Oh please! What knife manufacturer would ever do such a thing?

I really like it Haertig. It's done everything I've ever asked it to. It's holds it's edge nicely, and the serrations are perfectly out of the way for batonning, which is a huge plus for me. The serrated part has been used many, many times for things like cutting vines, green branches and it does the job like a pro. It's a nice little saw. It's not a very big knife either, which I really like. (The blade is less than 5")

It's still on their website so they must still make it. (Model 25-12 for $33.50 http://www.rukoproducts.com/cart/index.php?target=products&product_id=201) My husband bought it maybe 12 years ago so it's certainly got the longevity to disprove the "the serrations weaken the blade" theory. Of course, it's never been used as a pry bar or as anything other than a knife.

That's an interesting-looking knife. Have you had any issues with the sawback cutting the inside of the sheath?

I think serrations on the back of the blade started with the Air Force survival knife. The serrations were terrible on wood, but man they really cut through the aluminum hull of an aircraft!

One of my military survival schools had a lot of old aircraft chunks and they showed us how to use the knife as an extraction device.

Like I said though... crummy for cutting wood.

Nomad

Move to the head of the class, if you please, Mr. Brangdon.



Get thee to a drollery!

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I always enjoy the "chunky vs. smooth" debate.

IMO, the majority of serrations on mass-produced blades are rubbish. They are in the wrong place, they are designed to look good rather than cut, and they are unmaintainable by the average user.

But that said, these days I find certain kinds of serrations, properly situated, highly desirable. I add my own using a diamond chainsaw file, at the forward third of the blade. Simple scallops that are simple to maintain. Over time they are sharpened out, using standard sharpening stones, and I refresh them as needed.

I find my serrations to be enormously effective in dealing with tough, fibrous vegetable matter and smaller woody branches/saplings. I find there is a longer period between sharpenings when the blade regularly dips into the dirt. It certainly lets lower-end "beater" knives punch far above their weight. There's also a safety factor IMO -- it's sometimes unavoidable (in my work) to cut toward the hand that's holding the material, and the serrated blade, used in a sawing+push forward motion, gives a lot more blade control while keeping up the pace of the work.

Does this translate to hardcore wilderness or survival use? For me, I think it does.

YMMV.

This is a great thread.

I carry a Leatherman Multitool with a regular blade that I use from time to time (it's very sharp), but I also have a cheap pocket knife that is 1/2 serrated.

I like the serrated to cut rope etc, but I do find trying to sharpen the ridges to be a time consuming task. I suspect the leathermans knife would probably do just as well.

I have always like the SOG FLASH II knives, but haven't gotten around to ordering one. I had picked out the one that was serrated, but after reading this, might actually change my mind.

For >90% of my cutting needs a plain edge is preferred and it's much easier to keep sharp. For the other <10% which are mostly contingency/emergency needs I have partially and fully serrated blades. However, those knives are rarely used and in one case has never been put to work, the fully serrated edge is factory sharp (and it is sharp).

I guess my point is why deal with the hastle of having a critical section of knife edge serrated when your cutting needs primarily require only a sharp plain edge? YMMV

For the rare times when a serrated blade might be the better choice over a straight blade, I'm thinking something like this (inexpensive) fully serrated knife might be the ticket:

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Meadowlar...=I213ERVKSPJJAT

Or it's bigger brother (if your state allows "concealed carry" of a knife with a 4" blade):

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Cara2-Rescue-Black-SpyderEdge/dp/B001EBXH04/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp

Several years ago Cliff Stamp showed cutting up a steel belted tire with a fully-serrated Spyderco knife made from H1 steel.

That was pretty much the end of that knife but I think the point was that in a survival situation, where destroying a knife is acceptable, it can be done. A regular steel knife might have survived better - his was H1 which is pretty soft.

I personally use a Syperdo Native that is partially serrated (S30V steel) though I carry a beautiful (and excellent) Fallkniven folder when I'm around more tender souls.

Like James, I carry a partially serrated Spyderco Native when working around the house (in my weekend jeans). Much better for cutting vegetation, carpets and the common yard and house use.

Like others I have and use both for their specific strengths. A sharp straight edge will cut a seatbelt or rope almost as well as a serrated edge, it just won't do it more than a few times. It also will NOT cut warm bread as well :-)!!!

Several have indicated a problem in sharpening a serrated edge. Sal Glesser (the owner of Spyderco) designed the Triangle sharpener - which allowed him to start selling serrated knives. The Triangle makes sharpening serrated edges almost as easy as straight ones.

Full disclosure - I have had Sal as a friend since before he made his first knife.

Respectfully,

Jerry