The sawback concept is hampered by useable length and more grevious, thickness of blade. The infamous US survival knife is more chisel than saw. It works very well tearing through thin aluminium and plexiglass.In green wood you can make very precise notches for your paracord binding, if you are concerned with precise notches the other side of the knife can cut in less time and precious energy.

My concern is the structural integrity of a knife with sawteeth. The spine is just what it implies; the backbone and support for the blade. The idea of stock removal along this critical area and then banging away with a billet of wood isn't comforting, exptoc metallurgy or robustness not withstanding.

My first experience with a 'survival knife' was Arctic Survival School in Alaska. My issue knife was being banged on to split wood and in the sub zero cold made a sound no Hollywood sound effects engineer could duplicate. It had snapped @ 1/4" forward of the guard from a saw gullet diagonally down to the edge.

My instructor gave me a disgusted look, I expected my pay docked for the relief of taxpayers and a general courtmartial or something. He merely reached into a flight bag and pulled out a spare Camillus.I had this epiphany he probably wouldn't be around if I really crashed in the arctic circle. Like everyone else, I soon acquired my own personal knife.

A lot of people carry these blades, have squeezed amazing chores from the features ( you can scale fish with those sawbacks,collect lichen and grate wild onions.)

I figured if I needed a saw, a good swedish bowsaw blade in my ruck is easilly carried and a field expedient handle made.

I do have a Chris Reeves Aviator, a gift. I pack it on my rare sailplane and light aircraft adventures. It impresses my airport acquaintances who carry NOTHING.

The one time we did make an emergency lanidng, in a aircraft so slow I almost got out to push it down like a car out of gas, I was all prepared with my PSk and knife, emergency food and water. Southern California lemon orchards are scary places at night; coyotes chasing rabbits, the far off sound of illegal cock fights with people more dangerous than the Bedu in FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX and skunks everywhere.

This old campesino orchard worker in a beat up truck pulled up and spoiled it all. I was all set to build a lemon treehouse with my knife before nightfall.