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Whether field dressing a deer in the backcountry or pruning trees in the backyard, a folding saw serves as an invaluable asset. Designed for effortless portability, the best saws are the ones you wish you had until you realize you already have it with you, and folding saws are an adaptable lot, thanks to both all-purpose and swappable blades. Of course, safety is key, and a locking mechanism can ensure you never need to call for help.

Whether punching holes for drywall cutouts or felling small trees for poles, the right folding saw makes all the difference with the perfect combination of adaptability and usability. Know your goals before you start a project, but if anything changes midway through, a folding saw will adjust right alongside you.

Bahco Laplander & Multipurpose Tradesman Knife Set

This set includes a foldable, general-purpose saw with a 7.5-inch blade and a multipurpose fixed-blade knife with a sheath and stainless steel blade.

The saw’s coarse 7 TPI blade has tough, long-lasting XT teeth and is coated for rust resistance and low friction. The knife arrives with a razor-sharp blade.

The stainless steel knife blade makes for a poor fire-starting tool, and the plastic sheath does little to retain the knife.

Mossy Oak 3-in-1 Folding Hand Saw

This folding saw includes three interchangeable blades, resulting in a true multipurpose blade. It works well for hunting, camping, and other outdoor activities.

The interchangeable blades are perfect for cutting through wood, bone, metal, and PVC. It locks into two cutting positions and takes advantage of the common push-style blade.

The blades are a little thin, leading to some flex and play while in use. The blades are also more prone to wear and dulling than more expensive options.

This pull-stroke saw takes advantage of high-quality Japanese steel and engineering to create an incredibly smooth cutting experience and heirloom-level quality.

This saw is well-built and durable, but the pull-stroke blade steals the show. This blade cuts through wood like a knife through butter but without exerting extra pressure or force.

The pull-stroke blade is prone to breaking under excessive force thanks to its thin design. Be sure to understand this saw’s intended technique before using it.

As the name implies, a folding saw is a compact, lightweight saw that combines portability with functionality. Most folding saws either hide the blade in a groove alongside the handle or store their entire blades inside the handle itself.

Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, “wisdom of the crowd” assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.

Most folding saws are used primarily for cutting wood and pruning trees and shrubs. Some are intended for use by construction workers, while others are meant for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.

Pruning saws are designed for trimming live trees and shrubs and occasionally felling live specimens with small trunks. They feature a relatively thick blade that curves inward and an ergonomic, pistol grip handle that can accommodate either one-handed or two-handed use. The large, hard-point teeth on the blades do not easily retain sap and resin, but they tend to leave behind relatively smooth surfaces. Due to their design, pruning saws also provide users with a long reach, making it easier to remove high branches.

Bow saws are designed for quickly trimming or felling trees and cutting logs. They feature a bow-shaped metal frame (typically aluminum) with a coarse blade suspended between its two tips. The frame is usually semi-flexible in order to retain and reinforce the blade with tension, and the coarse blade does an excellent job of generating crosscuts and other rough cuts. Unlike most saws, bow saws are designed to cut on both the push and the pull stroke, increasing their cutting speed and efficiency; however, their bow-like design can limit its use in certain situations.

Unlike most folding saws, jab saws are designed primarily for use with drywall, making them more at home at a worksite than at a campsite. They feature a long, narrow blade with a straight handle and usually feature a semi-sharpened point to easily penetrate and start holes in drywall with a simple jab. Since they require more pressure than many saws and can be used for relatively large jobs, jab saws have an ergonomic handle with many sporting a rubberized grip for added comfort and minimal slipping.

Canadian company Agawa Canyon was founded in Ontario by a small handful of outdoor enthusiasts. The company is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, and specializes in using solid engineering and industrial design techniques to produce exceptional outdoor adventure gear, such as the Agawa Canyon Boreal21. Agawa Canyon donates one percent of all annual sales revenue to wildlife conservation.

Swedish tool company Bahco was originally founded in 1886 as a saw blade manufacturer. Since then, the company has grown to compete in the hand tool and pneumatic tool markets, creating a variety of helpful tools, such as the Bahco Laplander & Multipurpose Tradesman Knife Set. It has used the same basic hook and fish logo since its inception.

Corona Tools was founded in 1932 by three California entrepreneurs following their invention of the orange shears. Today, the Corona, Calif.-based company specializes in gardening tools, such as the Corona 7-Inch Folding Razor Tooth Saw.

Founded in 1939, Portland, Ore.-based Gerber specializes in producing tools used by hunters, tradesmen, and soldiers around the world. Today, they continue that tradition with tools such as the Gerber Freescape Camp Saw, and it backs every product with a lifetime warranty.

Klein Tools was launched in 1857 by Matthias Klein, a German immigrant stringing telegraph wires in Chicago. Ever since his first attempt at making tools, Klein’s company has expanded to producing tools for use in electrical work, telecommunications, construction, plumbing, mining, gardening, and more. The Klein Tools Folding Jab Saw is a perfect choice for drywall specialists.

In 1919, Silky was founded by Katsuji Miyawaki of Kishi, Japan under the name “Tamakitsune.” Today, the company is based in Kogyo, Japan, and specializes in pull-stroke saws and blades. Each product, such as the Silky BigBoy 2000, is manufactured in Ono, Japan, birthplace to some of the world’s highest quality steel.

Understanding a saw’s intended sawing technique is critical to success. Most American- and European-style saws employ a push stroke, relying on a combination of the saw’s teeth and the user’s arm strength to slice through materials. The push-pull blade is another common design that allows users to make cuts on both forward and reverse movements of the saw. Japanese-style blades rely on a pulling stroke to do their work without the user exerting extra pressure.

Blade coarseness, measured in teeth per inch (TPI), will vary depending on the job at hand. Coarse blades are usually in the range of five to seven TPI and work best on green, wet, and pressure-treated wood. As TPI increases, blades become better suited first for softwood than hardwood and other tough materials. Most very fine-tooth blades top out around 20 TPI.

Safe folding saws all include a locking mechanism designed to prevent the blade from slipping out of position while in use. Some saws use a locking mechanism that allows the blade to seat into multiple cutting positions, and some feature a lock that keeps the blade securely closed. Avoid saws that lack locking mechanisms or have poor quality locks.

More on Tactical & Outdoor

The perfect balance of weight, price, and performance may be difficult to find, but the Bahco Laplander & Multipurpose Tradesman Knife Set proves that such unicorns do exist. The 7.5-inch Swedish-made Laplander features a versatile blade with seven XT teeth per inch and a rust-resistant, anti-friction coating. 

The saw uses a simple locking mechanism to ensure safety in both the open and closed positions, and when closed, measures nine inches long, allowing for easy storage. The included Tradesman knife measures a nominal total of nine inches and arrives with a convenient plastic sheath for safe, easy storage. The knife’s blade consists of high-quality stainless steel and sports a polished finish and a razor-sharp edge. The Bahco Laplander & Multipurpose Tradesman Knife Set is an excellent outdoor combo kit

While users adore the saw, a few have reported frustrations with the knife’s lack of a carbon steel blade, making fire-starting difficult. Also, the included sheath offers virtually no knife retention.

Versatility quickly adds to a tool’s value, and the versatile Mossy Oak 3-in-1 Folding Hand Saw manages to provide versatility on a budget. Not satisfied with a one-size-fits-all blade, this saw comes with three 7.5-inch blades: greenwood (five teeth per inch), hardwood/plastic (11 teeth per inch), and metal (18 teeth per inch). 

Need something for field dressing that trophy deer? This saw does that too, cutting through bone whenever needed. The slip-resistant handle allows for comfortable cutting, and the locking mechanism allows the user’s chosen blade to sit at two different angles. With its 9.5-inch closed length and included sheath, this bad boy almost disappears when in storage, making the Mossy Oak 3-in-1 Folding Hand Saw an excellent value for the trail.

While a great value, this saw does not provide a super smooth cutting experience with some reporting somewhat dull blades. Other users have reported inconsistencies with the locking mechanism’s performance.

The Silky BigBoy 2000 is the King of the Folding Saws. While a bit pricey, this saw exchanges cash for excellent quality. Silky passed its strong reputation to this versatile folder, and it shows in the rubber-coated aluminum handle and the versatile 14.2-inch blade. The thumb lever quickly locks the slightly curved, hard chrome-plated steel blade into place for smooth one-handed or two-handed cutting, easily the smoothest on the market. 

Thanks to a sharp blade with 5.5 teeth per inch with an XL tooth configuration, this folding saw more than earns its keep, especially when users can swap out available specialized blades. Though a bit hefty (1.25 pounds) and long (16 inches closed), the Silky BigBoy 2000 is the undisputed king of them all.

The BigBoy 2000 sports a thin blade that can bend or break mainly due to its Japanese-style pull-stroke cutting design which is not engineered to endure excessive pressure during use.

Sometimes, only a chainsaw will get the job done right, but thanks to the Silky KatanaBoy, chainsaw-level work can be accomplished virtually anywhere. Even the smallest chainsaws are heavy and bulky, but the pull-stroke KatanaBoy is small and light enough to be packed into the backcountry. 

This saw employs a blade constructed from Japanese SK4, a top-quality high-carbon steel, and sports four teeth per inch which are impulse-hardened for long-term strength and sharpness. The rubberized handle easily accommodates two-handed use, allowing users to take full advantage of the 19.8-inch blade. This saw’s blade can tackle a wide variety of different jobs, and when the time comes, it can be replaced or resharpened for lifelong use, making the Silky KatanaBoy an heirloom-quality product.

While certainly lighter than even the lightest of chainsaws, this saw is still heavy and long by backcountry standards, measuring in around 2 pounds and just over 2 feet long.

Certain situations can expose the limitations of traditional folding saws, but the Agawa Canyon Boreal21 is not traditional, quickly proves itself in those difficult scenarios thanks to its folding bow saw design. This easy-to-open, easy-to-use saw includes an automatic blade-tensioning system designed to handle years of heavy use without adjustment. 

While pricey, the anodized 6063 aluminum frame and fiberglass-reinforced nylon handles combine well with the hardened, coated blades and stainless steel hardware to create a truly solid piece of equipment. The Swedish-made all-purpose blade allows for large-diameter cuts, and Agawa Canyon offers replacement blades should the need arise. At a hefty 19 ounces and a long 21.5-inch length, the Agawa Canyon Boreal21 is no lightweight but rather a heavy-duty tool for heavy-duty results.

As noted, this saw is a little bulky and a bit expensive, especially considering the lack of a sheath,. Due to its design, undercuts and large-diameter cuts can be difficult.

For professional drywallers and DIYers, a jab saw makes life so much easier, and the Klein Tools Folding Jab Saw takes things up a notch. This carbon steel-bladed jab saw makes quick jobs quicker. The non-slip cushioned handle includes a storage channel for the blade, snapping closed like a pocket knife for secure storage. When ready, users can easily lock the blade into either a 125-degree or 180-degree orientation for greater flexibility. 

While relatively heavy, this folding jab saw cuts both ways through drywall, wallboard, plywood, plastic, and more, and although the blade is not replaceable, it has excellent stiffness with no flex. When it comes to folding saws for the job site, the Klein Tools Folding Jab Saw makes a great name for itself.

As mentioned, this blade snaps closed rather aggressively, increasing the need for caution while folding it closed. It is also heavy, and buyers looking for an American-made saw will be disappointed.

A: Yes. With the proper tools and know-how, most saws can be resharpened, although most users will prefer to avoid this patience-trying hassle by purchasing replacement blades when possible.

A: The recommended way to clean a resin-covered blade is to start by soaking the blade in a shallow tray of water and saw blade cleaner. Next, carefully scrub the teeth with a soft metal brush (toothbrush for Teflon-coated blades). Repeat if necessary, then rinse and thoroughly dry the blade.

A: Usually, cutting small trees and tree limbs is best done with a pruning or bow saw. These saws have coarse blades, roughly five to 10 teeth per inch (TPI), although finer blades are available for cutting hardwood. For larger trees, a powered chainsaw or ax is a better, safer alternative.

For an excellent all-around folding saw, the Bahco Laplander & Multipurpose Tradesman Knife Set takes the cake. Thanks to its sturdy, reliable blade (and the impressive knife), it’s hard to go wrong with this selection.

If your budget is tight, consider picking up the affordable Mossy Oak 3-in-1 Folding Hand Saw.

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