inclusive is an edge, then of course yes they can: I am talking about a full re-profile from factory wedge to an actual edge, not a 40 degree wedge... An edge, not a wedge...

Blues Bender said:
People can't sharpen serrated edges?
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Spyderco style serrated edge on their common hollow grind? To full original factory-fresh sharpness? Hmmm, let me see... No!

Blues Bender said:
I think you just don't know what you're talking about.
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But of course!

Blues Bender said:
All my knives are around 30 inclusive and work great. I can make an edge at 40 inclusive screaming sharp with a bit of refinement and polishing.
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I was just waiting for that one... Let me guess, mirror polished right? The more polished the better right?

Just don't get your jacket anywhere near a conveyor belt!

Blues Bender said:
I sharpen 4-5" folders and fixed blades on 5" stones all the time. I've never had "25% of the edge left at factory dullness". I don't need no stinking guided system, it just takes practice and determination!.
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But 40 degrees inclusive is... What was the term already? Screaming sharp!!!

Well actually that is factory dullness... But I did say edge, I should have said; "25% of the wedge left in its normal "W" factory condition"...

Blues Bender said:
I've resharpened an entire serrated bread knife to be ridiculously sharp on a set of paper wheels...
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Spyderco makes folding serrated bread knives? In any case I meant Spyderco serrations, more specifically on their usual deep hollow grind: And I meant full original sharpness: Just putting a bevel on the opposite means the cutting edge angle is opened by the angle of that sharpening bevel... And so that's not original sharpness, even if that bevel is now a mirror...

I hate to point out the obvious, but Spyderco-style serration originally don't have any bevel on the backside... Re-grinding to original sharpness on their hollow grind blades means a whole new hollow grind. Also, unlike Randall Knives hollow ground edges, Spyderco hollow grinds don't have any wear reserves on most of their best known models, so even if you did do this professional-type re-grind, it would still suffer some loss of geometry.

Gaston
 
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Gaston444 said:
Not useless, just sad and depressing. And potentially fatal to the owner. But otherwise, like most things, they might do the job.



Oh, of course, if you think 30-40 inclusive is an edge, then of course yes they can: I am talking about a full re-profile from factory wedge to an actual edge, not a 40 degree wedge... An edge, not a wedge...



Spyderco style serrated edge on their common hollow grind? To full original factory-fresh sharpness? Hmmm, let me see... No!



But of course!



I was just waiting for that one... Let me guess, mirror polished right? The more polished the better right?

Just don't get your jacket anywhere near a conveyor belt!



But 40 degrees inclusive is... What was the term already? Screaming sharp!!!

Well actually that is factory dullness... But I did say edge, I should have said; "25% of the wedge left in its normal "W" factory condition"...



Spyderco makes folding serrated bread knives? In any case I meant Spyderco serrations, more specifically on their usual deep hollow grind: And I meant full original sharpness: Just putting a bevel on the opposite means the cutting edge angle is opened by the angle of that sharpening bevel... And so that's not original sharpness, even if that bevel is now a mirror...

I hate to point out the obvious, but Spyderco-style serration originally don't have any bevel on the backside... Re-grinding to original sharpness on their hollow grind blades means a whole new hollow grind. Also unlike Randall knives edges, Spyderco hollow grinds don't have any wear reserves on most of their models, so even if you did that, it would still suffer some loss of geometry.

Gaston
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Thanks for putting so much time into dissecting my reply:thumbup: That must have taken, what, maybe 10-15 minutes?

Anyways, your words go in one ear and out of the other at this point. Thanks for playing, try again;)
 
Blues Bender said:
Thanks for putting so much time into dissecting my reply:thumbup: That must have taken, what, maybe 10-15 minutes?

Anyways, your words go in one ear and out of the other at this point. Thanks for playing, try again;)
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It wasn't for your ears...: I know a made-up mind when I see one.

Gaston
 
When I first got started on this thing, I got 50/50 blades mostly because I had no clue how to sharpen a knife, and my theory was that once the main edge got dull I could still saw my way through something, if needed, with the serrations.

Once I finally learned how to sharpen, I pretty don't have anything with serrations any more. There are certainly a few cases in which they would be preferred though.
 
Hey Gaston, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret that Spyderco has on their website...but Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone, mmkay???

"There have been many variations of serrated edges produced over the years. Even a properly sharpened plain edge will exhibit vertical scratch patterns with "micro-serrations" that enable the edge to cut efficiently (Diagram C). Overall, the SpyderEdge provides the most efficient cutting performance in a serrated edge. We recommend it for all your aggressive jobs such as cutting rope, seat belts, cardboard, rubber hose and leather. With proper cutting technique, the SpyderEdge can function equally well for fine-skilled tasks such as skinning, cutting paper and slicing. The SpyderEdge is easily maintained with our Tri-Angle Sharpmaker or ProFile sets."
 
It's funny, I recently got a Spyderco Pacific Salt and sharpened it up a bit before even putting much use on it. But the hair popping edge I got must be a figment of my imagination. Must be duller, now. ;)
 
My salt was great for cutting rope. The milli cut through yellow chokers better.
 
I've never met a factor edge I couldn't make at least a little better (serrated or not)...Now while I no longer like serrations on my knife edges, I have sometimes found that teeth and scallops are nice for gripping stuff that likes to get away from me on scissor-like blades. Like those on my WISS kitchen shears. Great at snipping roast string, rose stems, even thin wire and tin plate. My pair looks like these (but in far better condition)
il_570xN.821627394_k2vd.jpg
 
Yah, if I was going to attempt a demo like the one on the Cold Steel YouTube where he cuts TWO fairly large ropes in one swipe . . .
Free hanging rope no less !
Using a pocket knife. That is SERIOUSLY impressive !

pardon me while I swoon and try to catch my breath . . . .
. . . .
ok I'm better now.
THEN I would go with a serrated blade.
But I just don't have the patience to attempt to sharpen all that on an EDC. If you have ever looked at a Cold Steel serrated . . . it is beautifully grizzly but so many teeth in such a small space I can't imagine sharpening it.
AND
I swear . . . one of the funniest things I ever saw was a guy trying to cut up a large, corrugated, cardboard box with a serrated knife.
The dude was sawing and sawing and sawing for what seemed like ten minutes and there was shredded box stuff all over the place.
I DO NOT want to be that guy.

Here is about as serrated as I roll. My little sandwich goop spreader. I even cut bread with a non serrated knife.



My system of sharpening ?
Ok you asked for it.
Up until recently these stones, mostly for high end woodworking hand tools but for knives too. I use a jig for the woodworking tools and until recently sharpen the knives by hand. I have a knife jig or two but they suuuuuuuuuucked . . .



That is until a couple days ago . . .

Then I got this
(I'm in love)


Oh . . . you mean how do I sharpen serrated . . . I got a couple round diamond files and a ceramic rod or two.
To sharpen the bread knife that I no longer use.

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Foldin...fkmr0&keywords=Diamond+Rat+Tail+Sharpener+dmt
 
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Just like anything else regarding knives, it's very much personal preference. Both have their merits and their uses that they excel at.
 
Thinking about it more, there is one thing I like serration for. Debarking. The points really help to bite into and pop up thicker bark. The scallops peel thinner bark neatly. And a scallop framed on either side by a point is good for clipping buds and twig/stem bases. So If I had something like a large Bowie for instance, I might like some very specific serration down at the base just for things like that. Might look something like this:

xcpNuQS.png
 
I have one serrated blade, Spydie Pac Salt. I work with a lot of rubber tubing and soft rubber pipe insulation. Nothing cuts both like a serrated edge. Plain edge, no matter how sharp, has trouble starting the cut.
The only time I carry it is at work.....EDC is always PE.
I keep the serrations up with a small diamond rod. Works very well as H1 is pretty soft.
Joe
 
EDC a plain edge in frp but always carry a Spyderco Dragonfly SE in coin pocket. It is hard to think of something that it couldn't cut. Spyderco serrations are brutally sharp.
 
Plain edge preference for me. Generally sharpen them by hand on a stone with differing grits.

Tried combo edges; dislike them.
Have one fully serrated folder (Endura) that is for special purposes. Have a SAK with a fully serrated edge also.
 
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