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best reciprocating saw blades?

29K views 38 replies 22 participants last post by  OneMoreTime 
#1 ·
What are the best reciprocating saw blades for cutting frames/ sheetmetal?
I currently have " The Ugly " 9" demolition blades made by Skil and there 4-5 TPI staggered tooth, just want somthing that will cut clean. As for a saw, I have an 8.5A Skil brand

I have to cut the front frame off of a Ford Ranger ( C channel ). As well as cut the rest of the truck ( minus cab which I will probably save ) up into small enough peices to fit into the box of my pickup and take to the scrap recyclers
 
#5 ·
Having years of experience using a sawzall for demo and finish work I noticed that there is a difference in the angle of the blade .
I prefer a straight bled for having control of the saw. The angled blade s are great for ripping thru stuff quick.
I also prefer to cut free hand rather then use the guide. When cutting the frame for a nice straight cut angle the saw back so it is more parellel to the work. This helps keep you cutting straight.. And go slow but be sure it cuts and don't sit. That will dull the blade. On finish work it sometimes is better to use a slightly used blade rather then a nice new sharp one fror more accuracy. Chose a medium # of teeth per inch like 18.
 
#7 ·
trees said:
I have good luck with Lennox and Milwaukee. For the frame, I would go no smaller than 14 teeth/inch, but like 18 for all around stuff. The key to blade life is to keep the speed down and no pressure to keep it from overheating.

Trees
and using cutting oil ,and using the whole blade ,working it like a hand saw.....I like those Lenox blades too but I hate buying them..They'll throw sparks (the whole length of the blade)before I change one..
Now,If I could only figure out what to use the old blades for I'd feel better
 
#9 ·
I picked up a pkg of 5 8" 18 TPI Lenox gold, and a pkg of 5 9" 14 TPI Lenox demolition blades. $15 and $21.. Selection at lowes kinda sucks. I wanted 8/9" 14 TPI in the gold also, but they do not have them, but I know Amazon carries them..

Hopefully I do not blow thru 10 expensive blades cutting this truck up, tho I know I most likely will.. I'll try the HD house brand when that happens tho. quite possibly made by a good company like Milwaukee which HD features along with Ridgid

I'll get out the cutting oil too. woulda bought some extra, but I couldn't find it at Lowes, so I'll hit up the local hardware when I need more
 
#13 ·
Now that sounds like something worth trying..I never heard of blade wax.I always hated the messy oils when it comes time to weld.it seems like you can never get it clean enough..Thanks 4 jaw if that works as well as I think it will that may be the best tip I've heard in a while... :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
#14 ·
matt167 said:
I picked up a pkg of 5 8" 18 TPI Lenox gold, and a pkg of 5 9" 14 TPI Lenox demolition blades. $15 and $21.. Selection at lowes kinda sucks. I wanted 8/9" 14 TPI in the gold also, but they do not have them, but I know Amazon carries them..

Hopefully I do not blow thru 10 expensive blades cutting this truck up, tho I know I most likely will.. I'll try the HD house brand when that happens tho. quite possibly made by a good company like Milwaukee which HD features along with Ridgid

I'll get out the cutting oil too. woulda bought some extra, but I couldn't find it at Lowes, so I'll hit up the local hardware when I need more
Lenox Gold, best blade on the market. If you use them up, buy more - those cheap house blades are just that, cheap. Milwaukee blades are better than the house brands, but not Lenox.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Good example of how you need to learn how to use your tools. Its not the tools fault you don't get good results. Its like buying a new car and never checking the oil then complaining the car is junk when it breaks down then getting another one and doing the same thing. Have you ever wondered why they work so much better for everyone else. You should.
"Its a poor craftsman that blames his tools for poor quality work"

You should make a short video of how your cutting your metal. We could probably help, after we stop laughing.
see post# 26
 
#21 ·
When cutting sheetmetal, I'v found to slow the blade down. doesn't cut slower on thin stuff, but it keeps the heat down..

I found some Kobalt brand I bought for a hand saw a few years ago ( takes a sawsall blade ) and used them to cut the box up off the parts truck. 6" 14 TPI. Cut at speed 4 out of 6, and I used 2 blades to cut the entire floor out of the box ( need a patch for another truck ) and then cut the box in 1/2.. Went out to get another rear end today ( Explorer 3.73 disc brake ) and stopped at lowes for another pkg of them
 
#26 · (Edited)
The thinner the metal the more TPI (teeth per inch) you need. Most don't know this and think they have a crap blade because it wears out fast but using a blade made for thin metal with a lot of TPI on thick steel will do the same thing. The oil is a must have if you want to prolong the life of any blade or cutting tool. Thanks for bringing it up. Some guys always blame the blade (or tool) when its actually improper use that wears them out. Its a good thing a sawzall blade can only go in one way, some dumas will be saying its a cheap blade and the problem is, its in backwards.
Rule#1) Drill bits and saw blades shouldn't make sparks when in use.
 
#23 ·
OK, after comparing the performance of the lower end Lenox that I got ( Not gold ) to these Kobalts, there is no need for the lower end Lenox. Performance is the same on blades that are $5 cheaper. Cut most of the crossmembers out of the rear of the Ranger frame like butter with the Kobalts lubricated with Accell lubricating oil ( non detergent 30W ). Then took 1 and cut the frame in half, because i needed to put it on a small 8x10 trailer and don't need all of the original frame because I'm going to back half it
 
#25 ·
I have only bent the Lenox gold, because I have them in 9". Cutting thru the cab blind, hit inner supports a lot, and the blades do bend. But they hold the best edge and just keep going. Most of mine were damaged beyond usability only because they were bent beyond usability... The Kobalts seem to be last better than I thought. I ran out of new blades. Went thru the kobalts destined for the trash, straightened some that still had an edge, and with a decent amount of oil, finished my cutting
 
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