Why do you like combo edges?

They cut better than a plain edge but not as good as a fully serrated edge, IMHO.
 
If the knife is big enough, I have no problem with them. However, I just cary a fully serrated Delica in my left pocket, and keep a plain, or large combo edge, in my right.
 
As much as I dislike serrated edge , one of my edc's is a combo because it cuts certain things better than a plain edge.
My thing is they are a PITA to keep sharp :D
 
Planterz said:
Neither do I. I like serrations, but on 99% of combo edge knives, they don't give you enough serrations to be worth it
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I disagree with this. IMO, of course, you only really need ONE serration (maybe something like Dwayne C. tripwire) to give you that initial bite to dig in to soft material. Although a few more would help also.
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Also, to sharpen, I usually start with the backside, it makes life easier, although this can turn the serrations more into something like sawteeth.
 
I find them to be rediculous. Yes, they can cut rope better, but for an outdoor type knife, they are way to much of a pain to sharpen. People got along with smooth blades for hundreds of years, why go fancy just because it cuts a bit better when its brand new? I don't know a single person who can honsestly say that they can sharpen serrations as sharp as they first came, even using a fancy rig to do it.
If you are gonna be cutting nothing but rope and slashing fibrous material, then get a fully serrated edge. But if you plan on doing any type of camp chore, why bother with them at all? Yes, I know that i am biased toward outdoor chores when using a knife, but the way I see it, that is the original purpose of a knife.
Blade configuration depends on your sharpening prowess, patience to sharpen, and what environment you plan on using yer knife in. Bottom line: serrations are bad a$$, but way to fancy and high maintennance.
 
Most of my blades are PE. For me, a PE has the advantage as long as you keep it reasonably sharp. I find a sharp PE can cut anything serrations can cut. And a PE is much better at fine, detail work and anything resembling shaving or scraping.

If you can't keep your blade sharp all the time, serrations take on new significance because IMO, they keep on cutting long after a PE has become dull.
 
Part of the glory of serrations is that they don't need to be as sharp as when you first got them. In between the time I got my crosslock in 97 to the time it was confiscated in 2003 I never needed to sharpen the serrations. The serrations still bite without being really sharp.

Yes, if you keep a plain edge sharp you should never need serrations, but if your plain blade isn't sharp (I't happens) they come in really, really Handy.

If you cant get serrations as sharp as the factory did. why don't you find out how they did. or how of our custom makers do.



Hey look edgy, posted at the same time saying the same thing. New yorkers think alike, eh.
 
personally i hate combo edges, but often i have no choice since thats all thats offered on many models nowadays. if you want serrated performance from a plain edge you can hone it with a coarse stone and leave the edge with micro serrations, for most other tasks a pure plain edge outperforms serrated and is much easier to sharpen.

cheers,
-gabriel
 
I think the length of the blade has a lot to do with the effectiveness of a combo edge. If I were only going to carry one knife for edc then something like a Spydie Military with a combo edge or my EK cqc13 combo would offer enough plain and enough serrations to make both edges quite useful. I agree with many here that on a short 3 inch or shorter blade the combo edge looses much of its versatility. That said I am with the crowd that carries one PE and one SE knife. Today its an SE para mili and a PE rescue 93
I also strongly disagree with the idea that serrations can't be sharpened effectively. The sharpmaker seems to do a great job on all my knives and keeping a fully serrated vg10 or s30v blade wicked nasty is no problem at all.
I have no interest in a combo fixed blade, and only rarely in a fully serrated fb. Maybe fully serrated as an sd knife if you live in a warm environment where your sd knife is not likely to encounter heavy clothing, but that is getting pretty darn specific/specialized.
 
I tried to like the combo edge... I figured if everyone else liked it, it must be good for something. But its like wearing a hiking boot on one foot and a running shoe on the other. You don't end up with a lot of function. Too little length of plain edge for good slicing. Too little length of serrated...

My leatherman has both full plain and full serrated, I get a lot of fuctionality out of each. But for my edc 4 inch folders, I've gone back to full plain edge. Most useful and flexible, from plastic straps to apples! (if your plain edge isn't cutting plastic carton straps, its just dull!)

I suppose if I was actually on a boat or had other specific needs to cut rope often but only wanted one blade with me, a combo would make some sense... but other than that...
 
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