If there is one piece of advice I would give someone new to tools, it’s that even if you can afford pricey saws, a good blade can make all the difference. If budget is an issue, focus on getting a reliable tool and put in an awesome blade. In fact, I still use a very simple Porter Cable Table Saw. While the stock blade isn’t all that great, it became an entirely different machine once a really good blade was installed. The same can be said for miter saws or circular saws too. With so much coming from Milwaukee lately, it’s no surprise they are playing for keeps in the accessory realm too by introducing a new line of blades. Can they really take another corner of the tool market for themselves? Let’s find out in the Milwaukee Saw Blades Review.
Milwaukee Saw Blades Review Overview
Milwaukee has been really coming through with innovative technology and features on both power tools and hand tools alike this year. With launches that have really delighted the tool world, I am not surprised they sought the blade market too. Milwaukee has been around since 1924 and was founded by A.H Peterson. Having been bought and sold several times since its now owned by TTI. Whats interesting about Milwaukee is how they started. Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Co., approached Peterson with an idea for a smaller portable drill, and thus Milwaukee Tool was born.
Recently Milwaukee announced another expansion, which will prove to be a huge bonus for the die-hard fans of the Big Red. In 2017 they broke ground on a new global headquarters, just to announce in July of 2018 that a new 114,500 sq foot building dedicated to R&D as well as manufacturing would begin and is slated to complete in the fourth quarter of 2019. With so much growth from Milwaukee, it looks like more exciting things will come.
Milwaukee Saw Blades Review Features
Today we will look at several of Milwaukee’s new blades-
12-Inch Ultra Fine Finish- 100 tooth blade
10-Inch Ultra Fine Finish- 80 tooth blade
7 1/4-inch Fine Finish- 40 tooth blade
7 1/4-inch Framing- 24 tooth blade
6 1/2-inch Framing- 24 tooth blade
Made from Cobalt infused tungsten carbide, these blades are designed to provide up to 5X longer life. The thin kerf offers quicker cuts, especially useful with cordless tools to provide more cuts per charge.
All of the blades are laser cut from sheet steel to ensure stability and uniformity. The anti-friction coating keeps the blade cool and resists build-up and residue as well as providing anti-corrosive properties.
Laser cut vibration slots are filled with polymer create less wobble and resists warping during use.
The higher tooth count on the ultra fine finish and fine finish blades are designed to provide optimal cut edge of material with minimal tear out and a smooth edge.
The 12-inch blade has a 1-inch arbor hole, while the other blades tested feature a 5/8-inch arbor hole.
The 10 and 12-inch blades are ring-tensioned for improved stability. These are designed for use with softwoods, hardwoods, melamine, MDF, veneered plywoods, paneling, and moldings. The 6 1/2-inch and 7 1/4-inch framing blades are suitable for use with softwoods, hardwoods, plywood, OSB, wet lumber, and treated lumber. The 7 1/4 inch fine finish blades are also designed to work on veneered plywood, melamine, and MDF.
Milwaukee Saw Blades Review Performance
The cut edge provided by these blades is nothing short of incredible. Especially when tested with 3/4-inch plywood the 10-inch blade was exceptional. I put the 12-inch blade in the Ridgid Miter Saw and was blown away by the edge left on a simple 2X4 and a 1X4. The superior cut requires minimal sanding and prep work when used in building furniture. The 7 1/4-inch blades both performed exceptionally well in the Ryobi Cordless Circular Saw leaving a nice clean edge with very little roughness.
Much like the Milwaukee Hole Saw and Reciprocating saw blades we reviewed, these are made of high-quality Carbide and are a huge improvement over Milwaukee’s previous blade offerings. To know how they really perform in the long run, time will tell. Upon initial impression though, these blades are impressive. When using any saw, it’s rare that you will ever get the type of cut quality out of a stock blade that you would out of an upgraded blade. All of the blades tested did exactly as they should. I don’t know whether or not these blades are the absolute best on the market. To me, once a certain blade quality is reached, you’re comparing apples to oranges. It all depends on your preference and individual needs. One thing is for sure though, these blades by Milwaukee certainly secure a spot in the big leagues.
Milwaukee Saw Blades Review Value
First things first, let’s get into the prices for these Saw Blades-
12-Inch Ultra Fine Finish– 100 tooth blade Model 48-40-1228 $57.95
10-Inch Ultra Fine Finish– 80 tooth blade Model 48-40-1032 $49.99
7 1/4-inch Fine Finish– 40 tooth blade Model 48-40-0726 $15.54
7 1/4-inch Framing– 24 tooth blade 48-40-0720 $9.97
6 1/2-inch Framing– 24 tooth blade 48-40-0620 $9.97
These blades are all available at The Home Depot. While you’ll find that these blades are priced about right for similar models, they are a bit of an investment. But, a good blade makes all the difference in cut quality, as you can take a mediocre saw and make in incredible by a simple change of the blades. For professionals, they will see cooler blades and better cordless performance, and homeowners will see amazing cut quality as well as a very long blade life. All in all, these blades are priced competitively and are definitely up to the quality we have come to expect from Milwaukee as well as competing blades.
Milwaukee Saw Blades Review Final Thoughts
When looking at blades, it’s a bit easy to get drunk. With price points varying significantly, as well as claims that somehow don’t always add up, it’s easy to just assume save a few dollars and go for the budget-friendly option. If you want to get the most performance out of a saw though, a good blade is key. Much like drill bits in a drill, the tool can only perform as well as its accessory allows. If you’re in the market for blades, give these blades by Milwaukee a look. They have amazing cut quality, unique features that increase stability and superior materials to ensure a long life of awesome cutting power.
Do you know what the hook angle is on the 12 inch blade? Might consider it for my compound sliding miter saw but want to be sure it has a 0 degree or negative hook angle. It’s listed as a circular saw blade on their website and other companies that have 12″ circular saw blades have a positive kerf, so I just want to verify first. Thanks for your help.
They don’t list this on the blade packaging, or on their website. What an awesome question though, let me see what I can find out! I still use these blades often and they are awesome. The teeth on the 12-inch 100 tooth blade has a very thin kerf, and the ATB blade pattern gives one smooth cut. I definitely like them, but let me see what I can gather on this specific question.
I heard back from Milwaukee today, there is a positive hook angle of 12 degrees! I hope that helps!!!