It’s a nice calm day to complete some essential tasks. First, you plan to cut a portion of the stainless steel using a reciprocating hand-held saw. You cut the stainless steel, and next, it’s time to focus on trimming the tree branches.
Suddenly, a thought comes to your mind. Can you use the same reciprocating saw for cutting stainless steel and tree branches using different blades?
Are reciprocating saw blades universal? Fortunately, the reciprocating saw blades are universal or have universal shanks. But what does it mean? Well, it simply means that you can use any type of reciprocating saw blade with any kind of reciprocating saw.
When choosing blades for your reciprocating saw, consider a few factors to ensure you’re choosing a suitable blade. This blog covers everything you need to know in this regard.
Are Reciprocating Saw Blades Interchangeable with Other Brands?
From the previous section of this blog, we know that reciprocating saw blades are universal. What if you have blades of different brands and need to fit them with the same reciprocating saw?
Here, you need to calm down and consider a few facts.
Tang size plays a decent role in determining whether a blade suit reciprocating a saw. This is because the tang size of the blade has to match the adjustability of the saw.
If you don’t know the tang size, it is the measure of the blades’ end piece (hole). In most cases, the suitable tang sizes of the saw blades for reciprocating saws are ½ inch.
Luckily, brands like DeWalt, Diablo, and Milwaukee, which manufacture saw blades, keep the blade tang size of ½ inch. Therefore, this makes the blades interchangeable with the reciprocating saw blades.
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What Are the Variations of Reciprocating Saw Blades?
There are many different types of reciprocating saw blades available, each designed for specific purposes. It is, therefore, essential to know the variations and types of reciprocating blades.
So, what factors come into play when determining which blade is suitable for which task?
Let’s have a quick look at the factors:
- Building material
- Teeth Per Inch (TPI)
- The sizes of the blades
1. Building Material
Not all types of reciprocating saw blades are made of the same building material. For example, you will find reciprocating blades made of carbon steel, carbide-tipped, high-speed steel, high carbon steel, bi-metal reciprocating saw blades, etc.
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However, carbon steel is the most popular material for saw blades. This is suitable for cutting both wood and plastic. In addition, the bi-metal reciprocating saw blades are another effective material for saw blades, and you can use them for demolition, cutting wood, pipe, etc. purposes.
Furthermore, there are variations in the thickness of the metal of the blades. However, the most common blade thickness is 0.035″, which is suitable for almost all types of cuttings.
2. Teeth Per Inch (TPI)
When we discuss the reciprocating saw blade types, you can’t leave the fact of TPI behind. But what does teeth per inch (TPI) indicate?
The TPI of a reciprocating saw blade is a measure of the number of teeth per inch. You will find a lot of variation in TPI if you look around the market.
However, on average, reciprocating saw blades come with a 3-24” TPI range. Therefore, you can’t avoid the fact of TPI as well when it comes to determining the best reciprocating saw blades for you.
All you need to know about the TPI of the reciprocating saw blades are:
- Lower TPI = Better for cutting wood
- Higher TPI = Better for cutting metal
3. Sizes of the Blades
The size or the length of the saw blades also comes into play when choosing the suitable one for you. If you put together some saw blades, you can discover the differences. Some of the blades are pretty long in size. Whereas some are made short for using different purposes.
However, the length range is between 3” to 12” for blades of reciprocating saws.
How Do You Choose a Reciprocating Saw Blade?
You can do plenty of essential tasks using the same reciprocating saw. But, for some valid reasons, you can’t use the same reciprocating saw blade for performing several tasks.
For example, the blade you can use to cut the PVC pipe may not be suitable for performing the demolition.
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Let’s assume you have determined your purpose for using the reciprocating saw blades. Now, look at the table below to see available blade options depending on your tasks.
| Type Of Task | Built Material | TPI (Inch) | Length |
| Wood cutting Copper cutting Sheet metal | Bi-metal blades Carbon steel | 3-11 | Long length |
| Plastic cutting Pipe cutting | Carbon steel Bi-metal blades | 10-14 | Medium length |
| Metal cutting | Carbide tooth blade | 18-24 | Short length |
| Demolition | High-speed steel | 6-10 | Medium length |
| Stainless steel | Carbide tipped | 5-9 | Short length |
| Hardwood cutting Aluminum cutting | High-speed steel | 8-10 | Medium length |
| Pruning | Carbide tipped Bi-metal blades | 3-11 | Long length |
The next time you tend to buy reciprocating saw blades for you, ensure you choose the right one.
However, you can buy a set of reciprocating blades. In most cases, the information about the blades is written on their body.
FAQ
Yes, as the reciprocating saw blades are universal, the DeWalt reciprocating saw blades can fit Ryobi. This means you can use any type of reciprocating saw blade in most reciprocating saw blades, regardless of brand.
Yes, you can cut the wet wood with a reciprocating saw. But for this, you need to make sure you use the right blade. To cut wet wood, it is better to have a reciprocating saw made with bi-metal. The suitable TPI will be 3-11 inches.
You can cut concrete with the help of the reciprocating saw. Here, you also need to use the right blade and make sure the TPS of the blade is lower. It will provide you with a smoother edge after cutting. A reciprocating saw made of a high-speed steel blade can do the job here.
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