The Best Folding Saws for Hunting and Bushcraft

Breaking sticks over your knee is not a good strategy. For starters, its not precise. If youre building a blind or lean-to, you need matching lengths. And if youre hunting, you obviously cant be cracking wood. Whats the solution?

Folding saws may seem like just another piece of gear to stuff in an already overflowing pack, but like everything else, theyre essential for solving common problems in the woods. A great saw keeps you prepared without weighing you down. Weve 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 youll 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 youre camping on your hunting trip, then of course youll 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.

Wouldnt 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 dont 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 gardeners 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 youll be packing it in with gear a lot.

Unlike in your yard, you may not know exactly the types of trees and wood youre going to encounter while hunting. Its 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. Its probably best to choose a medium blade if youre 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, its 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 youll 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.

Ideally, the blades on your hedge shears should touch only at the cutting point to reduce friction and sticking.