It’s without question that if you ever find yourself stuck in the woods, you’ll feel much better having a saw than not. However, saws tend to be bulky pieces of equipment that aren’t exactly portable or easy to pack.
It’s important to prepare for a variety of wilderness situations.
For example, how will you cut firewood when you’re camping? What type of blade is best for slicing through bone? What tool will use to clear a fallen log?
In this post, we’ll share our knowledge to help you find the best survival folding saw. There can be quite a big difference between saws designed for use around the house or saws that are made for emergency situations in the wilderness.
Understanding your needs can help to differentiate between two saws that look similar but have different functionalities.
SOG Folding Saw
The SOG Folding Saw is crafted with high carbon steel with a black coat finish and soft TPR grip that feels great in the hand as a wood saw, camping saw or all-round outdoor tool.
The removable SOG blade is designed to make quick work of multiple tasks and cuts true and deep with each and every pull and stroke. The contents include one SOG Folding Saw and a Ballistic Nylon Sheath with Belt Loop.
A saw is an essential piece of survival equipment. However, the longer the saw, the easier to use but harder to carry. The SOG Folding Saw is a nice balance between the two.
SOG created this foldable camping wood saw as a trusty piece of outdoor equipment for the wild. The sturdy tempered steel blade and folding design make this wood saw a dependable and versatile tool to keep close at hand.
The 7.5-inch blade of hardened and tempered steel makes short order of branches, small logs, and bushes. The extremely sharp teeth are differentially tempered for long life and work on greenery as well as hardwood.
SOG is a U.S tool and knife company founded in 1986 and named in honor of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.
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Pros
- Super portable for hiking and trekking
- Includes sheath with secure belt loop
- Hardened and tempered steel blade
- Compact design
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- The locking mechanism could be stronger
Silky Professional GOMBOY Curve Folding Saw
This Japanese manufactured Silky Gomboy has 8.5 teeth per inch on the 9.5-inch-long blade. The strong teeth allow this saw to easily slice through both seasoned lumber and greenwood with impunity.
The precision-ground, impulse-hardened teeth combined with the premium Japanese handle offer superior performance and ergonomics. Whether you’re building, camping, woodworking, or doing some regular yard-work, the Gomboy Professional offers a saw for you!
This saw is popular amongst hobbyists and professionals for its incredible cutting performance on larger wood. The curved blade saws are faster cutting than their straight counterparts because the blade creates a peak in the cut and then knocks it off.
The razor-sharp and precision-ground blade provides fast, clean and smooth cutting. The blade locks securely into one of two positions, in line with the handle and flush cutting.
The blade resists tree resin and wipes clean easily. The non-slip rubberized handle provides a comfortable grip even in difficult operating conditions. Also, a clear plastic flip-lock carrying case with a belt clip is included. This is the ideal saw for your glove box or to carry on hikes.
The Silky GOMBOY has a 9.5” long blade and is 10.6” long when closed.
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Pros
- Clear plastic hinged carrying case for storage is included
- Curved blade cuts through stuff effortlessly
- The blade is tree resin resistant
- Impulse hardened teeth
Cons
- The curved blade isn't brilliant for cutting out
Agawa Canyon BOREAL21 Tripper Kit
The BOREAL21 is a revolutionary 21inch folding bow saw that effortlessly unfolds in seconds for easy, high-performance cuts.
At 21inches, the blade’s length is the perfect size for powerful sawing strokes and yet short enough for packability. Plus, the 3 hinged trapezium-shaped frame allows for large diameter cuts.
The blade safely folds into the frame when not in use which provides guaranteed and safe protection for you and your gear. The BOREAL is easy to use because it’s lightweight and very well balanced.
This tripper kit is easy to assemble with one quick connection that eliminated the need for annoying loose parts. The blade tensioning is automatic, reproducible and set to provide optimal sawing performance every time. No additional tools are required for assembly or blade change.
The high-quality anodized aluminum frame and fiberglass-reinforced nylon handle and tensioning arm are a result of Agawa Canyon’s consistent top quality craftsmanship and use of materials.
The stainless steel hardware is weatherproof and the Swedish made blade is protected by a rust protective coating. The high-quality canvas sheath can either be worn over the shoulder or attached to a belt. Plus, there’s a useful extra compartment for storing additional blades.
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Pros
- Tripper kit comes with extra blades and a case
- Weatherproof stainless steel hardware
- Automatic blade tensioning
- Lightweight
- No tools required for assembly
Cons
- Not budget-friendly
Bahco 396LAP Laplander Folding Saw
The Bahco Laplander is a fantastic general-purpose folding saw for wood, plastic bone and more. This folding saw is specially designed for wild-life enthusiasts, hunters, and campers. The blade is specially coated for rust protection and resilience to friction.
The two-component plastic handle and leather strap provide a secure grip and the safety lock to keep the blade shut when it’s not in use.
The blade is made of heavy gauge steel which provides stability and the teeth are hardened for extra durability. One of its major features is the unique XT toothing, which is fine and extremely sharp for fast cutting.
The Bahco Laplander Folding Saw is an excellent general-purpose tool but it’s also perfect for bushcraft use because it is reliable, light, compact and easy to use.
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Pros
- Fantastic all-purpose and bushcraft saw
- Provides great stability
- Made from heavy-gauge
- Includes a safety lock
- Rust protection
- Affordable
Cons
- The blade is thin compared to similar folding saws
- The handle scratches easily
Coher Folding Hand Saw
The sturdy Coher Folding Hand Saw is perfect for pruning, hunting, camping, backpacking, general household use or as an emergency survival utility tool.
The saw glides through material like drywall, bone, plastic, and wood. The blade folds fully into the handle so you can safely toss it back in your pocket without fear of snagging through the fabric.
The razor-sharp teeth are triple cut with impulse hardening and taper grounding for greater efficiency. The all-purpose 8 teeth stay sharp, resist wear and ensures fast and clean cuts all the time.
The fixed blade easily and securely locks into 2 different angle positions for smooth and easy cuts. To avoid injury, rust or loss, Coher has included an innovative plastic case scabbard that’s perfect for travel or storage.
The hand saw features a gear lock for protection and safety. The saw locks into the open and closed position and when closed, the teeth are safely hidden in the handle. The non-toxic rubber ergonomically curved handle and the smooth wrist strap provides a robust grip.
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Pros
- Powerful blade for pruning
- Easy to carry and store
- Budget-friendly
- Ergonomic design
- Great multi-purpose saw
Cons
- Some reviewers questioned the quality of the case
- Simple foldable saw
How to Find the Best Survival Folding Saw
Survival Folding Saws are usually twice the size of a pocket knife and offer a fantastic balance between what a large non-survival saw will offer and your smaller more traditional survival saws.
Folding saws are great for bug-out bags or a basic toolset and have non-survival uses around the home for minor cutting and pruning work.
There are many different styles of survival saws to choose from. Here are a few factors that you should look out for:
Practicality
The best folding saw needs to be easy to use, easy to carry and easy to pack. Your saw also needs to be practical for a variety of situations.
Is your saw transportable by vehicle? Is your saw part of a bug out bag? Are you able to carry your saw through the woods?
The design needs to provide practicality in all situations where a saw is required and the saw needs to be easy to store, carry and use. Although a giant bow saw is useful, large sizes can be counterproductive in survival situations.
Replacement Blades
The biggest advantage of a bow saw is that the blade is removable and the replacement blades are fairly cheap and compact, providing you with several backups.
The ultra-sharp Agawa Canyon BOREAL21 Tripper Kit comes with an extra blade as well as a handy sheath with a storage compartment for extra blades.
Although this folding saw has a higher price range, the investment is well worth the additional security that extra blades provide.
Teeth
Depending on what you’re cutting, you may need a saw with a lot of teeth. The number of teeth a saw has is referred to as TPI (teeth per inch). The more teeth a saw has, the smoother the cut will be.
It’s important to note that saws with a higher TPI are likely to be larger and therefore less portable.
Small teeth are great for cutting hardwoods, whereas larger teeth are great for softwoods. As you can imagine, the larger the teeth, the quicker the cut.
Safety
When it comes to anything sharp, you must consider safety. All folding saws should have some kind of locking mechanism that means the saw won’t loosen in your bag or hands unexpectedly.
The last thing you need when you’re in the middle of nowhere is to reach in your bag for a bottle of water, and cut your hand open on your saw.
Grip and Comfort
The handle of the saw should be the right size and shape for your hand. There needs to be a good level of grip on the handle, as if there’s little grip, you may slip and saw off a leg.
Some saws have changeable grips, which is super useful for when they wear down.
Some saws are ergonomically designed, so you won’t get blisters or sore hands when cutting through thicker objects.
Cleaning
You may prefer a metal made of stainless steel, as this is a lot easier to keep clean and polished. To keep your saw clean and functional, make sure you give it a clean after each use.
Follow these steps to clean your saw:
- Remove debris or soil from your saw using a cloth or brush
- Rinse your saw under running water until the water flows clear
- Get rid of any sap that your saw may have collected with soapy water, or with turpentine
- To rid your saw of rust, use an abrasive material (e.g sandpaper or an emery cloth) and rub on your saw until shiny and rust-free
- Dry the saw and apply a tiny bit of oil to prevent further rusting
Recap
All of the survival folding saws we’ve reviewed are super practical and do the job well – but the one that stands out the most is the Silky New Professional Series GOMBOY Curve Folding Saw.
Silky saws are premium saws designed to get the job done. The blades are manufactured with impulse-hardened teeth and patented Miral-Me smooth cutting teeth design, which will easily glide through wood with minimal effort.
There’s also a carry case included in the purchase, which is super hard and will prevent any bloody accidents that may occur from leaving your saw loose in your bag.
The saw is super versatile, and can be used for building, camping, landscaping, woodworking – pretty much anything outdoorsy.
What are your thoughts on the best survival folding saw? Do you have a favorite? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this with your survival friends.
Cheers to Future Adventures!
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