Skil 9-in 5-TPI Wood Cutting Reciprocating Saw Blade

A Saturday of pruning and light demo gave me a clear picture of what this Skil pruning blade is—and isn’t. Mounted on a brushless recip saw, I put it through green branches, a couple of pressure-treated 4x4s, and some soggy yard waste. The headline: it’s a fast, forgiving cutter in wood, especially when you let the teeth do the work, but it’s not a demolition blade and won’t love nails, dirt, or heavy-handed feed pressure.

Design and fit

This is a 9-inch, 5 TPI, high-carbon steel blade with fleam-ground teeth and a universal tang. The fleam grind is a pruning-style tooth geometry that cuts on both the forward and reverse stroke. In use, that translates to a smoother bite when you’re working on live or wet wood, and less “thump” when the blade exits the cut.

The one-piece construction sits in a nice middle ground: flexible enough to follow curves and resist snapping if you bind, yet rigid enough for controlled, straight cuts in branches and posts. The 9-inch length is a sweet spot for yard work—long enough to tackle 3–5 inch limbs and flush cut stubs, without being so long that the blade whips around uncontrollably.

Fit is a non-issue. It clicked securely into several saws I tried, from a compact homeowner model to a heavier-duty pro unit.

Cutting performance in green wood

On green limbs from 1 to 4 inches, this blade moves quickly. The aggressive 5 TPI tooth count clears chips well and the fleam grind really shines in wet material. Starting cuts is clean; the teeth grab without skating, and once you’re in the cut, stroke efficiency feels high. I could keep the saw at a moderate speed and still maintain fast feed rates, especially with orbital action turned on.

Flush cutting against a trunk was manageable, though you’ll want to use a steady hand and let the shoe ride the bark to keep the blade from bucking. The blade leaves a coarser finish than a fine-tooth pruning blade, as expected, but the cut quality is perfectly acceptable for yard work.

Dry lumber, posts, and composite

I tested on a PT 4x4, kiln-dried 2x material, and a composite fascia offcut. In PT lumber, it cuts reliably, if not spectacularly fast. The blade prefers a light touch; forcing the cut doesn’t speed things up and can increase chatter. On 2x stock it’s quick enough for rough work like trimming protruding ends or cutting to length where a circular saw is overkill.

Composite board and plywood are fine, though the coarse tooth geometry can tear out on plywood veneers. If you need cleaner edges, switch to a higher TPI general-purpose blade. For wood posts and landscape timbers, this blade is at home; just be mindful to avoid soil contact at the bottom of the cut, which will dull any high-carbon edge quickly.

Vibration, control, and feed pressure

The blade tracks well when you keep the shoe engaged and maintain moderate feed pressure. Compared to a stiffer bi-metal demolition blade, there’s a touch more flex in the cut, which shows up as added vibration if you lean on it too hard. The trick is to let the teeth pull the blade through and let the saw’s stroke do the work. Pushing aggressively only increases chatter and the potential for the blade to buckle if the kerf closes around it.

In tight brush, the flexibility is an asset; it resists snapping when a branch pinches the blade mid-cut. In thicker, denser stock, a stiffer blade will feel more planted.

Durability and edge life

The high-carbon steel edge holds up well in clean wood. After an afternoon of pruning, the tooth points were still sharp enough to keep cutting efficiently. The one caveat is debris: hit dirt, stone, or a hidden nail, and you’ll notice performance fall off quickly. That’s not unique to this blade—high-carbon steel simply trades some heat and impact resistance for speed in wood. If you anticipate nail-embedded lumber or demolition, a bi-metal blade is the safer choice.

I didn’t experience tooth loss, but I did notice that when the blade got hot and pitch built up, it cut slower and vibrated more. A quick wipe with mineral spirits to remove sap restored performance. If you’re cutting resinous or wet species, plan on occasional cleanings.

Comparisons and trade-offs

• Speed: In green wood, this pruning blade was as fast or faster than general-purpose bi-metal blades of similar length. In dry, dense lumber, a stiffer demolition blade edged it out on straight cuts due to reduced flex.
• Smoothness: The fleam-ground teeth reduce grabbing on the return stroke, which makes plunge starts and awkward angles less jarring than a standard rip-tooth profile.
• Stiffness: You can fold any recip blade into an “S” if you crank on it in a binding cut. This one will remind you of that if you force it. Keep your feed steady and let the shoe support the work; it behaves.
• Longevity: In clean wood, edge retention is solid for high-carbon steel. In contaminated wood or with abrasive contact (soil, masonry), you’ll dull it quickly.

Best uses

• Pruning trees and shrubs, especially green and wet wood
• Trimming fence posts and landscape timbers
• Rough cuts in plywood and composite where edge quality isn’t critical
• Yard clean-up where a chainsaw is overkill or awkward

What it’s not for: ripping through nail-embedded lumber, aggressive demo through mixed materials, or precision cuts where splintering is a concern.

Setup tips for better results

• Use orbital action for pruning if your saw offers it; it speeds chip ejection.
• Run medium-to-high stroke speed and moderate feed pressure. If the blade chatters, ease off and let it bite.
• Keep the saw’s shoe firmly on the work. That stabilizes the cut and reduces bending.
• Avoid contact with dirt at the bottom of cuts. Lift the work off the ground or finish with a handsaw to protect the edge.
• Clean pitch and sap periodically with mineral spirits, then dry the blade to prevent rust.
• If you regularly cut limbs over 5 inches, consider keeping a 12-inch pruning blade on hand for extra reach and smoother arcs.

Value

For a single 9-inch pruning blade, the price is fair and the performance in wood is legitimately good. Because it’s high-carbon steel, you don’t pay the bi-metal premium, and in its intended materials it often cuts faster. You’ll get the best value if you keep it away from nails and abrasive debris and reserve it for wood and pruning.

The bottom line

The Skil 9-inch wood blade is a capable, purpose-built pruning and wood-cutting blade. It’s quick in green wood, controllable when you use proper technique, and durable enough for multiple sessions of yard work and light carpentry. Its limitations are predictable: it doesn’t like being forced, and it’s not a demolition blade. Treat it as a wood specialist, and it rewards you with speed and a smooth cut; treat it like a wrecking tool, and you’ll feel the extra flex and see performance fade faster.

Recommendation: I recommend this blade for homeowners, landscapers, and anyone who regularly uses a recip saw for pruning and clean wood tasks. It’s a strong value as a dedicated wood cutter, particularly in green and wet material. If your work mixes in nails, masonry, or aggressive demo, pair it with a stiffer bi-metal demolition blade for those duties and keep this one reserved for wood where it excels.