serrated

[korvin karbon]

Hi

Why do many knifes not have a serrated section? Would it not be useful for scoring bone and antlers to make cutting bits of easier? Help making notches for use in traps etc etc?

Just wondering and this is the best place to ask.

 

[NatG]

people tend to buy them for use when cutting rope etc. I see very little use for them myself, i could see a use for a fully serrated blade, but not a part serrated one.

i think part of it is that they look cool

 

[John Fenna]

I am not a big fan of serrated edges, except for rescue knives and other rope related situations.

 

[Diligence]

I liken the use of serations to cutting plywood with a hammer.

Yes, you can make it work, but the finished job is less than desirable. But hey, when all you have is a hammer - you can make it work.

I've used serated blades for aggressive rough cutting (ie industrial cable ties on communication towers being dismantled), but in general, I really don't like them that much as they are too aggressive for most of my fine cutting jobs.

partially serated edges are an option sometimes, but it does greatly reduce the length of useable blade..

D

 

[Dan1982]

Good for cutting rope, webbing etc... but not really suiatable for much else and difficult to sharpen. Not my cup of tea really!!

Dan

 

[ZDP-189]

Rambo look.

 

[Mistwalker]

I don't know if the term "Rambo look" quite applies to serrations as a whole being as they do actualy have a niche and serve a real purpose. They are just a little specialized in that they are designed for quickly cutting through rope, webbing, paracord..., all man made materials. It was a natural progression of evolution for the new U.S. pilot "survival" knife to add serrations. The pilot's knife actualy began life as a Marbles Ideal Hunting knife, the next phase had the same blade but a hammer pommel, wholes in the handguard for lashing it to a branch to make a spear, and a saw on the back..., which by the way that saw is as muched desinged for tearing through the sheetmetal skin of an aircraft without dulling the primary edge of the knife as it is for sawing notches in wood. The new ones have a synthetic handle, a hammer pommel, a saw on the spine, and a section of serrations....,it's made for cutting sheetmetal, breaking plexiglass, cutting webbing, driving stakes, cracking shelfish, digging in rotten wood for insects etc., etc., etc.,. If all of the materials you're cutting are natural serrations are not really necessary.., a traditional blade will do just fine. I do love the original pilots knife however the saw is good for notches and the pommel is great for driving stakes and cracking nuts and shell and such.

Where as the Rambo knife is a completely useless-in-the-bush fabrication of Hollywood that's as much a fantasy knife as those of Gill Hibben. Very weak design with far too long a blade for the very short length of it's tang, a leaky handle, and a completely lame saw on the spine that can only serve one possible purpose...,a psychological one by maybe scaring the crap out of anyone who may think they're about to be on the recieving of a stab from it. I wouldn't want to take one to the latrine with me much less out in the field..., better off with a butter knife. So far the only Hollow handled knives I have seen that I would have no problem taking into the Bush have been the Marto Explora designed by Explorer Charles Brewer, and the Chris Reeve knives with the Chris Reeves being the best by far.

 

[scanker]

They're good for cutting bread. And tomatoes.

 

[mortalmerlin]

I can see the point in a kitchen, rescue knives and in a situation where you would have to work with a lot of rope or webbing but none of those apply to bushcraft very often.