PE and SE Uses

[Lord vader]

I disagree about the uselessness of serrations. My collection is 80% PE, but my active time in the Navy taught me that certain types of rope cut safer with SE. A plain edge will have the tendency to slide off of Polypropylene rope without biting. Most of my accidents involving knives have come from polypro. having to be forced too much.
Serrations often get stuck in nylon rope. (big stuff) I find that PE works better/safer for nylon rope and cotton stuffer braid line. Manila rope can go either way, It just likes a aggressive edge. I always carried one of each because being around rope and line can be dangerous during certain operations.

I second that with total agreement.

[JD Spydo]

I disagree about the uselessness of serrations. My collection is 80% PE, but my active time in the Navy taught me that certain types of rope cut safer with SE. A plain edge will have the tendency to slide off of Polypropylene rope without biting. Most of my accidents involving knives have come from polypro. having to be forced too much.
Serrations often get stuck in nylon rope. (big stuff) I find that PE works better/safer for nylon rope and cotton stuffer braid line. Manila rope can go either way, It just likes a aggressive edge. I always carried one of each because being around rope and line can be dangerous during certain operations.

I too agree 100% with your opinion Scout. I don't mean to sound derrogatory or condescending but it seems like a lot of people talk bad or down about something they really don't know about. I've really talked to few people who even understand the concept of serrations much less what they are meant to be used for.

People tend to develop predjudices based out of ignorance or just having a pre-disposistion against something that they don't understand. Serrated blades aren't the perfect tool for every cutting job and I'll be the first to admit it. But the cutting jobs they are good for they really do the job very well. And as I've said before not all serration patterns are even equal by any means. Some patterns are certainly much better than others. And Spyderco is the king of serrated blades and have been for several years.

I had one guy last month tell me that the only reason he really hated serrated blades is because he didn't know how to sharpen them. Well guys & gals why not just learn how to sharpen them? It's not rocket science or nuclear physics for crying out loud. Because believe me a good serrated blade is a very valuable tool for certain cutting jobs. Personally I would always opt to cut rope with an SE blade. Good thread guys

[MountainManJim]

Post updated with Scout's comments.

[stonyman]

Hey folks, I really do not get into the whole PE/SE debate. I believe both are viable cutting tools. I have preferred PE for the most part. I had a combo edge blade from another blade company that I carried pre spyderco and I really liked the performance that it gave me. Recently I have had the opportunity to have the best of both worlds. I edc a pair of P3's.

The SE seems to be doing all of the work while the PE rides in the left front pocket. The PE is kept fairly sharp to work as needed. Plastic materials, boxes, belts, construction vinyl covering. The P3 serrated edge is my first edc fully serrated blade that I have used. I seem to want to press it into work more and more................but I am still a PE guy! :confused: :D I love em both! :D

[Lord vader]

Hey all, I believe that this forum is evidence that PE and SE both have their uses. We have so many SE enthusiasts that there must be applications where the SE excels. Finding those tasks was the goal of my post. I think we pulled together a good list so far.

“The Cutting Edge …” is a great book, though primarily because there is so little written on the subject. I gleaned several great tips from the authors, but their bias towards the PE is troubling. I think stems for the fact that they did have a good way to sharpen a SE. Clearly the SE would not be useful with the Sharp Maker. Also, their experience and focus was on meat packing plant applications. An application where the PE seems to be preferred.

I agree with TheCuttingEdge that cutting food on a plate is shining example of a situation where SE is preferred over the PE.

Mark, Wescobts, I too see the PE as the best all around edge, but I hope to avoid starting the PE/SE argument. A sharp PE can do cut anything a SE can, but it will dull quicker and it may take more care to get it to cut. I always have a PE with me, but I avoid having just a SE with me. The SE seems to be more of a special purpose edge. Very effective for cutting tasks where it excels, but rather ill suited for many of the push cutting tasks that one encounters.

All said, one always benefits from having more TOOLS :D So, always carry a Dyad :spyder:

Jim

Here is something i found about Plain VS Serrated blades here is the link http://www.ebladestore.com/plain_vs_serrated.shtml

[MountainManJim]

Vader, the articles looks good. Kind of mirrors all of our experience.

I also found this one that quotes Sal: http://www.missionknives.com/articles/Serrations.html

Jim

[Lord vader]

Vader, the articles looks good. Kind of mirrors all of our experience.

I also found this one that quotes Sal: http://www.missionknives.com/articles/Serrations.html

Jim

That is a good article and there is no debate on that,My thought is the serrated edge has it`s strong points as does the plain edge and i think they are both equally as good with the given tasks as long as it is applied correctly.

[Pete1977]

I am finishing up my 21 day hitch and brought my vg10 SE endura and my pe atlantic salt. I ended up using the endura for everything including cutting rope of various diameters boring holes in a five gallon bucket cutting rags from old sweatshirts stripping wires chipping ice cutting frozen lines whittling points onto pine shingles and cutting plastic spray bottles to make rock salt scoops. I sharpened the knife the day before I left and haven't done it in 3 weeks of hard use. I have to disagree that PE can do everything SE can do. even the best reprofiled pe blade isn't going to stand up to cutting 1.5 inch frozen plastic rope and I've used all kinds of pe blades at all different angles and all different kinds of steel and none can outcut a se when cutting high strength rope or large diameter work lines.

[Sherpa]

I love a sharp plain edge knife, whisking through a sheet of paper like it is not even there is fun. Perfectly clean and smooth cuts, easily controlled.
I prefer PE for....
cutting paper
wood

I got a good deal on a Tasman Salt SE which has provided the bulk of my SE experience. Experience with SE is important before making a decision on whether you like it or not. (performance wise)

I love it! It does some things so easily it seems like magic. Cutting into a hard material is easy with all those little points. Sometimes it seems I just start a cut in cardboard and WHOOSH, the cut is finished.

Every Spider fan ought to have at least one SE! Carry it as your main knife for a couple of weeks, just keep a small pe on you for backup and see how you like it!

[tasmanH1salt]

serrated... best for quickly processing sole on the docks (saw off head / through spine, rip off, along with guts).

spyderco's H1 serrations are the absolute best out there!!!!!!!

Which H1 do you use to do this?

[RIOT]

PE is best for shaving. Probably better than SE :)

For everything else, full Spyderedge all the way

i remember your pics

[MountainManJim]

Links to "articles" added to original post.

Thanks,

Jim

[Jay_Ev]

PE is best for shaving. Probably better than SE :)

For everything else, full Spyderedge all the way

+1
I, for one would not like to shave my face with a serrated Gillette Mach 3! Ouch!

[JNewell]

Popping this one back up to the top for all the great reading on uses of SE blades. :spyder: