The Best Folding Saws for Hunting and Bushcraft

Breaking sticks over your knee is not a good strategy. For starters, it’s not precise. If you’re building a blind or lean-to, you need matching lengths. And if you’re hunting, you obviously can’t be cracking wood. What’s the solution?

Folding saws may seem like just another piece of gear to stuff in an already overflowing pack, but like everything else, they’re essential for solving common problems in the woods. A great saw keeps you prepared without weighing you down. We’ve put together a guide on folding saws specifically for hunters and outdoorsmen and finished it off with our six favorites.

Our Top Folding Saw Picks

Eversaw All Purpose– “All-purpose saw for wood, bone and plastic”

No products found.– “Light weight and compact size make it great for serious outdoorsman”

Tarvol Folding Handsaw– “An excellent option for thick woods”

Coher Folding– “Its versatility make it great for DIY projects”

Corona RS 7255D Razor Tooth– “Stand hunters can benefit from its power in small spaces”

Tabor Tools TTS25A– “The ergonomic design makes this saw a top choice”

Why do I need a folding saw?

Like most outdoor activities, hunting requires at least some wilderness survival skills and the tools that go along with them. The more tools you have to assist you, the easier your hunting trip will be. Chances are you’ll run into some tough obstacles, so a folding saw to cut through them is an essential accessory.

Saws are great for bushcraft like building your own ground blind or prepping a tree for your stand. If you’re camping on your hunting trip, then of course you’ll have to cut would to clear an area and make a fire. Folding saws are compact and much easier to pack with your gear than an axe or full-sized saw.

You can even use some folding saws to field dress animals.

Wouldn’t an axe be better?

Axes do have certain advantages. You can put a lot of power behind them. However, axes tend to be large and bulky to carry while saws are more compact. Saws have other upsides as well.

Using a saw is actually quicker than an axe as well, on average about one-third of the effort is required. You also don’t need a ton of room for a saw like you do an axe. For branches which may be hard to reach, you can even ‘pole mount’ the blade for that sawing action.

Bushcraft saws vs pruning saws

There are some important factors you should consider when specifically choosing a bushcraft saw. Pruning saws can be a vital part of a home gardener’s arsenal, but they may not be as useful in the wilderness.

When choosing a saw for camping, survival or bushcraft, you want something lightweight and portable, but still reliable. Build quality is more important since you’ll be packing it in with gear a lot.

Unlike in your yard, you may not know exactly the types of trees and wood you’re going to encounter while hunting. It’s best to choose a tool that is as versatile as possible. Many of the woods you come across will be softwoods, like willow, which need large teeth for cutting. However, areas with harder wood will need a small-toothed blade. It’s probably best to choose a medium blade if you’re going to be hunting a lot of unfamiliar areas.

Can you sharpen a folding saw?

The blade of a folding saw may become dull over time, which results in a rough cut. A dull blade can also slow down your work or be more dangerous to use.

Although many hardware or outdoor shops offer professional sharpening services, it’s easy to do at home. Tightly clamp the blade into a vise and use a small metal file or grindstone to sharpen the blade.

You will notice the teeth of the saw alternate between flat and beveled edges. You only have to sharpen the beveled edges.

Cutting Blades

If you’ll be doing mostly up-close work, opt for shorter blades (about 6 inches) and short handles. For big jobs, such as cutting back an extensive privet hedge, choose longer blades (9 to 12 inches) and longer handles.

Most quality hedge shears on the market are straight-blade shears made from forged steel. One advantage of straight blades is that they can be easily sharpened by hand with a millstone and/or sharpening stone.