Test
- Creek Stewart’s Folding Saw
- “Chain” Saw
- Nick Stowel’s Buck Saw
Creek Stewart’s Folding Saw
Of all the folding saws I’ve used, this one is by far my favorite. For me, it’s extremely comfortable to use bare handed. It’s not all that heavy, I definitely consider it on the light weight side of the scale.
This saw is great in my opinion because it cuts on both the forward and reverse strokes unlike others like it I’ve used. Though one common problem regardless of what folding saw I’ve used is that when the blade warms up enough, it likes to bind and make cutting a little more difficult. However, the fact that the blade folds into the handle makes it great for backpacking if space in your pack is a premium.
“Chain” Saw
Can’t say much about this one… To me, it’s more a novelty saw than something functional. However, if all else failed, I would use it, and have played with similar ones many many moons ago as a teenager.
To it’s credit, it’s compact, easy to sharpen and maintain, and you can replace the blade from any chain saw if you need to.
Nick Stowell’s Buck Saw
By far my favorite saw. It’s hand crafted in the USA in Missouri. I can not say enough good things about this saw. Nick uses quality materials in each of his saws. The saw glides effortlessly through whatever wood it’s cutting through. As an added design bonus, the side handles fold around to store and protect the blade. This means you only have 3 parts to keep track of.
On my longer duration camping trips, it is absolutely my go to saw. As long as I take good care of it, this one has the potential to become a heirloom and be passed on for generations to come.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the mission and duration of the trip determines which saw I pack. I could absolutely justify the weight of the Buck Saw if it was a little more compact to take on every trip. But that’s why I have the Creek Stewart folding saw, it’s my go to compact option. Every saw has it’s place depending on my needs for that particular trip.
The perfect one saw to do it all doesn’t exist. Each saw has it’s strengths and weaknesses. You have to decide what type of saw works best for what you want to achieve. These 3 are what I own and use or have used regularly.
Links
The following links may not be to the EXACT gear pictured, however, will be to what I could find comparable to what I have and use. Some are a generalized search so you can pick exactly what you want or give you an idea what might be found at that retail store if it applies.
The Wandering Leatherneck 