Sawback on knife; jay or nay?

Merek:
I think a lot of blades would hold up to the challenge, you will adapt to what you have at hand on those occasions. I prefer to handle brutally strong knives because i am quit careless and rough with them, to me they are objects there. I pamper them back to health at home :D if that is still possible... I would try anything, but no offers yet (where is Chris Reeves when you need him :footinmou ), so i guess i will spend my euros soon enough! Maybe if there are enough europeans on this forum then something like the testthings you do on these pages could be possible for us too?

Wesp666:
Yes, i agree, sawbacks can be valuable. I have seen some objections about them: they snag in everything, they clutter up, they are in your path when using as a saw. All valid points. However i have never used them as a saw yet, but more as a sort of hook-and-twist thing for getting through/damaging flexible and tough things like some roots and shoots which can sometimes be VERY difficult to cut. Especially the young stuff. So in that respect i certainly think they are usefull but it is certainly an exercise the blade seldom sees. And when i did not have a sawback (like on the trip with my SOG Tigershark) i just cut a bit longer and used the serrations to get the cutting started. No problem also.

So i guess it comes down to preference in this case. My gut and personal experience tells me the usefullness of the sawback is about 50% jay and nay. Most people in here say nay, but they have seemed to use it actually as a saw at that point. I know i will choose an Extrema Ratio this time, check out what their stuff is about, and i have high expectations of them. Harpoon F or Harpoon? (serrations on the knife edge will be added at my request) Golem F or Golem? Whatever the decision, i guess the job will get done and i will end up owning a very strong and versatile fixed blade that will perform well for some time to come.

Thinking about it: Extrema Ratio fixed blade and the Leatherman Wave multitool :-)... I think i will have material enough to write a proper review of them after the trip :D Dont know how much people would be interested in my rantings, though.
 
I personally hate sawbacks. About the only thing they are good for is notching. None that I have tried were worth a damn as a saw.
 
I agree on that. I have tried the saw on a large knife (was it a Buckmaster? dont really remember well) once, many many years ago, but what i do remember that it was rather clumsy, very tiring and it gets on your nerves because of that.
As i am Dutch i do not seem to understand what you mean by notching? Sorry for that, but could you specify what that is/means?
 
What I meant was that you could use the saw on a knife to cut a notch in a couple of pieces of wood for fitting them together. Kind of like tongue and groove in cabinet making.
 
Keith Montgomery:
Thank your for expanding on that. Have done that, but not with the sawback. Interesting use of it, might wanna give that a try if i decide to go for a sawbackversion.
Merek:
You good friends with Busse knives? I would love to try out the Battle Mistress long swedge bolo as a chopper instead of a local machete :-) I will give you a dollar (swear to God) if you can arrange that, tihi =)
 
Never handled a Battle Mistress, but it very resembles a design I made some years back and stupidly accomplished using 1/8 in stock :mad: instead of the 3/16 in I originally designed for. While the blade had great balance as a small chopper it didn't have the weight.
I am sure a Battle Mistress would be great for chopping but not a general all-around camper.
 
IIRC, the origin of the modern sawback survival knife derives from a request the Randall got in the early days of the fighting in Southeast Asia. According to what I read, a Special Forces medic asked for a survival knife with a saw toothed back on the blade so that he could cut through the plexiglass canopies or windscreens as well as the aluminum skins of downed aircraft to reach their crews. The point of the sawteeth was never really to cut wood.
 
EXCELLENT! I had completely forgotten about my old Camillus(?) Pilot's knife! Great Blade. Not good for wood as you said though.
 
Merek:
Yes, like i said, instead of a machete ;-) I would love to try it out for good proper clearing :-) Should work like a treat. For general purpose i bet Busse would have something pretty neat to...*prays to Busse and hopes they hear him*
 
shrogran said:
I am from the Netherlands and am going on a trip to Peru soon (jungle trek). I was asked to buy a general purpose knife, fixed blade. Machetes will be provided for. The question is this: i see knifes with sawbacks. What is the general opinion about this? Usefull or not? Any experience from the field with this feature on a knife used in the field/jungle?

Shrogran
Click to expand...

I have been to Peru. I had with me the U.S. Army M9 bayonet. As you might know, the M9 has a saw back. I found absolutely no use for a sawback knife in the jungle wether it be the M9 or any other knife. We only the blades of the knives for everything from cutting elephant grass stalks (poles to use for holding open ponchos as a canopy) and everything else. The only thing that I can see a saw being used for is if you need to precisely cut wood. seeing that you will be given machetes, they should do all the heavy cutting for you. Have a good time and don't miss seeing Machu Pichu. It's a fascinating place to see.
 
I have a Chris Reeve aviator 5.5 in ODB green the saw back is ok, still not like a real saw or folding saw that you can get for less then $20. The SOG revolver is a real nice knife and the saw cuts wood like butter.
 
Well, whatever knife i will take with me, i will sure give it a good workout AND i will put a review about the combination. Maybe that would be of interest/use to some people and i guess that is what this forum is about.
Thank you all for your responses/experiences so far. I just hope my 'knowledge and/or experience can be of use to some of you one day.
By the way: as it stands now i will go for a version without sawback (probably the Extrema Ratio Harpoon with added serrations). My Leatherman Wave also has a saw and although small and somewhat fragilelooking, i think it will do small branches/shoots pretty neatly. As for the twist-and-turn-technique i use the sawback for? I guess i will just have to do with what i have with me there. Improvise. Adapt. Lets see what we can come up with.
It is a pleasure being on this forum and sharing all kinds of stuff here. Now if only Busse would start sharing and caring for me LOL...
 
Well, thanks for the tip for posting on the RATforums. But registration has been disabled :grumpy: Too bad. Would have loved to ask there too.
 
If you like Busse knives, but want something a little cheaper, and more of an all-around knife than the Battle Mistress, then maybe you should look at the Swamp Rat Camp Tramp. It's got a 7.5" blade, supposed to be strong as hell, and it's coated to avoid rust.

As far as getting a saw, I've had good results with the saw on my Leatherman Wave, but it is a bit small. If you think you're going to be sawing anything, try something in a Silky or Felco folding saw. I can buy Silkys for around the price of a cheap swiss army knife, ($25 or so US) and I'd wager on it outcutting any sawback on any knife you could bring.

http://swampshack.com/ (info and reviews of Swamp Rats)

http://www.jacquescoulombe.com/silky02.htm (that's the Silky we have here, you can google for more examples)
 
I don't think anyone mentioned the wire type saws with the pull rings on the ends. Seems like I was reading in Blade of a guy that is a survivalist that loved them. If you've got some paracord you can tie some to either pull ring for larger branches and such.
I don't care much for one piece hollow handled knives either but the CRK ones are made from one piece of metal that should be pretty darn tough. Then you could put the cable saw and some other stuff in the handle.

later,

Oily
 
Oilman:
Yes, i know those saw's too; i have used them on occasion and must say they perform well. You just have to be carefull with them. Mine broke after extended use, probably because it got too hot, i guess i was a bit too careless. Maybe the quality was not very well either.
And hollowhandle knives suck mayor ass. Never liked them, never will. I just don't trust them, except the one-piece Reeves (another one i would love to see in my possesion once) I will have a proper blade, full through the handle :D
Oh man, i can't wait untill i made up my mind and have it in my hands. I bet i can't resist kissing it.
I will post/send pic's on request when my new blade is choosen and home!
 
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