Corona-Folding-Hand-Saw-featured-image Reviews

Corona 7-inch Folding Pruning Saw (RS 7245): Product Review

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GPR RECOMMENDATION

Ease of Use:
Quality:
Performance:
Final Thoughts

A very well-designed saw that gets the job done.

Overall Score 5

Available on Amazon

Buy It

Corona kindly sent us their 7-inch Folding Saw (RS 7245) to review. Have you ever wished that you owned a folding pruning saw? Hand pruners are too small for many pruning jobs, and even the biggest 2-inch loppers aren’t quite large enough to tackle thick tree limbs. That’s where a folding pruning saw can really shine.

We tested whether the Corona 7 inch Folding Pruning Saw, with its curved blade and impact-hardened steel blade, was up to the task.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Adjustable Tightness of Blade to Handle: Yes (with Phillips or straight-blade screwdriver)
  • Special Features: Hole to attach a lanyard or hang on the wall
  • Cutting Direction: Pull stroke
  • Blade Locking Mechanism: Thumb lever
  • Overall Length (including blade): 15 inches
  • Folded Length: 9 inches
  • Blade Material: High carbon steel (impulse hardened)
  • Blade Plating: Chrome plated
  • Straight or Curved Blade: Curved
  • Blade Teeth Design: Triple grind geometry (Corona calls it RazorTOOTH® Saw)
  • Replaceable Blade: Yes
  • Weight: 6–3/4 oz.
  • Can Blade Be Sharpened: No. Impulse hardened high carbon steel is too hard to sharpen.

VIDEO

Watch the video below for details about the design of this folding hand saw from Corona, a short tutorial on what makes the curved blade different (and how you should therefore use it differently), and to see the saw being used. Several features that we liked are also pointed out in this short video.

PACKAGING

The saw arrived packaged in a corrugated-type box with a plastic window that shows the product. It seems Corona tries to be more environmentally conscious regarding packaging. There’s more cardboard used now, while older packaging contained more plastic. However, while I applaud Corona for using greener packaging, the box proves challenging to open.

If you buy this saw, here’s a trick: peel the innermost layer of the cardboard back to open the package. I tried pulling on several of the first layers of cardboard and ran into the plastic window that held the saw in place. I could only access the product through the back layer of the cardboard packaging. Although a bit difficult to open, the majority of the packaging is recyclable.

Corona Folding Saw cardboard packaging

When opening the packaging, peel away the last layer of cardboard to access the saw.

STRONG SAW BLADE

Corona Folding Hand Saw grips

The rubber-like grips on both the handle and thumb area of the saw made it easy to hold

Corona uses impulse hardened high carbon steel. Impulse hardening is a different process than typically hardened high carbon steel, and the higher price of the saw reflects the difference. Impulse hardened steel blades remain sharp three times longer than conventionally hardened high carbon steel blades. In my tests, only two other folding saw companies (ARS and Gardener’s Supply) claim to make a saw blade that is impulse hardened. According to ARS, this process “involves both the heating and cooling within several thousandths of a second using impact energy created by high frequency current.”

Due to the hardness of the impulse hardened steel, the blades can’t be sharpened.

NICE GRIP WITH ERGONOMIC HANDLE

The first thing I noticed is Corona uses a rubber-like material on the saw’s handle for extra gripping power. The material continues up onto the area of the saw where I could place my thumb. I usually grip most hand saws with my fingers and thumb completely wrapped around the saw handle, but this design gave me the option of placing my thumb on top of the saw handle without losing dexterity.

Of all the saws I tested, this is the only one with the extra grip feature. If my thumb got tired while holding it with a traditional grip, I had a place to rest it while continuing my pruning tasks. I liked this feature.

Corona Folding Hand Saw ergonomic handle

Based on its well thought out ergonomic design, the saw was very comfortable to use.

HOOK AT END OF HANDLE

Another great feature is the large hook at the back of the handle that kept my hand from slipping off when I pulled the blade through the material. The hook provided extra stability for my hand.

Corona Folding Hand Saw handle hook

The accentuated hook at the back of the handle made for excellent gripping power.

THUMB LOCKING MECHANISM

Like most of the saws I tested (with the exception of the ARS and Fiskars brands), the blade locking mechanism is a thumb lever. When depressed, the lever locks the blade in either the open or closed position.

Corona Folding Hand Saw thumb lever lock

The thumb lever locked the blade in the open or closed position.

EASY TO CARRY

When folded, the saw is only 9 inches long. Carrying the saw in my hip pocket proved practical, because my hip pockets are deep, and the saw doesn’t slide around. I also tried carrying it in my shallower back pocket. It fit a little less securely due to the shallower depth but stayed in place. Still, I found my front pocket was more secure and comfortable, particularly when sitting down.

Corona Folding Hand Saw closed

In its folded configuration, the saw fit in my hip and back pocket.

LOCKING BLADE MECHANISM

The blade locks in place with a thumb lock. The lock works in the closed and open positions, eliminating safety concerns of the blade opening or closing unexpectedly.

BLADE TO HANDLE TOLERANCES

The blade to handle tolerances are like many of the other saws I tested. There is some up and down “play” to the blade in the handle, but the same is true in the other saws I reviewed. I did not take marks off for a bit of play.

ADJUSTABLE TENSION

A bolt runs through the handle and also through the blade (with a nut on the other side to secure the entire system). There is not significant back and forth play of the blade/handle interface when the saw is open (factory setting). But if I wanted to tighten the saw to eliminate the play, I simply tightened the bolt to stabilize the handle and blade. The bolt head accepts both a straight blade, as well as a Philips, screwdriver.

Corona Razortooth screw adjustment

The saw’s handle to blade tension can be adjusted with a bolt at the front of the saw.

CUTTING PERFORMANCE

  • Ease of Cutting: Easy
  • How Clean is the Cut: Clean
  • Cutting Speed: Fast

CURVED BLADE VS. STRAIGHT BLADE

Of all the saws I tested, this is one of two with a curved blade. (The other is the A.M. Leonard Tri-Edge A700.) So, why use a curved blade instead of a straight blade? Curved blades cut better when used above your shoulders or below your waist, and straight blades cut better when used in the torso section of your body.

When trying to cut with a curved blade in the torso area of the body, the blade tends to ride up and down on the limb or branch. In many cases, due to the angle at which you’re pulling the saw, only the front and rear sections of the saw make contact with the wood. The curved blade results in an unnatural pull of the arm, using a rocking motion versus a straight pull. Instead, shoulder mechanics provide better motion range when using a circular blade to cut above your head or below your waist. You can use a curved blade to cut in the torso area of the body, but it is not as efficient or effective.

pruning saw cutting a branch

Simple techniques and tips to use a pruning saw safely and efficiently.

>> Learn More

CARE

A chrome plating on the saw blades should inhibit rust formation, as well as the buildup of sap and wood resins. However, the chrome plating can begin to wear off after extended use, especially around the cutting teeth. When this happens, you’ll see a duller blade color. It’s very noticeable compared to the shiny blade when you first opened your brand-new saw.  Once the chrome is gone, the saw will rust. It’s the nature of high carbon steel.

Taking good care of your tools ensures that they will last longer. A light oiling of the blade and a little a squirt of lubricant in the area where the bolt goes through the blade and handle, along with the locking mechanism, keeps your saw in tip-top shape. My favorite lubricant is Tri-Flow®. Don’t leave your saw out overnight (where it’ll get covered in morning dew) or in the rain.

SAFETY

Wear eye protection. We recommend Wiley-X. Safety glasses help prevent sawdust from falling into your eyes when cutting over your head or on a windy day. They also protect you from flying metal in the event that a saw blade snaps (and they can break if bent at extreme angles).

The saw blades are extremely sharp. One slip, and you’ll likely be on your way to the hospital. We recommend that you wear a pair of gloves. Full leather gloves give you the best protection.

Because the saw is ideal for cutting over your head, a hard hat is recommended. Many are available online or in hardware or big box stores. We suggest one that meets ANSI (American National Safety Institute) standards. Enough said. Be safe.

WARRANTY

Corona offers a limited lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.

RECOMMENDATION

The Corona RazorTOOTH® 7-inch Folding Pruning Saw will do what it’s intended to do – cut and cut and cut. It works well when cutting in the torso range of your body, but it also does an excellent job when used over your head or under your waist (which is where curved blades shine). The dangerously-sharp teeth (with its RazorTOOTH® design) make clean, fast cuts. And as Corona states on its packaging, it “cuts twice as fast as a conventional saw.”

This saw falls well within our highly recommended range of folding hand saws. If you want a saw with a well-designed ergonomic handle, a nice rubberized grip, and an over-accentuated hook at the back of the handle for excellent pull stroke cutting, then consider adding this saw to your tool shed.

In my experience, the curved blade didn’t cut any better than a straight blade. (This is not a criticism, just an observation). But consider how you’ll use the saw most of the time (curved vs. straight blade) to influence your buying decision.

I liked the saw a lot. I also liked the replaceable, impulse hardened blade.

WHERE TO BUY

The Corona 7-inch Folding Pruning Saw (RS 7245) is available on Amazon.

Price Reduction
The Corona 7-inch Folding Pruning Saw (RS 7245)
This high quality, easy-to-use folding pruning saw works beautifully to tackle thick branches that loppers can't manage. The well-designed, comfortable-to-use saw makes clean, sharp cuts and offers perfect portability with its folding design.

It is also available on the Corona website for $27.55 + ($10.08 shipping).

A replacement blade is available through Corona website  for $13.20 + ($10.08 shipping)

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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Disclaimer – GPReview would like to thank Corona for giving us a free sample to review. There was no expectation that it would be a positive review and we received no compensation for writing it. All opinions expressed here are those of the author based on personal experience using the product.

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1 Comment on Corona 7-inch Folding Pruning Saw (RS 7245): Product Review

  1. George Livingstone

    I have had a Corona Folding Saw. It’s an, excellent tool. I bought a Fiskars. It was a disappointment. Insufficient set and not suitable for lefties because of location of unlocking button.

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