Reciprocating saws make specific jobs much more manageable. It doesn’t matter if you are carrying out some significant home improvement, or carrying out some work in your yard. With this kind of power tool, you can power through these jobs in a fraction of the time.
However, you will need some new blades to carry out different jobs, and knowing which the best is, is easier said than done.
Here, you can check out the best reciprocating saw blades reviews to help you through the hard part of the buying process.
Included is a detailed buyer’s guide, so you can find the right pack of blades that can cover all the jobs you are conducting.
Contents
Why You Need Reciprocating Saw Blades?
Once you begin using a reciprocating saw, you find that the tool can power through nearly anything.
However, to get the best use from this device means you need a pack of the best reciprocating saw blades, as there are many types suited to different jobs.
You can use them for cutting lumber when woodworking or one everyday use is to cut branches on trees that are taking over the garden. Besides, these are the strong blades that can make it easy to cut through nails, metal tubing.
You can even find specialist blades that slice through tiles or masonry, so there isn’t any job you can’t tackle with these blades and your reciprocating saw.
One of the best advantages is the blade lengths; you can cut through the material much larger than if you were trying to do so manually. You will find this alone makes the purchase of the best reciprocating blades worth the small amount of money they ask.
Top Reciprocating Saw Blade Reviews
1. DEWALT Reciprocating Saw Blades, Metal/Wood Cutting Set
The DeWalt Sawzall blade pack comprises six assorted bi-metal reciprocating saw blades to fulfill all your cutting requirements.
You find three blades for suited for metal, two for use with wood, and one that can make light work of cutting wood and metal.
In testing, we found it was easier to cut more substantial materials than it was flimsy work such as metal sheeting. TPI ranges from 6 to 24 for most cutting jobs.
We also found that because every blade was the same six inches in length, you do only have the ability to cut workpieces up to around three inches in size.
The extra length lost through the blade mount and the action of the saw. In most cases, this is more than enough to cover jobs in the yard and around the home.
If you are new to using a reciprocating saw, DeWalt makes things easy as they have a diagram of each material on the end of each blade along with the teeth per inch.
You can also find that the blades come with six to twenty-four teeth per inch, so you can make rough or fine cuts as required.
Pros
- Cuts all manner of materials
- Highly affordable
- Pack contains six blades
- Raker tooth design
- 1-year warranty
Cons
- All blades are one length
- Not very thick blades
- Limited cutting size
Dewalt reciprocating saw blades come with a guide price of just over $11, which offers excellent value for money. For a pack of saw blades that is capable of cutting metal, drywall, wood, and plastic, you don’t need to look any further.
The raker tooth design offers more tooth contact, and thus a faster cutting, reciprocating saw action and less wear. The blades are also compatible with all top reciprocating saw brands. Coming with a 1-year guarantee, there isn’t much more you can ask from the best reciprocating saw blades for metal and other materials you can find.
2. Milwaukee, 49-22-1129, 9″ L 6 Reciprocating Saw Blade Set
Once you open the great carrying case, these blades are delivered in; you can see a wide range of options that will cover any job you may have. The blades are an inch in depth that offers more strength, although this has the downside of putting a strain on battery-powered saws.
You also find you have high-carbon steel multi-length blades of six and nine inches. Besides this, they come in various categories for the types of cutting you are doing.
You have five axe blades that provide all manner of effective woodcutting. The blades are thicker than many other wood cutting blades along with more length for a faster cut and capability.
The wrecker blades are multi-purpose for wood or metal and are suited for cutting each.
If you have any demolition projects, using the Milwaukee Sawzall blades will have your DIY projects completed in double-quick time.
Pros
- Ideal for metal cutting
- Come with a good carry case
- Pack contains 12 blades
- Blades are thick
- Blades don’t bend
Cons
- Manufacturing defect warranty only
- Puts a strain on battery-powered saws
- Multiples of each blade, so the choice is small
In the saw pack are five torch blades that make light work of metal cutting, each coming with varying teeth per inch. You have the choice of two sizes so you can control your cutting capacities.
The Milwaukee 49-22-1129 come with a guide price of just under $27, which is good value for 12 blades. Some users may find that because the blades come in multiples rather than one blade for each job, they may end up with a pack of blades where some may never be used.
Apart from this, they are a great set of blades for extreme demolition applications; and to cover most user’s needs.
3. SKIL 94103 6-Piece Reciprocating Set with Pouch, 6-Piece
When you open the carry pouch on the Skil 94103, you will see that four of the blades are the same type, and only suitable for woodcutting. One of the other blades is a multi-purpose blade, and the last one is suitable for cutting steel.
For general use, they are ideally suited, as many individuals will be cutting wood rather than metal. The metal blade isn’t so good at cutting steel tubing and is better used when you have wood with nails you need to cut through.
Besides this, the quality can’t be questioned as all blades are high carbon steel with fire-treated cutting edges.
In the yard, you can easily tackle branches or timber up to five or six inches with ease.
Pros
- Durable high-carbon steel for max performance
- Precision ground and hardened tips
- Compatible with Skil saws and some other brands
- Comes with carrying pouch
Cons
- Carry pouch not very durable
- Blades mainly suited to wood cutting
- Only three different blade types
Skil is one of the most notable names in power tools, and the blades follow their reliability. The blade pack comes with a guide price of around $26, which is a decent value if you have a lot of work of the same type.
You will find the blades are compatible with any Skil reciprocating saws and are suited to many other brands, although it is worth checking before committing.
The carry pouch they come in helps to keep them all organized, although it may not be the most durable, and it stands a chance it will wear out before your blades do.
Any person carrying out yard clearing or home improvement with lots of woodcutting can find there is no reason to venture too far from the Skil Sawzall blades.
4. PORTER-CABLE Pruning Reciprocating Saw Blades, 9-Inch, 3-Pack (PC760R)
The 9-inch high-carbon steel three-blade pruning reciprocating package is perfect for anyone who does landscaping work and needs to cut a few branches from their trees.
The blades are durable and made to do the job efficiently. The three-blade package offers carbide-tipped teeth for longer life, and the ability to cut wet lumber as quickly as dry lumber.
You can cut any job with the 9-inch length, which offers better cutting ability without the teeth clogging up when cutting. They are just as suitable for rough cutting of pressure-treated wood, although if you want a fine cut, you will need blades with an increase in teeth per inch.
The other disadvantage is that the blades are flimsy, so if you are looking for a straight cut, you may need to draw a straight line before you start.
Pros
- Durable high-carbon steel for fast cutting
- Long 9-inch blade for deep cutting
- Blades won’t clog up
- Fits most reciprocating saw
- Can easily cut wet wood
Cons
- Better suited to branches
- Blades are thin and bend
- Only a 30-day satisfaction guarantee
With a guide price coming in at around $12, you are paying a bit more than many other blades, yet they are highly durable and should last longer than others should.
The other thing being you are purchasing a pack of three blades that are the same Sawzall pruning blades, so they are a one-job blade rather than offering you the chance to carry out other cutting jobs.
The blades will fit most makes of reciprocating saws, so, if you require lots of pruning, you can pick these up and get the job done.
While the blades are highly durable and come with hardened tips, it would be nice to see a guarantee that extends beyond thirty days and is more than merely a satisfaction guarantee.
5. Bosch 5-Piece 12-Inch 5 TPI Wood Cutting Reciprocating Saw Blades RP125
The Bosch reciprocating saw blades start sharp, and they stay sharp for up to 3x longer than other standard reciprocating saw blades.
With Turbo-Teeth technology, the Bosch Sawzall blades can make easy cutting of any green timber, branches, or rough cuts in pressure-treated wood.
The unique design offers performance from the optimized blade geometry, highly regarded Swiss-made blades, and made from with premium carbide materials that deliver reliable performance.
Each of the long Sawzall blades is designed for durability while providing the most extended life of any reciprocating saw pruning blade. You may find these the best blades for woodcutting unless you want fine cuts, and then you need an increased tooth per inch.
If you lack the time or you want to rip through wood and branches as fast as possible, then the Bosch reciprocating saw blades could be the answer.
Pros
- Durable high-carbon steel for fast cutting
- Long 12-inch blade for deep cuts
- Turbo Teeth technology for quick cuts
- Lasts 3x more than other blades
Cons
- Teeth can clog in heavy use of wet wood
- Blades are thin and bend
- Only 30-day guarantee
The Bosch blades come from one of the premium power-tool manufacturers, so you do have a guarantee what you buy is up for the job.
It was a surprise to see the blades come in with a guide price of around $25 for a five-pack of similar blades, and there is only a 30-day guarantee.
However, if you are looking for a number of blades to carry out a particular function. No other reciprocating saw blades for wood can match the longevity and faster cuts the Bosch delivers.
Reciprocating Saw Blades Buying Guide
Reciprocating Saw Blade Types
Although you can get reciprocating Sawzall blades that can cut through the majority of materials from metal, cutting wood, plastics, and plaster, the essential thing is finding the correct blade for the task.
A reciprocating blade set can come in various materials and every one appropriate for multiple cutting.
Here are each of the saw blade types and materials:
Carbon Steel Blades: Carbon steel blades have flexibility, which is their main feature. It is one of their most outstanding characteristics as they bend without breaking while cutting various materials.
These blades have between 4 and 14 TPI, so they are very versatile for cutting wood without nails, plastic pipes, and non-ferrous metals up to 1/2 inch.
High-Speed Steel: The additional hardness of these blades makes them perfect for cutting several kinds of metal and hardwoods. Despite that, they are not flexible and prone to breaking.
High-speed steel blades go through a steel tempering process and resistant to heat and can last longer than the carbon steel if used correctly.
Carbide Grit Blades: Carbide tipped grit blades are one of the hardest blades, yet among the most expensive. The extreme hardness makes them ideal when cutting dense materials.
In most cases, they are 6 or 10 TPI and are usable for cutting fiberglass, ceramic tiles, stone, cast iron to demolition work, and nails in wood.
Bi-Metal Blades: Bi-metal blades are the best reciprocating saw blades because of their breaking strength and flexibility.
They offer the best of both high-speed steel and high-carbon steel.
The body of the blade is made of high carbon steel, which offers flexibility, while all the teeth of the blade are made of high-speed steel. This provides durability and toughness.
You will find these blades with 14, 18, and 24 TPI, and all are ideal for cutting pipe, non-ferrous structural steels, stainless steel, and most other thin metals, as well as woods.
Buying Guide
When you search for blades, there are many other things to look for besides what the construction of the blade is. Here are the other factors to consider.
Material Type
You have to know what materials you will cut before buying your blades. The reason being, it isn’t possible to use one blade for everything, even if there are multi-purpose, these have limited materials they can cut.
You will see each cutting blade is made to cut specific materials. Selecting the wrong blades will make the job hard and damage your blades in the process. Some manufacturers put the types in words while the top blade manufacturers place images on the blade so you can see without checking the pack.
Teeth Per Inch (TPI)
TPI (teeth per inch) will be the most important thing you need to check when purchasing your blades. If you buy blades with fewer numbers of teeth per inch, these are often intended for rough cuts in wood or pruning only.
To obtain smoother and fast cutting for metal cutting, you need blades with a higher TPI number.
You can find the average TPI ranges for your reciprocating saw blades begins at three and runs up to eighteen. Between 3 and 8 are suitable for pruning while blades with a TPI from 8 to 14 are for wood cutting that may contain the occasional nail.
Blades with TPI above this and fall in the 14 to 18 range are designed for cutting metal and will offer fine cuts with clean edges. A Sawzall metal cutting blade can cut metal, yet is no use when trying to cut wood.
Tooth Pattern
Blade tooth patterns can influence blade performance. Available tooth patterns are generally either of the following:
- Wavy Set: Here, the teeth follow a wavy pattern, and will offer a finer cut where there is also a superior cutting speed. Metal saw blades often follow this pattern.
- Raker Set: You can see the teeth extend outside the side of the blade edge in alternating patterns. Generally, these cut faster, yet the cuts are not as fine or precise.
Blade Length
The length of the blade determines the length of the cut. Longer blades help when cutting more substantial pieces, yet the blades often wobble more. Shorter blades make cleaner, squarer, and much smoother cuts, yet they are limited on the material size you can cut.
You can often find may find Sawzall blades for wood or pruning blades offer longer lengths, as they don’t need precise cuts, and generally need to cut larger pieces.
Blade Thickness
The thickness of the blade can leave you thinking my blade is unbending if it is thicker than you expect.
The thicker they are, the more heavy-duty, and the more efficiently they can resist bending. If you use your reciprocal saw for cutting more complex or critical projects, it will be advisable to use thicker blades.
A thicker blade enables you to make your precise cuts without damaging your work and the blade. One other thing to consider is that thicker blades can drain batteries on battery-powered saws faster due to extra force as it cuts the material.
While you can cut more precisely with a thicker blade, they do eat away at more material. You will need to allow for this if you happen to be cutting joints, or anything that has to fit together.
Blade Fitting
Any reciprocating saw blade that you buy will only be useful for you if it can fit your saws body.
Many saw manufacturers make blades that are compatible with all major brands of a saw; however, this doesn’t mean they fit every one of them.
Before you purchase any reciprocating saw blade, be sure it comes with the same fitting mechanism that your saw has.
On the other hand, you should never feel that if you have one brand of a saw, you can only purchase their blades; doing so could mean you are missing out, and spending much more than you need to.
Final Verdict
It is a shame to have a reciprocating saw, and not have multiple blades so that you can use it in a variety of instances. With this in mind, in our review research, it ruled out the pruning or wood only blades.
For variety, the DEWALT Reciprocating Saw Blades, Metal/Wood Cutting Set quickly began to show its strengths.
With lots of material options and cutting levels, there are enough blades to tackle any job around the home, with a range of TP from 6 up to 24. The bi-metal construction delivering durability and flexibility.
With a 1-year warranty, this outshone any other blade; and does show fantastic value for money. There are a few niggles, yet it is hard to find the perfect set of blades, so value for money was the most significant marker we chose.
Being able to carry out rough cutting of tree branches, to detailed cuts in the workshop, this pack of different reciprocating saw blades is a worthy winner when compared to others.
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