What are serrations good for?

They're often standard issue on a rescue knife.

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evert67 said:
I wonder why so many knives are (half) serrated, particularly tactical knives. Serrations won't help in slicing, slashing or chopping, at least not me. And how often do you use your knife for sawing wood? (I usually chop.) So what are serrations good for, other than looking mean?
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Hi Evert,

Perhaps a historical perspective might help. When we first began making serrated pocket knives back in 1982, it just wasn't something being done. We had learned a number of things about serrations in the development of our sharpmaker. So we saw an advantage to making serrated folders. We took a lot of heat originally for our teeth, but as more gained experience with serrations, more knife companies added teeth to their offerings.

We learned that serrations had more linear inches of cutting surface, effectively being a longer knife. We learned that the tips of the serrations not only provided single point contact (like the point of a knife) for penetration, they were the part of the edge that came in contact with hard surfaces like a cutting board. The recessed or "protected" edge remained sharper much longer because it rarely came in contact with hard material. We learned that a serrated edge would stay sharp about twice as long as the same plain edge, given the same steel and heat treat. We learned that properly made serrations would power through difficult to cut material like rope.

Tactical; In theory, if you slice with a sharp plain edge and hit a metal button, that button could theoretically take the edge off your knife. With the button hitting only the tip of the tooth on a serrated edge, the inner cutting edge is spared. That is only one reason for tactical teeth, but I think you get the idea.

Hope that helps.

sal
 
why do knives have serrations? why do steak knives have teeth and aren't plain edge? Because it works, its personal preference. If you want to take a razor sharp, plain edge pearing knife and cut your steak with that, then by all means go for it, that'll probably work to; maybe not as fast as serrations, or maybe faster. There are sooo many "whats the point of serrations" threads. to me, its the same as "why have a linerlock when you could have a framelock?" neither is better than the other, its just personal preference. I guess serrations still work when they are dull (to an extent) because the natural shape can catch themselves in a surface or fibers and tear at it, so that will make some people say serrations are better than plain edge. But I feel it's all up to you, based on what do you use your knives for, and do you care what the blade looks like.

Best,
Trev
 
But has nyone ever given a good reason for having a "partially" serrated knife? I know it makes the knife look MEAN (which isn't important to me). The value to me in a fully serrated edge is that it wont slip off the material like a plain edge (no matter how sharp) will. So for me serrations are good for slippery cutting ;) because you have all those points stabbing into the material, and not because those points will protect the slicing edges.
 
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