A serrated knife is primarily used to cut foods that have a tough exterior and a soft, delicate interior. Its saw-like edge grips the surface and saws through it, preventing the soft inside from being crushed.
A serrated knife complements a chef's knife by covering tasks that require grip rather than force. It reduces pressure during cutting and helps maintain the structure of delicate foods.
The Right Blade for the Right Purpose
Generally, we'd say that plain edges work for most everyday use and carry. On the other hand, if you're into high adventure, whether that's a mariner, climber, hiker or working as a chef or in the rescue or emergency medical field, a serrated blade would probably be a better fit.
A serrated knife is designed with a toothed, saw-like edge meant for a back-and-forth sawing motion. It is perfect for cutting foods with tough exteriors and soft, delicate interiors, allowing you to slice cleanly without crushing, squashing, or tearing.
They certainly don't do more damage, at least not of the relevant type - when you're fighting someone, you wan to open up an artery, cut a tendon or sever muscles to stop him from hurting you back, and serrated blade helps with none of that. It actually makes cutting through something in one motion harder.
Navy SEALs rely on a few specific standard-issue fixed blades, but they largely carry mission-dependent gear. Standard-issue knives include the Ontario MK3 Mod 0 dive knife and the Cold Steel SRK. For everyday carry and field operations, operators frequently choose rugged folding knives from premium brands.
Steak knives are serrated primarily to compensate for dulling and to make sawing through tough meat easier. The jagged teeth create concentrated pressure points that pierce hard crusts, while the recessed "valleys" are protected from scraping against hard ceramic plates, keeping the blade functional over time.
In the high-end folding knife community, the original "Holy Trinity" refers to three legendary American makers who pioneered the modern premium tactical folder. Together, their designs set the gold standard for durability and precision.
Rule #1: It is important to use a knife adapted to what you want to do / food you want to prepare. For example, you shouldn't use a bread knife to slice a roast or use the blade of a paring knife and use it as a screwdriver (don't laugh, we've all done it!) Rule #2: Don't drop your knife on the floor.
Serrated bayonets are banned under international humanitarian law because their jagged teeth are specifically designed to cause unnecessarily severe wounds. Additionally, the serrations cause the blade to snag on clothing and flesh, making it highly impractical for combat.
Then I learned how the world's best chefs use theirs. Turns out, a bread knife is one of the most versatile tools in the kitchen. Gordon Ramsay uses it for pineapples and large fruits — the serrated blade glides through tough skin without crushing the soft flesh inside. Heston Blumenthal slices tomatoes with it.
Cutting boards made of glass, granite, ceramic, or your dinner plate may look stylish or convenient, but they are the fastest way to destroy a knife's edge. These surfaces are harder than your knife's steel. So every time your blade contacts them, it suffers microscopic edge deformation, chipping, or even rolling.
Yes, you can sharpen serrated knives, but standard flat sharpeners will ruin the scalloped edge. You need to sharpen each "tooth" individually using specialized tools like a tapered diamond rod, a ceramic rod, or sandpaper.
However, when you want delicate, whisper-thin slices for your salad, serrated blades aren't going to cut it (figuratively); you'll want to use a razor-sharp straight-edge blade instead. Citrus and melons, on the other hand, have thick, sometimes coarse rinds that a serrated knife can carve straight through.
Serrated knives are best for tasks that involve cutting through foods with a tough exterior and soft interior, such as bread, tomatoes, and citrus fruits. If you regularly prepare these types of foods, a serrated knife will be a valuable addition to your kitchen.
Never soak knives with wooden handles in water; prolonged exposure can damage the handle and rivets. Knives with plastic handles and without rivets can be soaked for longer periods without issue.
In California, certain knives are illegal to carry, particularly if they are misleading or undetectable. In general, knives that are illegal are those which are most commonly used to commit crimes and do not have an obvious use as a tool or look like knives.
To better understand why the chef's knife, paring knife, and bread knife are each greater than the sum of their parts, let's break down these all-purpose kitchen companions a little further.
John Wick famously wields a signature series of high-end, out-the-front (OTF) automatic knives in his movies. The specific knives vary depending on the film, transitioning from production models by Microtech Knives in the first three movies to a highly exclusive custom blade in the fourth.
In many cultures, giving someone a knife or another sharp object is thought to symbolically cut or sever the bond between giver and receiver. The knife's sharp edge represents division, which can be interpreted as bringing misfortune to a friendship, romantic relationship, or family tie.
The type of steel and the thickness of the blade determine how thin the cutting edge can be sharpened. Japanese knives often have a small cutting angle of approximately 15 degrees while a European knife has one of 20 degrees. Here we are talking about a sharpening angle per side.
All knife edges become dull with use, even edges on serrated or “never need sharpening” knives. This is because, with use, the edge eventually folds over or breaks when it encounters the resistance of the food being cut or when it comes into contract with a cutting surface.
A serrated knife uses small, saw-like teeth to grip and cut through materials using a back-and-forth sawing motion. It is designed to cut through items with a firm, tough exterior and a soft, delicate interior without crushing or tearing them.
Kitchen Knife Types