I Bought & Tested the Best-Selling Folding Saws. Here's Why TrueKerf is #1:
Written by Jake Thornton
After that near-miss with the oak branch, I spent the better part of a month grabbing whatever cutting tool I could find at the hardware store. A cheap bow saw from my grandfather's shed snapped a tooth on the second cut, and a budget hand saw needed forty strokes just to get through a three-inch limb, leaving my forearm throbbing for two days.
I even borrowed a neighbor's cordless mini chainsaw, thinking power would solve everything. It didn't — the thing weighed nearly four pounds, needed constant charging, and felt downright reckless for quick trims near the house. None of these tools folded safely either, and I was tossing exposed blades into my truck bed and hoping for the best.
Frustrated, I decided to stop guessing and run a proper side-by-side test. I rounded up 40 folding saws spanning every price tier, from bargain-bin options to professional arborist gear, and spent six weeks cutting through everything from soft pine kindling to stubborn hardwood limbs.
Here's what I found.
My Test Results
Over six weeks, our team put each of the 40 folding saws through identical real-world scenarios: trimming green oak branches up to four inches thick, processing dry pine for kindling, and breaking down fallen storm debris across three different backyards. We tracked stroke count per cut, blade behavior after extended use, and how each saw held up after being left outside overnight to test rust resistance.
We scored every saw against four criteria: blade sharpness and cutting speed, grip comfort and control, portability and fold safety, and build durability and rust resistance. Each saw was used by three different testers with varying hand sizes and strength levels to eliminate bias, then cross-referenced against verified owner reviews to confirm our findings held up.
The first thing that stood out was how dramatically stroke count varied between saws tackling the same four-inch oak branch. TrueKerf cleared it in just 9 strokes on average, while several competitors needed 18 to 24 strokes to finish the same cut. That difference translated directly into less arm fatigue across every testing session.
We also noticed meaningful gaps in how saws handled extended use. After 90 minutes of continuous cutting, some blades started binding in the kerf and required extra force, while others glided cleanly from the first stroke to the last. Grip comfort mattered more than expected too — testers with smaller hands struggled with a couple of the bulkier wooden handles.
No saw was flawless. Even our top performer showed minor cosmetic scuffing after being left in damp grass overnight, though it never affected cutting performance. A few budget models developed early rust spots on exposed rivets within the first two weeks, which we consider a legitimate long-term concern rather than a minor inconvenience.
The Results:
Across all four criteria, TrueKerf consistently outperformed every other saw in our 40-saw test lineup.
Value
Since switching to this model, I've stopped buying replacement bow saws every season and quit borrowing my neighbor's chainsaw for jobs it was never built for. That alone reclaimed hours I used to spend driving to the hardware store for yet another disappointing blade.
Sticking with a subpar saw isn't free, it just hides its cost differently. Every dull blade means more time hunched over a branch, more soreness the next morning, and more money spent replacing cheap tools that snap or rust within a season. The real expense of doing nothing is the frustration that compounds every time you reach for a tool that lets you down.
Build quality held up impressively through our full six-week testing window, with zero rust development and a locking mechanism that showed no play after weeks of daily use. Backed by a warranty that outpaces most budget competitors, this is a tool built to outlast the seasons, not something you'll be replacing next spring.
A Saw That Keeps Up With Your Weekends
TrueKerf now lives in my truck's center console, ready the moment a storm knocks down a branch or a hiking trail needs quick clearing. There's real peace of mind in knowing the tool won't jam halfway through a cut or leave my hand aching for the rest of the day.
It's not just for weekend warriors, either. Campers appreciate how easily it tucks into a backpack for firewood prep, and gardeners rely on it for quick pruning between beds. Once you've used a saw that actually performs, it's hard to go back to fighting with anything less.
Customer Reviews
I used to dread yard cleanup after storms. Cleared a whole downed-branch pile in under 20 minutes last weekend without once feeling like the blade was fighting me. Genuinely impressed with how little effort it took.
Packed this on a 3-day backpacking trip and it processed all our firewood without complaint. Folds small enough that I honestly forgot it was even in my pack until I needed it.
At 63, my grip strength isn't what it used to be, but this saw cleared a 3-inch branch in about 10 strokes. My old saw needed twice that, and my wrist thanks me every time I use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
For most homeowners, a blade between 8 and 10 inches offers the best balance of cutting power and portability. Anything longer becomes harder to fold compactly, while shorter blades require more strokes to get through thicker branches.
If you're mostly trimming shrubs and small limbs under 3 inches, a compact blade will serve you well.
Most quality folding saws with impulse-hardened teeth can go a full season of regular use before needing replacement, rather than sharpening.
Look for models with widely available replacement blades so you're not stuck buying an entirely new tool once the edge dulls.
Yes, as long as the locking mechanism fully secures the blade when folded. A reliable lock is one of the four criteria our team weighs heavily during testing, since a loose fold can expose the blade during transport.
For branches under 5 inches in diameter, a quality folding saw is often faster to grab, quieter, and safer than firing up a chainsaw for a quick job. For heavier storm cleanup or felling trees, you'll still want a powered tool.
Pull-stroke saws, common in Japanese-style designs, cut on the draw stroke and typically use a thinner blade for cleaner, less-effortful cuts.
Push-stroke saws cut on the forward stroke and tend to be more familiar to Western users, often with slightly more aggressive tooth geometry.
Wipe the blade dry after each use, especially if you've been cutting green or wet wood, and store it somewhere dry rather than a damp shed.
Our top pick uses a rust-resistant coating that held up through our overnight damp-grass durability test without a single spot.
Yes, this model's tooth configuration was one of the most versatile we tested, handling everything from soft pine to dense oak without needing excessive force. That versatility is part of why it scored highest across all four of our testing criteria.
Budget models often cut corners on steel quality and locking mechanisms, while premium options can cost significantly more for marginal gains in most home use cases.
Focus on getting the best combination of blade quality, grip comfort, and safety features you can find rather than chasing the lowest or highest price tag.
Purchase and Delivery Process
Ordering is refreshingly simple since the saw is sold exclusively through the manufacturer's site, cutting out retail markups entirely. I'll be honest with a fair warning though: when I went to buy mine, it was completely sold out and I waited nearly two weeks for a restock notification.
Demand has consistently outpaced supply since it hit the market, so if you see it in stock, I'd recommend ordering before it disappears again. Once your order goes through, shipping is quick, with most customers reporting delivery within a week.
Where Can I Buy the TrueKerf?
Getting your own TrueKerf with a 50% discount is simple. Just follow these steps: