Features
- Bi-metal construction for durability
- Designed for cutting wood with embedded nails
- Reduces vibration for steadier cuts
- 5–8 teeth per inch (TPI) range
- Pack includes five blades
- Made in Switzerland
Specifications
Length | 9 in |
Material | Bi-metal |
Teeth Per Inch | 5-8 TPI |
Quantity | 5 blades per pack |
Country Of Origin | Switzerland |
Compatibility | Fits SPT44A-00, SPT44-10 and most major reciprocating saw brands |
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Reciprocating saw blades intended for cutting wood that may contain nails. They use a bi-metal construction to maintain edge sharpness and provide steadier cutting with reduced vibration. Sold as a multi-blade pack.
Skil 9 IN. Wood With Nails Reciprocating Saw Blade Review
Why I reached for this blade
Mid-remodel, I needed to open up a stud bay that had clearly seen a few decades of “creative” fastening—galvanized nails, stray screws, even a bit of metal flashing buried near the bottom plate. I grabbed the Skil 9-inch wood-with-nails blade because I wanted something that could power through construction lumber without folding at the first spark. Over a few weeks of deck teardown, subfloor patches, and wall demo, I kept this five-pack in my bag to see how it held up against the usual nail-laden suspects.
Build and design
This is a bi-metal, variable-pitch blade (5–8 TPI) with a 9-inch length and a standard reciprocating saw tang. The variable tooth pitch is meant to reduce vibration and improve chip evacuation; in practice, it also helps prevent the classic “machine-gun chatter” you get when coarse, uniform teeth rake across plywood faces or nail heads. The 9-inch length is the workhorse size for demo: long enough to reach into cavities and make flush cuts, but not as whippy as a 12-inch.
Fit and finish are clean. The body isn’t overly thick, but it’s not a flimsy sheet either. The Swiss-made label tracks with what I felt in use—teeth are well formed with consistent set, and the spine stayed straight longer than bargain-bin blades I’ve used.
The pack includes five blades, which matters for demo work. You’ll burn blades when you’re hunting for buried nails; there’s no getting around that. Having multiples lets you move fast without babying the cut.
Setup and compatibility
I ran these on a Skil SPT44 and a couple of other common saws. The tang locked in securely across the board. If your saw takes standard reciprocating blades, these fit. They’re listed as compatible with Skil’s SPT44A-00 and SPT44-10, but nothing about the shank is proprietary—no surprises here.
Cutting performance in nail‑embedded wood
In clean pine and fir 2x lumber, the Skil blade is assertive. With the saw set to a medium orbital action and the shoe tight to the work, it sliced through doubled 2x4s quickly while maintaining a fairly straight line for a demolition blade. The 5–8 TPI pitch puts it in the “fast and rough” category, which is exactly what you want for framing. Tear-out isn’t a concern when you’re opening a wall, and the tooth geometry makes quick work of pitchy, resinous stock.
Hit a nail, and the behavior is predictable: a few sparks, a pitch change, and then the cut continues. The blade doesn’t stall on bright common nails, and it tolerated coated decking screws surprisingly well. Bi-metal teeth aren’t magic—you will round over the cutting edges if you plow through metal non-stop—but for incidental metal in wood, this is what these blades are built for. After a few studs’ worth of nails, the teeth still had bite, though the cut speed dropped a bit and required more feed pressure. That’s normal for bi-metal in this class.
On subfloor work (3/4-inch OSB over joists with ring-shank nails), plunge starts were controlled and easy. The long nose lets you angle in without the blade bucking. Chip ejection was decent; I didn’t see the blade load up with dust even on long cuts, which I attribute to the variable pitch.
Vibration and control
Skil touts reduced vibration, and while a recip saw will always shake, these blades do transmit less chatter than many coarse-tooth demolition blades I’ve used. Two things help: the variable tooth pitch and the blade body stiffness. Using the shoe properly—locking it into the work and letting the teeth feed—matters just as much. With that technique, the saw felt composed, and I could steer through cuts around electrical boxes and studs without the blade walking wildly.
That said, a 9-inch blade will flex if you’re aggressive. When I tried to flush-cut a stubborn cedar fence post below grade (never a great idea), the blade bowed and wandered. That’s more about user error and the realities of dirt and grit than the blade itself, but it’s a reminder: this is a demolition blade for wood and nails, not a dirt saw or pruning specialist.
Speed vs. cut quality
Speed is this blade’s wheelhouse. In stacked 2x material, it kept pace with other bi-metal demo blades I regularly use. Cut faces are rough, as expected with 5–8 TPI, but consistent—no big gouges or sudden grabs. For finish-sensitive work, you’d choose a finer TPI blade and avoid nails entirely. For demolition and framing adjustments, this strikes the right balance.
Durability and blade life
Bi-metal is a sensible middle ground: tougher and more heat-resistant than plain high-carbon steel, more affordable than carbide-tooth demolition blades. In my use, one blade handled a half-day of mixed demo—cutting out three nailed studs, removing two deck boards with screws left in, and trimming subfloor around a vent—before I retired it for a fresh edge. Could I have pushed it longer? Sure. But I prefer to keep cut speed up rather than lean on a dull blade and heat the work.
If you regularly saw through a pile of screws or hardened fasteners, carbide-tooth blades will outlast this by a wide margin, at a higher price per blade. For most remodel and deck work with incidental metal, this Skil option hits a practical durability-value sweet spot.
Where it shines
- Tear-outs of wall sections, old framing, and plate cuts where nails are inevitable
- Deck board removal and flush cuts against joists
- Plunge cuts in subfloor and sheathing
- General rough carpentry where speed matters more than finish
Where it struggles
- Cutting near dirt, masonry, or roofing granules—abrasives will wipe teeth fast
- Long, precise straight cuts where flex must be minimal
- Continuous cuts through hardened fasteners; consider carbide if that’s your day-to-day
Little usability touches
- The 9-inch length gives good reach for cutting doubled members and getting behind trim without overextending the saw.
- The variable pitch helps start cuts cleanly, especially when you’re plunge-cutting into OSB or plywood.
- Heat buildup was reasonable; I didn’t blue the blade unless I forced the feed. A modest stroke rate and letting the teeth do the work kept it cool.
Value
Sold in a five-pack, the cost-per-blade is attractive for jobsite realities. Swiss-made manufacturing shows in the consistency; none of the blades had alignment issues or burrs out of the pack. If you’re tearing into a remodel and expect to chew through several blades across the week, this is a smart stock-up item.
What I’d change
- I’d like a slightly thicker body option for applications where deflection is a concern. The current stiffness is fine for general demo; a beefier spine would improve straight-line accuracy in deep cuts.
- A carbide-tooth companion in the same 9-inch, nail-embedded category would be a welcome addition for users who hit metal constantly.
- Offering a mixed-length pack (6-inch and 9-inch) could cover more scenarios; the 9-inch is versatile, but a 6-inch is handier in tight cavities.
Tips for best results
- Keep the shoe planted against the work to control vibration and reduce tooth chatter.
- If you feel the cut hit metal, moderate the feed and let the blade chew through at its pace; forcing it just overheats the teeth.
- Avoid dirt and masonry contact; if you must cut near the ground, dig out around the work to save the blade.
- Use a medium orbital setting and moderate SPM for the best balance of speed and control.
Recommendation
I recommend the Skil 9-inch wood-with-nails blade for remodelers, carpenters, and DIYers tackling demolition where wood and metal meet. It cuts fast, stays controllable, and survives the incidental nails and screws that derail ordinary wood blades. While it won’t outlast carbide in metal-heavy situations, the durability is solid for a bi-metal design, and the five-pack delivers good value for jobsite use. If your workday is mostly framing lumber, subfloor, and deck boards with the occasional fastener in the path, this blade earns a spot in the kit. If you’re sawing through hardened fasteners all day, step up to carbide—but expect to pay for it.
Project Ideas
Business
Reclaimed Lumber Salvage and Supply
Offer on-site deconstruction of old fences, barns, and decks, rapidly breaking down stock without laborious de-nailing. Use the 9 in wood-with-nails blades to size salvaged boards and sell cleaned, bundled material online and to local makers, set builders, and designers. Upsell planing, wire-brushing, and custom length packs.
Pallet-to-Parts Subscription
Provide makers and small shops with ready-to-use pallet slats cut to consistent lengths and widths. The blades let you process pallets quickly through brads and hidden nails, keeping costs low. Offer monthly subscriptions with SKUs by size, plus optional sanding or straight-line edging for plug-and-play projects.
Reclaimed Accent Wall Design + Install
Design and install reclaimed wood feature walls for homes, offices, and retail. On-site trimming is fast and predictable even when boards hide old fasteners, thanks to the bi-metal blades. Package services include layout, milling, installation, and finishing, with add-ons for acoustic backing and fire-retardant coatings.
Selective Demo & Architectural Salvage
Specialize in careful removal of cabinets, trim, subfloor sections, and built-ins during remodels. Use the blades to cut through materials where nails and screws are unavoidable, minimizing tear-out. Resell salvageable pieces and reclaimed lumber, creating two revenue streams: demo services and materials sales.
Storm/Fence Cleanup and Repurpose
Offer rapid response to storm-damaged fences and decks. The wood-with-nails blades let you safely section and remove debris with embedded fasteners, reducing job time. Provide haul-away plus a credit toward building planters, benches, or accent walls from salvage, turning waste into sellable upcycled products.
Creative
Nail-Flecked Herringbone Accent Wall
Turn reclaimed flooring or pallet slats into a herringbone feature panel. Crosscut boards to uniform lengths without pulling every nail—the 5–8 TPI bi-metal blade chews through surprise fasteners while reduced vibration helps keep cleaner angles. Lightly sand, seal, and let the exposed nail heads and cut nail cross-sections become part of the pattern’s industrial charm.
Barn Beam Mantel With Hidden Brackets
Resize a reclaimed beam and plunge-cut pockets for concealed steel brackets. The 9 in length reaches deep for bracket recesses, and the blade won’t stall on embedded spikes left from the beam’s former life. Finish with a natural oil to highlight patina and old fastener marks for a rugged, heirloom look.
Industrial Lanterns From Pallet Slats
Build box lanterns or patio sconces using pallet slats. Quickly break down pallets and notch joints without painstaking de-nailing—the blade’s bi-metal teeth handle brads, staples, and stray nails. Leave a few nail heads visible as intentional accents, then add frosted acrylic and LED candles for a warm, upcycled glow.
Nail Cross-Section Resin Wall Clock
Slice 1–1.5 in thick cross-sections from old studs or joists that contain nails to reveal striking metal-in-wood patterns. Deburr metal, seal the piece in clear epoxy to encapsulate any sharp edges, and mount a clock mechanism. The result is a modern-industrial timepiece that literally shows the history inside the wood.
Rustic Picture Frame and Shelf Set
Make a coordinated set of picture frames and shallow display shelves from fence boards or lath. Crosscut and notch joinery even when hidden brads lurk—the reduced-vibration blade provides steadier control. Keep select nail holes and iron stains as part of the aesthetic, then finish with matte lacquer for a gallery-ready look.