Picking the Right Blade
When trying to determine who makes the best corded reciprocating saw, you need good blades. If you remember back to your days in science class, the goal of any good experiment is to control as many variables as possible. Then, only what you want to test actually varies. We first needed to set up a system that would put each saw through a variety of tests. Those tests reflected what each blade could perform. We knew we needed a blade that would cut through nail-embedded wood. With lots of available options, we settled on the Milwaukee Ax reciprocating SawZall blades.
Editorโs Note: We got to check out Milwaukee SawZall blade manufacturing in Greenwood. Check out that article for a cool behind-the-scenes look!
Why Milwaukee Sawzall Blades?
There is some confusion surrounding recip saw blades. Many folks think that because a tool has a branded name, like the Milwaukee Sawzall, you can only use that blade brand. This isnโt true. Recip saw blades fit in any of the major manufacturersโ saws, giving you the option to choose both the saw you think is the best and pair it with the blade that you prefer.
Several thoughts went into deciding on Milwaukee Sawzall blades for our test. Two, in particular, stood out to me. First, Milwaukee is constantly innovating within its company. โDisruptive Innovationโ is part of their corporate culture. In fact, itโs nearly impossible to talk to someone in Milwaukee without hearing that term. Second, Milwaukee invented the reciprocating saw. When youโre the one to design anything from the beginning, you are intimately knowledgeable about it. We counted on this combination of innovation and knowledge to produce the best blade for our testingโฆ and we werenโt disappointed.
Editorโs Note: Check out our best SawZall blade article for our top picks.
The Milwaukee Ax Sawzall Blade
As the name would imply, the Ax is designed for wood-cutting duties. In our testing, we used nail-embedded wood, which this blade is designed to deal with.
Of the Milwaukee Sawzall blades, the aggressive Ax, with its Fang Tip seems the most aggressive. This tip bites into the wood on contact instead of bouncing up or sliding with the motion and/or vibration of the recip saw. I say โorโ vibration because a couple of the saws we tested, including the Milwaukee Sawzall, hadย very little vibration at all.
A Nail Guard design prevents most nails that you will encounter from slipping between the teeth and causing damage. The blade is thicker to better resist bending and fracturing for greater durability. Also, its 1-inch height helps keep the Milwaukee Sawzall blades more rigid. This makes for straight and accurate cuts. Finishing off the durability features are the Matrix II bi-metal teeth.
The Sawzall Ax Blade is available in either 6-inch, 9-inch, or 12-inch lengths. They feature a 5 TPI design (teeth per inch). They are sold in packs of 5 or in bulk packs of 25 or 100.
Milwaukee Ax Carbide Blades
Weโve done some initial testing and will be sharing our findings with you soon. Until then, consider what Milwaukee has already experimented with on their end.
Product managers did internal testing and found that the Milwaukee Ax with Carbide Teeth was able to make more than 1500 cuts in nail embedded wood. Thatโs impressive, but they didnโt stop there. Milwaukee took the new Ax blade and put it up against some materials that you normally wouldnโt want to cut with a wood blade. Here are a few examples of how they tortured their new Sawzall blade:
- 300 cuts and hardened fasteners
- 200 cuts in roofing material
- 35 cuts and one half inch rebar
- 25 cuts into inch schedule 40 black pipe
- 20 cuts and one half inch stainless steel
Letโs face it, most companies would discourage us from using their tools and accessories in applications it wasnโt designed for. But Milwaukee has decided to challenge us to see what we might be able to cut. Here are Pro Tool Reviews, weโre all for this kind of challenge. Rather than us deciding what material to try andย cut through, weโd like to know what you think. What should we cut with the Milwaukee Ax with Carbide Teeth?
Other Milwaukee SawZall Blades to Consider
- Milwaukee Ax and Wrecker Carbide SawZall Blades
- Milwaukee Torch with Carbide Teeth
- Milwaukee Nitrus Carbide Reciprocating Saw Blades
- Milwaukee Flush Cut Blade and Rough-in SawZall Blade
How Did the Milwaukee Ax Sawzall Blades Perform?
We put each recip saw through 12 inches of nail-embedded wood with the Ax. The greatest compliment that we can offer the Ax Sawzall Blades is that we didnโt have to think about them during the shootout. We had plenty of spare blades on hand in case they failed during the test for any reason, but that never happened. The blades performed flawlessly, resisting buckling, and we experienced no breakage.
Considering not only the tasks we required of each blade but also the rapid speed at which we abused them, I came away very impressed. The next time youโre standing in your local Home Depot staring at the multitude of recip saw blades available, donโt hesitate when you seeย the red packaging of the Milwaukee Sawzall Blades.
