Serrata

[Reject]

Sorry :eek: , but this topic needs more photos.

[David R]

It's a very interesting knife. I got to hold one in hand the other day.

The blade thickness is awe-inspiring, and yet it doesn't feel imbalanced, or out-of-place on the knife.

Agreed. My initial thinking is that it was much too thick to work well. After reprofiling to 19 degress, mine is 0.055" behind the edge. Well-balanced and it cuts.

I just did two tests for knife I consider a slicer: apples and cheese. This cuts cheese just fine. I can't get the thinnest slices off a block of cheese, but I can get it fairly thin. More surprisingly, it cut an apple without breaking it. Doesn't seem possible given the thickness, but it did.

Given the weight and blade shape I have better knives for the kitchen. However I'm going to try use it next time I have to disassemble a chicken. I dislike using a cleaver, and my kitchen knives never feel stout enough.

[Stuart Ackerman]

Have a look here...
The arrow shows where the edge begins...

Click on the image to make it bigger, and you will see the dendritic pattern on the blade.

serrata 15.jpg

Hi Stuart,
Is your website down? I'm getting directed to cheap Air Jordan shoes.

Sorry, I closed it down last year due to lack of funds.

[Stuart Ackerman]

I like the design, size, ergonomics, steel... none of that was an issue for me. The main stopper was the 6mm blade stock thickness. I just don't need/want a knife that thick and heavy. Was that thickness necessary for casting 440C? Can you cast 440C in a thinner stock?

Capt
I will not be doing any more Serratas, due to the high cost of the process.

I have a bunch in stock, but I do not want to turn this into a sales thread.

I have ground Serratas thinner in thickness, and to date around 25 different profiles from the as-cast blank.

I have one 3mm version in process. Very slice and dicey machine. :)

Spyderco's version is chunkier and heavier than mine, as the maker could not duplicate my exact design.
Sal could clarify if he so desires?

[David R]

I still plan to pick one up at some point. I wish for thinner stock but with the distal taper I can live with it. My biggest hang up is the unsharpened edge. That drives me nuts. I would have to either sharpen it or grind the finger groove forward to remove it.

I sharpened mine and left maybe 1/3" unsharpened just in case. I may decide to add a shallow choil there.

[Stuart Ackerman]

There is a "thing" that I have been doing on recent knives, called a "Gravity Drop."
It "lowers" the edge, so that you can sharpen for years without the ricasso getting in the way.
It means that you can cut on a flat surface, and the whole edge touches the cutting board etc.

Here is an example...

Try doing that to the Serrata, and see if it makes it safer for you?

[Stuart Ackerman]

I "borrowed" Bloke's image...
Bad paint job, but the idea is there?

[yablanowitz]

As much as I hate to remove cutting edge, I'll probably end up doing something like that to mine. Longer edge doesn't matter if you can't hold the knife.

[roger-roger]

Have a look here...
The arrow shows where the edge begins...

Click on the image to make it bigger, and you will see the dendritic pattern on the blade.

serrata 15.jpg

Hi Stuart,
Is your website down? I'm getting directed to cheap Air Jordan shoes.

Sorry, I closed it down last year due to lack of funds.

Thanks, have you made custom Serrata with alternate steel types?

[Stuart Ackerman]

No, only 440C because it works.
The process needs 120 kgs of steel each time I cast.
And I am not doing anymore batches, anymore.
Sorry.

[Knife Knut]

So while the process has economies of scale for production, and I can partially understand why you would not want to make more, there has not been any smaller experimentations with other steels?

[Stuart Ackerman]

If it were possible here in NZ, I might think about it.
I used to do 15 Kgs when I started the process in 2006, but that foundry has since closed.

I am not a super steel follower, and if something works, why would I try and fix it?
I am not against progress, just old school I guess?

[David R]

If it were possible here in NZ, I might think about it.
I used to do 15 Kgs when I started the process in 2006, but that foundry has since closed.

I am not a super steel follower, and if something works, why would I try and fix it?
I am not against progress, just old school I guess?

Hi Stuart,

Is there a way to reach you to inquire about getting a knife?

David

[yablanowitz]

Well, I did a little grinding on mine.



It fits my paws much better now.

[David R]

That finger choil looks great!

[David R]

Wanted to post another comment about this steel. It's odd and awesome stuff. Been using my Serrata for a while and needed to sharpen it. It would cut, but would not cleanly cut printer paper. I have a 19 degree edge with a 21 degree micro bevel.

I touched up the microbevel with a 600 grit aluminum oxide stone. Less than 20 passes per side - about 2-3 minutes total time. It now easily cuts phonebook paper both directions (with and across the grain). Not the sharpest edge, but quite sharp and very toothy. The cast 440C is holding an edge close to something like S30/S35.

This thing cuts like crazy and sharpens like a dream.