Serrations yes or no

[Shambling Shaman]

I am glad to see so many do not like serrations like myself. It seems with the Bushcrafters a plain edge trumps all but the more "tacticool" crowd likes seeing them.

Of course I might not know what the hell I am talking about haha.

Agreed "I" do not like serrations (see my 1st post) how ever when the need arises they are a useful tool. So is a knife a tool for a situation that you find your self in more often? I never had serrations on a knife till this job... ... ... ... ...

 

[Jacknife]

I would be strongly in the 'No' camp if it wasn't for my OH Trekker.

I've found the shallow scallop serrations very useful for most daily cutting jobs.
I sharpen them easily with a butcher's steel and a needle file.
It's one of my favorite EDC's.

Don't rule out the OH Trekker because of it's serrations or you'll miss out on a great knife.

 

[Hoodoo]

I would be strongly in the 'No' camp if it wasn't for my OH Trekker.

I've found the shallow scallop serrations very useful for most daily cutting jobs.
I sharpen them easily with a butcher's steel and a needle file.
It's one of my favorite EDC's.

Don't rule out the OH Trekker because of it's serrations or you'll miss out on a great knife.

I prefer my Trekker without the little notches.

 

[JohnL]

I like serrations. They are not good for wood, or any detailed work,but for rough work on rope, cord, webbing, baked bean tins, vegatables, paper, cardboard I think they are good and versatile. On a larger fixed blade it would say no, as it is ineffective for chopping, but for edc. where I am not going to be cutting lots of wood its ideal.

 

[MadRat]

Serrations.... Mmmmm....

Depends.....

Breadknife serrations.... Useful on bread....

Early dive knives had this type (Strange..... known as ''Bread-Knives'' now).

Small serrations snag.

Large scallop serrations are really useful for rope webbing etc....

Some knives have a Ripper edge... Part ripper on the cutting edge or on the back...
These are for cutting your way out of an aircraft canopy or through an alloy fuselage skin...

They get in the way for normal working.....

Others have saw edge serrations and are used for ''notching'' in the making of traps....

Depends where you are and what you are doing........

Sooner not have a ''Folder'' of any kind... But a part serrated one could get you out of a tight situation......

 

[MadRat]

I prefer my Trekker without the little notches.

Say Hoodoo.... What's the sheathed blade?

 

[Hoodoo]

That's a Becker Crewman (older model made by Camillus). I replaced the scales with micarta scales, also made by Camillus. That was a great upgrade for the Beckers imo. Only way to get the micarta scales was to order directly from Camillus. Not sure if Kabar, the new manufacturer, will offer these scales for the new Becker line.

 

[MadRat]

Thanks Hoodoo....

Ah The Crewman, the compact Utility.... Nice.....

Thought it had the BK&T shape but the coloured sheath threw me.....

BK&T split with some designs sort of going to Magnum who produced a version of the Camp Knife in Stainless and also use the handles on the Machete. (You need to fill them with silicone to stop them from retaining wet stuff....)....

I did a couple of reviews on the HH site...

Not seen the BKT K'bar versions. However I understand they are being marketed with a smaller skeleton knife....

Would probably get a Survival Bowie if Magnum produced one in stainless...

Good all-round knives.......

 

[ForgeCorvus]

I voted No
I was going to follow that up with "The only blade (thats not in the kitchen) I've had with serrations got ground smooth within a week of me getting it coz I hate them" then I looked at my multi-tool*, large blade..check, small blade....check, saw blade...check, serrated blade....***!!. To think I'd had one hiding in the house since Yule :aargh4:

I might just leave it, mind you, if it came down to emergency rope cutting I'd probably go for the biggest sharp plain edge I'd got......because I'd use what I knew I could find, not think "Hang on, I've got one of those serrated blades on here somewhere, everyone says they're best for cutting rope"

*To my mind its not a knife, its pair of pliers that happens to have three knife blades (and some other tools )attached to them

 

[philaw]

Has anyone ever put an "interupted edge" on a knife? I guess it's the same as a serrated knife functionally, but easier to sharpen. It's on the bear grylls knife, so it must be good!

 

[forrestdweller]

I'm sure the idea didn't originate with Jimmy Lile but ever since he produced the 'First Blood' movie knives the market for over sized half knife/half axe/half saw survival tools has expanded exponentially, convincing many that by having just this one tool on their hip they'd be able survive whatever the world can throw at them, I will stick to selection of tools rather than one big one.

I actually own a Jimmy Lile knife, his Grey Ghost, no serrations [/QUOTE]

no, the idea of a serrated (back)edge is much older- i've seen photos of 17th/18th-century daggers which where used for fencing- held in the hand which held not the main blade (usually left); the idea beeing to catch the opponents blade and breaking it. same counts for the hollow handle- much older than "rambo"

to answer the question about serrated edges: my leatherman supertool has a plain and a serrated blade and for cutting ropes and belts and likewise things it's a great idea!

 

[sandbender]

I'm sure the idea didn't originate with Jimmy Lile but ever since he produced the 'First Blood' movie knives the market for over sized half knife/half axe/half saw survival tools has expanded exponentially, convincing many that by having just this one tool on their hip they'd be able survive whatever the world can throw at them, I will stick to selection of tools rather than one big one.

I actually own a Jimmy Lile knife, his Grey Ghost, no serrations

no, the idea of a serrated (back)edge is much older- i've seen photos of 17th/18th-century daggers which where used for fencing

A sword-breaker isn't quite the same thing as a saw backed knife however I do realize that the idea predates Jimmy Lile.

In the 1928 novel 'All Quiet on the Western Front' a young German recruit has his 'saw backed' bayonet taken from him because the enemy were thought to inflict dreadful injuries on any prisoner that they'd captured with one in his possession.

 

[mariobab]

I don't like serrations.For ropes and safety belts,OK, and bread cutting,but not for general purposes.For example, it is far more easily to make shavings with plain edge.And half serrated blades are something that I don't understand purpose of.

 

[Noddy]

...............

 

[Amon81]

Nope for me.

I got a half-serrated folder about 10 years ago. It's me leats used knife.

I've find that a good plain sharp edge is the best thing for pretty much any job.

I've herd they are ment to be good for cutting rope, I've found it terrible for cutting rope when compaired to a good plain sharp blade.

Plus serrations are a pain in the backside to sharpen.

 

[Jared]

http://www.heinnie.com/product.asp?s=72wkmb1414097&strParents=&CAT_ID=121&P_ID=3979

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

I have two majour reasons to not like serrations;

1) It always seems to be serrated where I do my power cuts and detailed cuttings, which is where I want a smoothly finely honed cutting edge, not the ruddy Rocky Mountains!

2) I use a flat arkansas stone to sharpen my knife, not some collection of files and diamond rods.

 

[Native Justice]

I like serrations. They are not good for wood, or any detailed work,but for rough work on rope, cord, webbing, baked bean tins, vegatables, paper, cardboard I think they are good and versatile. On a larger fixed blade it would say no, as it is ineffective for chopping, but for edc. where I am not going to be cutting lots of wood its ideal.

+1 for John's answer. Also my reason for using one and occasionally carrying one. They're very easy to sharpen. Don't necessarily need to sharpen each scallop when you can hone a slight microbevel on the back of the serrations which will take the stone, hone or strop and works a treat with nearly no additional effort more than a PE. I particularly like the ceramic rod (Spyderco's Profile hones are a real treat to use with this edge.) which is real fast and easy also for maintaining the edge.

 

[Templar]

No I wouldn't get a knife with any serrations, to be frank I hate them... they get in the way when I want to do fine work, get full of muck when cleaning game, and make sharpening a pain... I only own two knives like this and only for specific jobs, one is my Spyderco Endura I use for climbing and the other is my Dive knife... other than that I wouldn't carry one...

Just my Two cents...

Karl

 

[geoff88]

No, hate them.

Geoff