When you’re deep in a demolition project, the last thing you want to do is stop every five minutes to swap out a dull blade. We’ve all been there—staring at a piece of nail-embedded lumber that seems to eat saw teeth for breakfast.
In our latest head-to-head, we put the two biggest names in carbide reciprocating saw blades to the test: the Milwaukee AX with Nitrus Carbide and the Diablo Amped Demo Demon. While both claim to be the ultimate demo solution, our testing revealed a clear winner when the going gets tough.
The Price of Performance
Before we get into the “torture,” let’s look at the cost. There is a small gap in pricing between these two heavyweights:
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Diablo Amped Demo Demon: $15.00 per blade
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Milwaukee AX Nitrus Carbide: $17.00 per blade
At only a $2 difference, the question isn’t just about speed—it’s about value and durability.
Test 1: The “Torture Rack” (The Game Changer)
This was our most extreme test. We loaded each side of the lumber with 24 GRK deck screws and attempted a full cut through the wood.
The Result: The Milwaukee AX Nitrus powered through the screws and finished the cut. The Diablo Amped, however, failed to finish the cut in two separate attempts.
If you are dealing with high-density fasteners or heavy-duty structural demo, this result speaks volumes. The Milwaukee stayed in the fight when the Diablo hit its limit.
Test 2 & 3: Real-World Scenarios
While the Milwaukee dominated the extreme test, we also wanted to see how they compared in more standard applications.
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7 Screws in 2×10 Lumber: In this mid-range test, both blades performed virtually the same. If you’re only hitting a few nails here and there, you likely won’t notice a massive difference in speed.
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Wood-Only Speed Test: Cutting through clean lumber showed that both blades are incredibly fast and efficient. Again, they performed about the same in this category.
The Final Verdict
If you are doing light remodeling where you rarely hit more than a couple of nails, the $15 Diablo is a solid choice. However, for real-world demolition where you don’t know what’s hiding behind the drywall, the Milwaukee AX Nitrus is the clear winner.
For just $2 more per blade, the Milwaukee offers significantly better durability and the ability to finish cuts that stopped the Diablo in its tracks. In the world of demo, that extra $2 is a small price to pay for a blade that actually holds up.
Which blade is in your saw? Let us know in the comments of the full video!
