I would suggest you keep an open mind rather come to a conclusion with your limited experience.
First we developed the sharpmaker so we could sharpen serrated edges, then we made serrated edges. We developed and refined our serrated edges over 3 decades. I would suggest that you read David's thread on serrations ( He, like you wasn't pro teeth ). Get a Sharpmaker, and properly sharpen your Spydeerco serrated edge on our Spyderco Sharpmaker, then you will have a greater understanding about the "hype".
sal
Hi Sal,
Thanks for taking the time to respond. Do you have a link to said thread, my forum searches aren't finding me anything specifically useful here.
I "get the hype" :)
I prefer SE, but occasionally I like the switch to PE, just for variety. SE grabs the material being cut and doesn't slide off like PE has a greater tendency to do. I'm glad I gave SE a real chance.
Use what works for you! No one says you have to "get the hype". You can always give it another chance later, or not.
I get what makes SE better for some people but that doesn't mean it's better for everyone.
I've been carrying a Salt Pac SE for 4 days now and use it for everything I cut to try and get some experience with SE on something other than a hawkbill. The Byrd Hawkbill is the first SE knife I acquired about 8 months ago. It does well but I find myself passing it over for my PE knives. I can sharpen SE just fine but do not enjoy the process. The Hawkbill has been reprofiled to soften the serrations just slightly. It helps with snagging some but it still does it all the time. The Pac Salt is Vivi's and he is letting me use it so of course it's been reprofiled heavily, by him, and was shaving sharp when I got it.
I find it funny that seat belt cutting was brought up because I was just testing PE vs SE on ratchet straps which is very close to seatbelts. I liked the way the PE feels in the cut and it had no problems making multiple cuts through the straps. That was with PE H-1, a steel that's known for not performing well in PE configurations. The SE had no problems with the straps and just about everything else I could throw at it. Now if I was in life or death situation's that depended on a cut being made and made fast then maybe I would carry SE. I do keep a glass breaker with seatbelt cutter in the door of my car since I've been in a few really bad accidents along with most of my family.
You never know by the end of this week I might love SE or I could feel the way I do about it now. I write and eat left handed but can do everything else with both hands. The chisel grind means I get different performance depending on which hand I use but with PE v-bevel it's always the same. That's one of the biggest problems I have, the chisel grind. Say your whittling wood right handed the SE knife is bevel down against the wood and it cuts just fine like that. Then switch to your left hand now the bevel is up and the knife digs into the wood instead of making a clean cut. I don't really like selling knives so I'm hesitant to buy anymore SE just to be stuck with a knife I don't like.
Last edited by Josh Crutchley on Mon May 10, 2021 7:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I started with the D'Fly Salt in SE when I first tried serrations and like the OP I just didn't love it at first. In fact I bought and sold that same model Dragonfly multiple times before it just completely grew on me. Now it's the only pocket knife I have and been carrying it for exactly 8 months straight now. Definitely round off those teeth and you will enjoy it way more.
It's all in the sharpening. Straight out of the box is no comparison and really doesn't tell you the whole story.
aint been around much lately but this is is exactly true.
knowing how to sharpen serrated blades is the first part in understanding them.
you just have to spend a little time with them in order to fully understand them.
I was in the same boat for a long time. now I may own more serrated pocket knives than straight edge ones :confused:
I think for people who don't care about maintaining a hair popping edge on their knives or the look of their knives, an SE makes sense. SE is practical but not for people who like constantly messing with their edge. So.... not for me...most of the time
This I don't understand: SE is easier to keep "hair popping sharp" than PE, stays sharp longer and cuts better than PE when both are really sharp.... :confused:
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?
sal
Haha I wouldn't have the patients for that! How does one shave with a serrated edge anyhow? Sounds painful :D
Again, why do you "have the patience" to keep your PE knives sharp but not your SE knives?
SE takes even less patience, since it is easier and quicker to sharpen plus will then stay sharp longer...
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
I compared my knives (see the sig) cutting dusty, sandy, weather-beaten corrugated cardboard (kinda a redneck CATRA test) and the SE Caribbean was the best at it. I know there is more to a good knife than just the edge, or even just the blade, but still.
It's all in the sharpening. Straight out of the box is no comparison and really doesn't tell you the whole story.
I was going to say something along those lines but you beat me to it. Once the knife is really, really sharp, and the tips start to wear just slightly, the knife seems to come alive to cutting.
I Pray Heaven to Bestow The Best of Blessing on THIS HOUSE, and on ALL that shall hereafter Inhabit it. May none but Honest and Wise Men ever rule under This Roof! (John Adams regarding the White House)
Follow the Christ, the King,
Live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King--
Else, wherefore born?" (Tennyson)
It's all in the sharpening. Straight out of the box is no comparison and really doesn't tell you the whole story.
I was going to say something along those lines but you beat me to it. Once the knife is really, really sharp, and the tips start to wear just slightly, the knife seems to come alive to cutting.
Sounds like a serrated kris would be the best cutter. Combined with this sharpening technique:
we could have "serrations within serrations within serrations within serrations" - almost like a serrated fractal knife. :D
It's worse for cutting open packages, cutting tags off clothes, opening letters than my PE dfly.
I'm confused as to why you'd think SE could've been better for cutting tape and paper. SE shines when used for tough fibrous materials, not envelopes. You just don't have a need for the serrations. But that doesn't mean they're bad. That's like trying to cut down a tree with a paring knife and then saying paring knives must be bad...
Last edited by BornIn1500 on Tue May 11, 2021 5:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?
sal
Haha I wouldn't have the patients for that! How does one shave with a serrated edge anyhow? Sounds painful :D
Again, why do you "have the patience" to keep your PE knives sharp but not your SE knives?
SE takes even less patience, since it is easier and quicker to sharpen plus will then stay sharp longer...
I don't have fancy sharpeners for SE. Ive being sharpening PE for a while now and i'm quite comfortable with it.
I wouldn't be able to shave with me SE knives even if they were hair popping because they aren't rounded. It would poke into my skin.
