Serrations vs. Recurve

M

Maximus

Joined
Feb 5, 2000
Messages
102
I think this may have been a subject overlooked,(haven't really seen it around) but I think it's important.
My vote is a recurve. Serrations are primarily used to cut fibrous material like rope. I think a recurve does it just as well.
A recurve is and serrations both are a pain to sharpen, but I think a recurve is slightly easier.
Also a recurve has the advantages of a plain blade, and can better used for skinning and the such.
I know one can go with a 50/50 but I think that that can sacrifice the function of both edges on a smaller folding blade for the sake of convenience.
What do you guys think?
 
my vote would be recurve, it's more versatile than serations, it may not get into rope quite as much, but you have the option of micro serrations in your sharpening, so you can tweak your performance like that.

my 2 cents
Pete

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Pete Jenkins
Lefties unite!
 
I really like recurves. I love my Sifu & 710, and some of the knives on my "to buy" list include the Commander, Boa, EDC, & Carny Cub. I wish more knives came with recurves. A fully serrated recurve might be a great cutter too, don't know for sure because I've never tried one though. I hate partial serrations on recurved blades.

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Jason aka medusaoblongata
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"Is not giving a need? Is not receiving mercy?" - Thus Spoke Zarathustra
"Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about." - Lazarus Long
"Knowledge is not made for understanding; it is made for cutting." - Michel Foucault
 
Another vote here for the recurve. Serrations are alot more difficult to resharpen. The recurved edge will cut quite well and can be resharpened rather easily on a sharpener like the Sharpmaker 204, using the corners of the stones.

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Dick
 
I too prefer a recurved edge over a serrated edge, however, serrations do help in cutting through thick line since the obviously act like a mini saw.
 
I like both. It depends on the type of cutting I am planning to do as to which I will carry.

When I hike I carry a fully serrated Hombre by CS, when I Kayak I carry a partially serrated diving knife by United. Both will cut rope at the drop of a hat and I have had no complaints. The Hombre is very serpentine and gives you a lot of variation with the amount of serration that it has (it is a big knife). I usually swing towards a serration 9 times out of 10.

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Jason Cadden
jc.gif

Webmaster
Smoky Mountain Knife Works, Inc.
 
It is pretty hard to compare these features. The serrated edge is designed to rip or saw through fiberous material. The recurved blade works by providing a better angle of attack and an increase in usuable edge length per given blade length. These are features intended for different types of cutting, and they can co-exist, as they do on the Cold Steel Vaquero series.

For general cutting I will always prefer the simple flat edge blade. It provides better control during cutting and a smoother cut. For bush cutting on harder woods the recurved blade works well. But, I would still like to have a nice serrated blade to cut my bagel in the morning.
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I prefer a conventional edge as well. But, given the choice between a recurve and serrations, I'll take a recurve every time. A recurve will outcut or match the performance of serrations on most materials, provided a proper sharpening strategy is chosen. The kinds of materials that serrations do better on, I pretty much never really cut.


Joe
 
If you have never had a recurve find the best one you can get,and carry it,and carry it,and you will never carry anything but!

Dennis Phillips
 
I agree with all of you and prefer a recurve (I actually only have one knife that has serrations).

But if I was a paramedic and needed to potentially cut someone out of a seatbelt I can think of no better tool than a good serrated knife. I would back it up with a good plain edge for everything else.

Sure they are harder to sharpen but I think the tasks they are best suited for will be used the least often (e.g. cutting a seatbelt) allowing a properly done factory edge to stay sharp for much longer.

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I don't think that a recurved blade is all that hard to sharpen, at least I have not had any real problems with my Carnivore or Sifu. And they beat serrations all to Hell! Of course, I am a charter member of the ABS club (Anything But Serrations).

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
Recurve, serrations ... I want both. That's one of the reasons I like my Emerson Commander partially serrated so much.

I understand that a plain edge is better looking, easier to sharpen, just as good on most materials and can be sharpened a little course if need be but serrations do cut fibrous materials like nobody's business and do not require sharpening as much. They can saw when a really dull blade can only spread peanut butter or hurt you.

I guess I am just one of those in the minority around here who likes partially serrated with a small section being serrated.

[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 05-22-2001).]
 
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