Plain edge or serrated for the urban jungle?

shootist16

shootist16

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I know this has been debated before but would like to get a fresh opinion on which is the better choice?

Would you prefer plain or serrated for defense?

How about utility?
 
Shootist,
Not 100% sure this is right but this is what I'v read in several places. Serrations cut through clothes and other fibrous material the best. However plain-edged knives cut flesh the best...... Like I said not 100% sure on this but I believe its correct. BTW I prefer plain edged for both.
 
Does anyone here use the front sight of their carry gun to open the mail?

Then why are you using your DEFENSIVE KNIFE for utility.
serated or palin, who cares. If you keep the edge razor sharp for defence it will be fine.

you want utility? get a small spyderco.

I'll keep me waved 7's edge mint and practice drawing with it. other than that, it gets 0 use.
 
Or, Memnoch, you could learn to sharpen....:D

Ad if the front sight of my gun was all I had to open the mail with, sure I'd do it. Everything, including your gun, is just a tool. If you think out of the box, you'll come up with all sorts of creative uses for things...;)

I always carry a lansky croc-stick in my front pants pocket, and sometimes a small SAK steel, too.

Touch up to razor sharp is a breeze for both serrated and plain-edge.

I find the plain edge best all-around for my purposes, and I carry one knife for the occasional daily heavy-duty work and defense (TOPS CQT Magnum 747, Bowie Blade, Plain Edge). It's a monster for both. I always have my Leatherman Wave on me as well for all sorts of other work.

Best,

Brian.
 
I believe in being able to use a defensive knife as a tool for several reasons.
1) If you say "I use it to open boxes, officer" and whip out a perfectly unused black T-coated knife with no dull spots and a factory edge, he ain't buyin it.
2) Using the knife more makes it more a part of you.
3) It serves as kind of a shakedown as well, if the lock is weak, I'd rather find out while pruning a rosebush than in the heat of battle.
4) It increases the credibility of your court defense if your co-workers have seen you open mail and clean your fingernails with what the prosecutor claims is a weapon and you claim is a tool.
5) You can't always carry 2 knives.

this being said, I usualy carry a beater just for utility, I'm just saying there's two sides. As to the question, it's the oldest debate there is. I prefer serations on blades under 3.5" for starting the cut, on bigger blades, you can use a longer slicing motion, which starts the cut just fine.
 
I'll add 1 more to callahwj's list. You fight how you train. So if you use your utility knife 99.5% of the time and you get into some trouble, I bet you'll want to reach for your utility knife.

On Shootist's question, I'm still for plain edges. They are better for my EDC uses (I don't cut a lot of rope). Also, from my very limited testing on clothing I have found serrations to grap the clothing. I don't liek this at all. I'd rather not do a comma cut and have my knife caught up in the bad guy's sweater. This is based on my limited testing though.
 
I prefer serrated because for light utility and defense, no way a plain edge is going to hurt as much as a serrated. Another reason to use serrations, serrations will rip even after the blade get's dull, not that I let my blade get that dull. I dislike defensive knives that use cheaper steels as they go dull to quick (Aus 6).

I do not however use my Matarich for utility per Sal's instructions. I do like the plain edge on my Wegner for opening my mail, makes cleaner neater cut's, serrated shreds things and makes a mess.

I would not feel comfortable, using a heavily used utility blade for defense, unless it was a Kukri.

Troy
 
Use what you have, train with EVERYTHING. I have all kinds of knives in the shop, so I end up carrying this or that depending on which one I grab that day. But if you have established fighting styles and methods, it doesn't really matter what you have. Could be the fork at the restaraunt, or the sheep's foot from a leatherman (some "proof of life" action?). I think technique is what carries the day over blade type. I will carry a Matriarch, or a SERE 2000. Doesn't matter much to me. I tend to stay away from "combo edges" because it makes field sharpening a little more time consuming, and I like to carry the folding diamond type of sharpener. But what cut works with my regular knives, is the same cut I will try to do with a plastic one, so unless the knife is very specific based on design, I try to do strong muscle memory techniques with whatever I have.
 
With saying serated or plain edge, why not go to a gun forum and ask 7.62 or .223?
 
Originally posted by memnoch
With saying serated or plain edge, why not go to a gun forum and ask 7.62 or .223?
Click to expand...

Obviously either would do the job, but is one MORE effective than the other?
 
Easy day here my friend, whenever possible I would choose a combination edge. I believe the serrations are a must for utilitarian needs and if I can't cut through with a normal edge than I will stab.
 
Ok what have we learned here children, carry whatever it is that you are comfortable with. Personally I carry a Leatherman Wave that gives my a choice of the kind of edge I need for a particular job, for defence I carry a CRKT's stiff KISS with 1/2 serrated so I have a choice of an edge I need and yes I use my defence knife for utility but than I sharpen it once a week so it is always shaving sharp.:D
 
Well,i think the question should be asked in a different way, let's do a gun example :" if you only had to carry a single shooter,would you rather have a .45 or a .22 ?" I know that a skilled handgunner can take me down with a peashooter,but i'd prefer to have a round capable to rip away an arm(so make that single shot a .50 BMG,thank you).For the same reason, if i carry just one knife i'd say serrated,'cause a used serrated edge ( i mean not blunt,but way far from optimal performance,like when you change your daily carry once a week and today it's friday)will generally outperform a plain edge in the same condition,imho.
This said,i usually carry the knife that on that particular day appeals me more, so you can throw all my consideration out of the window....... ;)
 
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