Give The Spyderedge A Chance Thread

[MichaelScott]

I don’t see it. It appears that market forces argue for most blades to be plain edge rather than serrated. It’s probably a good alternative to carry a smaller serrated blade like a hawk bill or maybe even something as large as a Delica Warrencliffe. But I think that offering redundant edges on popular knives would not be a good marketing idea.

[Abyss_Fish]

I'm interested to hear what people actually use serrated knives for, because all of my daily knife-y tasks tend to be tailor made for a fine plain edge.

[Doc Dan]

FFG serrated Manix 2LW and Delica would get my money.

[Wartstein]

I'm interested to hear what people actually use serrated knives for, because all of my daily knife-y tasks tend to be tailor made for a fine plain edge.

Actually in most tasks I prefer SE over PE meanwhile.. it just cuts better and is able to do very fine cuts too.
I guess this is not solely due to the serrations, but partly also to the very acute chisel grind angle SE knives come in.
And: Of course not all SE edges are equal! I am strictly talking about Spydercos very refined serrated edges, and among those I think the shallow, more rounded, not too deep and aggressive ones in ffg blades work the best generally.

HERE viewtopic.php?t=84985 is a great thread by David / Evil D about variables that can define how well serrations perform or not.

[Wartstein]

Gotta agree with Wart...though I'd prefer the G10 version (Julia and I were SO close to convert him to the G10 model!) But an SE Manix in BD1N would be a great knife.

So close! But I agree, any flavor of SE Manix would get my attention.

Yes, the two of you and the amazing pics you posted of your REX 45 Manixes got me very close to get one myself indeed! :) Though I did not in the end, I still owe you two a favor, since on a detour this brought me back to the Manix 2 LW... and I love it a lot more than I did the first time I had one.

Rick, I´d actually love to see a G10 SE Manix 2! What made me list the LW is just the assumption, that BD1N might be a "better" steel for SE than most steels the G10 Manix comes in -?! Could be wrong though, just have the impression that not too hard and easier to sharpen steels lend themselves more towards SE - both for the user and in production - ?

[JD Spydo]

Wouldn't it just make good common sense to assume that being Hawkbill blades really excel in SE that Reverse S and Recurve blades ( like the ULIZE) would also make perfect sense as well????

I firmly believe that any blade with "curve" in it would excel or even more than excel in SE.

Also I believe that the Breeden RESCUE and Jason Breeden's C-111 Captain design both would be hard to keep on the shelves in SE. It's kind of sad in a way that many PE models that never got a chance in SE will remain unknown and under-appreciated for the most part

[legOFwhat?]

JD, I'd really love to try a MuleTeam in SE.

[Evil D]

I don’t see it. It appears that market forces argue for most blades to be plain edge rather than serrated. It’s probably a good alternative to carry a smaller serrated blade like a hawk bill or maybe even something as large as a Delica Warrencliffe. But I think that offering redundant edges on popular knives would not be a good marketing idea.

Not everyone sees them as redundant though :confused:

[Evil D]

I'm interested to hear what people actually use serrated knives for, because all of my daily knife-y tasks tend to be tailor made for a fine plain edge.

I probably use them for everything you use PE for. I could ask a similar question, what tasks are you using a PE for that a SE couldn't do better?

And I'm talking about everyday tasks, not skinning an elk.

[Abyss_Fish]

I'm interested to hear what people actually use serrated knives for, because all of my daily knife-y tasks tend to be tailor made for a fine plain edge.

I probably use them for everything you use PE for. I could ask a similar question, what tasks are you using a PE for that a SE couldn't do better?

And I'm talking about everyday tasks, not skinning an elk.

Fine cutting. Like opening thin plastic packages or whatever (chips, etc), a serrated edge will (in my experience) get caught up in the plastic and end up tearing up whatever your cutting. Getting chips (or in my case at work fun caustic chemicals) all over the place. For fine cutting like that you need a fine plain edge. I totally get that for more fibrous things serrated is better. And obviously you can open a box with your fingernail if you try hard enough. But I just don’t think fine cutting is as easy with serrations.

Plus I’m not as afraid to really beat on it since plain edges are generally easily maintained.

[JustinB]

I am with Wartstein that a SE Chap would be amazing. Also a Manix LW would be pretty cool

[Wartstein]

I don’t see it. It appears that market forces argue for most blades to be plain edge rather than serrated. It’s probably a good alternative to carry a smaller serrated blade like a hawk bill or maybe even something as large as a Delica Warrencliffe. But I think that offering redundant edges on popular knives would not be a good marketing idea.

I see two points here:

1.) General market: You´re probably and sadly right, that most knive buyers still think that (even Spydercos) SE is just for very special tasks and no good for most others, plus a pain to sharpen (all totally untrue imho)

2.) Do YOU personally actually think that SE makes for an "redundant edge on popular knives"?! If so, and with all due respect, did you ever really give spyderedges a fair try? I´d say they are far from being "redundant"... :)

[TkoK83Spy]

I'm interested to hear what people actually use serrated knives for, because all of my daily knife-y tasks tend to be tailor made for a fine plain edge.

I probably use them for everything you use PE for. I could ask a similar question, what tasks are you using a PE for that a SE couldn't do better?

And I'm talking about everyday tasks, not skinning an elk.

Fine cutting. Like opening thin plastic packages or whatever (chips, etc), a serrated edge will (in my experience) get caught up in the plastic and end up tearing up whatever your cutting. Getting chips (or in my case at work fun caustic chemicals) all over the place. For fine cutting like that you need a fine plain edge. I totally get that for more fibrous things serrated is better. And obviously you can open a box with your fingernail if you try hard enough. But I just don’t think fine cutting is as easy with serrations.

Plus I’m not as afraid to really beat on it since plain edges are generally easily maintained.

If properly sharpened, fine cuts are pretty easy with SE. Plus, on most SE knives you do get a bit of PE at the tip of the knife as well.

[Wartstein]

Fine cutting. Like opening thin plastic packages or whatever (chips, etc), a serrated edge will (in my experience) get caught up in the plastic and end up tearing up whatever your cutting. Getting chips (or in my case at work fun caustic chemicals) all over the place. For fine cutting like that you need a fine plain edge. I totally get that for more fibrous things serrated is better. And obviously you can open a box with your fingernail if you try hard enough. But I just don’t think fine cutting is as easy with serrations.
...

Totally different to my experience. An even just somewhat properly sharpened spyderedge will cut plastic packages with ease and very cleanly. Normally only one single scallop will do the job, and that is sharpened to a much more acute (chisel grind) angle than almost any plain edge will be...

Maybe you´d like to get and try an Endela SE. This knife converted me to SE and I did not expect that at all when purchasing it...

[Evil D]

I'm interested to hear what people actually use serrated knives for, because all of my daily knife-y tasks tend to be tailor made for a fine plain edge.

I probably use them for everything you use PE for. I could ask a similar question, what tasks are you using a PE for that a SE couldn't do better?

And I'm talking about everyday tasks, not skinning an elk.

Fine cutting. Like opening thin plastic packages or whatever (chips, etc), a serrated edge will (in my experience) get caught up in the plastic and end up tearing up whatever your cutting. Getting chips (or in my case at work fun caustic chemicals) all over the place. For fine cutting like that you need a fine plain edge. I totally get that for more fibrous things serrated is better. And obviously you can open a box with your fingernail if you try hard enough. But I just don’t think fine cutting is as easy with serrations.

Plus I’m not as afraid to really beat on it since plain edges are generally easily maintained.

You just need a Sharpmaker and a sharp edge. A few years ago I was strongly against SE until I got comfortable sharpening them, and then I learned that much of the snagging is from dull edges and teeth that are too pointy. I cut open bags of chips everyday for lunch. This is kinda funny because it was little things like this that made me love SE, because often times PE would slip off things like plastic before making the cut.

[vivi]

I'm interested to hear what people actually use serrated knives for, because all of my daily knife-y tasks tend to be tailor made for a fine plain edge.

I probably use them for everything you use PE for. I could ask a similar question, what tasks are you using a PE for that a SE couldn't do better?

And I'm talking about everyday tasks, not skinning an elk.

Fine cutting. Like opening thin plastic packages or whatever (chips, etc), a serrated edge will (in my experience) get caught up in the plastic and end up tearing up whatever your cutting. Getting chips (or in my case at work fun caustic chemicals) all over the place. For fine cutting like that you need a fine plain edge. I totally get that for more fibrous things serrated is better. And obviously you can open a box with your fingernail if you try hard enough. But I just don’t think fine cutting is as easy with serrations.

Plus I’m not as afraid to really beat on it since plain edges are generally easily maintained.

That only happens with dull serrated knives.

https://youtube.com/watch?t=4m03s&v=Ptmx1iJELhU

Sharp ones can push cut through plastic wrap.

[prndltech]

I’ll second that. Abyss_fish, you should give a serrated Spyderco another chance! If you got a sharpmaker and can sharpen serrated blades you’ll do just fine. I personally haven’t found anything that a PE does better. I use serrated knives in the kitchen and in my pocket. If all knife models were available in serrated models I would have bought those. From hunting, to fishing, cooking, light duty basic “edc” tasks, work knives in the shop... serrated knives work wonderfully. And they can still cut/saw/rip/tear when dull, unlike a plain edge. The only reason I own plain edge knives it because they aren’t available in serrated edges or at least combo edges. I promise, most people who give them time and learn to sharpen them (it’s really easy with the sharpmaker) end up changing their mind.

Edit* I don’t whittle wood.

[Wartstein]

I’ll second that. Abyss_fish, you should give a serrated Spyderco another chance! If you got a sharpmaker and can sharpen serrated blades you’ll do just fine. I personally haven’t found anything that a PE does better. I use serrated knives in the kitchen and in my pocket. If all knife models were available in serrated models I would have bought those. From hunting, to fishing, cooking, light duty basic “edc” tasks, work knives in the shop... serrated knives work wonderfully. And they can still cut/saw/rip/tear when dull, unlike a plain edge. The only reason I own plain edge knives it because they aren’t available in serrated edges or at least combo edges. I promise, most people who give them time and learn to sharpen them (it’s really easy with the sharpmaker) end up changing their mind.

Edit* I don’t whittle wood.

I am with you 100 % and you just said better what I think than I could have.
And again: I personally was NOT biased towards SE at all (but more the opposite), and got convinced without having expected that at all purely by using my Endela SE... and it kept to shine in task after task.

Just one word on "whittling wood": I may sound overly enthusiastic concerning SE, but it actually shines also in whittling.
Hear me out (and perhaps try for yourself):
- I am NOT talking about carving detailled figurines or the like (where a PE whittling knife certainly will be the better choice).
- BUT: In "rougher", more "bushcrafty" tasks - so just making a pointy stick or carving a notch - Spydercos SE works better than PE for me. Why? Most likely not due the SE itself, but due to the chisel grind, that makes the blade bite deeper and easier into wood. And if a very smooth surface of the "whittled" cut is not important, the serrated edge is no disadvantage.

Plus: One thing that gets mentioned very seldom but is very true: The Spyderedge is the master of feathersticks. In my experience nothing produces such fine feathersticks as Spydercos SE, that will catch a spark like nothing else and really help to light a fire even in very wet conditions.
Again: Just try for yourself (so compare making a featherstick with PE, than with SE)

[Evil D]

SE can definitely whittle.

https://youtu.be/ImmGtoduklo


I wouldn't use SE for actual carving, as in artistically carving an object out of wood. If all you need is to make tent spikes or sharpen a stick to toast marshmallows then you'll be just fine.

I don't feel I'm overly enthusiast, I'm just tired of the misinformation being spread because it's really killing my buying options. Too much of what I hear about SE is just not true and I'm trying to change that.

[prndltech]

I’m not saying it can’t, I’m just saying I don’t... just something I don’t spend time doing