The Silky Gomboy 240 Folding Saw is the best folding saw based on the value it provides.
The folding saw is your best friend when it comes to pruning a shrub or a branch fast. It’s a handy tool that’s lightweight, portable, and inexpensive.
Let’s take a look at the best folding saw you can buy based on your requirements for pruning branches and plants in your garden.
| Product | Rating | Price |
| Silky Gomboy 240 Folding Saw | 1 | |
| Bahco 396-LAP Laplander Folding Saw | 2 | |
| Corona Clipper 10-inch Curved Blade Folding Saw | 3 | |
| Silky BIGBOY 2000 Folding Saw | 4 | |
| EverSaw 8.0 Folding Saw | 5 |
What is a folding saw?
A folding saw has a handle and a saw blade that can be folded and tucked away. This makes the folding saw compact and convenient to carry around in your hand or backpack.
The saw can be folded with the help of a locking mechanism that is operated with a button on the side or the top of the saw.
You can put the folding saw in a case that you either get with the saw or purchase by itself.
What are the different types of folding saws?
Folding saws can differ based on the length of the blade and the teeth on the blade.
Longer folding saws help you get more work done with fewer strokes but they are less portable. Shorter folding saws take more strokes to cut but they are more portable.
Folding saws for cutting dry wood have shorter teeth than those for cutting green wood. But most folding saws available are general purpose and can cut any type of wood. Though they may cut one type of wood faster than the other.
Do you need a folding saw?
You should keep a folding saw with your gardening tools because it’s very convenient to cut small branches and shrubs.
It’s compact and portable which makes it convenient to use and store when not in use. It’s also inexpensive and easy to maintain than something like a chainsaw.
An averagely sized folding saw works great for cutting branches between 1.5 inches to 5 inches thick.
How to choose a folding saw
A folding saw is a simple piece of equipment when compared to it’s bigger brother like the chainsaw. However, there are a few things you should consider before choosing a folding saw.
Length
The length of the blade in a folding saw determines the work you need to put in to cut a branch. The longer the blade the fewer strokes you’ll need to cut it. But a longer blade also means the saw becomes heavier and less portable.
Also the longer the blade the easier it becomes to break the blade if you’re not careful while cutting.
Handle
Holding a folding saw while cutting means you need to have a good grip on the handle. So the handle should be ergonomic and made of good anti-slip material.
Materials like rubber or a composite work well to provide the right grip with and without gloves.
The handle should also be big enough so you’re comfortable holding it whether you have big or small hands.
Folding
A folding saw is convenient because it can fold and easily store in your backpack or tool bag.
The folding mechanism should be easy to use as you extend or fold the blade. So make sure the folding mechanism is of good quality because you don’t want to end up with a broken saw after a few folding/unfolding sessions.
Locking Mechanism
Once you fold the blade into the handle it should be locked and secure so it can’t get damaged or cut something up.
The locking mechanism should be easy to use so you don’t struggle as you lock/unlock the blade.
Some folding saws use a button mechanism where clicking it unlocks the blade. Others use a switch on the top of the saw that you need to switch to unlock the blade. Both are fine but the switch may be useful if you’re left-handed.
Teeth
The teeth on the saw will determine the speed of cutting the wood.
Longer teeth will help you cut through green wood fast but they will make it harder to cut dry wood. And shorter teeth will help you cut through dry wood fast.
There are blades that are all-purpose and have teeth that will help you cut any kind of wood well.
Some folding saw blades come with aggressive teeth that cut through wood really fast once you get started.
Some blades come with teeth that cut in the pull motion while others will cut in both the pull and push motion. The former will need more strokes to cut than the latter but the latter also might need more force.
Blade Quality
The blade quality determines the durability of your folding saw.
I would recommend buying a folding saw that has a high-quality blade even if it costs a little bit more. It’s much better to buy a saw that will last you for years than one that breaks after a few sessions.
Also, consider a folding saw where the blade is replaceable in case it breaks. Because it’s cheaper to buy a blade than a new saw.
Some blades can be re-sharpened while others cannot so that’s another factor you should keep in mind while choosing a folding saw.
Cover
A cover will keep the folding saw safe from damage and will protect you from accidentally getting cut.
Some folding saws come with a good protection cover that makes it easy to carry in your bag. You might want to consider this before choosing a saw.
Price
Choosing a good folding saw comes down to the price you’re willing to pay for it.
There are good budget folding saws available but the high-quality ones are more expensive.
Considering that these high-quality folding saws will last for years, I think it’s a price worth paying.
Precautions when using a folding saw
There are a few precautions you need to take when using a folding saw.
- Use protecting gear including gloves and eye protection.
- Before starting the cut, make sure there are no nails or screws in the wood.
- Make sure the blade is sharp before starting the cut. If there is any rust, clean it using steel wool or sandpaper. Apply oil or WD-40 on the blade.
- When you start, make a groove in the wood. So once you start cutting, the blade does not shift.
- When cutting, let the blade do the work. Don’t apply a lot of pressure on the saw.
- After the cutting is done, fold the saw and put it in the protective cover. Keep it in a safe place away from children.
How to use a folding saw
Using a folding saw is pretty easy because it’s a simple piece of equipment.
- Make sure the blade is clean before starting the cut.
- Keep the blade on the wood at the position you want to cut. Hold the wood with the other hand safely away from the blade.
- Make a small groove in the wood with the blade.
- Place the blade in the groove and move the blade to and fro to start cutting. Keep the blade at an angle and cut from the top.
- Don’t apply much pressure and let the blade do the cutting with the help of gravity.
- If the blade gets stuck, do not use force. Take the blade out and continue with the cut.
- Once the wood is cut, clean the blade with a damp cloth to remove any pieces of wood.
- Oil the blade before folding and storing it in a protective cover.
Maintaining your folding saw
The better you maintain your folding saw, the longer it’s life is going to be.
- Before using the folding saw, make sure the blade is sharp and does not contain rust or resin on it.
- If it does contain rust or resin use some WD-40 or a good citrus cleaner to remove all that out.
- Once you’re done with the cutting, clean the debris from the blade using a damp cloth.
- Put some oil on the blade and clean any extra oil using the cloth.
- If you find that there is some sawdust in the hinge between the blade and the handle, you may need to take the blade out. Then clean it up, oil the blade and put it back into the handle.
- If the blade dulls, check if it’s possible to get it sharpened. If not, you need to replace the blade or get a new saw.
Reviews
Last update on 2024-04-26 // Source: Amazon Affiliates
The Silky Gomboy 240 is an all-purpose folding saw that can cut through both green and dry wood with its aggressive teeth.
It’s a high-quality folding saw that cuts through most kinds of wood very fast.
It comes with an 8.3-inch blade that is made of high-quality Japanese steel and has 8.5 TPI (teeth per inch). The blade uses Japanese technology that consists of precision-ground, impulse hardened teeth. This means that the teeth stay three times sharp than any non-hardened teeth.
The folding saw weigh about 9 ounces and is pretty lightweight and portable.
It comes with a plastic carrying case. The handle has a rubber padding that makes it comfortable to use and it has a spring-loaded brake lock that makes it safe to use.
This saw comes with a lifetime warranty which is convenient.
The one drawback of this folding saw is that you need to be careful while cutting so that the blade does not bend or you might end up breaking it.
The Silky folding saws are on the expensive side but considering the quality that you get, it’s worth the price.
It is manufactured by Silky from the Ono region of Japan that has 100 years of hand saw technology behind it.
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- General purpose folding saw with an 7-1/2 -inch blade, 7 teeth per inch, for cutting both green and dry wood, plastic, or bone.
- XT Toothing, 7 TPI. Blade is specially coated for rust protection and low friction.
- Two-component plastic handle for perfect grip, with leather strap.
Last update on 2024-04-26 // Source: Amazon Affiliates
The Bahco 396-LAP is a general purpose folding saw that can be used to cut both dry and green wood.
It has a 7-inch blade with a 7 TPI and has a coating for rust and friction protection.
It has a plastic handle for a comfortable grip and a leather strap to carry it around. The folding saw has a safety lock for both lock-in and lock-out.
It weighs around 14 ounces which makes it pretty lightweight and portable.
It is very easy to replace the blade by removing the screw and nut that connects the blade and the handle.
It might be better at cutting dry wood than green wood. So if you’re mostly cutting plants and shrubs, it might not be the best choice.
The blade is high-quality and should last longer but some users have complained that it can be a flimsy while cutting thick branches.
The Bahco folding saw comes at a reasonable price for the good quality that you get.
It is manufactured by Bahco a Swedish company that has been making tools for 130 years.
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No products found.
Last update on 2024-04-26 // Source: Amazon Affiliates
Silky do make some good quality folding saws and this is another one on their list.
The Silky BIGBOY 2000 has a big 14-inch blade that is 1.8mm thick and 5.5 TPI.
It weighs about 1 pound because of it’s big size but because of its long blade it offers a larger cutting capacity, extended reach, and longer stroke.
It’s not the most portable folding saw but it’s something you should consider keeping as part of your gardening tools.
It has a thick and strong aluminum handle that makes it comfortable to hold while cutting large branches. It comes with a sheath that can hold the folding saw in a tool belt or saddle.
It comes with a limited lifetime warranty which is pretty cool.
Some users have complained that the blade can be a little flimsy because it’s thin and has a longer length. It also does not come with a safety lock feature so you need to be careful and put it in a sheath while carrying it around.
The folding saws from Silky tend to be expensive as we’ve already seen but that’s what you pay for a high-quality, durable piece of equipment.
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- Premium Quality - EverSaw Folding Saw is a rugged pull cut hand saw built to last with an adjustable medium-tooth 8 inch SK5 carbon steel blade. You’ll always have a good grip on the ribbed rubber handle of our small hand saw thanks to an ergonomic and non-slip design
- Pull Cut Design - Triple-cut razor teeth of your hand held saw are made for pull cut sawing with 9 teeth per inch (9TPI) to provide smooth fast sawing. Hardened to stay sharp your manual saw can easily cut through branches, bone and even PVC plastic up to 4 inches in diameter
- Multipurpose - From everyday yard work to hiking and bushcraft in the great outdoors our folding handsaw is up to the task. You can use our compact folding saw as a camp saw folding, hand saw for trees, backpacking saw, folding tree saw, folding pruning saw, survival saw, tree branch saw, limb saw, deer bone saw or add it to your hunting saw kit
Last update on 2024-04-26 // Source: Amazon Affiliates
The Eversaw 8.0 is an all-purpose folding saw that can be used to cut both green wood and dry wood.
It has an 8-inch carbon steel blade that has hardened teeth and a 9 TPI. So it should be decent enough while cutting the wood.
There is an adjustable bolt that connects the blade to the handle and can be tightened or loosened. This will help you when you want to clean the blade or replace it.
The blade folds fully into the handle and there is a gear style lock for safety. So you don’t have to worry about damaging the blade or cutting yourself accidentally.
If you’re looking for a budget saw that you will use occasionally to cut some branches then the EverSaw 8.0 will get the job done.
However, don’t expect it to cut as fast as the Bahco or Silky one. And don’t expect it to last as long as those. In the world of folding saws, you get the quality you pay for.
I would also point out that the blade is flimsy and tends to bind to the wood when cutting green wood.
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Conclusion
You should now be in a position to choose the best folding saw for your needs.
If you’re going to cut plenty of branches and need a good, high-quality folding saw that will last you for many years, I would recommend the Silky Professional Series Gomboy 240 Folding Saw.
It has a high-quality blade that cuts through wood very fast, is lightweight and portable, and will last you for a long time.
If you’re just going to be cutting a few branches sometimes then you don’t need to spend a lot of money. You can choose the EverSaw 8.0 Folding Saw.
It has decent quality for the price you pay and will get the job done when cutting small to medium branches.
Fact Checked, Written, and Published by Kevin Rodrigues
Kevin is the founder of Gardening Mentor, a website that aims to teach people to grow their own food in a limited space. As a self-taught gardener, Kevin has spent several years growing plants and creating gardening content on the website. He is certified in Home Horticulture and Organic Gardening from Oregon State University. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Horticulture and Landscape Gardening from Mumbai University.
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