"Functional" saw edge spine???

R

Rick Frigault

Joined
Mar 9, 2000
Messages
118
I am in the process of making a knife that has saw teeth in the spine!

I have never made one!

I would like to hear how you guys do it???

And, are there any tutorials on how to make a "functional" saw on the spine??

I did do a search, to no avail, so any help would be great!!

Thanks!!
Rick
 
Ive had a guy with a saw machine grind in the teeth but he did such a crappy job I didnt use it. If you can get it done correctly the teeth need to be "set" (bent slightly) while still annealed. I think the proper way would be to rough in the teeth, set them, heat treat them, polish the teeth and have them reground. Its a pain but would look cool.
 
If you can find a power hacksaw blade half your problem would already be done. I hear Bruce Bump loves to file saw teeth.
 
If you've got a milling machine, you might see if Roger Linger can get you started in the right direction. He milled sawteeth into some of his WSK knives that looked like they turned out really well.
 
Matt Shade said:
If you've got a milling machine, you might see if Roger Linger can get you started in the right direction. He milled sawteeth into some of his WSK knives that looked like they turned out really well.
Click to expand...

I do have a mill, and maybe Roger will reply to this post!

Thanks Brue, I was afraid I would have to set the teeth! The only problem I can see with that is it might hack the crap out of the sheath! But I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there!

The way I was thinking, was to cut the teeth like the teeth are cut on those folding saws that we use for hunting! I just don't know where to start!

Thanks all
Rick
 
here's the link to Roger's page.

http://riflestocks.tripod.com/pics41.html

i've used this design as well (mine didn't turn quite as pretty though) and it works better than you would believe. since you have a mill you'd probably be able to do it pretty easily, and you wouldn't have to set each tooth. another added bonus is that once you get them finished, they look freakin nasty. :cool:
Alex
 
Wow. Saw tooth top. Makes me think back to the early 70's. Stationed at Ft Lewis, WA.

Working on a big "field" knife. The "tactical" term hadn't arrived yet. Cut and filed them and they were sharp as hell...was buffing the bigarsed blade and the wheel caught it and swung it around and almost cut my right thumb off. Took some green hundred mile an hour tape and taped my hand up, told the wife I was going to Madigan Army hospital and drove myself in. Betty was looking out for a baby son (Jody) who was sick She called them while I was enroute and when I got there it got interesting....

When I got there the ER team came out with a gurney, looking for the guy that was in a knife fight and had been cut real bad...I guess they misunderstood her....I told them I was a knifemaker and had hurt myself...they took me into the ER and cut the tape off, shot me with a tetanus shot and sewed me up. They were pissed that I wasn't in a knife fight or something. Hurt like hell. When they finished, I drove home. Made it in for PT the next morning and it Hurt...doing pushups..

Never forgot that incident, and have never made a sawtoothed top knife since. I still shiver when I think of how close it came to meeting the real maker that night :)

Sorry, Rick. Didn't mean to hijack your thread. Just be very cautious and hope it turns out good. :)

There's always a time for an old fart story :D
 
Kit Carson said:
There's always a time for an old fart story :D
Click to expand...

Earlier today you referred to yourself as a dumb fart, Kit. Seems to be a trend, here....:D

Nothing like a good buffer incident to shrivel them boys up for a bit, eh? LOL
 
Mike,
It happens with age. Guess an old fart is the best description :D

Accidents like that sure do make them want to shrivel up :)
 
Old fart's good, isn't it? We made it this far at least.....:D
 
If you want the saw to really cut, try and find a shop in your area who can sharpen a saw. They should be able to explain how the teeth work and they may (should) have a machine to grind the teeth into the blade. Hopefully not doing a crappy job of it either. Thing is the blade will have to be thin enough to actually make a workable saw. If it's one of those quarter inch thick survival blades, it may be a problem from the start.
 
Kevin Wilkins said:
If it's one of those quarter inch thick survival blades, it may be a problem from the start.
Click to expand...

Kevin, It is going to be made out of 3/16 ATS.

I was thinking of a V shaped, staggered, tooth, (right/centered/left), and then set every other tooth.

I don't know if it will cut, but it looks good on paper!!:D

Kit, thanks for your word of caution, you old fart!!!:D :D

Thanks
Rick
 
The saw teeth in survival knives have no set. this would require the teeth to extend to the sides past the sides, or spine of the knife. The saw teeth were there to help rip through Plexie Glass, and or some sheet metal ripping, and were carried by Air Crewmen. The wild one like the Rambo, were for looks, on film, not for any real use. But they do look wild. The one thing that they will do, is make it almost impossible to withdraw a blade used for deep penetration. Jimmy Lile told me Years ago that he wished he had never made the ones for the Rambo movies. As he was stuck making these useless things. The saw teeth cutts also act a a great starting point for a broken blade. Tool steel is notch sencetive. They are a problem before, during and after heat treat, making a potentially great bade inferior from a strength standpoint. M. Lovett http://home.earthlink.net/~michaellovett/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top