Sawzall Pruning Blade?

[demarpaint]

TIA I plan to do some tree pruning with my Dewalt 20V Reciprocating Saw, pine and cherry trees. Milwaukee offers a carbide blade 9" for about $10 at Home Depot, HF has a 5 pack of Warrior blades for $9, and Hercules blades 3 for $10. I realize you usually get what you pay for, but the reviews are good for all of them, and they are disposable items. Once again thanks in advance for the replies.

 

[mike93lx]

I've had great luck with carbide blades, mainly Diablo, so that's my go to.

I bet the HF blades are fine... I beat the **** out of a Hercules demo circular saw blade cutting linoleum and subfloor up. It ripped through probably 750 sq ft of plywood, framing nails and a million staples, and it still cuts just fine

 

[jblnut]

+1 for the Diablo pruning blade. Worth every penny.

 

[seber]

The carbide will outlast 50 steel blades and won't be destroyed if you hit a nail. On the other hand, hit something with the end of the blade and buy a new one.

 

[mike93lx]

On the other hand, hit something with the end of the blade and buy a new one.

Why?

The teeth are carbide, not the whole blade

Can't saw I have had a problem from this yet

 

[seber]

Why?

The teeth are carbide, not the whole blade

Can't saw I have had a problem from this yet

If you hit the end of the blade, it will bend. Getting it straight is a lesson in futility.

 

[mike93lx]

If you hit the end of the blade, it will bend. Getting it straight is a lesson in futility.

I dont recall and specific instances of bending one, but also know I haven't thrown one away for bending.

Why wouldn't you be able to straighten them?

 

[RTM]

TIA I plan to do some tree pruning with my Dewalt 20V Reciprocating Saw, pine and cherry trees. .

I use carbide, cuz I’m often cutting up Eucalyptus.

But remember you need to make an exaggeration sawing motion with the saw, to clear the sawdust out of the teeth gullets, to make it cut more efficiently.

 

[JeepYJ]

Diablo

 

[KnurledNut]

@demarpaint
I use both the Milwaukee and Diablo carbide pruning blades and both cut fast and have a good life span.
However, I find the 3T design can be too aggressive causing uncontrollable damage, especially on smaller limbs and delicate vegetation.
Because of this, I also use fleam-ground pruning blades which allow for a more controlled start with much less chatter and vibration, cut on both the forward and backward stroke reducing tearout, and slice the grain instead of chiseling it, leaving a cleaner cut. They just dont last as long. I've had good success with the swiss-made Skil (Bosch) "The Ugly" blades.

 

[Steve_P]

I have a Diablo carbide pruning blade and it's definitely very aggressive. I have some DeWalt with much finer teeth that I use on smaller stuff.

I've bent at least one DeWalt (non-carbide) blade and was unsuccessful at straightening it. Yes, I improved it, but I couldn't make it anywhere close to perfect.

 

[mrjaw14]

I've used milwaukee Ax carbide tipped pruning blades and also the diablo ones. I prefer the Milwaukee, but either will work. They are awesome at jamming in the ground and cutting roots. When digging up a tree stump they are a must-have. I also use them for cutting up smaller wood into stove sized pieces when i don't want to get out a chainsaw, as well as actually trimming live branches. Really are good kit to have

 

[Dixie_Flatline]

HF Warrior pruning blades look like they would get the job done.

 

[oldwino]

Another Diablo vote

 

[bassJAM]

I don't think it matters a whole lot. I have a pack of Craftsman pruning blades I've abused, cutting roots in soil and mud when I've dug fence and deck posts. After I finally bent and ruined the last one past use I used some bone blades I had acquired for butchering deer to clean up some limbs in the yard. They cut just as good, and they're all FAR better than any normal blade meant for lumber.

 

[danielbuck]

I get alot of use from the standard non-carbide pruning blades for cutting limbs and small trunks. Even cutting stuff up to probably 6" thick. I have an electric chainsaw now, so I don't use the pruning blades quite as much anymore, but they work really well and feel very safe using 1 handed.

 

[desertdog256]

I buy the Diablo at Home Depot and get good service from them. Occasionally I have found a bonus pack with an extra blade for a better price.

 

[tmp]

I bought two Diablo pruning blades thinking I’d get through a big limb that came down in the yard. Ended up using just those two blades to also cut every root I uncovered while digging out 3 medium size stumps. The only thing that killed them was the blade snapping off the shank, they stayed very effective even running through dirt and mud getting the stumps out.

 

[fourjeepin]

I bought two Diablo pruning blades thinking I’d get through a big limb that came down in the yard. Ended up using just those two blades to also cut every root I uncovered while digging out 3 medium size stumps. The only thing that killed them was the blade snapping off the shank, they stayed very effective even running through dirt and mud getting the stumps out.

I’ve had the same experience with them snapping at the shank. I bought large pack of the Diablos on clearance from HD 5 or 6 years ago and have used them quite a bit. They work great even on large limbs/small trees.

Oh, and if you have the orbital setting on your recip saw, this makes them work even better.

 

[jsaw]

Any pruning blades I have used all have worked good. The only problem I have had is if I try cutting too close to the end of the blade, they will catch and snap.

I have also used drywall blades if I am cutting roots . The drywall blades are made to be used in abrasive conditions so they last a long time.

 

[demarpaint]

HF Warrior pruning blades look like they would get the job done.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to check these out at HF next time I'm in the area of my local HF. In the meantime I'll probably grab the Milwaukee carbide blade with the remaining balance on a HD gift card.

 

[BrandonV]

I have had good luck with the Diablo and Milwaukee blades. I use the Harbor Freight blades if I'm going to be cutting at roots in the ground as you'll inevitably hit a rock or something which will dull the blade quickly.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Freud DS0903CP3 Diablo 9" Carbide Pruning Reciprocating Blade - 3 pack - Amazon $20

Not cheap, but they last a long time !

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

I bought some generic "pruning" blades at the flea market when I got my first corded sawzall. They didn't get a lot of use until I got a cordless saw and it was very useful for tree trimming.

I eventually upped my game with some Milwaukee "AX" construction blades - 9" and 5 TPI. The packaging doesn't mention carbide teeth but they appear to have them. I REALLY LIKE trimming trees with these blades - fast and clean.

Cheers

Jim

 

[jives]

I've used them all, cutting down hundreds of buckthorn trees (single trunks of 1-8", or multiple trunks). The Diablo carbides are the best, but they only really show their worth when cutting down at ground level and roots. I've got some very aggressive Porter Cable blades that work well, and they can be straightened.

 

[Mike007]

Fyi, I had ongoing issues with tree disease. I had to cut two +/- 50' trees down. I spoke to a tree guy. He told me I was likely causing it by trimming my trees with the same sawzall blade. Apparently spreading whatever was causing it. I was skeptical, but I started cleaning the blade between trees. The issues went away fwiw.

 

[johninct]

The carbide will outlast 50 steel blades and won't be destroyed if you hit a nail. On the other hand, hit something with the end of the blade and buy a new one.

I use a hammer to fix them.

 

[RegeSullivan]

I dont recall and specific instances of bending one, but also know I haven't thrown one away for bending.

Why wouldn't you be able to straighten them?

If you haven't bent a reciprocating saw blade you're probably not using it for demo much. I've straightened them often but they're never as good.

 

[Dixie_Flatline]

If you haven't bent a reciprocating saw blade you're probably not using it for demo much. I've straightened them often but they're never as good.

I smoked a brand new blade doing some demo work in our old home, sawed through some nails I did not know was in that bit of wood and a solid two inches of the new blade were suddenly toothless. I was tempted to take a die grinder and cut some new teeth in the blade for pruning, but I am also equally sure I threw it away.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I've got some very aggressive Porter Cable blades that work well, and they can be straightened.

My Diablo Carbide blades can be sharpened also. Hammer on top of a vice. Don't hit the carbides.

One blade got bent severely close the the mounting end. I cut that off with an angle grinder and carefully "messaged" that end back to the original shape. It worked !

 

[petee_c]

old thread but....



I bought this to do some pruning of some weed trees on our rental property. nothing over 4" worked well for that.

On the pic, it says it does wood, so we were going to cut up a really worn out couch to make it easier to remove.

PSA: do not hit nails with this blade... carbides all broken off, and it's dull AF.

Intact carbides:


carbides missing on the Right hand side of pic


I was going to try to sharpen these teeth with a file, but they will be at a different height than the carbides, not sure if it'll work. This is the sweet spot of where I use the blade....

 

[Shiftless]

+1 for the Diablo pruning blade. Worth every penny.

I use carbide, cuz I’m often cutting up Eucalyptus.

But remember you need to make an exaggeration sawing motion with the saw, to clear the sawdust out of the teeth gullets, to make it cut more efficiently.

Diablo

I’ll cast another vote for those Diablos. I just finished a fence post hole digging job where I had to use a spade bit on my little demo hammer. Hard clay. I ran into some Magnolia tree roots some of which were as big around as my forearm. Roots were over a foot down in the hole. My Sawzall with the carbide blade sectioned them out so I could drop the post in and back fill with concrete.

Cutting big tree roots in rocky hardpan soil is not a job for lightweight blades.

 

[Dig Doug]

I have palm trees and use a fine blade w/ high tooth count

 

[Shiftless]

I have palm trees and use a fine blade w/ high tooth count

Plants with fibrous trunks and leaves (and fronds) need blades like that. I learned that quickly on some of my stuff around here.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Lennox blades have lasted me better than Bosch. Pruning, chopping up wood, some digging use.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I use the DeWalt demo blade. The ones I have had for a good many years are quite a bit thicker than all the other hundred or so various saws-all blades in multiple brands I have on hand. I have pine and fruit trees and they do fine on them. I just used it yesterday on some trees.

 

[Tynee]

I know this thread is ancient and OP has made his purchase, but for the next guy who's considering it, I bought something from HF under the Warrior brand one time, and I'll never make that mistake again. It didn't function for it's intended use straight out of the package. I'm not anti-HF, but I'll never buy anything that says Warrior on the package again.

 

[mv213]

Get these Porter-Cable pruning blades. They work far better than the hook-tooth style. You're welcome. https://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE...iprocating/dp/B005DYMRA4?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[rlitman]

Get these Porter-Cable pruning blades. They work far better than the hook-tooth style. You're welcome. https://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE...iprocating/dp/B005DYMRA4?tag=atomicindus08-20

They gum up less in green wood, but they also dull very fast around dirt, so I haven't had them work well with roots.
Most of the time nowadays, I use a digging bar sharpened into a chisel to cut roots.

 

[toothpickmatt]

I've had good luck with the Diablo pruning blades that are sold at home depot. (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...cating-Saw-Blades-5-Pack-48-00-1301/203114830)

Not super fast cutting, but nice for small jobs when I did not want to get the chainsaw out.