The Army Special Forces soldiers I am familiar with use them to cut "hide sites" out of the vegetation, rather than chopping with something larger. The saw is much quiter than chopping with a larger knife. I also remember an article in Tactical Knives some years ago where the author indicated you could make some money by betting you could saw through a 2X4 with a SAK before someone with an M9 bayonet could saw through it using the goofy sort of sawteeth on the back of the blade, or chop through with the cutting edge.
There is nothing cheap or flimsy about that saw, it is a small, yet precision cutting instrument. As an avid hunter, I suggest you guys who feel you need to "chop" through the chest cavity or pelvic bone of your game with your hunting knife, buy a SAK and end the torture!
Bruce Woodbury