why do people not like serrations?

Serrations make my peanut butter look like tile adhesive. I don't cut a lot of rope (too expensive). I don't cut a lot of steak (too expensive). I buy bread presliced. For me the modified limited hangout is a plain edge.
 
I slice through bread with non serrated kitchen knives, leaves no crumbs, just like a sharp plain edge knife should, serrations are for people who don't have sharp knives, at least in this case.

Steak, it just splits easily, though on ceramic/glass plates, I'll suffer using a serrated blade.
 
I would say the majority, but not all, of the knife community you see here have daily tasks that do not require serrations. Combo edges take away plain edge space and, in general, sharpening serrations are tedious. I wouldn't go as far as to say that people dislike serrations, more that they hate when combo edges are offered and less plain edge knives are produced. On the other hand some folks love serrations, like on the Spyderco Civilian. It is a purposeful knife that demands serrations. So basically, combo edges = bad for many, but not all users, while full serrations = good for few users, just not all.
 
I think alot has to do with the pain of sharpening them. I like serrations on a camp knife due to cutting rope,cord,etc.
 
I can sharpen them pretty well with diamond rat tail file, but it is a PITA and after several sharpenings they get to looking kinda boogered up. Plus I carry my plain edges so dang sharp there isn't much they can'd do that a serrated can.
 
My reason is pretty simple: because PE has yet to leave me wanting more cutting power.
 
I'm going to make a video showing the people who posted in this thread just how mindlessly easy it is to sharpen a serrated knife. The whole serrations are hard to sharpen thing is so overblown...
 
Here you go. It gets pretty in depth, you can just scroll down to the video if you want the general idea.


If you have difficulty sharpening serrations click this link
 
Only reason I don't like serrations is that they often create small amounts of debris when cutting certain items. Since I work around food I generally avoid them, I don't need to spend an hour trying to pick small pieces of plastic wrap out of a couple gallons of chocolate mousse.
 
This is another example of fashion. Ten years ago we sold many more combo edges than plain. Now we sell more plain than combo. Preferences and fashions change.

My own preference has always been for plain edges. I've never owned a combo or serrated blade (except for bread knives in the kitchen.) The reason is that plain edges are easier to maintain and, when maintained, will do anything a serrated blade will do.
 
Vivi said:
I'm going to make a video showing the people who posted in this thread just how mindlessly easy it is to sharpen a serrated knife. The whole serrations are hard to sharpen thing is so overblown...
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I have never even tried to sharpen them as I never use serrated blades other than cheap steak knives. Personally, i dont find it look tough to do, I just dont care for them and have o interest in buying tools to sharpen something I find useless. I think many here feel the same way.
 
Rossi Knives said:
A Spyderco Sharpmaker will not work forever. At some point if the knife is heavily used, the serrations will need to be recut. It is really tough to replicate the insanity of a factory Spyderco serrated edge.

If you only cut the things that serrated knives are for; ie synthetic rope/strapping you really only need to touch them up once in a while.

Combo edges are crap. Not enough serration and the plain part wears faster and leaves the serration sticking out as the blade shrinks.

Serrations can do things a plain edge can't though.
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GReat Point Rossi: As much as I dearly adore the Spyderco 204 Sharpmaker it is not my first pick for sharpening any serrated blade. The only fully serrated knives I own for serious use are Spyderco. And for those I use Spyderco's 701 Profile kit. The radii on the files will fit 98% of all scalloped serration patterns out there.

And folks please do realize that not all serrations are created equal. Spyderco's are the very best in my book. But there are some other good ones out there. But if any of you who do not like serrations would ever use a good sharp full SE Spyder you would soon change your opinion. At least most of you would anyway.

If you use Spyderco's 701 Profiles and use them correctly you won't have to have them re-ground at the factory because that sharpening tool keeps them in the same geometry that they came from the factory. The 701 Profiles are one of the best kept secrets of the sharpening world. Good thread!!
 
I don't care for serrations much, but I own a few SE knives. I always laugh when I see blanket statements like "People don't like serrations because they don't know how to sharpen a knife"... you could just as easily say people DO LIKE serrations because they don't know how to sharpen a knife. I don't think either statement is true, but the blanket statements always come out. I don't like them for the same reason I don't like wind, cocker spaniels, blond women and Ruger semi-automatic firearms... something in my brain just says 'Nah...'
 
Kenix said:
My reason is pretty simple: because PE has yet to leave me wanting more cutting power.
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This has also been my experience - I have a serrated blade on my LM Wave and never use it because I never find myself needing it.

Skimo said:
I slice through bread with non serrated kitchen knives, leaves no crumbs, just like a sharp plain edge knife should, serrations are for people who don't have sharp knives, at least in this case.

Steak, it just splits easily, though on ceramic/glass plates, I'll suffer using a serrated blade.
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I prefer a plain blade for slicing tomatoes - my steak knives cut tomatoes just fine, but my Opinel slices those tomatoes even better, plain edge FTW!

I choose one of my own personal knives for eating steak and leave the steak knives in the drawer. Last night it was my Opinel #8 with walnut handle & stainless blade. The serrated steak knives are NOT better at cutting steak.

I don't slice bread because it comes already sliced when I buy it from the supermarket.


Skimo said:
serrations are for people who don't have sharp knives
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This is where I feel the serrated blades really do prove to be superior - I would always prefer a serrated knife for slicing a tomato rather than a blunt knife.


I have come across a situation where a serrated knife just didn't work well - preparing steak for the BBQ a sharp serrated blade was just clogging up, it seems that raw meat clogs the serrations and proves to be much less useful than on cooked meat. Switching to a sharp plain edge blade fixed that problem easily enough.

So I have experienced a serrated edge blade not being any use for a cutting task and I have experienced a blunt blade not being any use for cutting. I have yet to experience a sharp plain edge not being good for any cutting task (except where a saw was the right tool) so almost every knife I own has a SHARP PLAIN EDGE - I use what works for me!
 
I used to buy only combo edged knives until I had to sharpen the serrations. I found it to be difficult at best to get them really sharp after they went dull.

I abandoned the combo edge theory several years ago and will only buy a plain edge knife.

If I was a waterman and cut a lot of rope, or was an EMT or LEO and needed to cut seatbelts, etc. I would rethink the strategy.

If you know how to sharpen a knife, there really isn't anything a plain edge won't cut.
 
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