What's wrong with a combo blade?

M

markd1

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
124
Well I finally decided to buy a knife with better quality steel. Based on info received here, I think that an endura (vg-10)or delica (ats-55) would be a good choice for me. I know from reading here that if I asked folks whether to get a plain or serrated edge, that Plain edge would win out. My question is: What is the downside of a combo edge? seems to me to be the best of both worlds. Your help and comments appreciated.
 
whether to get a plain edge or comboedge depends on what you plan to use the knife for.

downsides of serrations: harder to sharpen, can make using the knife difficult when you need a long plain edge, and if you are around sheeple, they look more dangerous.

upsides: they have magnified cutting power over a plain edge, mine stay sharper b/c you have 2 choices when cutting different objects, and make the knife more versatile.

if thats what you want go for it. it is not a mistake.

(this list is not exhaustive and im sure more knowledgeable folk will add to it)
 
I have both. I think it's really a matter of personal preference based on what your needs are. I found that the serrated blade is great for cutting through rope, plastic ties and such. My wife likes a serrated blade for kitchen use. I prefer plain edge blades. For most of my needs, the plain edge works great, and I find them easier to sharpen. The Delica is a good pick. Mine gets carried alot.
Jim
 
Nothing is wrong with a Combo blade. If it get's it done for you then it's the "right" blade.
-SB
 
Neither section is really long enough to work well in a slice. The serrations are limited by the equally long section of blade in front of them. The plain blaed is limited by this long sharp ricasso of serrations behind it.

It's like carrying two crippled short blades.

Phil
 
My opinion is similar to Phatch's. I need a minimum length of serrations on the blade before it will be really useful. On practically all the folders I know, the combo blade will leave me with a serrated edge which is too short. It will still work in a pinch, but certainly the performance factor has dropped.

Ditto for the plain edge bit of the combo blade. When I slice, I like to work it through the entire length of the blade and in a combo, the edge just isn't long enough. Also, since the plain edge is closer to the tip, I find it harder to use when whittling or doing fine/close-up work.

So now I have a couple of full serrated edged folders to carry when I'm doing rope work (which isn't often anymore, and I don't usually cut rope anyway. I prefer to tie off the excess for use later. Very hard to re-join a cut rope if you need more length).

Typically, I carry a plain edge, which is easier to keep shaving sharp. And while it won't cut thick fibrous material as agressively as a serrated edge, I can keep it sharp enough that it isn't a problem.
 
I used to only buy 50/50 edges but now if I can help it at all I'll buy a fully serrated or full plain edge.

The serrated portion on a combo blade is too little and sometimes too awkward to use with the PE part of it getting in the way. The same goes for the plain edge portion with the SE getting in the way.

50/50 edges can also be tricky to sharpen.

This is my experience with this type of edge thus far.
 
I think that on a rather short blade (less than 3") a combo edge can be somewhat of a disadvantage. You really don't have enough serrations to really cut tough material.
But on a knife like the Endura the combo edge makes alot of sense.
Serrations are just so useful for cutting tough stuff that I have a hard time going back to just a plain-edge. I've compared my plain-edge knives to my combo and 100% serrated knives and the results are always the same: when cutting a wide variety of material, the plain-edge was inferior to both the serrated and the combo-edge.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
You'll get a lot of people who'll tell you that a combo blade will do neighter the job of a plain edge or a serrated edge well. But then, there are a lot of purists out there too.

A knife is a tool, and a combo edge makes a pretty darn good tool!

Before I started collecting knives the only knife I had was a combo and I carried that knive for about 5 years! (CRKT Doolittle)

I got used to the combo edge and now I bet more than three quarters of my knives are combo. I just like it. I think it's versatile. When you cut a rope or something, the serrations dig in and give you a good start and the plain finishes it off which works well for a lot of cuts. I can't even remember a time when I had to SAW something with just the serrations of a knife. I think the combo blades do an efficient job of cutting. The rip-slice action works pretty well, I think.

The shape of the serrations are handy to have on a knife for things, I think. Cleaning under nails, removing a splinter, stripping a wire. Whatever.

Sure, they're harder to sharpen, but I've NEVER sharpened the serrations on my knives. I don't think they need it. Even the knife that I carried for years never needed it. I've sharpened serrations on friends' knves because they WANTED me to. It takes some time and patience, but it can be done if you insist on sharpening them.

For a one-knife guy who's going to carry it all the time, I'd definately recommend a combo blade no matter what size.
 
You'll get a lot of people who'll tell you that a combo blade will do neighter the job of a plain edge or a serrated edge well. But then, there are a lot of purists out there too.

A knife is a tool, and a combo edge makes a pretty darn good tool!

Before I started collecting knives the only knife I had was a combo and I carried that knive for about 5 years! (CRKT Doolittle)

I got used to the combo edge and now I bet more than three quarters of my knives are combo. I just like it. I think it's versatile. When you cut a rope or something, the serrations dig in and give you a good start and the plain finishes it off which works well for a lot of cuts. I can't even remember a time when I had to SAW something with just the serrations of a knife. I think the combo blades do an efficient job of cutting. The rip-slice action works pretty well, I think.

The shape of the serrations are handy to have on a knife for things, I think. Cleaning under nails, removing a splinter, stripping a wire. Whatever.

Sure, they're harder to sharpen, but I've NEVER sharpened the serrations on my knives. I don't think they need it. Even the knife that I carried for years never needed it. I've sharpened serrations on friends' knves because they WANTED me to. It takes some time and patience, but it can be done if you insist on sharpening them.

For a one-knife guy who's going to carry it all the time, I'd definately recommend a combo blade no matter what size.
 
My main carry is combo edge folders. Used to be a delica in ATS55, now its a BM pinnacle. I like them really well. Especially in the larger size like the pinnacle.
I work on a farm and around horses alot. So my needs range from needing to cut heavy rope (sometimes in a hurry, every have a horse get you tangled up and try to run off? :) ) to slicing things. I could carry 2 different blades and even have 2 knives on me alot of the time. But its nice to have one that you can grab without having to think about which one it is and what your going to do with it. I keep it as sharp as I can and it does everything I need it to very well. Detailed cutting like whittling is a little different when you can only use the secting of blade out by the tip, but you get used to it. It only has to get you by when you can't get the proper tool, same idea as a multi tool like a leatherman/Gerber or SAK.
 
My sentiments with combo blades (and I have a few) is that the serrations are not really long enough to do the serrations work and the plain edge is too short to do plain edge work easily. I prefer plain edge so I've started to pick up plain edge only knifes.
If I need to cut rope, I'll get a serrated knife, but I won't be getting a combo edge because it's too short.
Unless the blade is quite long, you'll end up like phatch says, two crippled blades.
 
Well I don't mind combo edges myself,although like allenc I like them best on a larger folder.

I don't know what others use their knives for,but I have not had a problem using combos as a work knife or in my hobbies.Work I'm a fireman,do some roofing on the side,love a combo for this.

Hobbies,hunting,camping,canoe,motorboating,waterskiing,shooting.Although a combo won't be my chioce for skinning I have gutted a lot with one.:)

I also do a lot of landscape work in my yard,I'm always opening bags,trimming suckers,cutting edging,cutting shingles,hose etc.I have never felt I didn't have enough plain or serration.

Do I like the look of combos the best? NO.Do I like to sharpen serrations?NO.Have I ever felt hampered by combos?No.

One of my favorites is my BM 710 about 21/2" plain 11/2" serrations works great for all my needs.Thats about the amount of plain edge as on a SAK,and that 11/2 of serrations has cut any rope,hose or belt that I've come across.

What is it you guys use your edc for that you don't have enough of one type or the other??
How big are the ropes you cut?The rope on my boat,canoe,around the house and even the ones we repel with at work are all 1/2 or3/4 inch at best.
 
Some good responses here. At the end of the day its down to personal preference. I think that in small knives 50/50 is not such a good idea -not enough blade length. However, I carry a 50/50 VG-10 Endura and I think that in a knife that size it works well. I'm a firefighter and dont want to have to carry two knives in my firegear. I carry a plain-edged Delica on my belt when in working rig. Great for opening boxes, cutting rags, sharpening chinagraph pencils etc. I used to carry a Rescue in my firegear but have found that a lot of the time I need a knife with a point. (cutting into sofas/mattresses after fires etc). A serrated knife will cut fibrous material better than a 50/50. And a plain edge will sharpen chinagraph pencils better than a 50/50.
But a 50/50 will do both jobs - and its just one knife.
 
I recieved my 50/50 Spyderco Military a week ago. It gives approx 1.5" of serrated(3 large), and the other ~2.5" of plain tip. I have used it as my main carry user for the last week, and have only had to pull out another once... to cut my dinner bun yesterday b/c I was too lazy to walk the 5 feet to the knife rack.

I normally don't like combo edges b/c they rarely give enough plain edge. In a 4" model, I have plenty of edge. I also carry a fully serrated model(currently the FRN Native), and a small plain edge model for too many damn sheeple(currently the Calypso Jr Lt).
 
Steven,Hi and welcome brother.I liked your response,'cause its has a lot of things I can relate to.:) When I read about knives in the fire service its always about "seatbelts":rolleyes: ,yet there are so many other things we cut and much more often.I used to carry a Rescue also and found it to single purpose.So when I lost it at a worker I didnot feel all that bad.
 
I would go along with those that said, at least on a smaller blade (almost all folders, but kitchen knives might be different), the combo just seems to get in the way more than it helps.

And honestly, I can't think of anything where you would NEED serrations. Think of all the knife test that you have read, here and in the various mags, that involve rope cutting (using 1 inch rope no less). They typically get in numerous cuts (just for numbers, 50 – 100) before dulling the blade. I don’t think that I have ever read a review where a plain blade can’t cut a rope.
 
I would now only buy a combo edged knife if it was at least a 6" fixed blade and had maybe the first inch of the cutting edge serrated. (The CRK Project 1 or next gen Ka-Bar come to mind as truly useful combo edge pieces.) This type of knife would be specifically for inclusion in a survival or bug out kit where "it's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it." In that configuration there is no impediment to the cutting ability of the plain edge portion of the blade, and the serrations are there to start cuts on fibrous materials if/when needed.

In my day to day activities however, I usually have both a razor-sharp plain edged folder and fully serrated Spyderco Endura close at hand. Cutting things that demand a serrated edge is much nicer with my Endura than my 50/50 CQC7B for example. My SAK Soldier slices up beef jerky a heck of a lot cleaner and easier than the CQC7 and that's a fact. It's about choosing the correct tool for the job and truth is that 50/50 edges on folders are a compromise at best.

PM
 
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