Randall Saw Teeth???

B

bowler1

Gold Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2000
Messages
139
A quick question.

What is your opinion about the functionality of the sawteeth available on the Randall 14/15???

I have found that they seem to be of little value.

Has anyone found them to be useful for cutting certain types of material?


Please comment.


thanks

Matt
 
From what I've seen, the only purpose they serve is to cut up the sheath when pulling the knife out and putting it back in the sheath. Other than that, they are purely cosmetic.

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Danbo, soul brother of Rambo
 
It is my understanding the teeth were intended for ripping through the thin sheet metal and plastic from which our military aircraft were built. They should do well for sawing wet rope. If you don't like them you don't have to buy them.
 
For cutting thin metal (heilcopter & aircraft skin) they work fine, for cutting wood, not too good! They have no "set" so the cut is thinner than the blade thickness. The blade will bind up in any piece of wood thicker than about 1". The teeth on the back of Robert Parrish's survival knife also have no set, but they cut exactly as thick as the blade thickness. Less bind in straight cuts, and a cute little curley que of metal is generated.

FWIW, my 2% of &1.00

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Mark, Isiah 40:31 They that wait on the LORD shall mount up with wings as eagles...
 
So far my opinion has been the same in that they are mostly cosmetic. I realize that they were designed for a pilot to cut his way out of an aircraft.

I have only tested it on wood and found that it binds up and is essentially useless for wood. I have not yet tested it on an aircraft.....

I am just curious to find out what others experiences have been. They may be very useful for cutting certain media---I don't know.

I have a model 15 with sawteeth on it now. I am debating on whether to keep it or not. The sawteeth seemed like a good, functional idea---but if they don't work, then what is the point???


Some more ideas????................
 
If you already have them on your knife,I can't see getting rid of it and buying one without the sawteeth.Even if it was designed for limited purposes that you may never be needing it for,I don't think anything will be gained or lost by getting rid of it for the other.Maybe you'll find yourself needing to rip through a car roof someday.Maybe it will cut through thick, wet rope?Barbed wire?Plexi-glass?Rubber-like in tires?I'm sure that if a need presents itself,you could possibly find lots of uses.My question is,if you use it regularly as opposed to an emergency,how the heck do you resharpen those sawteeth?I say just keep the sawteeth if you already have them.



[This message has been edited by TOMBSTONE (edited 12-20-2000).]
 
If you want something with which to saw wood, Gerber makes a dandy little folding saw, Zytel handle, lock-back, and all, that weighs next to nothing. Buy one of those and don't bother with trying to use the Randall for a purpose for which it was never intended. Their catalog states quite clearly how the teeth came to be and what they are for. I f you insist on using a sledge hammer to drive furniture tacks, don't be surprised when it smashes the furniture. The same goes for the teeth on a Randall knife. From what 'Nam vet friends have told me, they do work wonderfully well for their intended purpose, just not for other purposes.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
Those Randall teeth do go right thru (a) leather or canvas (jacket) or they may also be used to notch around a log for lashing. Why would you waste al the energy sawing thru a log anyway?

My combat companion does fine in these respects with the saw teeth. Send it to Randall for a reconditioning when you bugger it up. If you are worried about not haviong your Randall during this time, a chance to buy another!!

In the interim the teeth can be worked on with a sharpmaker by using the flat of the stone against the side of the blade and teeth if you bend a tooth or two slightly, just like a serrated blade with bent teeth.

Has anyone ever really sawed wood with the sawback on a knife? Seems like a lot of work to me and if you are really worried about survival apps, losing calories this way seems pointless to me. Not me being any expert, buy I do notice when it ios cold out and I move about a bit and get a sweat going, I tend to have it cool me off SUBSTANTIALLY when I stop (go to sleep fpr instance) Not the best way to make it thrui a cold night.

What Randall was it you had with the saw you do not like? What config? I may want it.

parker
 
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