HMFICFor me, it's the serrations, period. A good quality knife of good quality steel, honed properly doesn't need gimmicks like serrations. I had a Ka-Bar as a kid that I got from a military surplus store...USMC Ka-Bar. Lasted YEARS before being lost on a fishing trip that turned into an overnighter in the woods. Kept it honed well and it never let me down...despite the torture I put it through.