Folding Saw vs Bow Saw: Which One Should You Buy?

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The quick answer

Choose a folding saw for a saw that goes everywhere with you: trimming limbs, cutting poles to stove length, camp chores. Choose a bow saw for a saw that lives at the woodpile and cuts a pile of rounds to length by hand. The four saws compared below are all folding saws from current listings, ordered from the longest professional blade down to a compact 7 inch blade, so you can judge what a folding saw brings against a frame saw.

Folding Saw vs Bow Saw: How They Differ

The difference starts with the shape of the tool, and the shape decides where each saw earns its keep.

Carry and storage

A folded saw is roughly the size of its handle, and the listings below state weights from 7.52 ounces to 1.1 pounds (one is listed as 0.26 kg). It slips into a pack pocket, a toolbox or a coat, with the teeth hidden. A bow saw keeps its full frame shape, so it hangs on a nail in the shed or rides in the truck bed. If the saw needs to travel to the wood, the folder wins; if it lives at the woodpile, the frame saw’s size matters less.

How each cuts

A folding saw works like a large pruning saw: you guide the blade along the wood and let the teeth do the work, which suits green wood and limbs. A bow saw’s frame holds its blade rigid under tension, and each long stroke moves through rounds with a steady rhythm. The listings for the four folding saws below state 7 TPI on three of the saws and 5.5 teeth per inch (6.5 teeth per 30mm) on the professional Silky blade: coarser teeth for fast work in green wood.

Blade changes and care

A bow saw blade is a plain straight blade held by pins or levers at the frame ends, and it is swapped when dull. A folding saw blade is part of the tool, so care is about cleaning off sap, drying the blade after wet work and keeping the pivot and lock clean. The listings here mention rust protection on the Bahco blade and a low-friction Teflon coating on the Mossy Oak blade, both aimed at keeping the blade moving freely in sappy wood.

Safety while cutting

Lock the blade open before the first cut: the Mossy Oak listing states an auto-lock, and the Bahco listing states a safety lock for the open and closed positions. Keep the free hand clear of the blade path, brace the wood so it cannot roll, and fold the blade closed before carrying the saw. Gloves help with grip and protect against a slip.

Four Folding Saws for Firewood Work, Ranked

Every saw here is a folding saw from a current listing, ordered by our scoring: the longest, most capable blades first.

Silky Professional BIGBOY 2000

The Silky BIGBOY 2000 leads the ranking with the longest blade in this set: the listing states 360mm, which it also gives as 14.2 inches, with a stated cut capacity of 7.1 inches. The teeth are extra large at 5.5 teeth per inch (6.5 teeth per 30mm), taper-ground and impulse-hardened, and the blade is SK4 high-carbon steel listed as 1.8 mm thick. The handle is a double-fist rubber grip, and the whole saw is listed at 1.1 pounds. The maker states a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. For a folder that behaves like a frame saw at the woodpile, this is the one.

Bahco 396-LAP Laplander

The Bahco Laplander is the classic trail folding saw, and the listing states a 7-1/2 inch blade (also given as 19 centimeters) with XT toothing at 7 TPI for fast cuts in green and dry wood. The blade is Swedish steel with a rust-resistant, low-friction coating, and the saw locks in both the open and closed positions. The two-component handle is listed as 9 inches long, and the saw weighs 7.52 ounces, with a leather strap for carry. The warranty is listed as a limited warranty. It is the lightest saw here, a good pick when the saw rides in a pack all day.

REXBETI 11-Inch Folding Saw

The REXBETI is the longest of the mid-size folders here, with an 11 inch SK5 steel blade and aggressive 7 TPI staggered teeth. The listing states it cuts branches of 6 to 7 inch diameter, and the saw weighs 14.88 ounces with a rubber-coated polymer handle for grip in wet or cold weather. One point needs care: the spec table lists the warranty type as Lifetime, while another listing field describes a 1 year manufacturer warranty. We rank it below the two above partly for that contradiction; treat the shorter stated warranty as the one that counts.

Mossy Oak 7-Inch Folding Saw

The Mossy Oak is the compact saw of the group: a 7 inch blade in D6A and M2 bimetal steel with a Teflon coating to cut friction and resist rust. The listing states 7 TPI triple-ground teeth, an auto-lock that engages when the blade opens, a non-slip handle with a hole for attachments, and a heavy-duty pouch that fits a belt or pack. Weight is listed as 0.26 kg, and the warranty type is a limited warranty. It suits light trimming and camp chores where a small saw is enough.

How to choose between a folding saw and a bow saw

Match the saw to the job site

Working out in the woods or at camp, where the saw travels with you? A folder. Working at the home woodpile, where the saw hangs on the wall? A bow saw holds its own.

Match blade length to the wood

The blade should clear the thickest piece you cut often. The listings here run from a 7 inch blade to a 14.2 inch blade with a 7.1 inch stated cut capacity, so there is a folder for limb wood and for larger poles alike.

Check the lock and the grip

A lock that holds the blade open and closed keeps fingers safe: the listings state locks on the Mossy Oak and Bahco saws. A rubber or textured handle steadies the saw in wet weather, as listed on the REXBETI and Silky saws.

Think about sharpening

The Silky listing states its impulse-hardened teeth are harder than a regular file and last longer than non-hardened teeth, so that blade is replaced rather than resharpened when it dulls. A bow saw blade is swapped when dull. Either way, a dull blade makes you push harder, so plan for replacement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a folding saw cut firewood to length?

Yes, for limb wood and poles within the blade’s capacity. The saws here state capacities up to 6 to 7 inch branches on the REXBETI and a 7.1 inch cut capacity on the Silky BIGBOY. For full-size rounds, a chainsaw or a bow saw at the woodpile moves faster; see our best chainsaw for firewood.

Which is better for green wood?

Both handle green wood, which is softer than seasoned wood. Coarse teeth clear green chips well: the listings state 7 TPI on three of these saws and 5.5 teeth per inch on the Silky. Let the teeth do the work and do not force the saw.

How long should the blade be?

Long enough that the teeth clear the wood on each stroke. The range in this comparison runs from a 7 inch blade to a 14.2 inch blade, so pick the length that matches the poles and limbs you cut most.

Do folding saws need oil or care?

Keep the blade clean and dry after use, especially in sappy or wet wood. The Bahco listing states a rust-protected blade and the Mossy Oak listing a Teflon coating, both of which help, but wiping the blade down after a wet day still pays off.

Is a bow saw worth keeping at the woodpile?

If you often cut a stack of poles to stove length by hand, a frame saw’s long stroke is pleasant to use and the blades are easy to replace. If you cut mostly with a chainsaw and only need a hand saw now and then, one of the folders above covers it.

Related guides

Cutting with power? See the best chainsaw for firewood and keep the chain sharp with the best chainsaw sharpener. For splitting, see the best log splitter for home use and the best splitting maul. Browse the chainsaw gear hub and the firewood handling hub.