Buck 184 Sawteeth?

[TAH]

I've been curious for a long time, do the sawteeth on the 184 work? I've heard more no(s) than yes(s), but it always surprises me to hear they don't. Being that the teeth are full width and each tooth is angled, they appear to be designed properly and would be effective on wood. If they don't work, why not? Also, how about the rope saw on the false edge?

Thanks for clearing this up once and for all - at least for me. :thumbup:

Internet photos for reference

 

[not2sharp]

If by work you mean do they saw through wood, then they do not work.

1) They are hugh in comparison to standard wood saw teeth and hence require that much more force to rip that much wood material.
2) They are not self cleaning, so even if you can tear through the pulp they would just fill and clog.

Where they might sort-of-work would be on something like ice, and they can be used as an improvised pot holder.

BTW, Nice old knife you have there.

n2s

 

[shaving sharp]

Many people have a misconception of what survival knife sawteeth are designed for. They almost always are not designed to saw through wood. If you look at the teeth they are not offset like a saw blade. What they are designed for is to help the user saw a shallow square notch. The notch is used for a lashing point to lash shelter poles together so the rope does not slip or to cut a square notch for an animal trap trigger. So to answer your question the teeth on the 184 work for their intended purpose.

 

[Buck300]

I think that depends on whether or not you are Rambo.

 

[TAH]

Thanks for the replies. Above knife is not mine - just internet photos for reference.

The design of the Buck sawteeth remind me of the old Timberline sawteeth. At the Blade Show in 1986, I stopped by the Timberline booth and met Bill Sanders. Bill was behind the table, standing in saw dust, sawing 2x4s (one after another) with the Timberline Hollow Handle knife. It took him less than 30 seconds to saw through each board (Timberline's claim to fame). It was evident that Bill's arm would wear out before the sawteeth. This was at the height of the HH craze and Timberline was the only maker demonstrating the effectiveness of their saw at that show. Not sure why the Timberline ,teeth work so well. Again they appear to be very similar to Buck's.

Here are some internet photos of a Vaughn Neeley knife (maker of Timberline) that shows a close up of the teeth.

 

[TAH]

I might have figured this out. Even though both knives have sawteeth that are full width and angled, it must be the high, deep hollow grind of the Timberline (Neeley) blade that allows the sawteeth to pass through the wood with less binding.

 

[waltmc]

I have a 639 (which has the same kind of teeth as the 184) and seem to recall that the saw would work if you needed it to (with an emphasis on need). I always had a bow saw handy, so the 639 went back in the sheath. I suppose the high grind could have an effect with the Timberline, but I wonder, if the two saws would show much difference in the field. Only because sawing wood in the wild is different from sawing 2x4s. (To this late-night snarky skeptic)

 

[TAH]

I suppose the high grind could have an effect with the Timberline, but I wonder, if the two saws would show much difference in the field. Only because sawing wood in the wild is different from sawing 2x4s.

I don't know - wood is wood. Are you suggesting there aren't many 2x4s laying around in the wild?

 

[waltmc]

In my neck of the woods we have only 6x6s. Man, do those take a long time to saw through...