Why do casual knife users like half serrated blades so much?

Appeal. Serrations appeal to the average Joe for some unbenounced-to-me reason. I don't understand the appeal of serrations, all I see is more sharpening...
But if companies continue to put their combo edged knives in stores and they continue to sell then why fix what isn't broke?

That's my interpretation FWIW.
 
Intuitively, it seems like they'd be more useful. If you don't know much about knives, it makes sense that having serrations would make cutting things easier. I mean, look at how fast a bandsaw can cut through steel!
 
My guess would be, 1) they buy into the hype that partial serrations make a knife more "tactical," 2) they don't know how to sharpen, and as a result, think that, with partial serrations, they won't have to do as much work maintaining their blades, 3) they just don't care.

I hate partially serrated blades as well!:thumbup:
 
Some people like them some don't.

Different Strokes you know.

I like plain edges personally, but I do keep a CS Gunsite in the car and it's half and half.
 
They're less likely to have multiple blades, so a PS blade seems more utilitarian.

Obviously, knife nuts like us, are more likely to simply carry a PE and a SE :)
 
Before I was 'into knives' I thought that serrated blades were 'special' for some ill-defined reason. Probably the cool factor more than anything. I have long since quit buying SE or CE knives, but I do have respect for the Kershaw half-moon serrations after watching a CE Storm take the end off of a co-worker's finger.
 
Most people don't know how to sharpen and a fully serrated blade looks scary to average joe.
 
jthomas said:
Before I was 'into knives' I thought that serrated blades were 'special' for some ill-defined reason. Probably the cool factor more than anything. I have long since quit buying SE or CE knives, but I do have respect for the Kershaw half-moon serrations after watching a CE Storm take the end off of a co-worker's finger.
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Oh wow! that's intense!
 
The answer is pretty simple: the average joe thinks that with a CE edge, you're getting "the best of both worlds." Of course as afis, we know that you're only getting half of each world ;)
 
Because they look EXREME TACTICAL like the ones Jack Bauer uses on 24 :P

When I think of 'partially serrated' I tend to think of 'mall ninja', but that's really not fair of me. Honestly, there are many knives out there that I prefer with combo-edges. The Kershaw Blur is one, because with the serrated models you don't have to worry about working your benchstones/rods into the recurve area. The Kabar is another, because a) their serrations cut really well and tend not to tear, and b) 7" is a lot of blade to sharpen! It's easier to only worry about sharpening 5" of that blade :D
 
THG said:
The answer is pretty simple: the average joe thinks that with a CE edge, you're getting "the best of both worlds." Of course as afis, we know that you're only getting half of each world ;)
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That about sums it up best.
 
Dorito Monk said:
Because they look EXREME TACTICAL like the ones Jack Bauer uses on 24 :P

When I think of 'partially serrated' I tend to think of 'mall ninja', but that's really not fair of me. Honestly, there are many knives out there that I prefer with combo-edges. The Kershaw Blur is one, because with the serrated models you don't have to worry about working your benchstones/rods into the recurve area. The Kabar is another, because a) their serrations cut really well and tend not to tear, and b) 7" is a lot of blade to sharpen! It's easier to only worry about sharpening 5" of that blade :D
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Haha... in the new season when he pulled out his knife to cut a piece of mattress to make a bandage, I also noticed that it was a CE! Do you know what kind of knife it was?
 
Serrated blades retain their usefulness longer as they dull when compared to a plain edge. Since sharpening can be a problem for less enthusiastic knife owners, this could very well be something taken into account.

Also, fully serrated blades look scary, so maybe partial serrations allow one to get a touch of that without overdoing it.
 
kozak6 said:
Serrated blades retain their usefulness longer as they dull when compared to a plain edge. Since sharpening can be a problem for less enthusiastic knife owners, this could very well be something taken into account.

Also, fully serrated blades look scary, so maybe partial serrations allow one to get a touch of that without overdoing it.
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enthusiam has nothing to do with it... but thanks for the imput!
 
Maybe you've got it backwards. Once you look into the modern, one hand opening, pocket clip folders, combo edge blades are very common in all price ranges. Casual users probably don't really care too much one way or the other. They buy what's on the shelf.

FWIW, I have no particular beef with combo edges, or serrated blades at all.
 
THG said:
The answer is pretty simple: the average joe thinks that with a CE edge, you're getting "the best of both worlds." Of course as afis, we know that you're only getting half of each world ;)
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Bingo. I had three "tactical' folders in combo edge as everyday knives when the thumb stud still made me grin. I hated them, and then hated them twice more. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
 
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