Plain Edge VS Serrated Edge

[sal]

Hey Spyderbot,

The Python scales ere well received. I agree there could be more natural patterns.

Snakes were a chapter. There are many chapters in a life. They may not even be connected. follow your heart and your mind. Never lose interest and never stop learning. I was also a beekeeper.

back to serrations. More linear surface. more single point contact, more protected edge. FYI; the teeth protect the inner cutting surface from hitting the cutting board. . On our K04 and K05 Utilities, one tooth is longer than the other two, to protect the other two teeth.

I don't see this as a "v's". I like plain edges. Like Vivi, I try thin, I try coarse, I play, and like Vivi, I share, (which is a very admirable trait Vivi has). But I also see a lot of value in serrated edges and I would like to see their refinement continue as we have done. Not as a "modified" plain edge, but as another species of cutter, for the reasons mentioned above..

Serrations are all over in Nature. There must be a reason. God doesn't screw up like that.

sal

[Jeb]

I have to agree, God didn't screw that up. Many times what we miss are his finer details, sometimes very fine...

Look really close at that big Megaladon tooth you got Eric. It's all in the details for something that was huge and could swallow things without even chewing it lol.

[JoviAl]

I got quite into snakes for many years when I was younger. Bill Haast and his Serpentarium in Florida really influenced me. I kept snakes for years. He recently passed away at 100 about 15 years ago.

sal

I think I met him back when i was kid in Ten Mile River delware watergap, do he ever do stuff with bald eagles? That gentleman brought so many snakes!!!

Can’t keep snakes in NYC (anymore) but had kept Hog nose snakes, Garters, kings snakes and the Ball python. So easy to harm one of those, but such a boop noodle

It would be cool if there Spyderco’s came with a micarta animal scheme option- like the REC shaman with the python design-

Like a central plains milksnake or the bullsnake or the
Basin gopher snake - yeah you can guess which was one of my first merit badges…

Back to Serrations vs Plain edges- I know k390 comes in serrated, what is that like? I have the plain edge and it just whispers through whatever I’m cutting.

I have a K390 police 4 LW SE and can confirm it is ace. I use a CBN rod and a brown on the sharpmaker for a sort of very coarse/medium dual grit edge on it and it just cuts and cuts. In fact I can’t remember the last time I touched it up - maybe a year ago. It spends most of its time as a house knife as fixed blades reign supreme at work, but it is immensely competent.

[40mm]

Alright I’ll be joining the party here shortly. Got two Pacific Salt 1 knives coming with plain edge as well as a serrated Salt 1 to go along with my SE Dragonfly salt. Also the CBN rods for my Sharpmaker arrived yesterday.

[Bill1170]

I got quite into snakes for many years when I was younger. Bill Haast and his Serpentarium in Florida really influenced me. I kept snakes for years. He recently passed away at 100 about 15 years ago.

sal

I think I met him back when i was kid in Ten Mile River delware watergap, do he ever do stuff with bald eagles? That gentleman brought so many snakes!!!

Can’t keep snakes in NYC (anymore) but had kept Hog nose snakes, Garters, kings snakes and the Ball python. So easy to harm one of those, but such a boop noodle

It would be cool if there Spyderco’s came with a micarta animal scheme option- like the REC shaman with the python design-

Like a central plains milksnake or the bullsnake or the
Basin gopher snake - yeah you can guess which was one of my first merit badges…

Back to Serrations vs Plain edges- I know k390 comes in serrated, what is that like? I have the plain edge and it just whispers through whatever I’m cutting.

K390 is excellent in a serrated edge. My SE Endura in K390 is in my pocket today.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Hey Spyderbot,

The Python scales ere well received. I agree there could be more natural patterns.

Snakes were a chapter. There are many chapters in a life. They may not even be connected. follow your heart and your mind. Never lose interest and never stop learning. I was also a beekeeper.

back to serrations. More linear surface. more single point contact, more protected edge. FYI; the teeth protect the inner cutting surface from hitting the cutting board. . On our K04 and K05 Utilities, one tooth is longer than the other two, to protect the other two teeth.

I don't see this as a "v's". I like plain edges. Like Vivi, I try thin, I try coarse, I play, and like Vivi, I share, (which is a very admirable trait Vivi has). But I also see a lot of value in serrated edges and I would like to see their refinement continue as we have done. Not as a "modified" plain edge, but as another species of cutter, for the reasons mentioned above..

Serrations are all over in Nature. There must be a reason. God doesn't screw up like that.

sal

100 percent true. Well stated, sal.
One of the countless great things about Spyderco is that you pioneered serrated knife blades to a whole new level. The field of Bio Mimicry, creating materials and products based on natural designs, owes you a debt of gratitude.

Even insects have serrations. Here are some:

"Dragonflies (Order Odonata): Their name means "toothed one," referring to the serrated teeth on their mandibles used to catch and eat other insects mid-air.
Leafcutter Ants: These vegetarian ants have mandibles with jagged, zinc-infused teeth that act like steak knives, allowing them to slice through tough leaves.
Carnivorous Beetles & Wasps: Many have serrated, knife-like mandibles for seizing and cutting prey.
Caterpillars: Even herbivorous caterpillars have mandibles with ridged structures for chewing plant matter.
Bull Ants: Possess elongate, toothed mandibles for hunting and defense. "

[Spyderbot_matrix]

Cool, thanks for the input fellows-
@Bill1170
@JoviAl

Gotta give the wallet a break lol

[vivi]

K390 in PE held a shaving sharp edge longer than anything else I've used. I think it was a Police 4 at 300 grit... I carried it for a month using it every day and it still shaved. It was unreal.

The edge still cut great half a year later, no touch-ups. That's a steel I could see going a year between sharpenings in either edge configuration. SE K390 has to be an edge holding beast based on my PE experiences.

[Wartstein]

- On the other hand thus the tests do not reflect what - as far as I know - most people "in real life" experience with PE vs SE:
- YOUR PE folder edges are sharpened to 24 incl / 12 per side, while most folks will stick with the 35 to 40 per side they come with from the factory and would think 12 per side leaves a PE to fragile for general EDC?

The first point I quoted is a very valid point. Some people don't have the equipment or skills to reprofile a knife that thin, others simply don't want to bother. A lot of guided sharpeners don't go that low. So most people will absolutely be comparing a thicker PE to thinner SE, which can skew their perspective VS this style of comparison I've performed.

As to the second point quoted here, I've had no issues running PE knives as thin as 8 degrees per side with a 15 degree truly micro bevel. So 12 dps is actually overkill for me and gives me room for error. I can pry off chunks of wood when pointing sticks without worrying about the edge flexing, and don't worry about slicing into thick, rigid plastics like 5 gallon buckets.

If we're EDCing the same knife in the same steel (H1 Pacific Salt), and you get by fine with the factory serrated edge, I think chances are you'd get by fine with one of my knives. In fact I'd be up for putting a fresh 200 grit ~10dps edge on one of my Pacifics and letting you borrow it over the spring. See how long you can EDC it before the edge stops cutting.

- For a general EDC folder: Why do SE knives come with such (superior) steep edge angles from the factory, but PE folders do not if the could also get away with steeper angles? Why do many apparently think and find that SE remains durable and strong with such steep angles, but PE does not?

This is a question I struggle to fully answer.

The PE part makes sense. Companies grind their knvies extra thick to reduce warranty claims and compensate for people with poor cutting habits.

But the SE part doesn't make sense. You'd think they'd take the same approach there for the same reasons.

I'd be really interested to hear why this is the case straight from Sal.

My testing has shown that either a 10dps plain edge knife or 20 degree inclusive serrated edged knife can hold up fine to just about any task I'd consider using a folding knife for. Sal has talked about running his PE knives around that thin too, so I think he's pretty careful with his cutting habits like I am. Not afraid of hard use, but "think twice cut once" mindset to avoid unnecessary damage.

In my experience the only durability advantage of serrated edge is the teeth guarding the scallops from damage - thick slicing something on a stainless steel counter top. My experience has not shown any other inherent advantage for serrated edges being stronger than plain edges - in fact the opposite has been my experience. I find it easier to bend and roll serrated edges, especially the tips, compared to a plain edge.

I reprofile just about every single knife I buy. Some need it more than others. Most japanese kitchen knives come pretty thin, most cold steel folders come very thick. It varies. I think the only one with an out of the box geometry I've been happy with lately are Buck 110's.

But I'm a total sharpening nerd. Most people, even knife guys, even friends I've convinced to drop $200 on a spydie, just don't want to go through all that hassle.

Spydercos have better geometry than most other brands throughout the full primary grind, but the edge bevel itself is thicker than what works best for me. With some models it makes more of a difference than others. My Police 4 and Military Salt cut nice out of the box, even if thinning them out made them cut better. My Street Beats all came pretty thick and benefitted even more from the thinning process.

So again, yes, many folks won't make these same comparisons, and that's fine. reprofiling every knife you buy is time consuming and people may not be comfortable doing it. I get it. My point was just to illustrate that a lot of the advantages SE presents are not due to the serrations themselves, but geometry.

Additionally, beyond the pure geometry, a lot of the benefits of SE can be matched with a coarse grit finish on PE. These edges grab material like PE, keep cutting for months -after- losing shaving sharpness, etc.

The purpose isn't to say one edge type is superior than another, but to show where the asvantages truly are. Anyone can watch my videos and see for themselves how the edges perform, or test them out themselves.

As a matter of fact I´d actually LIKE to come to a point where I prefer PE again, for the sole reason that this would give me a lot more choices in Spydercos lineup...
I´ll sure try steep PE angles for myself, but am just not a really good free hand sharpener

If you have a sharpmaker, diamond rods and an easy to grind steel like H1 or VG10, it's easy to do. Set a rod or thin book under the sharpmaker and use a protractor (or picture of one on your phone) to get it to around 10 degrees. I've done it before and it works well enough.

Thanks, Vivi for your reply and tips! I´ll definitely have to try out your super-acute PE edge on one of my VG10 Spydies so I can see for myself how it will hold up in my own use...

... For generally I am still a bit confused:

As said, in your tests you´re comparing:
- a typical, average SE edge like pretty much everyone uses it ...
- with a PE edge that on the other hand very few seem to use for general EDC in their folders (cause it is so acute with its close to 20 incl.).

I 100% believe and trust in you when you say the 20 to 25 incl. PE edges are strong enough in your use (which obviously includes "harder" tasks)...

....But then @sal (viewtopic.php?p=1863893#p1863893) and @Michael Janich (https://mailchi.mp/spyderco/spyderco-by ... cycb2mvhza) seem to imply that such an acute PE edge would become (too?) fragile, since the reinforcing ribs that an SE edge offers are missing.
Just a guess, but it sounds like that this is the main reason why PE Spydercos do NOT come from the factory with such acute angles ?

In any case:

- If your tests were repeated with a "usual" out of the box PE edge as most people use and know it vs a "usual" out of the box SE edge the results would be more in favor of SE.

- Leaves the question:
Could Spyderco actually bring out all/most of their PE folders out of the box with around 20 incl (10 per side) edges like they do with their SE folders?

As it is of now: For most folks one of the SE advantages over PE exactly IS the more acute edge angle one gets right out of the box....

[zuludelta]

- Leaves the question:
Could Spyderco actually bring out all/most of their PE folders out of the box with around 20 incl (10 per side) edges like they do with their SE folders?

I kind of doubt it, Spyderco's warranty costs would probably skyrocket. I've been using knives since I was a little kid & I take good care of my work tools, but I still manage to ding up my folders' blades every now & then just from unintentionally hitting steel, ceramic, concrete, glass & rocks (I tend to keep most of my PE work folders at around 17° per side... I find this gives me a reasonable balance of edge durability & cutting performance for the work that I do). I'm fortunate that I have the equipment at home to quickly repair/reprofile damaged edges—I just did it for my K390 LT3LW the other day after I accidentally struck a pane of tempered glass with the blade and got a small chip on the edge. Your average user probably doesn't have the equipment (or the interest in sharpening) to easily repair damaged edges, especially in knives with blades made from K390, Cru-Wear, REX 121, Maxamet, etc. hardened to 63 hRC or higher & would rather send in a knife with a damaged edge (especially one at 10 dps) for warranty service.

As for the PE vs SE debate... I think each has its place. I used to carry SE/CE work folders almost exclusively back when the majority of the material I cut at my job was rope & pallet straps. I agree with vivi that the cutting advantage of Spyderco's SE comes largely from the steeper angle of its chisel edge but in my experience, the actual serrations are also very helpful for dealing with heavy duty composite pallet straps that are reinforced with thin strands of steel wire. A properly sharp PE blade in a decent steel can effectively cut those, too, of course, though it will sometimes sustain some flat spots after a couple of shifts of cutting those types of straps. An SE blade in the same steel will similarly take some edge damage from that type of (ab)use, but I've found that the serrations make it easier to reliably saw & tear through those straps, even when the edge has sustained some damage, due to SE's increased linear cutting edge area and the edge support provided by its "ribs".

However, I switched to carrying mostly PE when my work responsibilities changed & I didn't have to cut as much rope/straps on a daily basis as I used to. I find PE easier to keep sharp at the level I prefer with the variety of sharpening tools I have at hand (i.e., I'm not limited to the few options I have for rod-shaped sharpening media).

[Michael Janich]

Hey, All:

I've been watching this thread and enjoying the discussion very much. Since my August 2024 byte article has been referenced and questioned multiple times, I believe there is an expectation for me to respond. Specifically, there seems to be concern about my statement in that article that reads:

While most blade grinds create a “V-shaped” cross section at the edge, serrated edges are only ground on one side, creating a “chisel” profile that is literally half the cross section of a “V.” Logically, the “included” angle of that chisel-ground edge is half that of a comparable V-ground edge. On a PlainEdge™ blade, that would leave the terminal portion of the edge extremely fragile and prone to rolling or chipping. However, the unique structure of serration teeth and, very importantly, the ridges between them, actually reinforces the structural strength of the edge. Despite its thinner edge geometry, it remains strong.

That statement was not based solely on theory; it was based on Spyderco's manufacturing practices and using a goniometer (which is shown in the photo immediately below that paragraph) to actually measure our factory edges. Most V-ground edges average around a 34-degree included angle. Most SpyderEdges average around a 17-degree included angle. Last time I checked, 17 was half of 34.

Are those angles a conscious choice? Of course, and for good reason. More on that in a moment.

As I noted, "...the unique structure of serration teeth and, very importantly, the ridges between them, actually reinforces the structural strength of the edge. Despite its thinner edge geometry, it remains strong." Sal kindly confirmed this fact earlier in this thread with his statement "The "rib" between the serrations are thicker. A plain edge reduced to such thin angles does not have the thicker rib to reinforce the strength of that edge." (Thank you, Sal.)

So... could Spyderco produce factory edges that replicated Vivi's efforts to create identical included angles on both V-ground PlainEdge blades and chisel-ground SpyderEdge blades? Yes. And as ZuluDelta wisely pointed out, the fallout would be unpleasant. The reason is that most general knife users are not as astute, or as skilled, or as knowledgeable as the folks on this forum. Smart manufacturers therefore have to produce products that meet the needs of the statistical majority of their users.

The best explanation of this phenomenon in the knife world appears in the outstanding kitchen-knife book, An Edge in the Kitchen, by Chad Ward. In "The Sad Truth about Kitchen Knives," on page 134, he explains "The knives found in most commercial and home kitchens are like supermarket tomatoes--designed more for sturdiness than quality. Knife manufacturers make a series of compromises to keep the largest number of people happy for the longest period of time." He goes on to specifically discuss the thick edge angles and soft heat treatment of most European kitchen knives and contrasts them to the acute included angles and excellent blade hardness of typical Japanese kitchen knives, which asre the tools of choice of more experienced--and more skilled--knife users.

Interestingly, on page 141, he also offers his explanation of Japanese chisel-ground edges: "Chisel-ground edges can be extremely thin and sharp. If the edge bevel is ground at 15 degrees and the other side is 0 degrees, you have an included (total) angle of 15 degrees--considerably more acute than the average Western knife."

The bottom line is that manufacturers must make products that meet the needs and using habits of the broad scope of their customers. Unless you've actually worked processing warranty returns for a knife company (I have), you don't really understand how "unsophisticated" some of those using habits can be. Knowledgeable, skilled knife users can successfully use knives with thinner edge geometry. If they make a mistake and damage the thin edge, they also have both the self-awareness to acknowledge they made a mistake and the skill to sharpen the blade back to its previous condition. That population of users, however, is a minority.

Stay safe,

Mike

[benben]

Bottom line for me, I’m gonna use and enjoy both edge types equally! Lately I’ve been carrying a large plain edge folder and my serrated Lil’ Native Back Lock, this makes for a fantastic combination that covers most things I run into on a daily basis.

Kitchen duties are 100% plain edge Japanese knives.

[JoviAl]

Bottom line for me, I’m gonna use and enjoy both edge types equally! Lately I’ve been carrying a large plain edge folder and my serrated Lil’ Native Back Lock, this makes for a fantastic combination that covers most things I run into on a daily basis.

Kitchen duties are 100% plain edge Japanese knives.

I’m holding out for a Salt Lil Native Backlock, but I cannot wait to get my hands on one! How do you find it compares to a D’fly?

[JoviAl]

K390 in PE held a shaving sharp edge longer than anything else I've used. I think it was a Police 4 at 300 grit... I carried it for a month using it every day and it still shaved. It was unreal.

The edge still cut great half a year later, no touch-ups. That's a steel I could see going a year between sharpenings in either edge configuration. SE K390 has to be an edge holding beast based on my PE experiences.

Firstly - Happy new year buddy!

Did you thin the edge on your K390 and how coarse did you run it? I’ve found mine (admittedly in SE) has outstanding aggression with a CBN back side brown rod show side dual finish. I tried it with a highly polished edge and while it was very sharp it mitigated some of the grab and bite that I enjoy SE so much for.

[benben]

Bottom line for me, I’m gonna use and enjoy both edge types equally! Lately I’ve been carrying a large plain edge folder and my serrated Lil’ Native Back Lock, this makes for a fantastic combination that covers most things I run into on a daily basis.

Kitchen duties are 100% plain edge Japanese knives.

I’m holding out for a Salt Lil Native Backlock, but I cannot wait to get my hands on one! How do you find it compares to a D’fly?

I think the Dragonfly is a genius design….having said that I probably haven’t used one in 8/10 years! At one point I had eight of them, I’ve given them all away, I still have a ZDP-189 and a Foliage Green G-10 one, for me my Lil’ Native blows them away….again, for me!

[vivi]

K390 in PE held a shaving sharp edge longer than anything else I've used. I think it was a Police 4 at 300 grit... I carried it for a month using it every day and it still shaved. It was unreal.

The edge still cut great half a year later, no touch-ups. That's a steel I could see going a year between sharpenings in either edge configuration. SE K390 has to be an edge holding beast based on my PE experiences.

Firstly - Happy new year buddy!

Did you thin the edge on your K390 and how coarse did you run it? I’ve found mine (admittedly in SE) has outstanding aggression with a CBN back side brown rod show side dual finish. I tried it with a highly polished edge and while it was very sharp it mitigated some of the grab and bite that I enjoy SE so much for.

Happy new years to you too! About to head out to see some friends and watch some fireworks.

I did thin my K390 Police. something around 10-12dps like pretty much all my folders.

I was really into coarse edges when I used that knife so it mostly had 200-300 grit edges. It held an edge longer than any steel I had ever used.

Magnamax seems like it may be the best edge holder for me these days but without samples of each to test side by side I can't really say conclusively.

[JoviAl]

K390 in PE held a shaving sharp edge longer than anything else I've used. I think it was a Police 4 at 300 grit... I carried it for a month using it every day and it still shaved. It was unreal.

The edge still cut great half a year later, no touch-ups. That's a steel I could see going a year between sharpenings in either edge configuration. SE K390 has to be an edge holding beast based on my PE experiences.

Firstly - Happy new year buddy!

Did you thin the edge on your K390 and how coarse did you run it? I’ve found mine (admittedly in SE) has outstanding aggression with a CBN back side brown rod show side dual finish. I tried it with a highly polished edge and while it was very sharp it mitigated some of the grab and bite that I enjoy SE so much for.

Happy new years to you too! About to head out to see some friends and watch some fireworks.

I did thin my K390 Police. something around 10-12dps like pretty much all my folders.

I was really into coarse edges when I used that knife so it mostly had 200-300 grit edges. It held an edge longer than any steel I had ever used.

Magnamax seems like it may be the best edge holder for me these days but without samples of each to test side by side I can't really say conclusively.

The time zone differences always mess with my head a bit when new years happens - it’s nearly 10am on the 1st of January here just now. Feels like I’m messaging from the future

I’ve yet to try Magnamax but I’m sure I’ll cross paths with it eventually. I used to really prize wear resistance above all other things, but these days corrosion resistance, toughness and ease of sharpening are even with it for me in terms of importance (especially at work).

Anyways, have a great night man!

[JoviAl]

Bottom line for me, I’m gonna use and enjoy both edge types equally! Lately I’ve been carrying a large plain edge folder and my serrated Lil’ Native Back Lock, this makes for a fantastic combination that covers most things I run into on a daily basis.

Kitchen duties are 100% plain edge Japanese knives.

I’m holding out for a Salt Lil Native Backlock, but I cannot wait to get my hands on one! How do you find it compares to a D’fly?

I think the Dragonfly is a genius design….having said that I probably haven’t used one in 8/10 years! At one point I had eight of them, I’ve given them all away, I still have a ZDP-189 and a Foliage Green G-10 one, for me my Lil’ Native blows them away….again, for me!

I keep a D’fly Salt SE for IWB when running, kayaking, open water swimming, etc, but I find the Chap LW SE has taken over from it in all other use cases that I’d opt for a small folder. I love the D’fly, but I really love liners in a knife and the Chap has those plus a few other nice little touches that add up to one stellar knife. We’re very fortunate that we live in a time replete with countless great designs for us to try out.

Happy new years!

[Bill1170]

Hey, All:

I've been watching this thread and enjoying the discussion very much. Since my August 2024 byte article has been referenced and questioned multiple times, I believe there is an expectation for me to respond. Specifically, there seems to be concern about my statement in that article that reads:

While most blade grinds create a “V-shaped” cross section at the edge, serrated edges are only ground on one side, creating a “chisel” profile that is literally half the cross section of a “V.” Logically, the “included” angle of that chisel-ground edge is half that of a comparable V-ground edge. On a PlainEdge™ blade, that would leave the terminal portion of the edge extremely fragile and prone to rolling or chipping. However, the unique structure of serration teeth and, very importantly, the ridges between them, actually reinforces the structural strength of the edge. Despite its thinner edge geometry, it remains strong.

That statement was not based solely on theory; it was based on Spyderco's manufacturing practices and using a goniometer (which is shown in the photo immediately below that paragraph) to actually measure our factory edges. Most V-ground edges average around a 34-degree included angle. Most SpyderEdges average around a 17-degree included angle. Last time I checked, 17 was half of 34.

Are those angles a conscious choice? Of course, and for good reason. More on that in a moment.

As I noted, "...the unique structure of serration teeth and, very importantly, the ridges between them, actually reinforces the structural strength of the edge. Despite its thinner edge geometry, it remains strong." Sal kindly confirmed this fact earlier in this thread with his statement "The "rib" between the serrations are thicker. A plain edge reduced to such thin angles does not have the thicker rib to reinforce the strength of that edge." (Thank you, Sal.)

So... could Spyderco produce factory edges that replicated Vivi's efforts to create identical included angles on both V-ground PlainEdge blades and chisel-ground SpyderEdge blades? Yes. And as ZuluDelta wisely pointed out, the fallout would be unpleasant. The reason is that most general knife users are not as astute, or as skilled, or as knowledgeable as the folks on this forum. Smart manufacturers therefore have to produce products that meet the needs of the statistical majority of their users.

The best explanation of this phenomenon in the knife world appears in the outstanding kitchen-knife book, An Edge in the Kitchen, by Chad Ward. In "The Sad Truth about Kitchen Knives," on page 134, he explains "The knives found in most commercial and home kitchens are like supermarket tomatoes--designed more for sturdiness than quality. Knife manufacturers make a series of compromises to keep the largest number of people happy for the longest period of time." He goes on to specifically discuss the thick edge angles and soft heat treatment of most European kitchen knives and contrasts them to the acute included angles and excellent blade hardness of typical Japanese kitchen knives, which asre the tools of choice of more experienced--and more skilled--knife users.

Interestingly, on page 141, he also offers his explanation of Japanese chisel-ground edges: "Chisel-ground edges can be extremely thin and sharp. If the edge bevel is ground at 15 degrees and the other side is 0 degrees, you have an included (total) angle of 15 degrees--considerably more acute than the average Western knife."

The bottom line is that manufacturers must make products that meet the needs and using habits of the broad scope of their customers. Unless you've actually worked processing warranty returns for a knife company (I have), you don't really understand how "unsophisticated" some of those using habits can be. Knowledgeable, skilled knife users can successfully use knives with thinner edge geometry. If they make a mistake and damage the thin edge, they also have both the self-awareness to acknowledge they made a mistake and the skill to sharpen the blade back to its previous condition. That population of users, however, is a minority.

Stay safe,

Mike

Excellent post! Thank you, Mr. Janich for neatly summing up those key points.

[JSumm]

This is a great thread @vivi! Thanks for taking the time to put it together. I have been regularly using serrated blades for the last couple of years. I like them a lot. Do I like them more than PE. No. Do I like PE more than SE. No. I like the variety.

Interesting enough, I find the serrations do not perform as well on thin plastic and aluminum foil like you show in those first videos. Though mine seem to cut it better than your example. So when I am grilling out, PE typically wins out. SE wins out in the yard work department for sure.

Unlike PE, I sharpen the SE to a fine edge using the white rods on the Sharpmaker. I still use your serrated sharping method on the SM (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84544) because it is the quickest and easiest method for me. Using a fine edge on serrations seems perfect since the teeth are built in. Anyone wanting to try serrations I would highly reccomend a fine edge.