Why the hate for serrations?

They're great for trimming fingernails.



I got nothing else. Maybe if you're a coastal dweller who might run into entangled sea life they're the tool to carry, but then again a set of sharp bypass pruning shears is much safer for your rescue target and maybe faster once you get the "finger" behind the line to be cut, not to mention they're safer for your offhand while you work, too.
 
Nixelplix said:
I enjoy my A.G. Russell Sea Skorpion. It is marketed as a rope knife and it excells in that application. I like having the marlin spike handy, it can function as a small pry bar. The serrations cut through rope and twine easily.

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Damn.. I need that.
Thanks for sharing..
 
My daily uses just don't require serrations, and aesthetically I don't like how "combo" edges look...so typically I just avoid buying them. I do, however like how a fully serrated blade looks, and own a fully serrated manbug for cutting hair out of my vacuum cleaner. Right tools for the job!
 
KenHash said:
serrated blades are not as easy to sharpen.
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Peter Hartwig said:
Can be hard or take skill to sharpen
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Other than perhaps the fine teeth on the Cold Steels, which there are files for, serrated is easier than plain edges. Just put the round diamond rod on the scalop and file away a little slipping off the points now and then to catch those. Then hone/flatten the backs of the teeth on a stone. Back and forth a bit if you want extra good.

It's even a portable tool. See the folding, tapered red handled diamond rod on top of the pile of diamond plates in this link. Page down and look for the Cold Steel Holdout I.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...e-lazy-and-un-talented.1464179/#post-16853010
 
KAEDC said:
My daily uses just don't require serrations, and aesthetically I don't like how "combo" edges look...so typically I just avoid buying them. I do, however like how a fully serrated blade looks, and own a fully serrated manbug for cutting hair out of my vacuum cleaner. Right tools for the job!
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Dang !
I've been doing it wrong all this time. :( I've been using scissors that I keep with my vacuum attachments. :p
 
I prefer plain edge but I have a couple serrated Spydies that I like. Serrations do cut when dull so non-knife people sometimes prefer them for that reason.
Serrations require an oblong or v type rod system to sharpen. Not everyone has that type of system and some are intimidated by the prospect of sharpening serrations.
I don't find it difficult to sharpen serrations but if they're not razor sharp they don't cut as cleanly as plain edge and that annoys me.
A very sharp serrated edge will do almost anything a plain edge will do.
Spyderco's H1 steel has superior edge retention in its serrated form. Fully rust proof with the best serrations in the industry and exceptional edge holding. I love my Pacific Salt. My other knife with full serrations is a Delica wharny.
 
Friend gifted me a kabar usmc that is partially serrated and for this particular knife i think it makes good sense to have them. It doesn't featherstick as good as plaine edge if you are used to using the heel portion for that, but then it's not really a bushcraft knife. This is the kind of knife you beat up on and might use as a showel. In other words, you don't baby your shaving sharp edge. If you are deployed somewhere you might not have the luxury of getting your pocketstones out to field sharpen and the serrations keep the knife being useful until it can get some tlc.
I noticed the serrations are nice to cut little branches off here and there and they bight in to knots on a stick and remove them nicely also.
The rest of my collection are pain edges. I'm a purist when it comes to it.
 
I'm mainly a collector. So, I don't use many of my knives and all of the ones I do use are plain edged.

That said, I like the "look" of partial serrations on some knives (particularly black bladed ones) and I bought them simply because I think they "look" better. I only have a couple of fully serrated knives that I bought/keep as collector items. Sharpening serrated blades is not an issue for me because I never use them.
 
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I like them. Full or partial depending on the knife.

I think they add some level of versatility to a edge. That said, they aren't a must have by any means.

I find them very easy to sharpen on a Sharpmaker
 
I don’t feel comfortable with sharpening serrated edge and I have never been blocked with a PE because I was missing serrations

For my use it seems that PE do the job just fine
So I am simply true to what works for me
 
I don't know why but I always feel like I should have a fully serrated knife in my car encase I come across an accedent. I think it might be because alot of rescue knives I've seen are serrated.
 
marcinek said:
I don't see the "hate" you're referencing on your title, i just see what you said in your post...that people avoid or dislike them.

They are great for people who don't sharpen, in my opinion...but I like to sharpen and I find a plain edge does anything a serrated edge does, even in the kitchen. Tomatoes? Bread? Plain edge for me.
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Depends on the type of bread. For darkly baked crusty sourdough bread, a serrated edge works waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than a plain edge.

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dgaddis said:
Depends on the type of bread. For darkly baked crusty sourdough bread, a serrated edge works waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than a plain edge.
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For darkly baked crusty sourdough bread, a serrated edge works waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than a dull plain edge.

Sharp plain edge? Nope.
 
I understand that serrations help with certain cutting tasks. I just don't need them often. Buying a combo edge isn't a deal breaker for me if I like the knife but I prefer plain edges.
 
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