Milwaukee Tool just announced a new Nitrus Carbide circular saw blade for framing and demolition applications, and they’re making some bold claims about it.
The new 24-tooth 7-1/4″ blade is designed for circular saws and miter saws, with launch pricing of around $25 per blade.
Milwaukee says, with bold emphasis my own:
Advertisement
Our 7-1/4″ 24T NITRUS Carbide Framing & Demolition Circular Saw Blade offers the Fastest Cutting and Longest Life in Framing and Demolition Applications.
delivers the best-in-class cutting solution for framing and demolition applications offering the fastest cuts and longest life
The NITRUS Carbide blade provides unmatched durability, delivering the fastest cuts after encountering nails.
It’s designed for use in a range of materials which can basically be summed down to wood, engineered wood, wood with nails or screws, and roof shingles.
Here’s a look at the new Milwaukee Nitrus Carbide circular saw blade.
I recently had a call with a Milwaukee Tool product manager about the new blade, during which they showed me impressive competitive testing results. I just received a test sample today, and so it’ll take me some time to test and vet the performance claims for myself.
Advertisement
In the meantime, let’s talk about what goes into the new blade that Milwaukee says makes it so good at demo and framing applications.
First, the venting keeps the blade cooler, which reduces heat buildup, and that contributes to straighter cuts. This is important – we’ll talk about this again below.
But perhaps most importantly, let’s talk about the carbide teeth.
Milwaukee is using induction welding to secure the carbide teeth to the blade, and they optimized the size, shape, and composition for greater durability.
I asked them to explain this, and they said it basically comes down to what happens when a tooth hits a nail.
Milwaukee said that when blades constructed with brazed tips and other traditional methods are damaged, this often results in large chunks of the carbide teeth breaking off, if not an entire tip or more.
With how they are designed and induction welded in place, the tips of the Nitrus Carbide blade will chip rather than break off, with less impact to cutting performance.
Milwaukee didn’t go into engineering-level details about the carbide tip geometry or composition, but we talked a bit more about how they’ve achieved a stronger connection between the tip and blade.
The way I understand it, this is like when you have a strong glue joint in wood where the glue joint is stronger than the wood. I have seen this before, where wood will fail at high loads well before the glue joint fails.
It seems Milwaukee did something similar here with the new demo and framing saw blade.
So, you might still have damage when a hard carbide saw blade tooth tip hits a hard metal nail or screw. But, because of how the carbide tip is designed, supported, and welded, it holds up better.
A circular saw blade with a chipped tooth tip will perform better than one with large chunks of carbide tips missing, if not entire tips. Milwaukee’s claim of these blades having the sharpest and longest-lasting carbide teeth among framing and demo blades seems believable to me.
On top of all of that, Milwaukee says that the blade lasts longer in framing applications as well, compared to competing framing and demolition blades.
It probably wasn’t conveyed to me for sharing, but the product manager said they had a bit of a hard time getting samples back from field testers because the blades kept going and going. Normally worn or damaged accessories are returned to Milwaukee for analysis, but that was hard to do with the blades lasting so long.
Milwaukee says their Nitrus Carbide blade “outperforms competitive solutions” and that you can “use one blade [for] demo to frame.”
They also say it can be used for aggressive demolition applications and back to clean wood cutting. Not having to change blades between such cutting tasks is described as a significant productivity benefit, and I can definitely see that.
Milwaukee says their new blade cuts faster and lasts considerably longer.
Price: $25
Model no. 48-41-0750
Not Doing Demo Work or Cutting Nails?
Price-wise other demo and framing blades are priced at around $15 each, sometimes more or less depending on the brand.
If you’re not cutting through roofing materials or nail and screw-embedded wood, Milwaukee’s 48-40-0740 7-1/4″ framing blade features 24 teeth and a thick kerf. They say it delivers the straightest cuts and longer life.
They also have a thinner kerf framing blade as well for users that don’t have a higher powered brushless saw or high output battery to run it with.
Shown here is the thin kerf 24T framing blade, model 48-40-0720. They’ve changed the styling as well, but the big takeaway is the diamond-shaped cutout pattern.
It seems that Milwaukee saw enough cooling improvements that they’re updating older SKUs. The thick kerf blade shown above has similar cutouts.
I was told that the “M” pattern of the diamond-shaped cutouts is merely coincidental, but I’m not sure I buy that.
Which Milwaukee 7-1/4″ 24T Circular Saw Blade to Buy?
Here’s a quick summary.
Framing Blade (48-40-0720): long life, ~$10 (or ~$17 for 2)
Thick Kerf Framing Blade (48-40-0740): straightest cuts, long life, ~$10-12
Nitrus Carbide Demo and Framing Blade (48-41-0750): fastest cutting, longest life, $25
Question for Readers
For those of you that use 7-1/4″ 24 demo and framing circular saw blades, how often do you typically go through a blade before having to replace it? What’s everyone’s take on this one?
Matt_T
Is this actual welding or just induction brazing? Induction brazing is nothing new and I doubt this is the first time it’s been done to circular saw blades.
Stuart
They used the term “induction welding” and also use the phrase “welded carbide teeth” in public marketing materials.
I didn’t 100% understand exactly what’s different compared to other induction welded blades. They pointed out a specific competing example that uses similar method but different technique and explained why that other model tended to experience a lot more carbide tip failure where the Nitrus Carbide wouldn’t.
I focused on understand the implication rather than exact technical aspect, because the latter would have led to more questions that couldn’t be immediately answered.
KokoTheTalkingApe
I was curious about that too. Are the carbide tips a different shape? Too bad their photos hide the welds and the seams.
Nathan
Intrigued by how they call it welding. What is the metal of the blade blank? It must have something to do with the weld I would think
I don’t frame houses so it’s not really for me but I would think there are applications. Like where is their mitre saw blade based on this tech. Etc
Chris
I was thinking the exact same thing. Induction heaters will usually get something glowing red hot, but I’ve never seen or heard of using an induction heater to actually weld carbides to steel. I will have to look into this. It certainly could be just marketing lingo though
Chris
Ok so googling it, it seems to certainly be a welding method. Just a souped up induction heater. It appears to be a common method for welding the seems of round and square tubing.
But as far as welding a carbide to steel, it doesn’t seem like it’s metallurgically possible.
Curious to know if anyone is an expert or has any knowledge of this process.
Nathan
That was my thought unless the carbide make up has some iron and nickel in it it’s still not welded in the sense of the word
Bonnie
Yeah … I expect they’re still brazing them on but using induction brazing for greater control and consistency of the bond.
AH
My older milwaukee fuel circ saw died recently and was way past warranty (9yo+). I purchased the newest model a week ago which came with the thick kerf blade. So far I’m not overly impressed. It cut great out of the box. But after using it to frame a large set of steps out of 2x treated lumber, it seems to be almost shot.
I’m a huge fan of the mw oscillating tool blade with the nitrus carbide, so I’d be willing to try a 7 1/4 blade with the same technology. It’ll be interesting to see if their claims hold up!
Eric
These might be the best blades ever produced by mankind, maybe not. But since this is the same marketing they’ve used since carbide blades were invented, shouldn’t we basically expect them to last forever.
S
Will have to see how it does. Frankly, I haven’t been extremely impressed with Milwaukee’s ‘nitrus’ sawzall blades when compared to the same type of Diablo carbide blades. The diablo’s seem to dull slower and chip less, for what amounts to a similar cost.
Most of my issues with circular saw blades are the carbides either chipping or blowing out entirely. Specifically in unknown nail or screw embedded wood.
For the most part, once half the carbides are chipped, cut quality is severely diminished to the point I’m grabbing a new blade on my next trip to the work van.
Bonnie
I’m probably not the target market, but I find generally circular saw blades dull or gum up well before they start losing teeth unless it’s something catastrophic (at which point the blade should probably be retired even if the teeth stayed on as the plate is probably bent or more prone to fractures). Hell, even a recent moment cutting cement board with a cheapo wood blade didn’t lose teeth.
If I’m going through nail-filled demo work I’m reaching for a sawsall over a skilsaw anyways.
eddiesky
This. Anyone I know doing demo work is using a recip with demo blades. Circular for framing, I get. And most use a Skilsaw or other brand rear-handle wormdrive for sheets and lumber.
My thing is, if you can improve a saw blade and keep it the same price as previous, “lesser” grade blades, I’m sold. But using marketing like “Induction Welding”… This method relies on the heating properties of the steel base material to form a bond with the tungsten carbide tip, often using a cobalt coating on the carbide…its nothing new. Unless until now, all carbide teeth were brazed on.
Goodie
Complete concur with you. I’d be interested to learn why applications Milwaukee recommends this as a demo solution. To me, it seems a solution in search of a problem. Maybe for cutting out old subflooring, but I would generally tear out a whole sheet and replace it.
Stuart
It’s not the first demo + framing blade.
If it were a “solution in search of a problem,” brands wouldn’t have been putting money towards making these blades better.
Let’s say you’re replacing an entire deck. A circular saw will make things go a lot quicker compared to a recip saw or impact.
Kyle
Disagree that no one uses circular saw blades for demo. Recip saws are great, but circular saws cut faster, cleaner, straighter, and at a consistent depth. In remodeling jobs like cutting in new/larger windows, removing wood flooring/subfloor etc. those all matter. Lots of reasons for making straight cuts in nail embedded material, but cutting out layers of subfloor (fasteners not accessible) in manageable chunks without damaging the joists is a perfect example. Carbide circular saw blades are also more cost efficient for the amount of cutting they can do vs. cost.
The only Milwaukee circ blades I have used came with my tools (don’t remember anything particularly good or bad) I generally buy Diablo for replacements and often stock up during the holiday sales. Keeping one saw set up with a blade I only use for clean wood and second saw with blade I don’t mind getting rough with works well for me. Once the rough blade is shot or the clean blade gets any noticable wear the old rough blade gets tossed and the former clean blade takes its place. Then I open a new $5 (sale price) clean blade and the “circle” of life continues. For how well the standard Diablo 24T framing blades cut and long they last for only $5 a piece ($7 a piece if you buy them at full price in two packs) they are hard to beat for renovation and general construction work. These new Milwaukee blades may be good, but they would have to be about 5 times as good for me to consider switching.
Bill
My first thought, on seeing all the venting cutouts, was how much they might increase the decibel level.
Also, “these blade shaving the sharpest and longest-lasting”.
blocky
I was handed a milwaukee circ saw with one of these blades mounted last week to rip 3/4″. It was slightly louder than expected, but I still think most of the sound was coming off the motor. It was indeed very rigid, but the cut wasn’t especially straighter. I owe that to my inexperience with the milwaukee saw.
Stuart
Thanks, *fixed*!
Jason
Always torn on these type of things. For true professionals I think it’s great, but for most use cases it’s tough to justify more expensive consumables when your guys tend to just lose them faster than they wear them out.
Harrison
I’m sure these are fine blades, and I like that they are moving to a thicker kerf now that cordless saws are truly matching corded.
I’m always a little bit skeptical of Milwaukee’s marketing superlatives. “Fastest, Toughest, Smoothest, Most Powerful, Quietest, Longest Lasting…” Okay, let’s see it.
Personally, I have yet to use a Milwaukee circular saws that truly impressed me, and that includes their latest 6 1/2″ with the ‘segmented motor’ and Forge battery. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice saw, but the motor is the size of a brick, and it’s still heavier and slower than previously-released competitors. When that saw came out, every influencer was hyping it as the best thing since sliced bread, but blade for blade, tabless vs tabless… The advertised performance claims are not accurate.
I wouldn’t hesitate to try these blades, Milwaukee’s consumables are always pretty good, and regardless if these carbides are truly welded or brazed, it looks like they have put some engineering into that process. I would just expect this to be more of an evolution that revolutionary, and the diamond cutouts are probably more about marketing.
Harrison
As for blade life, our saws have had the same blades for about 3 projects- Two new builds and one remodel. We don’t cut many nails or shingles- A reciprocating saw with a carbide blade is so much better or that, and we like to keep our circular saws clean. Still, the few accidental nail strikes I have had don’t seem to make any difference, even with standard framing blades.
The only time I ever lost teeth on a circular saw, was the time (In desperation) I made a 6ft cut in 1/8″ steel plate with an old framing blade. It lost the leading tooth on each of the 4 ‘sections’, but after that scary moment, it made the rest of the cut without issue.
blocky
I’ve done that in a pinch. If you go slow enough, you can often get through without losing teeth.
neandrewthal
We use a circular saw for demo all the time. I do down to studs remodels of 100+ year old homes. A circ saw is far faster for cutting sub floor, sheathing, sometimes we’ll cut studs mid height to pull them out quicker. We’ll even demo asphalt shingled roofs in 3×3′ sections just by cutting them up. That goes through blades but is fast.
The Milwaukee framing blades, we get in 25 packs, and they hold up better then diablo demo demon. So I’m curious how well these hold up. But hard to beat the $4/blade I’ve paid for the 25 pack (Often $6 at local tool store, $10 at Home Depot)
Dave
I’m way past the point of buying or believing in a better blade claim. Especially from a company -not- known for quality blades for any tool.