Picked up my first SE knife... I don't get the hype.

[sal]

What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?

sal

[Paraguy]

for me, it's less about what's better for the little cutting tasks i do day to day and more about what's better for emergency cutting that might present itself. i'd rather have slightly less pretty cuts on an envelope and know that i'm getting all the way through one of my kids' seatbelts if i ever need to. plain edge is never going to be as good as spyderedge for those kinds of cuts and those cuts are more important for me to be prepared for.

I routinely touch up the edge on my EDC knife with ceramic or a diamond strop, and have never had problems cutting anything with it. In fact I would bet my PE knives would cut through a seat belt faster than a SE knife would.

No. I was just trying to cut seatbelt material with a hair popping sharp factory plain edge today there's a ding in the blade now.

[Paraguy]

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

[Paraguy]

Definitely can relate to where you're coming from.

I found serrated is a lot more enjoyable when cutting off the tips and making the edge more like rounded hills. Slices everything close to the same as plainedge after you do this. Does hold an edge a lot longer I found

I still prefer plain edge most of the time.

20210408_201331_copy_3024x1701.jpg

YES.

[Evil D]

What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?

sal

Once the knife has been sharpened and "broke in" and the teeth have mellowed out a bit, this is where the real performance is. I can cut open a bag of chips just as cleanly and effortlessly as any PE knife.

[Gtscotty]

I've only really had serrated edges on maybe 3 knives and was never impressed enough to sink more money into them. They do claw through textiles better when dull, and I'm sure they are better than PE for cutting lots of seatbelts (is this really something most folks are doing very often, the few first responders excepted?)

IMO serration on pocket knives is like Velcro on shoes, I'm sure it's functional and goes well with sweat pants, but just isn't going to be for everybody.

[Paraguy]

What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?

sal

I take it that you're a serrated Salt 2 kinda guy. :cool:

[Paraguy]

What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?

sal

Once the knife has been sharpened and "broke in" and the teeth have mellowed out a bit, this is where the real performance is. I can cut open a bag of chips just as cleanly and effortlessly as any PE knife.

WAIT. You use your knife to open bags of chips? :D

[Evil D]

What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?

sal

Once the knife has been sharpened and "broke in" and the teeth have mellowed out a bit, this is where the real performance is. I can cut open a bag of chips just as cleanly and effortlessly as any PE knife.

WAIT. You use your knife to open bags of chips? :D

I'm all about hard use testing.

[Gtscotty]

What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?

sal

Once the knife has been sharpened and "broke in" and the teeth have mellowed out a bit, this is where the real performance is. I can cut open a bag of chips just as cleanly and effortlessly as any PE knife.

WAIT. You use your knife to open bags of chips? :D

I wouldn't be too quick to judge, I've run into a few brands of kettle chip bags that put up a valiant and spirited fight.

[vivi]

1. Fresh SE will snag on cuts a lot more. Worn SE work better for packages etc.

2. Small knives aren't ideal for SE in my eyes. SE knives I use slicing motions primarily, and larger blades give more edge to slice with.

3. The technique used to cut materials isn't always exactly the same as PE. For example when I open mail with a SE I try to catch the paper in a large scallop and push cut it, with PE I use more of a slicing motion.

4.L

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

There's nothing about SE that prevents you from doing the same. I've experimented with various grits, sharpening materials, angles and intentionally rounded serration tips. There's a lot more out there than fine sharpmaker rods you can play around with.

[sal]

I'm all about performance. "High performance matter separators".

sal

[TomAiello]

Sal, if someone has never used a serrated edge knife before, which model would you recommend as the first one to try?

[Paraguy]

I've only really had serrated edges on maybe 3 knives and was never impressed enough to sink more money into them. They do claw through textiles better when dull, and I'm sure they are better than PE for cutting lots of seatbelts (is this really something most folks are doing very often, the few first responders excepted?)

IMO serration on pocket knives is like Velcro on shoes, I'm sure it's functional and goes well with sweat pants, but just isn't going to be for everybody.

True. BUT I think everyone should try velcro at least once. Especially if they aren't proficient at tying their shoes.

[JRinFL]

I guess I would like them more if they came from the factory with the same serration profile that Evil D put on the Caribbean.

[Paraguy]

What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?

sal

Once the knife has been sharpened and "broke in" and the teeth have mellowed out a bit, this is where the real performance is. I can cut open a bag of chips just as cleanly and effortlessly as any PE knife.

WAIT. You use your knife to open bags of chips? :D

I'm all about hard use testing.

Haha!

[James Y]

Personally, my favorite performing SE knife *out of the box* has been my Endela. It’s FFG, and the teeth aren’t overly pointy, and the scallops aren’t overly deep.

My old saber-ground Delica 4 SE is also great.

Jim

[S-3 ranch]

I bought my serrated delica G-2 in 1994 , it is still slicing every day, with only one trip to golden in 2021 , now it’s like brand new
Serrated has its own place in EDC , I carry both a SE & PE , cutting ropes and wire , gutting muddy hogs is serrated territory,
If you really want to slice up stuff get a fixed blade serrated ! :) a serrated fixed blade will make a fixed plain edge cry with jealousy

[Paraguy]

What about those, like me, that keep their serrated edges hair popping sharp?

sal

Once the knife has been sharpened and "broke in" and the teeth have mellowed out a bit, this is where the real performance is. I can cut open a bag of chips just as cleanly and effortlessly as any PE knife.

WAIT. You use your knife to open bags of chips? :D

I wouldn't be too quick to judge, I've run into a few brands of kettle chip bags that put up a valiant and spirited fight.

I try to resist the temptation, just because bags of chips are prone to ripping open when not opened at the seams. If you get my meaning.

[ZrowsN1s]

For me SE really shines in hawkbills. The Hawkbill Dragonfly pull cuts like no ones business. A ziptie killer. One of the things that really helps this is the serrations that grab instead of slide.