Saw Back Machete?

K

kage

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Oct 25, 2006
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Does anybody make a decent saw back machete? I've seen them from Ontario, Gerber (only 1/4 tang), and the new SOGfari. I had one back in the 80's that was useless, but I'm hoping things have improved with time. Do any of these actually work? Does anybody have any experience with any or all of these?

I usually have a saw with me (either a folding/sliding saw or a SAK) when outdoors, but for some instances it would be nice to have a machete with a working saw back on it for weight and space savings as another tool in the quiver.
 
Personally I think the saw back reduces the versatility of the machete. The straight spine is widely used a firesteel striker, separation of fibres for natural cordage and of course that activity where you hit the back of it with a another stick.
 
I agree, but there are times when it would be handy. I do wish that they would make the saw back 6 or 7 inches down from the tip so you have a good area to baton (and fiber separation too I would assume, which I know almost nothing about) and you can always square the ricasso area for striking.
 
This is one of those deals that is entirely personal preference and I believe both ways are completely viable. It all depends on your using technique. If you like battoning or using your spine as a fire striker etc, so be it-but sawback machetes combine two completely necessary tools in a handy, user friendly and easily carryable package. The Ontario Camp machetes are of quality-other than putting the final edge on yourself (the factory edge sucks) the steel is good, the cutlass design is good, it's ergonomic.
 
kgd said:
Personally I think the saw back reduces the versatility of the machete. The straight spine is widely used a firesteel striker, separation of fibres for natural cordage and of course that activity where you hit the back of it with a another stick.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the most important use as a bottle opener. Just about as good as the one on the leatherman.
 
I have a straight spine Ontario 12" and want one with the saw..just to compare. I dont see a problem with Batoning a saw...I just chopped my baton outta something already dead....do I care if I scuff it up a bit????? If a saw and a chopper must always battle for top dog of the woods...I say, combine the 2.
 
kage said:
Does anybody make a decent saw back machete? I've seen them from Ontario, Gerber (only 1/4 tang), and the new SOGfari. I had one back in the 80's that was useless, but I'm hoping things have improved with time. Do any of these actually work? Does anybody have any experience with any or all of these?

I usually have a saw with me (either a folding/sliding saw or a SAK) when outdoors, but for some instances it would be nice to have a machete with a working saw back on it for weight and space savings as another tool in the quiver.
Click to expand...

I hate the saw on my Ontario! It only works on the pull stroke, it's hard to get enough pressure on it to make it cut anything so all it really does is tear up the sheath while slowing down the draw.
 
I gotta wonder about a sawback on a machete - I suspect a conflict on the hardness vs toughness requirements for the 2 tools. My understanding is that saw teeth are very hard but that machetes are not overly hard to allow them to be tougher and easier to sharpen - so how hard do they make the steel on a sawback machete?

I think it might be better to keep the 2 tools separate.
 
Yeah the Ontario sawbacks aren't the greatest at what they do. But However, I wouldn't disregard the Gerber too quickly. I've heard from a lot of folks say the Gerber is the only passable sawback machete they've ever used.
 
ya a friend of mine at the local surplus store says he uses his gerber gator saw often and it works well.
 
BChou-E29 said:
Yeah the Ontario sawbacks aren't the greatest at what they do. But However, I wouldn't disregard the Gerber too quickly. I've heard from a lot of folks say the Gerber is the only passable sawback machete they've ever used.
Click to expand...

That's because the saw function works better than the machete function! :eek:
 
Ew...no thanks! I'll stick to my Condor Viking/Bush Knife/Rodan trio, thanks! :D
 
Having a saw back on a machete means it cuts on both sides, so you can't hold the machete to saw with anywhere other than the handle. You have to wrap the saw part ff you want to hold the machete with two hands to use it like a draw knife, and you risk damaging the saw part if you baton with it. And if you have to use your machete to help you travel through thick jungle, you usually have your machete in your hand all the time as you walk, and that saw will just catch on everything, including you. And I can't imagine having a saw on the back of a machete blade will be good for the sheath.
 
Oh, and to my knowledge, none of the major makers of machetes South of the border make a machete for their local markets with a saw back. The saw on a machete seems to be a feature used by Americans who don't depend on their machetes for their livelihood (or their very existence). I could be wrong about that, but I don't think I am.
 
Tree beaters with saw backs sounds like a perfectly good combination to me so much so I've customised my Martindale Golok to carry a primative spine saw. So long as the tip spine area doesnt carry the saw teeth you'll have a very handy survival multi-tool. I dont see the lack of a pistol grip handle being a problem if you use a lanyard.
 
Not for me and it exceeds my ability even if I wanted them, but if I was over there I'd ask someone like Stomper what he'd charge to anneal, file some on, and heat treat again. I've never seen a decent looking machete with them on as stock, so I'd start from a pattern I liked and go the mod route.

The reason Stomper springs to mind is someone recently posted some pics of a saw backed knife he did and the client was impressed by it. I couldn't tell from the pics what had been done which was a pity. I could only make out a bunch of filed on Vs. Shame, 'cos I have someone's tanto here that looks exactly like that along the back and I can't figure out how to get a working saw from it. If there had been some “in plan” shots as well as “in profile” I would have blatantly taken inspiration from it. Anyway, I gather his work isn't particularly expensive so perhaps there are negotiations to be had.
 
I don't think a saw back is an advantage and actually detracts from many things I like to do with my blades.
mvi0256.jpg


Machete Fire

This video shows what I like to do mostly with the spine of my machete. It is just too handy to use it to make tinder to turn that part of the blade into a less effective saw.

I have used a folding pruning saw in the bush to great effect at times so saws have their place, just not on my machete IMO. Mac
 
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