A serrated knife is a long slim blade with very fine teeth, 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch in width, that are angled so their peaks face inward toward the center or axis of the blade. Such knives have a sharp secondary edge running along the back of the main edge, these are known as false edges.
History and Origins:
The origin and use of serrated blades are unknown. The earliest blade type with notches or teeth was probably one in which some type of stone would be pushed on top to sharpen it periodically and traditionally those were used for skinning animals before metal tools became more common and less labor-intensive for this task.
Some cultures, such as the Inuit, the Tlingit, and the native peoples of New Zealand seem to have used serrations for cutting wood or very hard leather. Some of these people also used them to help pierce seal blubber with holes that would let the smoke out.
It has been suggested they may have also been used to help split a blow-dried seal meat cut on skinning tools into small pieces which would be easier to carry with you on your journey. The tiniest serrations were found in prehistoric times (4th millennium BC) and were made from Small Stone Age projectile points.
Pros and Cons:
The advantages of a serrated knife are many. One such feature is its ability to cut through tougher foods such as cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. Another is the serrated edge itself which allows for cutting in any direction, making it easy to maintain the thickness at the bottom of vegetables or avoid the difficult walls of fruits.
On the other hand, an ordinary blade is more precise and cuts smoothly on all sides like a saw whereas a serrated knife requires more effort and arm strength. In addition to these strengths, some people consider teeth on a serrated blade beneficial because they act as both teeth and scoops that lift food from plates faster than typical knives can do so.
Nevertheless, a serrated knife can cause accidents in the kitchen due to its sharp teeth and small handles. The disadvantages of this serrated knife are quite the opposite. The serrated edge means a smooth cut but sharpness makes it easy to injure hands and fingers.
In addition to these external dangers, it can be more labor intensive to use compared to its more precise counterpart. It is also unable to be used for finer cutting, such as slicing bread or mincing finely. These disadvantages can lead to people spending too much on expensive knives in order to avoid the pain involved in using a serrated one.
Serration is a designated scoring or sawing process done at one end of the blade along its edge, typically when straight up against another knife that has been sharpened at the other end by re-sawing or grinding.
Be Careful with Serrated Knives!
Serrated knives are notoriously difficult to clean and are much more likely to harbor bacteria than other kitchen knives. Cleaning them after being used is especially important, but it can be difficult to do so without risking injury or ruining the blade’s edge.
The basic principle with a serrated knife is that the top of the knife has a notched edge that scrapes along the surface of whatever you’re chopping, and these tiny blades are constantly exposed from these notches, making them more difficult to clean than other types of knives.
Furthermore, because of their design, knives with serrated blades can have microscopic gaps between blade teeth where bacteria can hide out and multiply. This makes these types of blades less effective at fighting off harmful microorganisms.
