Serrated Edge on Knife or not?

[plumberroy]

My Dad, God rest his soul taught me if the is any chance of a knife fight bring a gun. He also taught me how to sharpen a knife. He would ask to see my knife and keep it for a while if it was not reasonably sharp . serrated edges are for people who won't take the time to learn to sharpen a knife If you want a saw carry a saw.if not learn how to sharpen a knife. gut hooks suck too!
Roy

 

[Blofeld]

I love my Civilian dearly, but the brochure that came with it claims that it would be extremely difficult to cause fatal wounds with it.

The thing has the size and sharpness to reach all the major arteries. How is it less lethal?

 

[Aka Zero]

Wait.... civilian.... I thought that was designed to be a defense tool and that's all. Purpose made for being stabby, sharp, and all those other things that knives do.

 

[Blofeld]

You are correct. It comes with a warning that says it is not for utility purposes. So SD only.

But it also comes with a brochure that states by virtue of its design, it is not a killing knife, and in fact it would be difficult to kill with.

I know something about knife fighting/ defense, and a stabbing knife, no, it isn't. But as far as slashing, this knife will reach out and grab. And as I said, it has the size to reach all the important cables.

As it bears on this discussion, I can only surmise that Spyderco feels that since the Civilian doesn't stab, that the ability to do so is what makes a knife lethal. If that's the case, serrations or not aren't a factor for a self defense knife as much as a sturdy point.

As far as every day tasks go, sharpening serrated edges has always been a pain to me. A couple of companies make unique serrations that can be sharpened on a regular stone with no special technique. I'd go with one of those.

 

[KBintheSLC]

I personally prefer non-serrated blades for combat/survival knives. Just learn to sharpen them well and they can slice up pieces of loose paper held by only one hand. I believe that a non-serrated blade will last much longer and will perform at top notch much longer than a serrated blade will.

 

[FLORIDA KEVIN]

the only thing I have ever cut that cut better with a serrated blade than a plain blade was a waterlogged palm frond that got wrapped around my boat propellor late one night !I had to cut by feel and the serrated edge went right through the strands of wet palm !Kevin