The only circumstance where I carry a partially serrated knife is offshore. A serrated knife will cut wet slimy rope in a blink of an eye. And that may be all the time you have before you are dragged overboard. The rest of the time I use the straight part. I have a very old (at least 15 years now) benchmade folder with partially serrated blade.

Actually lately I have been carrying two knives. One for "cabin work" and a serrated fixed blade for deck cutting.

I would like to get rid of the old benchmade and get a new one just like it but with a straight blade.

Nomad