Wood cutting reciprocating blades?

[Ton ton]

What are you guys using for cutting wood in a reciprocating saws? I have 2 reciprocating saws. I need help finding decent quality blades. Thank you for your time. I seem to be breaking the blades even though the teeth are razor sharp.

 

[RTM]

Tree wood or lumber?

I've used DeWalt and MKE blades, and have never broken one, but I am a weekend warrior. I trim trees, cut up loose wood, and occasionally hack on lumber attached to a house.

 

[Ton ton]

Tree wood.

 

[Skiff Builder]

Milwaukee, Dewalt, Diablo all good. Try to make sure you keep the shoe of the saw down in contact with the work. Let the tool do the work, etc.
Edit- saw that your cutting tree wood. Is the work supported properly, so as not to bind the saw?

 

[cmandp]

If your pruning (or cutting green wood) get the agressive pruning blades they work quite well. But most any name brand blade will work well.

 

[Pexto]

For trees and thick brush, I've had real good luck with the carbide-tooth 3 tpi pruning blades. I've tried Diablo and Milwaukee and slightly prefer the Diablo, but not by much.

 

[RTM]

For tree wood, I had a B&D actually Skil one which lasted quite a while, but I bent it when a branch bound while I was in an awkward position. I bought a replacement, and its still going strong. This blade is queued up for my next replacement. These are for cutting green wood. Dry wood they kinda stink.

Lee Valley Pruning Blade for Reciprocating Saws - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Lee Valley Pruning Blade For Reciprocating Saws. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

When I am just cutting up tree wood for trash or firewood, I just use a demo blade. I am often cutting eucalyptus, so it ranks right up there with wood with nails on the blade destruction factor.

The true pruning one is when I need quality pruning work with a clean cut, on the tree.

One thing that is important is clearing the gullets. You are only getting 3/4" - 1-1/4" of blade travel, so the teeth in the middle of the cut are full of sawdust, and not doing much. By employing a gently sawing motion into the sawzall, you will get much better cutting results, IMO.

 

[Ton ton]

For tree wood, I had a B&D one which lasted quite a while, but I bent it when a branch bound while I was in an awkward position. I bought a replacement, and its still going strong. This blade is queued up for my next replacement. These are for cutting green wood. Try wood they kinda stink.

Lee Valley Pruning Blade for Reciprocating Saws - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Lee Valley Pruning Blade For Reciprocating Saws. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

When I am just cutting up tree wood for trash or firewood, I just use a demo blade. I am often cutting eucalyptus, so it ranks right up there with wood with nails on the blade destruction factor.

The true pruning one is when I need quality pruning work with a clean cut, on the tree.

One thing that is important is clearing the gullets. You are only getting 3/4" - 1-1/4" of blade travel, so the teeth in the middle of the cut are full of sawdust, and not doing much. By employing a gently sawing motion into the sawzall, you will get much better cutting results, IMO.

Thank you for clarifying.

 

[CallumRD1]

Pruning For Machinists!

This video about sawzalls and pruning blades is worth a watch.

 

[KnurledNut]

 

[RTM]

This is where you want to go. Not sure this is a B&D blade, actually a Skil product Ugly Stik #94100. Note the huge gullets, which are really nice for clearing out the sawdust, as noted in the end of the video, and at the end of my previous post as well. The Diablo shows that their designers don't know much about trimming trees. Even on the Silky in the video, their gullets are deeper than your typical demo blade.

And I realized I have an newer one than this, you can see a little wear on this one, the other still has the Skil logo in the center. So still ahead of the LV blade in the queue.

 

[ZRX61]

Another vote for Diablos

 

[KnurledNut]

@RTM
Those are good blades, especially the swiss made ones, but their downfall in deep cuts is they heat up and dull quickly. Ive used dozens of them over the years and they all have the same short-lived fate. Carbon steel (and even bi-metal for that matter) doesnt have much on carbide.

 

[RTM]

Yeah, I think that’s why my original Ugly Stik died. I had used it on a few larger branches, and performance fell off. ( For certain tasks, I have been known to jam a wedge in the cut to keep it open.). But I now try to keep it down to about 4” branches. Anything larger goes to a bowsaw, or the three or four other tree trimming saws.

 

[Jlarson]

I bought a bunch of the diablos to cut up ties an lumber for cribbing around the shop, work great.

 

[Ton ton]

Pruning For Machinists!

This video about sawzalls and pruning blades is worth a watch.

That video is hilarious. I didn't watch the whole thing. But I really enjoyed watching what I saw.

 

[FMB4]

HF Warrior bi-metal blades work well enough for me. Note: I sometimes use metal cutting blades for smaller diameter 'prunning' work.

 

[mv213]

This type of blade with the non-hooked teeth is best for pruning. The non-hooked (not sure what to call them?) won’t “grab” like hooked ones do. These are patterned after the teeth on the old-fashioned 2-man felling saws.

They cut fast and don’t grab. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DYMRA4/?tag=atomicindus08-20