Richard O. was at home one evening when two men knocked at his front door…
When Richard opened the door, the men grabbed him and pushed him inside.
The men demanded money and shoved Richard towards the kitchen.
One of the men held Richard in the kitchen at gunpoint, while the other one ran upstairs looking for money.
While in the kitchen, Richard was able to grab a knife from a drawer. The intruder in the kitchen ran off as soon as he saw the knife.
But, the second intruder came running down the stairs toward Richard.
According to Richard, the front door was open, but the intruder chose to run towards him instead of out the door:
“He didn’t try to get out of the front door, he came towards me.”
With no other choice, Richard used the kitchen knife to defend his life. He stabbed the intruder, killing him.
The death was ruled a justified homicide.
A toxicology report indicated the intruder had recently used cocaine and heroin. They said he may have been feeling the effects of the drugs at the time of the crime.
The judge said…
“The householder was terrified and asserted he acted in self-defense after an assault by the other intruder. He was close to, but not obstructing, the exit by the intruder.”
As this story demonstrates, a knife should be part of your everyday carry, as well as your home for survival and self-defense.
But when it comes to knives, there are tons of different options such as size, type of blade, type of handle, and so on.
One question that most people face is buying a serrated blade vs. a straight edge blade.
So, here is a breakdown to help you decide what might be best for your situation.
Serrated Blade:
A serrated knife has a line of what’s called teeth along the edge. The teeth are points with a sharpened curve between each point.
The serrated design reduces the amount of contact area between the blade and the object you are cutting.
Serrated blades are a little less common compared to straight edge knives. With a serrated blade, it can be the entire length of the blade or a partial part of the blade.
If it’s partially serrated it’s usually the part of the blade closer to the handle that has the serrated portion.
Serrated blades are intended for slicing. It’s like using a mini saw moving back and forth on what you are trying to cut.
But, the serrations can also be used in survival instances.
For example, think about cutting through rope or even firewood. A serrated blade is ideal for this.
In addition, a serrated blade is best for cleaning animals before cooking.
A serrated blade can do a lot in a survival situation. From cooking to cutting wood a serrated blade knife should be part of your survival gear.
Straight Edge Blade:
A straight edge blade is also called a plain edge.
It’s a blade without any serrations. It’s one continuous cutting line down the entire blade of the knife.
Straight edge blades are the most common type of blade because they can do everything.
A straight edge can hack, chop, and fillet without a problem.
Because of this, most people prefer a straight edge for survival and everyday carry.
Finally, straight edge blades are easier to sharpen and maintain. You can clean them and don’t need to worry about cleaning each serration.
So which is better?
A serrated blade and straight edge blade serve different purposes. But, if you had to choose one I would go with a straight edge.
For one, you want a knife that can withstand a lot of use.
Serrated blades have thin bits of metal teeth. These can break and damage after rough use.
Plus, most things a serrated blade can do, a straight blade can also do with a little extra effort.
If you do a lot of cutting such as through rope or fabric a serrated blade is a way to go.
Some knives have partially serrated blades and straight blades.
These are called combo blades.
The problem with these is that the serrated partition usually isn’t big enough to do anything.
In other words, it’s a waste and you should have two different knives.
If you are looking for an everyday carry knife, I would go with a straight edge.
