Thoughts on plain edge vs combo edge

Hair said:
We are not talking about the same kind of strap- I can tell from the way you cut them- which is impossible for the type of strap I am refering to. The kind or strap I am talking about is about 1/4 thick and an inch wide and used to strap down pallats- sort of like metal bands, but it is plastic and joined by heat. I am sure your method of giving a rough edge to a portion of the blade works, but that portion is not as good at many types of cutting as the more polished portion of the blade, and so you have the same compromise as found on a combo edge. You just have a serrated portion that is better at slicing than a serrated blade, but not as good at sawing. So it is sort of like halfway between a plain edge and a combo edge. And while the method you describe is very useful, I think the combo edge compromise is just about perfect as I would rather have the two extremes rather than two shades of the same edge.
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We are talking about the same straps. Theyre used to hold big ticket items like TVs, washing machines and grills to pallets. Generally theyre put on very tight and they are very tough to get off due to not being able to get under them. Smaller items generally use a double ziptie sized strap that is a little thicker but not as wide. Those are easy to defeat with this edge as well.

You've also missed the point of the post. You get to control the amount of edge realestate that is "serrated". If you only want a 1/2" you can do it. If you want more, you can do it. If you want to change, you can do it. With a combo edge you are stuck with what the factory gives you unless you're willing to put a lot of time and work into the edge and sacrifice a lot of possible blade material.

I've not found 1 thing that an actual serrated edge does better than a very coarse ground plain edge.
 
Knife Outlet said:
Serrated edges don't cut better than plain edges. Dull serrated edges cut better than dull plain edges.
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:thumbup: ......
 
Too bad that double-sided grinds are often considered "daggers" and therefore banned. One side plain and another serrated (like in Sog Pentagon) would please everyone.
 
I buy mostly PE . I do own combo's and like them fine. My BM 710 has the same amount of PE as a standard size SAK, funny nobody ever complains about SAK's not having enough edge for a pocketknife...... The Se part handles anything I need to cut with that also.

I have taken two NIB Spydercos (Delicas) and tested cutting rope,hoses.fanbelts etc. I find the SE part of a 50/50 cut with far more ease then the all PE knife.
 
I usually use a combo edge. I cut out the packing slips and tape on boxes with the plain portion of the edge (and whatever else that needs a more exacting cut ) and use the serrated part for cutting things like bailing straps and cardboard.
 
LHD- I will try your cutting technique then, but if we are talking about the same straps I do not see how a revserse grip will work better than what I had already been doing.

I did not miss your point at all. I did not address that point as there was no reason to. Yes, being able to change the ratio is nice, but not nice enough that I would ever do it since I have never wanted to change the ratio of plain/serrated on any of my knives.
 
Unfoutunantly, All of the combo edges I see on the market have the serrated part at the base of the blade. I have a pathfinder tactial knife in this configuration, and I find it not very useful since I use that section of the blade for work that doesn't require serrations. It would be better to have the serrated part at the end of the blade. I had a butcher's knife with end serrations, and I found it to be much more user friendly
 
ranger88 said:
Unfoutunantly, All of the combo edges I see on the market have the serrated part at the base of the blade. I have a pathfinder tactial knife in this configuration, and I find it not very useful since I use that section of the blade for work that doesn't require serrations. It would be better to have the serrated part at the end of the blade. I had a butcher's knife with end serrations, and I found it to be much more user friendly
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I tend to agree. When I "choke up" and use the very first inch of a blade, it's usually because I want the cut to be very precise and controlled. Not the best place for serrations. A folder with serrations near the tip and a plain edge back by the handle would look strange, but might be a lot more useful.

Just playing devil's advocate here, but I seriously wonder if so many knives have combo edges just to cover up poor grinds. The most common place to see mismatched bevels is near the ricasso; it's surprising how many production knives are like this (dead dull at the first 1/4" of the blade). Of course, take a few scallops out of that part and no one will know the difference :) Even if that's not a factor, I think it would be cheaper to manufacture serrations regardless.
 
GibsonFan, I don't think serrations are added to cover up poor grinds. I have seen some serrations that were plenty lame, and I actually just received a BK1 that had an awful grind near the ricasso (most of the blade, actually, but worst near the ricasso).

In the past, acquired a number of fixed balde and folding knives with combo edges, thinking that the knives would be more utilitarian. After years of onlyusing the serrated edges maybe a handful of time, I now try to buy all my knives with plain edges. I also always carry a Leatherman Wave or Charge.
 
I have one knife with a combo edge and I cannot see the point to them. If you need serrations, buy a fully serrated blade, otherwise, buy a plain edged blade. The combination blades do not really have enough of either type to be really effective.
 
Partial or full serations fully depend on individual tastes. I consider combo edges to be similar to sporks - sure it gets the job done, but overall you are better off with two separate tools to handle each job with maximum efficiency.
 
DING DING DING DING - We have a winner.

Combo edges are like SPORKS!!!!!!!


Very well put and solves the issue in my oppinion
 
Serrated edge blades are ok if all you want to cut is tomatoes.

For a real knife, it has to be plain edge, every time.

I would put serrated edged blades in the same category as flippy, tactical and black-coated - completely useless knives.
 
Casares said:
Serrated edge blades are ok if all you want to cut is tomatoes.

For a real knife, it has to be plain edge, every time.

I would put serrated edged blades in the same category as flippy, tactical and black-coated - completely useless knives.
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Serrated blades have a huge advantage in edge retention, especially for something like cutting cardboard, where you will still be sailing through cardboard long after your plain edge is only tearing the cardboard. I still prefer plain edge for my EDC needs, but to call SE useless and lump it in with flippers, black coatings, and "tactical" is absurd. Unlike the other things you mentioned, the SE does have a very large effect on cutting performance.

edit to add link: http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/delica_se.html
 
I once asked, long ago, why people wanted serrated edges and I got a number of reasonable answers. People use them for cutting PVC piping or tubing, rope of many kinds, carpet, boxes, all sorts of hard to cut things. And in some types of self-defense knives, the raptor shaped ones in particular, serrated edges work better than plain edges, so I am told. That is why Spyderco makes the Civilian and its smaller siblings with SpyderEdges.
 
FWIW, after camping all weekend I can say that the serrations on my cheap Buck and Gerber folders do a fine job of scraping off magnesium shavings and striking a spark.
 
If it has plain edges then its a knife. If it has serations then its a saw. My preference is a plain edge. Not only does it look better (in my opinion), but it is much easier and quicker to sharpen and maintain.
 
I've got two knives with serrations, one is a Spyderco Delica (~90% serrations) that I bought to cut seat belts but decided it was too pointy. The second is a Spyderco Rescue. Other than for very specific mission oriented blades, I prefer a plain edge. I have no blades with combo edges.
 
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