A Look at Reciprocating Saw Blades

Reciprocating saws are expecially useful when rough cutting and with the right blade they can cut through a variety of materials. When selecting a reciprocating saw blade you need to first consider the project you are going to be working on. Each reciprocating saw blade style has a series of icons on its blade or packaging that shows which materials the blades are best-suited to cut.

For cutting wood, nail embedded wood, demolition work.

For cutting metals such as conduit, tubing, pipe, rubber, and trim.

Used for the toughest jobs in a variety of materials including metal, wood, rubber, composites or plastic, most common choice.

Tungsten Carbide-grit blades are used for materials such as fiberglass, ceramic tile and cement board.

There is a separate icon for a type of materials, including wood, plastics, wood with nails, and metal.

Next, you need to decide on the proper blade shape to suit your project. Sloped blades are best for plunge cutting, straight blades are ideal for edge cutting, and scroll blades are used for cutting curved or circular shapes.

Likewise, length, width, and thickness are three dimensions to be aware of when you are looking for reciprocating saw blades. You need to consider how deep you want your cuts to be since reciprocating saw blades range in length from 3 inches to 12 inches. The longer the blader, the deeper the cut, where a wider reciprocating saw blade helps reduce bending and wobbling. A thick and wide blade is required for extremely demanding applications such as demolition and rescue operations.

Finally, make sure to select a blade that has the proper Teeth Per Inch (TPI). In general, blades with a lower number of teeth per inch deliver faster cuts with rougher edges. A blade with a higher number of teeth per inch results in smoother, slower cuts and is preferred for metal. Other teeth considerations include gullet size, the width and depth of the space between the teeth and tooth set, or the pattern in which teeth are tilted.

Reciprocating saws can go through blades fast. Keep extra blades on hand to ensure that in the middle of an important project you don't run out.