Milwaukee 6391-21 Left Blade Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw Review

The Milwaukee 6391-21 Left Blade Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7 And A Quarter Inch circular saw is nearly the same as the Milwaukee 6390-21 Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7-1/4-Inch circular saw with the exception that the blade is on the left, making it easier for right-hander to use. Annoyingly (for right-handers at least), the price of the 6391-21 at retailers generally seems to be higher than that of the 6390-21. You would think that with more right-handers than left-handers in the world more of the left blade version of the saw would be made and therefore the left blade version would be cheaper. It doesn’t work that way.

Like it’s right-bladed cousin, the Milwaukee 6391-21 Left Blade Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7 And A Quarter Inch circular saw has the power to use on nearly any stock you need to cut, and the adjustable handle makes it easy to wield. The handle is attached to the base and pivots around motor, so that it can sit a little behind like a worm-drive saw or let you get right on top of the blade. This saw runs smoothly, so you won’t feel like you have to muscle this saw around to keep it cutting on a straight line.

Table of Contents
1. Motor Power
2. Blade and Bevel Capacity
3. Base Plate and Guard
4. Adjusters
5. Cut Line
6. Handle
7. Shortcomings
8. What Others Are Saying
9. Carrying Case
10. Bottom Line
11. Price

Motor Power

The Milwaukee 6391-21 Tilt-Lok has a 15 Amp , 3.25 horsepower motor.  You know that sound a circular saw makes when you’re trying to cut through too heavy of a material and are putting it under too much of a load?  We haven’t run into that problem with this saw, although granted, we haven’t tried to cut anything really silly with it.  Suffice it to say, this saw has enough power for nearly any homeowner, DIY-er or professional.  The helical gears will turn the blade at up to 5,800 RPM .

Blade and Bevel Capacity

This saw has a 7 1/4″ blade diameter.  The included blade is fine and usable, but if you have a high quality blade available use that.  If you need a specific type of blade for what you’re cutting you will of course need to change the blade, but for basic ripping and cutting you can use the included blade.  While it’s any easy process to change the blade, we don’t like the allen wrench that you have to use to change the blade.  We prefer hex nut wrenches that slide into the back of the shoe.  On this saw, we feel the allen wrench doesn’t give as much leverage as a hex nut wrench.  Also, it’s difficult to know if you’ve placed the allen wrench all the way back into the holder, which is a plastic hole on the side of the motor.  Unless you’re doing frequent blade changing, the allen wrench isn’t enough of a hassle to discount this saw from your consideration.  The saw does have a shaft lock for easier blade changing.

The saw will bevel to 50°, and cuts to a depth of 2 7/16″ at 90° and 1 13/16″ at 45°.

Base Plate and Guard

The base plate/shoe is solid.  There’s little risk of damaging it through normal operation.  We bet you’d have to drop it on the concrete to damage it.  The blade guard works smoothly.  One minor complaint we have is that we expected a heavier duty feeling blade guard, but functionally we have no problems with it.

Adjusters

The depth control and bevel control are levers that are smooth to operate and lock down easily.  This saw has one of the best bevel control adjusters we’ve used.  Number indicators are stamped into the saw, so there’s no worry about them rubbing off..

Cut Line Visibility

Consider that it’s easy for right-handers to see the cut line with the right-bladed version due to the ability to move the handle. Now throw in that that blade on this saw is on the left and the motor is on the right. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a circular saw with better sight lines for right-handers.

Handle

This saw has an adjustable ‘Tilt-Lok’ handle, so you can set it back to operate more like a worm-drive, or move it forward to get on top of what you’re cutting, or place it anywhere in between.  In practice, you’ll probably decide on an angle that’s the most comfortable for you and stick with that, but you do have the option to change the handle angle to make it easier to cut.

The handle is also slightly cushioned.  It’s not ’70s toilet seat cushioned, but it makes it more comfortable to hold without becoming slippery when your hand is sweaty.

Shortcomings

This model of the Milwaukee circular saw lacks electric brakes and two-button motor operation.

What Others Are Saying

A reviewer at amazon.com noted that the saw has a soft start with very little side to side torque, making it easier to keep lined up.

Carrying Case

Milwaukee includes a carrying case with the 6391-21 SKU of this saw. It’s a sturdy plastic case that features a peg on the bottom that will hold your saw blades so they can be easily transported with the saw.

Bottom Line

The Milwaukee 6391-21 Left Blade Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7 And A Quarter Inch circular saw is a great circular saw.  You shouldn’t be disappointed with it. 4 1/2 out of 5.

Price

Amazon puts a lot of effort into keeping their pricing competitive. As of the date of this review, the price was very attractive and they offered free or discounted shipping. Click to check today’s price and see if that’s still the case: