Which blade for metal and nails?

[Lbob131]

Hilti make this..https://www.hilti.co.uk/cutting,-sawing-and-grinding/saw-blades/2037960

The SCB WS FT 230x30 z18  with 1.6mm kerf thickness. Cost = £20
Festool  make the  special saw blade  230 x 2.5 x 30 (TF36) Cost £163
I'm leaning towards the hilti  blade  as they  are so cheap by comparison.

But will the Hilti blade be OK in my  HK 85?

 

[Bohdan]

I'm not sure they expect them to survive, if you hit a lot of nails, but selling them in packs of 5 but at 15.75ea I think that you can't go wrong.

 

[AlexThePalex]

But will the Hilti blade be OK in my  HK 85?

If a blade has the right diameter and arbour size, which the Hilti has, it will be ok. I am amazed at how thin it is though, 1.6 mm is really thin.

I've been using DeWalt blades for the last 20 years for jobs like this, and those blades are tough as nails, they go through anything without a hitch.

You should not use the Festool blade for anything else than soft metal like aluminium and brass. If you use it on wood you'll get lots of burn marks, and it can't really stand hitting nails either.

 

[Lbob131]

Thanks. I might try the hilti blades.
Their metal  cutting  165mm blades  are even thinner. 1.2 mm.

 

[rahuly99]

Thanks. I might try the hilti blades.
Their metal  cutting  165mm blades  are even thinner. 1.2 mm.

I have tried hilti blades they are so good you can go forward with them

 

[Rob-GB]

Good quality tungsten carbide tips will cut through nails, brads and other non hardened metalware with little issue. My TS55 cut through some steel square mesh that was embedded in some plywood with it's stock blade (chinese sourced ply provided to me for the job). The key to cutting any metal is slow feed speed, pretty much let the tool do the work as one would with hand tools.
Triple chip set blades seem to work better for clean cuts that are intended to be made, as opposed to my non planned example above.
If in doubt leave it out or use a cheap blade that won't break your heart if it fails.
Rob.

 

[Holmz]

Good quality tungsten carbide tips will cut through nails, brads and other non hardened metalware with little issue. My TS55 cut through some steel square mesh that was embedded in some plywood with ...
...

Are there bad quality carbide tips?
I know a bit about metallurgy but less about carbide... Only that there are hard carbides and tough carbides. And the best depends on the use.
So the "quality" of the blade may matter little, and most blades are made at the same few places... independent of the label.

Overall one may get a better quality outcome with using a cheap saw and blade on a nice Piece of Baltic birch, than with a stunning tool and blade on the lucky starfish manufacturing company's el Cheapo plywood.

We seem to be valuing the tools, more than the outcome from them?

 

[Lbob131]

I'm using the hilti  nail blades  in the HK 85 now  and have sawn through a few dozen nails  and so far can see no damage to the tips.
One nail flew out  and hit the roof  with considerable force  several meters above me. [eek]

 

[Pykie]

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&...RfFXJR9MQgk86T_zNrmpEHyg&ust=1496139211343271

 

[Bob D.]

Years ago IIRC you used to have to worry about how well the
carbide was fused to the blade body, is that still an issue?

 

[Holmz]

Years ago IIRC you used to have to worry about how well the
carbide was fused to the blade body, is that still an issue?

^Your question^ is a brazin one.