Folding saws can be something of an obsession for folks who cut and prune trees at home, camp, or on trail. In fact, I have amassed a bit of a collection over the years: an ARS 210DX for my day pack, a Silky Saws Gomboy Curve 240 Outback Edition for my multiday pack, an Agawa Canyon Boreal 24 saw for the orchard at the house, and a Silky Saws Big Boy 2000 for the truck.
Each of these saws has gotten me out of numerous jams. So, who knew I had room for one more?
Woxna is a small Swedish folding saw company that leans on premium materials to provide an elevated cutting experience in both form and function. While the brand may be new, its team brings more than 50 years of experience in saws and tool making.
At the end of the spring, the brand offered a test sample of its Ljusnan 10-inch folding saw. With its high-carbon stainless steel and sustainable walnut handles, the Ljusnan presented a very attractive opportunity.
In short: The Woxna Ljustan 10-inch Folding Saw is a premium folding saw designed for the dedicated user whose chore list never ends. It commands a hefty price, but it’s justified in the Swedish saw’s performance. This is not a tool to sit idle in a garage; it’s an active-duty device that will withstand hard use.
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Balance between size and weight -
10C28Mo2 high-carbon stainless steel -
Walnut handles
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Wood handles will need to be re-oiled over time -
High price
Woxna Ljusnan 10-in. Folding Saw Review
Design & Features
The Ljusnan 10-inch folding saw (also available in a 7-inch model) is designed for pruning trees and clearing trails. It carries a linseed oil–finished walnut handle, steel frame, and high-carbon stainless 10C28Mo2 blade with seven teeth per inch. Its materials and compact design make it an easy-to-carry, effective tool for anyone enjoying the outdoors.
10C28Mo2 is a high-carbon stainless steel that provides the benefit of high-carbon steel’s lower hardness, and the stainless steel’s corrosion resistance. The end result is a long-lasting blade that will not corrode or break down.
What’s more, this Swedish steel is known for its edge retention. This, along with the varying grind (3 Phase) pattern, makes long-term sawing through soft and hard woods a breeze.
Another benefit of the Ljusnan is the selective hardening process that Woxna puts its saw blades through. This raises the hardness to 57-59 HRC on the teeth, while keeping the spine untreated. Couple this with the presence of molybdenum in the composition of the steel, and you get a blade that will flex instead of snap.
First Impressions
Opening the box reveals quite the presentation and product. From the patterns in the walnut handle to the brand stamping on the blade, and even the patterning on the lock button, the Ljusnan has a look that’s on par with its $230 price.
Its build feels overdone, and its blade is so damn sharp that when you flick it, it tings. My primary area of interest will be maintenance. Button locks are always a problem on saws like this because they get gummed up. However, I know a little about 10C28Mo2 steel, and I have a feeling I won’t need to take the time to resharpen the teeth on the blade for quite a while.
In the Orchard & Yard
This summer, and now encroaching into fall, has been all about reclaiming part of my yard. I’ve got a 40-by-20-foot patch of yard I’m clearing so I can build a barn and set up an area for beehives. This area is thick and dense — it contains trees, saplings, thorny bushes, berry bushes, and a wide variety of flora that have grown into a tight network of knotted wood that needs to be eliminated.
Some of the loose vines can be taken care of with a chainsaw, but anything that lives toward the center of the knots needs to be sawn. Over the course of a few days, the Ljusnan allowed me to eliminate three of the four main knots, each of which averaged around 5 to 7 feet in diameter.
Additionally, this saw came in handy pruning the trees in the yard. Apple trees can grow out of control quickly, so pruning them back — both fresh branches and gnarly established ones — can keep the tree healthy and fruiting for years to come.
I’m looking forward to taking the Ljusnan out on the trail once the work in the yard is done. We have a lot of old-growth forests out here, which equates to a lot of deadfall this time of year. I don’t know how I feel about leaving my Silky Saws Gomboy 240 Curve behind after all these years of trusted use. However, the Ljusnan has more than proven it can handle any task any other folding saw can handle.
How Stainless Is Woxna’s Steel?
I’ll keep this short: I left the Ljusnan out on the front porch of my shed for the entire month of May.
From March to August of this year, we saw a ton of rain — 90% of that rain fell during May. Aside from some surface rust on the spine, the saw looks and functions like it was wrapped in a cloth diaper and sung to when I wasn’t using it.
Conclusion: Who’s It For?
Most other saws around the size of the Ljusnan cost about half its price. So, Woxna might have a hard time getting a foothold in the U.S. However, folks who will splurge on one of these saws will be quickly impressed by both the quality of the build and how well it performs.
That being the case, I wouldn’t recommend this saw to the casual user who needs to tackle a branch here and there. The Ljusnan is a premium saw aimed at a devoted user. It provides a high level of performance with little need for maintenance, which will only be obvious to someone who uses it all the time. And it ages gracefully, only looking better as it weathers.
If you’re into bushcraft, trail maintenance, or taking care of your yard, it might be worth the money to invest in this folding saw. I will add that a little of what you’re paying for is culture and heritage. The Ljusnan ages gracefully and looks great weathered.
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