Get the Most Out of Your Reciprocating Saw Blades
The following blog was submitted by Lucas Whitmer, Product Development Engineer for The M. K. Morse Company
"On the job site, you need a lineup of reciprocating blades to tackle any challenge in your way.
Reciprocating saw blades from The M. K. Morse Company are specifically designed for the applications they are meant to cut and deliver fast and quality results with long blade life.
Read on for some tech tips from our master cutters to ensure you get the most out of your reciprocating blades in every scenario.
Plunge cutting done right
Plunge cutting can deliver clean, accurate, and perfectly straight cuts — even when you start right in the middle of your workpiece. Mastering this essential technique will help you cut faster, work smarter, and achieve flawless results every time.
The PRO Demo-Wood blade is designed for perfect plunge cuts every time. By loading the blade upside down in your reciprocating saw, you can ensure the battery pack stays out the way, allowing for quicker and more accurate cutting. But safety first – be sure to remove your saw battery before changing the orientation of the blade.
Come in square to the workpiece and apply strong pressure to ensure the blade and saw don’t bounce away from the workpiece. Depending on the position and orientation of your application, it may make sense to use your non-dominant hand closer to the blade to get appropriate pressure for the best cutting results.
Tackle general purpose, demo cutting with one blade
When jumping from material to material at a demolition or job site, don’t get slowed down by also jumping from blade to blade. The PRO Demo-Multi reciprocating blade is designed for versatility – a 7/8” blade body has the beam strength to tackle a variety of applications. Its 1/16” (.062”) thickness prevents the blade from flapping during a cut, which can impact safety and blade life.
When using the 8/11 TPI, it features a variable pitch, so you get less noise and vibration when working through nail-embedded wood. This means after hours on the job, you aren’t feeling the same fatigue you may when working with competitive blades.
The stiff and durable blade body and variable pitch teeth give you what you need – control in the cut and guaranteed results every time.
Pick the right blade for the job
Ensuring the best end result starts with choosing the proper reciprocating saw blade from the start. At Morse, they make it easy to find the best blade for your cutting scenario. With options for wood, thin and thick metal, demolition, general purpose, automotive & fire rescue, pallet, plaster, and grit, they have a solution no matter what you are facing.
We always recommend first identifying what you will primarily be cutting. This allows you to choose the proper application blade in the right length. The rule of thumb is to use a blade 2” longer than the application you are cutting in the direction you will be executing the cut. For example, a 2” x 2” construction tube would be easily handled with our PRO-CT Thick Metal 6” blade; while a 9” x 2” steel stud could be cut using the HD Thin Metal 12”, if cutting the piece lengthwise. This is important, especially in structural applications, because you don’t want the nose of the blade to get hung up in the front of the cut and bend into the shape of a question mark (potentially injuring your wrists, ruining the blade, and damaging your workpiece).
Blade thickness is also important for performance. For demolition-style work, we recommend a slightly thicker blade, like the PRO Demo-Multi (.062”) or HD Wood (.050”) blades. For easier-to-cut materials, flush cutting, or cutting scenarios where you need to get in between two pieces and require a more flexible blade, we recommend something thinner, like the HD Thin Metal (.035”) blade. PRO Thin, Medium and Thick Metal cutting blades (.042”) are great for general metal cutting, structural applications, and solids.
Next, consider blade width. Very hearty materials or demolition applications like nail-embedded wood need a 7/8” or wider blade; something with a bit more beam strength to handle heavier pressure. When tackling easier-to-cut materials like Unistrut or steel studs, a slightly shorter blade may be favorable, like a 3/4” blade.
Lastly, choose the correct TPI (tooth per inch) to suit your application. Thicker materials require a coarser TPI, while thinner materials need a finer TPI. If performing exhaust work and cutting tubing 1/8” thick, an 18 TPI is perfect for that material. If cutting something thick like ¼” wall tube, we’d recommend an 8 or 10 TPI. Demolition work is optimized for a 6 TPI, but if there are nails and screws in the workpiece, use an 8/11 TPI to maximize performance.
Tackle any material with speed and get the best cutting results by using a solution from the Morse lineup of reciprocating saw blades."
Checkout all the MK Morse Reciprocating blades Aramsco offers here!