I prefer the Dereg, and will probably mod at least some of the 6.5s I bought. ResC is some pretty tough stuff -- I recall seeing a picture where a squirrel had nibbled on a handle, but am not sure how well/cleanly it cuts, and I haven't been adventurous enough to experiment yet. I'm not sure if freezing the handle beforehand might help or not; it might even be worthwhile to fabricate a simple jig to support the upper guard, then 'guillotine' through it with a thin blade.