A folding saw is one of the most useful things in the camp box: for firewood, kindling, or a branch hanging over the campsite. The Workpro Folding Camp Saw is a 180 mm saw that folds into its handle, locks open and closed, and weighs 170 g. It has come on our trips around NSW, most recently up the Mid North Coast, and it cost us $23.
What’s in the box
A folding hand saw with a 180 mm black-coated blade of D6A and M2 high-speed steel, triple-ground teeth and a rubberised handle. A safety button locks the blade open and closed, and it folds to 230 mm. There’s no sheath.
What we like
- Sharp triple-ground teeth
- Cuts dry and green wood
- Locks open and closed
- Light: 170 g
- Folds to 230 mm
- Only $23
What we don’t
- No sheath
- Handle could be grippier
- Not for heavy logs
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Workpro |
| Material | D6A and M2 high-speed steelRubberised handle |
| Weight | 170 g |
| Blade length | 18 cm |
| Size | 410 mm open230 mm folded |
| Lock | Safety buttonOpen and closed |
Cutting
The triple-ground teeth are aggressive and cut through dry and green wood with little effort, and the thin blade, just 1.1 mm, keeps the cut easy. On our recent trip up the Mid North Coast it made quick work of a small trunk at camp. It’s at its best on branches up to about wrist-thick and on kindling; for heavy logs you want a bigger saw or an axe.
Lock and handle
The lock is one of the best features: it snaps firmly into place and needs a deliberate press to close, so the blade doesn’t fold onto your fingers. Opened out, the saw feels solid, with no flexing or rattling. The rubberised handle gives a good hold, though it could be grippier.
Blade and build
The D6A and M2 steel blade has stayed sharp and straight, with no bending or chipping after many cuts, and the black coating protects it from rust and cuts the glare in the sun. It rides in the back of the Prado without any babying.
Size and storage
Folded, it’s 230 mm long, about the length of a hand, and 170 g on our scale, so it slides into the Titan drawer or a daypack. There’s no sheath, so it’s good that the blade locks closed.
Vs our other folding saws
We’ve reviewed three other folding saws. The BAHCO Laplander is the toughest, the Fiskars 7-Inch Pruning Saw has a curved grip and a lifetime warranty, and the Fiskars Folding Saw has the longest blade for thicker branches. The Workpro is the lightest and the cheapest, and it scored highest.
This one Workpro Saw |  BAHCO Laplander |  Fiskars 7-inch |  Fiskars Folding Saw | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handle | Rubberised grip | Plastic | Curved, non-slip | Straight, SoftGrip |
| Blade lock | Open and closed | Safety lock | Open and folded | Open and folded |
| Blade | 180 mm | 190 mm | 180 mm | 250 mm |
| Weight | 170 g | 192 g | 206 g | 210 g |
| Price paid | $23 | $38 | $45 | $34 |
| Our score | 9.4 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 8.9 |
Conclusion: Workpro Folding Camp Saw 180 mmConclusion
The Workpro Folding Camp Saw is the folding saw we’d tell anyone to put in their camp box: sharp out of the box, with triple-ground teeth that cut dry and green wood easily, a lock that holds firm open and closed, and only 170 g. There’s no sheath, the handle could be grippier and it isn’t made for heavy logs, but for firewood, kindling and branches at camp, at $23 it earns its place every trip.
The folding saw we'd tell anyone to put in their camp box.
It was sharp out of the box, its triple-ground teeth cut dry and green wood easily, it locks firm open and closed and weighs only 170 g, for $23. There's no sheath, the handle could be grippier and it isn't made for heavy logs.
- Campers
- 4WD tourers
- Bushcrafters
Yes. Triple-ground teeth that cut dry and green wood cleanly, a locking blade and a very light build punch above the price. There’s no sheath and the handle could be grippier.
