Wicked Tough Handsaw Reviewed
Marketing from Wicked Tree Gear
The Wicked Tough Handsaw is Wicked Tree Gears flagship product, and has set a new bar for quality in handsaws. Sharp, comfortable, and unbreakable! It’s simplistic design not only works, but reinvents what a handsaw should be. This was the design Todd had been working on for a better part of his life, and is proud to make it at a price that anyone can afford.
The Wicked Tough Handsaw is what SERIOUS hunters and outdoorsman have been waiting for. The last folding handsaw you’ll ever buy? There’s a good chance it is. The patent-pending cast aluminum handle design is the foundation for one of the strongest handle and blade locking mechanism ever produced. The Wicked Sharp high-carbon steel blade is strong, won’t bend or break, and rips through any tree or limb you put it to. The rubber over molded grip fits your hand like a glove, and positions your arm for the easiest and most efficient cutting you have ever felt. Before you break your next cheap plastic saw, get a Wicked Tough Saw!
Manufacturer: Wicked Tree Gear, wickedtreegear.com
Model: Wicked Tough HandsawOverall Length: 14.5″
Closed Length: 8.25″
Blade Length: 6.25″
Weight: 8.4oz
Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
Origin: China
Accessories: Nylon Sheath, Hand Saw Blade, Bone Saw Blade
UPC: 6956009300167
MSRP: $49.99
The Review
When it comes to bugging-out or trekking around the country, what you pack coupled with the size and weight of your gear can have quite an impact on the level of your success. While we attempt to pack the lightest kitchen sink that we can find, we must be confident that the gear we choose will be able get the job done. Today, we’ll be reviewing the Wicked Tough Handsaw from Wicked Tree Gear. Lets see just how wicked it is…
The Wicked Tough Handsaw consists of a rugged patent pending cast aluminum body with a rubberized non-slip overmolded grip so the saw’s handle is as comfortable as it is tough. Its aggressive one-piece design and cast aluminum body is the basis for a saw handle that is virtually indestructible. So much so that you can drive your car over it or drop it from high-up in a tree without any resulting damage.
The rubberized ergonomic handle is set at a slight downward angle, improving the alignment of the wrist and forearm for a more powerful, efficient and comfortable cutting stroke. Additionally, the handle has four deep finger grooves for improved control and reduced slippage, even in wet conditions.
Open or closed, the blade locks firmly in place due to the fail-safe blade locking mechanism that consists of a hardened steel lock-pin, retention nut and spring. The handsaw has no plastic parts to break or wear out so it is extremely durable and always easy to operate.
The Wicked Tough Handsaw features the Wicked Tough Limited Lifetime Guarantee. If you ever break the handle, they will replace it for free. If you are not satisfied with the handsaw, they will give you your money back. That’s the Wicked Tough Guarantee.
The Wicked Tough Handsaw features a 6-1/4″ Wicked Sharp blade made from heavy gage .050″ impulse-hardened high-carbon steel, with aggressive, long-lasting chiseled teeth that are razor sharp and designed to cut in both directions. Additionally, the blade is slightly thicker than most so it is virtually unbreakable. It will not bend or break like many of the cheaper blades on the market.
Wicked Tree Gear guarantees that the Wicked Sharp blade is the sharpest, easiest, and fastest cutting blade that you have ever used. If you don’t agree, they will give you your money back. That’s the Wicked Sharp Guarantee.
Wicked Tree Gear has created a lightweight sheath for the Wicked Tough Handsaw that is sold separately. However, once in a while you can find specials where it is included with the Wicked Tough Hand Saw. The sheath is constructed from a heavy-duty canvas material so it is durable. The sheath features a belt loop and adjustable pack strap for various lashing options. Additionally, there is a neoprene pocket on the front of the sheath for additional storage.
Functional Testing
To test how the Wicked Tough Handsaw performs under fire, I decided I would perform some heavy tree pruning around the homestead. A little cutting here, a little chopping there… Lets see how well this thing gets the job done.
The first few cuts that I made with the handsaw were to drop a few tree branches around 3″ or so in diameter that happened to be hanging over the roofline. The saw made quick work through each branch, and without much effort at all using short, but steady strokes. With the short 6-1/4″ blade, there really isn’t much room for long cutting strokes. However, with those “wickedly” aggressive teeth that cut well in both directions, a long blade really isn’t necessary. Additionally, the teeth are so large, they don’t tend to plug up like I’ve seen with many of the less aggressive blades.
Once the larger branches were down, I used the handsaw to finish shaping the smaller material around the tree and delimb the foliage off the downed branches before I cut them down to size. Chopping is really an unconventional method of using a handsaw. However, one of the positive results of having an aggressive tooth pattern and steel locking-pin like that of the Wicked Tough Handsaw is that you can chop at smaller material much like you would with a large knife or machete. The large chiseled teeth are perfect for chopping off twigs and smaller branches. Although, I would likely not chop at material larger than 1/2″ or so with this thing. After all, it’s only a compact handsaw.
The more I cut, the more impressed I became with the durability and comfort of the saw body and handle, and especially impressed with the ruggedness and efficiency of the Wicked Sharp blade.
Final Thoughts
When you see a Wicked Tough Handsaw in person for the first time, you would likely agree that its name is somewhat self-describing. And when you pick one up, its aggressive design, quality materials and industrious look and feel imparts extreme durability. Everything you would ever want from a lightweight foldable handsaw.
If you need to pack light, the Wicked Tough Handsaw is certainly an attractive alternative to a hand axe or machete if you need to work with small trees and limbs. Built tough enough to handle most anything you can throw at it, and durable enough to last for years to come.
Sure the Wicked Tough Handsaw is priced considerably higher than most of the plastic handsaws out there, but then again you usually get what you pay for. From end to end this handsaw is rock-solid, and in my opinion worth every penny. I wholeheartedly give it two thumbs up. However, I would like to see the price come down a bit so long as it doesn’t have any impact the quality.
About Wicked Tree Gear
Wicked Tree Gear was created to fix what was broken. To build a product line of tree trimming equipment that was as close to bomb proof as manufacturing will allow; but precise enough to continue functioning properly for the life of the product.
That was the concept of Wicked Tree Gear President, Todd Pringnitz; when starting the company in 2010. Todd, started out working in manufacturing in his native state of Michigan in his late teens and into his 20’s. While working full time in design, Todd attended a local community college in drafting & design, and continued on to study Product Design Engineering at a major university while working in the field.
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