Which blade cuts nail-embedded timber?

Bimetal demolition blades. A plain wood blade loses teeth on the first nail; bimetal cuts straight through nails and screws.

Teeth per inch. Fewer teeth (5-6 TPI) cut fast in timber, more (14-24 TPI) are needed in metal. Keep at least three teeth in contact with the work.

Why do blades keep breaking?

Usually cutting without the shoe against the work, the blade binding, or a blade too short for the material.

When is a carbide tipped blade worth it?

In cast iron, concrete and stainless, where bimetal dulls quickly. It costs more but lowers the total cost in those materials.

How do I choose blade length?

A few centimetres longer than the material thickness. A short blade cannot clear the work each stroke, cannot shed swarf and overheats.

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Reciprocating Saw Blades

Reciprocating blades are the consumable of strip-out work: the right blade cuts nail-embedded timber in one pass, the wrong one loses its teeth on the first nail. The catalogue holds 148 blades.

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Blade and tooth pitch by material

Tooth pitch is quoted as teeth per inch (TPI): fewer teeth cut fast and rough, more teeth are needed in metal and thin sections. The rule is to keep at least three teeth in contact with the material.

Material	Blade	TPI
Timber	Wood blade	5-6 TPI
Nail-embedded wood	Bimetal	8-10 TPI
Metal pipe / section	Fine bimetal	14-24 TPI
Concrete, cast iron	Carbide tipped	Toothless / coarse
Pruning	Long, coarse tooth	3-5 TPI

Length and breakage

Choose a blade a few centimetres longer than the material is thick; a blade that cannot clear the work on each stroke cannot shed swarf and overheats. Keep the shoe pressed to the work — cutting without it raises vibration and breaks blades.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which blade cuts nail-embedded timber?
Bimetal demolition blades. A plain wood blade loses teeth on the first nail; bimetal cuts straight through nails and screws.
What does TPI mean?
Teeth per inch. Fewer teeth (5-6 TPI) cut fast in timber, more (14-24 TPI) are needed in metal. Keep at least three teeth in contact with the work.
Why do blades keep breaking?
Usually cutting without the shoe against the work, the blade binding, or a blade too short for the material.
When is a carbide tipped blade worth it?
In cast iron, concrete and stainless, where bimetal dulls quickly. It costs more but lowers the total cost in those materials.
How do I choose blade length?
A few centimetres longer than the material thickness. A short blade cannot clear the work each stroke, cannot shed swarf and overheats.