Serrated back? (No, not SAWTEETH, serrations!)

Happy Camper

Happy Camper

Joined
Jan 8, 2000
Messages
311
Like most people, I want to have my cake, cut it delicately, and eat it as well. With most of what I do, I wouldn't want anything other than a finely honed plain edge. But there are those times, especially with synthetic materials, that serrations just make life so much easier.

Partially serrated blades are the pits; I've tried them and hated them. For fine cutting, the chincy strip of straight edge is way out away from my hand where it's least useful.

I just placed an order with a company in Spain that features knives by Muela and Aitor, both of which had mucho selection of such blades.

Why are there so few knives here that feature serrations along the back? The Navy combat knife is the only one I can think of. What happened, did the sawteeth craze of the 80's turn everybody off to putting the back of the blade to use?
 
I found two in an older catalogue from Smoky Mountain Knife Works. First is the Gerber River Shorty, but I think I recall hearing those were discontinued. Next is the SOG Mini Pentagon. YOu're right, tho, there's not many out there in that configuration.

Matt in Texas
 
Take a look at Strider Knives. You can have them add spine serrations to any of their models.

Jeff
 
Try looking in stores that sell whitewater boating gear of scuba diving gear. Serrations are popular since they do a lot of rope cutting.
 
I actually bought that Muela from USCAV a couple of years ago, and returned it after examining it. Muela seems to have two different lines of knives, and their more expenisive ones are more to my liking (harder, thicker blades & micarta handles).

As far as the whitewater and scuba knives go, they do often have back serrations, however I can't stand the outrageous colors of the plastic handles, and the ugly blade profiles most of them offer. I also don't need the salt resistance of 420 or 440A steel that they always come in.

I did like what I saw at Strider knives, but I'm not a big fan of cord wrapped handles. I also believe that some Randal knives can be ordered with serrations on the back, but I don't want to wait for three years.

So am I in an extreme minority in wanting a serrated backed bowie knife? What do you all think about the idea? What would be the cons? Just preference of appearance? How hard would it be to add a three inch bevel edge and serrations on the back of an existing bowie?
 
Originally posted by Happy Camper
I did like what I saw at Strider knives, but I'm not a big fan of cord wrapped handles. I also believe that some Randal knives can be ordered with serrations on the back, but I don't want to wait for three years.
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If you look around the Strider page, you will notice that you can get all their knives with a G-10 handle on them... this might solve your problems.
 
Get a G-10 handled Strider Model MH with spine serrations. A Model MH with G-10 handle costs 375.00, but I'm not sure how much spine serrations will add to that price.

Jeff
 
Grimnir, I actually LIKE the looks of that handle. :~} Has a nice drop at the butt, just enough of a fingergroove profile to improve handling. And the sheath is nice, since it looks like it's ambi, nice since I'm left handed. BUT, while I like the overall blade shape and size, I'm not a fan of stainless in my big fixed blades, and I bet those serrations eat a baton when you use the knife to split wood.

BTW, why don't you drop by the Cabin some time? It's been a while. :~}
 
Muela is actually the brand I ended up going with, but the original intent of this post was that I find it odd that I had to order a knife from Spain just to get what I want here in the land of plenty.

V.S., you mentioned the serrations would eat a baton during wood splitting. Is that the only con to the serrated spine, or are there more? If you split wood with another tool, would you go for a blade such as the one I've been after?

The serrated top knife I opted for is actually a shorter knife, leaving the top of my big knife free and smooth.
 
I like the back saw very much, specially for shaping wood and bone.
I asked Trace rinaldi if I could get an Armageddon with back saw and explained me that he thinks they compromise the strenght of the knife. Still, I have had no knife that failed because of the serrations. I hope Trace changes his mind some day and I can get my dream knife!.
BTW, he also said that he is considering including thumb serrations in the large blades, but Paul Bos said they would be a weak point.
 
As a birthday present to myself I'm making myself a nice decent sized "fighter".
Its not finsihed yet, but I am planning on putting serrations on the back, convex-chisel ground back edge, with serrations.

http://www.photoasa.com/disk3/5117/111155_Schweet_16_fighter.jpg
(direct link wasnt working....so you get the URL)
Serrations can be seen in this scan, just did it a couple minutes ago. I fear my grind may be a little to thick for them to be to effective....think it can safely be thinned down a little.


Not trying to show off, just showing that I think serrations on the back are a good idea....at least well worth spending sometime messing with.
If one could do it right, they would be very handy.
 
Happy Camper, if you have a big blade for rough and ready type work, and the smaller blade with serrations is for detail work then I don't see any "problems". I just don't care for serrations, but I can see that they could come in handy for some applications. But I wouldn't want them on a big knife AT ALL, for the baton reason, plus the fact that they DO weaken the blade. But, since this is a smaller knife for delicate chores, these are non-issues. And picking a knife for field use is just about as personal a choice as you make in life, so enjoy what works for *you*. :~}
 
V SHRAKE: Hi! so glad you missed me (hope you don't have time to reload). Actually I'm at the Cabin, along with frugalsquirrel and bladeforum, every day. I just like to lurk... ;)

ps: I'm also no fan of stainless steel blades (they brake too easely in the cold). But I use the muela combat knife and the mora2000 in the summertime. In the wintertime I use a leuko (I think...You know the big lapp-knives?) handforged by Strømeng. It's made from truck-spring steel, and it's the thoughest knife I've ever seen. I got it from my father, who bought it when he was in the army about 30 years ago. It's seen extensive use, and to this day it has it has never nedded to be re-sharpened.

-Grimnir
 
I've got two knives with serrations on the back, a Aitor Oso Nero (today it's called Cuchilo del Monte) and a Gerber BMF. Both are about 12 years old and have been used extensively.
The Aitor stainless steel comes in very handy as the climate around here is hot and humid and the blade design is great for general wood work. Its saw is more apropriated to clean fish scales off than anything else (I think they have a different design on the new ones) but in all this years I have used it one or twice.
The BMFs saw gives it a great looking :D but I have never used it at all. It is a great knife though.
After years as a jungle survival instructor, I have seen all sorts of knives been used in all sorts of tasks. Every now and then we need to use a saw on small jobs and the best ones I've seen and used so far, are the ones by Victorinox. Lately I've changed my old Champion to a Leatherman Super Tool and I'm just as happy.
 
I've been a big fan of stainless for some time, but especially now that I've moved to the Carolinas and the summer dew point spends quite a bit of time in the high seventies. I wonder if it can get much more humid anywhere. How about it, bloke?

Yes, when I made a list of the most common chores I perform with blades, the small knife seemed the best choice for the serrated back to keep from having to switch tools during a single task. When it's big blade time, I'm not needing serrations at all - just space! lol

That Kershaw Roughneck is an intriguing knife; if my little serrated backed blade from Spain doesn't pan out, it's at the top of my list in its nickel bolster form. Those Strider knives are nice, but upon a second look they almost seem more like crowbars than knives, and I'm not nearly as abusive on my knives as I used to be.

It's a rough paradox: In general, the more a knife costs, the better it will hold up under difficult conditions. However, the more I pay for a knife, the more reluctant I am to abuse it. What's a person to do? I know! Buy MORE knives! Yeah, that's it! Now if I can only convince my wife...
 
If you don't mind the plastic version of the Roughneck, I'd be happy to let mine go for a reasonable price - it's basically new, never been used. Got it w/ a credit I had accrued. I don't really have a niche for it (at the moment). Sheath is leather, fair quality. I find my SRK to be more than adequate for my needs.

Sam
 
Thanks, Flotsom; I'll let you know as soon as my import arrives.

Wapiti, that SOG is a nice looker, but it's a little large for the utility tasks I plan to perform. In fact, even the Roughneck is a little big.

I hadn't looked too much into multiple bladed folding knives, but that is a more mainstream alternate route to go. When I had my Superleatherman, the serrated blade came in handy as did the very functional saw blade. But it was too bulky and heavy except in a tool belt, and it was not comfortable to use in heavy chores (grooves dug into my hands). The comfort of a non folding knife with an oval cross section is really the appeal to move to all fixed in the field.
 
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