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

My first highend folder was a CE Delica. I found it really useful until the serrations got dull.

Before that I'd owned (and sold) a Vic Trekker. I found those serrations even more useful, because I never sharpened them and they weren't aggressive.

I'm actually open to the idea of a large CE blade such as maybe a BM Rukus. That way you get lots of cutting surface for both. Or better yet something like the Spyderco Dyad:D
 
I dont know you guys, I like half serrated, they are great for cardboard and plastic straps,...it might take awhile but I could break a Hindquarter with my 3in folder.....;-)
 
Serrations done right provide a very nice sawing area. For some this is useful, others not.

I've always used the serrated area on my combo blades as kind of the worry free use harder then the plain edge zone.

I sharpen all the knives I own, except for my kitchen ones-go figure. I don't even remember how many years ago I got them, but they still cut, and they are fully serrated.
 
I have noticed that the casual users I am subjected to think "Serrated" means "Ginsu" ie. Never have to sharpen.
 
Serrated edge will keep sawing even when dull - and it never ceases to amaze me how many people have dull knives- including woodworkers, machinists and chefs who you'd expect to have the skills to maintain their tools of trade.
 
serrated blade "sounds" like it will rip rip rip. by contrast, plain edge "sounds" unexciting.

I guess that may be how some perceive serrated blades.

I like plain edges best, easy to maintain and reprofile and resharpen.
 
I have nothing against serrated blades. That is fully serrated blades. The only serrated blade I have is a Spyderco Salt 1 and it is a work horse. It needs sharpening less often than a plain edge. Combo blades just don't appeal to me. Subjective call.
Looking to get a Spyderco Tasman SE. The Hawkbill shape would seem to be a great cutter.
 
A coworker of mine was talking about getting a new knife so I showed him my caly3 PE. As soon as he saw the blade he says "Oh I GOTTA have serrations on my knife" So I asked to see what he has now, it was a Kershaw shallot CE(I was surprised it was a kershaw). So I checked his edge... It was like a butter knife. So I think he needs the serrations so he can rip through things his knife can't cut. I showed him my edge.. and he couldn't believe how sharp it was.. he shaved half his arm. Unfortunately I wasn't able to convert him because he ended up buying a cheap $10 S&W knife that had blade play and a weak liner lock and terrible fit and finish... He thought it had the nicest fit and finish of the knives he was looking at(all S&W).
 
It's all tools man...

I like a serrated, tanto point when I know that the day will have cardboard, twine and rope in it...

I love a nice non serrated recurve for general carry...

Some serrations are better than others too imo...those big serrations CRKT was putting on everything (it seemed) a couple of years ago were terrible, Spyderco's rock, BM's are good and Cold Steel, has some awesome serrations on the voyager line.
 
excellent point chef. think " quality " first. my spy military does'nt have serrations. BUT if it did i would still be happy with it. :thumbup:
 
deerhunterp said:
I hate these blades... but that all you can find in stores!
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I have quite a few knives (mostly plain edge) but most of the time I use a half serrated Spyderco Delica in ZDP-189. This is NOT the best slicer and I'd never choose it for food prep and similar situations, but it has performed quite well for typical pocket knife needs. The small pointy blade shape outperforms many larger knives. Boring but realistic usage examples include:

1. Stabbing and opening thick mailing envelopes
2. Cutting plastic ties off shipping boxes (serrations are MUCH better than a plain edge)
3. Cutting branches off bushes (Use the serrations to push cut into green wood--work your way around the branch as if using an axe. Don't emphasize sawing back and forth with the serrations.)

For a knife that I don't plan to use/abuse very much I'd generally go with a plain blade. Plain blades are also much better for detail work.
 
When I wasn't a "knife nut" I always got knives with partially serrated blades. This was at a time when I bought one knife a year and it was something like a Buck Odyssey, S&W HRT, and it ended with a Kershaw Blur.

At that point in my life I only had a crappy pull through kitchen sharpener and I liked serrations because they were a "special use" part of the blade. I would use the plain edge for everything so it was pretty dull (lack of a good sharpener didn't help that) and the serrations only got used in a "oh crap I need something sharp now!" situation. They were the part of the blade I could count on to be sharp when needed.

I realized I needed to invest in a good sharpening system and ever since then all my blade's have been PE. After getting sharpening down I moved to nice BM's, Spyderco's, and Kershaws and havent given a thought about going back to SE.
 
It's a curious observations, OP. We clearly ship more plain edges than combo edges. It is curious to me that you see a preponderance of combo edges in stores. It must be a difference in the customer base.
 
I agree on the lack of appeal for serrated blades. I good strong, sharp straight edge will cut through a rope just as quick as a serrated edge.
 
I can aside with most, I like plain edge best for most applications, and I've owned knives for 40 years. SE edges for me, come into play for self defense. A surgically sharp plain edge makes a clean cut in flesh. Easy to stitch up, care for and makes clean cuts in arteries. The SE makes a ripping cut or gash in the flesh and arteries that is harder to treat, stitch and care for. Your opponent loses his edge very quickly as blood loss immobilizes him.
 
I used to hate partially serrated blades...now...I find them useful especially at work. On occasion I need to remove very thick plastic banding. These things can be brutal on an edge. I like to sharpen but why wreck an edge when I don't have to? I leave either a partially serrated Kershaw Random Leek (S30V) or a ZDP-189 Delica at work for just that kind of work. I doubt I would carry a partially serrated knife outside of work though.
 
I think it's because they are used to buying cheap and extremely low quality knives with horrible factory edges...hence they think the serrated portion will help cut things better. Also they probably don't know how to sharpen knives very well (as was my case in the past which made me favor combo edges early on in my knife collecting).

Now that I've grown very accustomed to sharpening and actually quite enjoy it, I find plain edged knives are vastly easier to sharpen vs combo edged blades. Also I find combo edged blades tend to break up the "flow" and "lines" of a beautiful plain edged blade and make it quite .. ugly. So give me a scary sharp plain edge knife any day!

But with that being said, I agree that serrations do have their place in certain situations (cutting fibrious materials..alot..fast).
 
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