This is a rugged saw with enough power for most jobs. There are a couple of plain steel starter blades included although you'll need better for serious work. I bent the wood blade on my second cut. Now, I *was* cutting pressure-treated wood, which is metal insinuated into the cellulose fibers. But even the "manual" (just a single large sheet, with many folds) recommends using bimetal blades because of their superior durability. I picked up a couple for about 5 bucks total and got to work.The included case is nice. Note that you'll have to remove the blade when stowing the saw; it won't fit otherwise. But you can transport the saw without worrying about snagging the cord or damaging something.Nice for the price. Black & Decker RS500 8.5 Amp Reciprocating Saw
I bought this one based on price alone. There have been many times when having a reciprocating saw around the house would have been just the ticket. After looking around and not wanting to spend the money on a cordless I decided to give this one a shot and am glad I did. There is plenty of power for everything I've needed it for, the blade locking system is fine and provided you choose the proper blade for the task it will do what is needed. One thing to keep in mind is that blade selection is 75% of the equation with these things. Wood blade for wood, metal blade for metal, etc. DO NOT go with cheap blades and you won't be disappointed.
First, I am a casual, around-the-house handyman, not a professional. So this saw is great for me. Not too expensive, but does everything I need it to.Comes in a nice case, and I bought a couple of heavy duty blades at Home Depot for a project I needed to do.
I am doing a major remodel job to my bathroom. The steel bathtub had to be removed. Rather than rent a saw or hire someone to do the job, I purchased the RS500K and planned on splitting the tub in two so it could easily be removed. Spent another $30 for a few different blades. Tungsten Carbide worked best at a slower speed for this tough sawing job. Speed control was a little tricky at first but it was pretty easy to get the hang of it. Cutting in middle of the tub took a bit of acrobatics and was a bit tricky. I was able to reverse the blade and cut in a push instead of a pull direction quite safely. It also made the acrobatics easier to endure. Steady easy pressure finally got the job done. Actually took quicker than I thought it would. Holding the saw, whether pushing or pulling was quite comfortable. Dont forget the cutting oil, it does make a difference. The motor does get hot, but anywhere you are holding the saw, you are far from the heat of it. So for doing the odd tough jobs, this is all you need. The blades that came with the saw are not tungsten carbide, though I did try the metal blade and the quality seemed comparable to a similiar type from another brand. Storage case is nice and plenty of room to keep spare blades.
I purchased this B&D product from menards. I had an old milwaukee Reciprocating Saw that had the screw in for the blade change. When I got it, the screw was striped out. I tapped out the scew and put a new one in. After my first cut, it stripped out again. So I gave it away an bought this one. I have used this saw for hundreds of project and the quick blade change is completely awesome. For the money I spent on this item, it's well worth the price that I got it.
Buy it, you won't be dissapointed
I bought this saw a few years ago and have used it for a few small jobs. However, it proved itself this past weekend as we gutted our kitchen down to the studs. We used this saw to cut out an arch that was built into a breakfast nook area. It consisted of several layers of 2x4 boards, metal drywall corner pieces, metal mesh, etc. This saw zipped through all of that and we pulled the arch out in no time. I also used it to clean up the mess from our project and was impressed with how quickly it cut through the debris to make for more manageable pieces. I started my cleanup with a buddy's saw and its blade became stuck in a chunk of 2x4/plaster and I couldn't get it unstuck. I used my saw to get the other blade cut out and the rest of the structure cut up. This saw and a pack of good blades is all you will need for most demo projects!
I was a little concerned about a "refurb", 6.5 amps and a Black and Decker but once I put a blade in and put it to a pressure treated 4X4 my doubts were cut as quickly as the 4X4. I cut ten 4X4s in a row and it didn't get hot or bog down at all. As far as "refurb" goes I couldn't tell this from brand new and will continue to look for "refurb" bargains on Amazon. Granted I am not a carpenter or professional but I have an older Sawzall (Porter) that didn't have the easy blade inserts and frankly I can't tell the difference between them other than the B&D is lighter and the quick change blades is a blessing. Why buy a new one? I still can't find my old one in the garage! - Sawzall'
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