Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!military From: amdcad!mjt@mcnc.org (Michael Tighe) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Sawback knives Message-ID: <10414@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 20 Oct 89 01:42:21 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM Lines: 45 Approved: military@att.att.com From: Michael Tighe >From: munnari!csc.anu.oz.au!bxr307@uunet.uu.net >I was always taught that the sawback on a knife was not designed for ^^^^^^ taught or thought? >cutting. Rather it is designed for use in stabbing an opponent. The >Sawback is meant to ensure that air is let into a wound and that the wound >is ragged enough to prevent "suction" from the difference in air pressure >between the insides of a body and the outside which make it difficult to >quickly withdraw the knife from a wound. Sawback knives are not for fighting. If you stab someone with a sawback knife, you will not be able to remove the knife without a great deal of work, much like it is difficult to remove an arrow. Not being able to remove the knife quickly poses a problem, since most reasons for using a knife to kill someone are for quickness and quietness. Rarely is it done because it is the only weapon available. This is why all fighting knives (that I know of) are double edged and do not have a sawback. As far as I know, this design dates back to Col. Fairbairn in WWII and his involvement with the British commandos. Why a double edge? First, it allows for more cutting surface, which allows for a larger margin of error when you try to stab someone. This is important because the quickest way to kill someone with a knife is not to slash their throat (where you only use one cutting surface), but to stab them and sever a specific artery (where you can use both cutting edges). The double edge will sever the artery even if you do not hit it perfectly. Another advantage is that a double edge allows the attacker to not have to check which edge is up when you are about to use it. What are sawback knives for? As far as I know, their origin is as a "Survival Knife". They are somewhat useful for cutting brush and other small objects that you might need to start a fire. Also, by using the sawback for this purpose, you would not dull the blade, which may be needed to cut other things more suited for it. Sawback knives also look neat in Rambo movies. :-). ------------- Michael Tighe Internet: mjt@ncsc.org