Bushcraft Saw Types | Pick The Right Tool For The Job

Folding saws, bow saws, and pocket chainsaws are the three main bushcraft saw types, and each suits a different cutting job.

For the full breakdown, see our best Bushcraft Saw guide.

Choosing a bushcraft saw comes down to one question: what will you actually cut with it? The answer separates a compact folding saw that rides in a pack for years from a bulky bow saw that earns its space at a basecamp.

Folding Saws: The Bushcraft Default

Folding saws are the most common starting choice for bushcraft, and for good reason: they pack flat, weigh little, and handle the majority of camp cutting tasks. Most sources recommend them for branches up to about 4 inches in diameter, which covers camp poles, tent stakes, and small firewood. A blade between 7 and 10 inches is widely considered a strong all-around camp size.

Silky, a leading manufacturer, markets its folding saws specifically for camping and bushcrafting, using a special alloy steel blade and a comfortable rigid handle. Current model families include the PocketBoy, Gomboy, Super Accel, Bigboy, and the curved-blade variants like the PocketBoy Curve and Gomboy Curve. The Gomboy Curve, for instance, is a reworked version of the classic Gomboy with a curved blade that many users find cuts more aggressively.

If you’re buying your first bushcraft saw for branches, small logs, camp poles, and clean crosscuts, a folding saw is the place to start.

Bow And Buck Saws: For Cutting Volume

Bow saws are frame saws built for larger cutting tasks, handling branches up to about 6 inches in diameter. Buck saws are the earlier H-frame style with a taut blade — functionally similar, but a distinct design. Where a folding saw excels at precision, a bow saw excels at volume: regular firewood preparation, basecamp wood processing, and cold-weather trips where you burn more.

The trade-off is pack size. A bow saw won’t slip into a daypack the way a folding saw will, which is why it suits car camping, canoe camping, and basecamp setups where weight and bulk matter less than output. Bow saws also use interchangeable blades, and it matters which one you fit: separate blade types exist for greenwood and seasoned wood, and using the wrong one reduces cutting performance noticeably.

Pocket Chainsaws: Backup Only

Pocket chainsaws — flexible chains with handles on each end — are lightweight emergency tools. They pack smaller than anything else in this category, which makes them tempting, but they’re generally less precise and more tiring to use than folding or bow saws for regular camp work.

Treat a pocket chainsaw as a backup or emergency option, not your primary camp saw. For steady firewood processing or even modest camp construction, the effort-to-output ratio is poor compared with a folding or bow saw. If portability is your absolute priority and cutting volume is minimal, one earns a place in a survival kit — just don’t expect it to replace a proper saw.

How To Choose: Match The Saw To The Trip

The decision framework is straightforward once you know your cutting needs. A folding saw covers most bushcraft scenarios. A bow saw wins where volume matters. A pocket chainsaw only earns its place as a lightweight backup.

Common mistakes come from skipping this match. Buying a pocket chainsaw as a primary saw is usually a poor fit for regular camp woodwork. Treating all saws as equivalent leads to frustration — a folding saw on a big log, or a bow saw on a delicate pole, both make harder work than the right tool would.

Prices and availability vary by seller and region. Check the live product page before you buy.

Start with a folding saw for general bushcraft. Add a bow saw when your trips demand firewood volume, and carry a pocket chainsaw only as insurance.