Why is Civilian serrated?

B

barber oregon

Joined
Nov 19, 2000
Messages
234
I recently did a search on these forums to find out which edge type (serrated or stright)would be best suited for to a defensive role.

The vast majority indicated that a straight-edge knife would be preffered for a knife used in self defense.

However, Spyderco uses a serrated edge for their two specific purpose self-defense knives - the Civilian and the Matriarch.

Question: why?

I just purchased a serrated Spydie Native for back-up defense. Did I make the right choice? Should I return this for a straight edge Native?
 
It's made in plain edge as well, but I think they sell many more of the serrated.

The Civilian is strictly for self-defense. It is designed to inflict major trauma with minimum effort. I think that it is generally thought that the serrations are best for that type of situation.

I think there is a Tactical Forum on BFC. You might try floating this question over there.
 
Civilian is supposed to cut through clothes etc. before it cuts flesh. Serrated blades are better in cutting fibrous material. Plain Civilians are made for collectors. I do have two plain and one serrated Civilian and would take serrated if BG attacked me.
 
Over the last few thousand years, almost all edged weapons have been plain edged. Serrations pop up on weapons every now and then throughout history, but usually people just fool around with the idea and then quickly discard it.

Weapons with hawkbill or hook shaped blades do sometimes have serrations though. They can be plain edged too, but they seem to be one of the few weapons that are serrated on a pretty regular basis.

Why that is, I'm not quite sure. Many hawkbill-shaped weapons are descended from sickle-type tools though, and sickles are frequently serrated.

One reason why serrations are occasionally seen on that general blade shape could be that serrations tend to cut more aggressively. The more the point curves in toward the edge on a blade, the more drag you'll feel when slashing through a target. You'll need a very aggressive edge to insure that you can cut your way out of the target and prevent the blade from getting stuck in it.

Another, possibly related reason why you might want serrations on a hawkbill: the serrations can "grab" onto the material that's being cut and prevent it from sliding up too much into the crook of the blade. If the material is allowed to get bunched up in the curved hook of the blade, I imagine that it would be harder to cut because it has folded in on itself and its thickness has increased.
 
Originally posted by Tommi
Serrated blades are better in cutting fibrous material.
Click to expand...

Note that serrations can also get "hung-up" on those same clothes before it even reaches flesh. The chances of this happening are very great if you are using a straight stabbing thrust. Denim and other course fabrics are the worst offenders. Serrations will cut thru them no problem in a slicing motion, but are not the best choice where you may need to thrust. (IMHO).
 
The question is, what is the serrartion pattern, and how sharp have you kept it?

I've found that he Syper-edge cuts through any layers of fabric, loose or not, when it's properly sharp. The Spyder-edge is so nicely done, that it cuts almost as smoothly as a straght edge, with no hang-up on fabric whatsoever.

Shane. agreed on getting hung up on thrusts (which aren't practical with the Civilian for most people), I've found that serrations can get caught up on fabric when doing that, too. I trained myself to pull out with a slcie (pressure towards the blade edge), so that the withdrawal becomes a cut as well. At least that increases the chances of freeing the blade.

Best,

Brian.
 
Hi!

I tried my civvie on my cutting dummy, consists of a leather jacket and a denim jacket stuffed with clothes, in one of the arms i have a plastic tube as "skeleton" and to give some stability.

When i tried her out i manage to cut it to the "bone" with NO problems, didn't notice ANY drag or obstacle from the fibrous material.

My civvie simply devoured the material :eek:
I think that in cutting performance the civilian is wicked
 
When I first became really interested in knives, a couple of years ago, I know I read an article in one of the knife mags, that stated that given the same blade, either serrated or plain, that in a combat situation the serrated blade would do better. First knife I bought, was the Cold Steel Scimitar, fully serrated.

I've read that leather jackets are one of the chief items that serrations do much better with than do plain edges. Jerry Van Cook wrote sometime in TK, that when he was an undercover drug officer that his leather jacket saved his back from a determined slashing stroke at him.

I guess if I were absolutely sure I would be using a knife for combat, I'd seriously think about full serrations. I'm still not really fond of combo-edged blades.
 
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