Teeth on Aircrew Survival Knife Useful?

BlackKnight86

BlackKnight86

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Oct 14, 2003
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Hi, guys!

Has anyone here used the teeth on an aircrew survival knife (the issue one, from Ontario or Camillus, I think) for what they were designed (cutting open sheet metal or plexiglass)? Are they really that useful? Or are they marginally useful for a VERY specific purpose? My understanding is that they are worthless as saw teeth for wood...is that true?

A related question: what do you think about the teeth on the back of BlackJack's new Pilot Survival knife?

Thanks!

BK86
 
I haven't found a use for them yet. I've read they can be used to notch trap triggers. I guess you could use them to strike a spark. I didn't find the whole knife to be very useful. The crossguard is way too long, the handle too skinny, the pommel just squared off enough to dig into my hand. I wouldn't recommend one. YMMV

Frank
 
Agree with silverfox. The AF survival knife is a POS, one of the worst ever foisted on the US armed forces. The teeth have no known function. The pilot's switchblade is the only knife I know of that is even worse.
 
moxie said:
Agree with silverfox. The AF survival knife is a POS, one of the worst ever foisted on the US armed forces. The teeth have no known function. The pilot's switchblade is the only knife I know of that is even worse.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that the teeth were meant for the aluminum siding on aircraft in the event the crew had to make their own opening. As for the worst knife ever, I think that may be a little over stated. The knife is "okay", kinda like a stumpy kabar. I am pretty sure much worse stuff has been dumped on us.
 
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The teeth DO work ok on aircraft fueselage and light aluminum sheet.

They also work well for notching for trap parts (though I prefer to do that with the blade.

As for them being a POS You couldn't be more wrong. My camillus made pilots survival knife served me well over a buch of years of wilderness living. It was even used as a wood chisel by pounding on the pomell to drive it into logs, to cut a whole to make a lock for a log cabin door. It was also used to make many shelters and skin a LOT of game.

Most folks who have ever been through the SERE training program in the military have a high regard for the knife.

That being said. I too am interested in one of the blackjack models. From the looks of the Blackjack the sawteeth are more like serrations and are mostl only for use on fibrous materials (webbing, canvas, rope etc.) Personaly I consider the palcement of the serrations in that location an improvement over having them on the primary edge.

On my Camillus knife I did reduce the top guard considerably, and I thinned the edge and convexed it. Total work involved was only an hour or so.

Hope the info and experience helped.
 
Theres a video on knifetests.com, I think it is, where they try to use the teeth to cut sheet metal. If I remember right it worked, but turning the knife around and using the blade instead yielded much better results. The newer gerber pilots knife faired much better against the sheet metal using its serrations.

That said, I've got a couple of these and I don't find them to be that bad at all. I've heard about people having a hell of a time sharpening them and this and that, but my sharpmaker put a workable edge on mine pretty easily and although my survival vest has a gerber switchblade instead if they issued me the Ontario knife I certainly wouldn't be disappointed.
 
These knives are either extremely hit or miss. If you watch someone who knows what they're doing manipulating it, it's pretty obvious that skills trump tools. I took the bevel out of mine and gave it an almost completely flat scandinavian grind, that is extremely easy to maintain a shaving edge on. A practical woods tool for the 17 dollars I paid for it? Heck yes. As some of the Ontarios came from the factory... a resounding no. The sawback can be used for notching wood (works though not extremely efficient) or rubbing bark for cordage fibers or tinder.
 
Taken from a Mike Stewart post on the JSK on knifeforums:

"The original Teeth were made as Teeth - not as a Saw.

Those Teeth were to catch in the thin hull of a plane or chopper so that the pilot or crew could actually tear - not Saw - an escape hole to gain egress from the downed craft.

Somehow later versions of the knife mistakenly inherited something more like a poor saw than the ripping teeth that the original design called for.

We have restored the original designed Teeth..."
 
I have one that I have modified a bit. Cut off top guard, shortened and rounded off bottom guard. Rounded off the clip point a bit, which made the tip a bit more stout.
Thinned the edge a bit with coarse diamond stone.

I like mine. The "teeth" aren't the best but will cut wood and notch things.

Not a useless knife. Mine was made in 73. Camillus.
 
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