Those are some good options SurgeUk They do come in very handy for rescue, as long as you're careful in the event you're cutting clothing. The Vic Rescue has a blunted tip which makes it safer. For the Wingman and Gerber MP 400, it's helpful to run the edge across the material you're cutting such as a strap or seatbelt, and get the feedback in your hand as to which edge works better... often it's the serrated edge to start the cut and plain edge to finish it off.
Absolutely EB and my first choice is the RT on my load vest and I carry the Wingman as back-up (on my duty belt)TBH most of the rescue type scenarios we are involved in are urban/semi-rural and tend to be suicidal types (hanging) where seconds can make a difference.Moreover, given their circumstances (strangulation etc) I need to be able to cut them down from a rope, or other type of ligature, very quickly and in that case, if possible, I need to preserve the knot for evidential purposes (without losing sight of the primary purpose of course) I don't recall ever needing to cut a seatbelt, as we don't get called for road traffic collisions (RTCs) and equally, I've never needed to cut clothing off.Obviously, things change and I tend to choose the type of kit specific to the call out; day/night etc. and of course terrain (not many mountains here though) It's not a bad selection but I think I might need the Skele RX
When I was in my teenage years, I first got interested in edged tools by way of lockbacks that had serrations on the inner half of the blade. One of my friends would get these sorts of knives from a hardware store and would use them to within a millimeter of their limit. He would keep the plain edge razor sharp, and when he had sharpened the curved belly of the blade to a straight edge with the angles of a box cutter, he'd shelf the knife and get a new one. I envied how he could do precision work but also tear through rope and even metal tins with that knife.This began a series of both budget and brand name locking folders that I used for EDC.. Buck and Cold Steel being my favorites. When I switched to multiools, I rather liked having separate plain and serrated edges, starting with the Leatherman SuperTool. Meanwhile, another friend of mine started carrying the LM PST II for basic thinks when he went away to school. I have to admit that I was a bit jealous of his PST II, if only for the fact that it didn't have that finicky locking mechanism. ... ... ...The Victorinox One Handed Trekker, and the Soldier have a combo edge. But in a twist, the serrations are on the outer two thirds - allowing for precision and leverage on the plain edge but allowing for momentum and slashing with the serrations. ... ... ...All told, I think combo edges have their place. Victorinox has done a great job with them on certain tools, especially given the reverse configuration. The butter blade on the Vic Sprit hasn't let anyone down yet. Leatherman seems to continue to use them on the multiools that serve in a complimentary system for outdoor recreation with the Signal, Skeletool, and several of their knife based tools. Then going back to basics... For people that need a tool just to make life easier, there's the Wingman.When you're not filleting a fish or carving a wooden spoon... When you have a plain edge blade on one tool and you have a complimentary tool with a combo edge... Or when you just want to pack as many options into an efficient multitool or even a folding knife... What are you carrying?
Big fan of combo blades. Left alone with only one blade, I might choose a combo, like a Spyderco Native combo.To the discussion as to why most combo blades are serrated near the choil a d plain edge from midway to the tip, there are two very compelling reasons:1) Skinning animals is done with the tip-end, and not accomplished well with a serrated blade.2) If you think about the way rope is most often cut, it is doubled over, the blade placed inside the loop all the way to the hilt of the knife, and - from the choil/ hilt end - pulled from the center of your chest to one side, blade facing away.For these reasons, serious combo edges have the serrations closer to the hand through center and plain edge from the center to the tip.That doesnt mean the Victorinox combo edge is bad. It's already been outlined here just how that can be of help, but that's not the way combo edges are generally designed because that's not who they were initially designed for.And no, I do not baton with any of my knives. I have a hatchet for that, and if I dont have that, I look for smaller wood to start.One of my favorite combo edges, which got me into combo edges and serrated edges, was the LM PST II. When I find a multi tool with individual PE and SE, I go for that, as each has its place. But if I can only have one blade, I like it to be a combo, with serrations at the hand-end.
To the discussion as to why most combo blades are serrated near the choil a d plain edge from midway to the tip, there are two very compelling reasons:1) Skinning animals is done with the tip-end, and not accomplished well with a serrated blade.2) If you think about the way rope is most often cut, it is doubled over, the blade placed inside the loop all the way to the hilt of the knife, and - from the choil/ hilt end - pulled from the center of your chest to one side, blade facing away.For these reasons, serious combo edges have the serrations closer to the hand through center and plain edge from the center to the tip.
The serrations were not required in the making of "Chicken Ding" for Mrs Surge
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,87756.0.htmlI started a thread for the Combo Edge Challenge for next February
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,87756.0.htmlThe challenge begins tomorrow. Jump in with any knife of multitool that has a partially serrated blade. It looks like we have enough participants to get our own badge. Join us!!
A Hogue K320A that I just got. It cuts pretty well!
Each type of edge can quickly become too short to be useful.Once you go from two blades to a CE blade, you also have to decide in advance where on your blade you will have the most utility from each edge type. Maybe a middle portion with serrations would be the best compromise? With a short stretch of PE at both ends, you can still make precision cuts against your thumb where you need very controlled force and feedback, like removing cable sheaths. PE toward the tip lets you finish off cuts against a cutting board or make precise cuts with the tip of the blade. SE in the middle, and pretty far back toward the heel, will still enable a lot of force to be transferred when cutting fibrous material. Both suspended and against a cutting board. Not sure such a CE blade exists, but I'd be very tempted to try one.
I was about to post something very similar haha! I definitely want PE closest to the handle for best control when doing things like trimming cigars and fingernails, and PE at the tip for puncturing, cleaning fingernails, etc., which leaves the middle section for SE.I agree a blade would need to be at least 3” long (1” serrated in the middle, and 1” plain on each end) for this to possibly be practical, and longer would probably be better.
That looks like it cuts REALLY well.
I'm contemplating to join the CE challenge, but to the best of my recollection I don't own a CE blade of any kind.This means that to join, I most likely have to get myself a CE blade. And this of course opens up to a philosophical thought process around what to get, and why.The why, or what for, is probably the most important detail to address, and the "what" should hopefully follow quite logically from that.At some level I feel like this have to logically narrow down to a weight restricted activity. I mean, if weight (or bulk) isn't a big concern, and I know I might need one or the other - I'll likely bring both types.There could be practical considerations as well, e.g. situations where you might need both types in rapid succession and don't have time to fiddle around with different blades or tools. Climbing or working at height comes to mind, where you often have only one hand available and want to finish off what you're doing before you lose your grip, concentration, dexterity or all of the above. I know this situation all too well, but for what I do, I need both types of edge close to the handle to achieve the right balance of force and control. YMMV.Then there's the intuitive bias against CE altogether, that makes this even harder. CE by its very nature gives you two short stretches of each edge type and if, like me, you prefer short blades. Each type of edge can quickly become too short to be useful.Once you go from two blades to a CE blade, you also have to decide in advance where on your blade you will have the most utility from each edge type. Maybe a middle portion with serrations would be the best compromise? With a short stretch of PE at both ends, you can still make precision cuts against your thumb where you need very controlled force and feedback, like removing cable sheaths. PE toward the tip lets you finish off cuts against a cutting board or make precise cuts with the tip of the blade. SE in the middle, and pretty far back toward the heel, will still enable a lot of force to be transferred when cutting fibrous material. Both suspended and against a cutting board. Not sure such a CE blade exists, but I'd be very tempted to try one.I have quite a few full SE Spydercos, and I think they do great serrations. Especially after I've thinned- and shortened them out a bit they bite into material like nothing else. But even as much as I like them, I generally find a coarse PE to perform almost as well and be a better all round performer for generic use. CE could potentially be the best of both worlds, I'm just afraid that the caveats mentioned above quickly eats away on the perceived advantage.If there was a perfect use case for CE in my life, I would probably have identified it by now, but sometimes we just can't see the forest for the trees, so I'm open to suggestions.
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