Best Metal Cutting Blade? “Dry Cut” vs “Abrasive” vs “Diamond" Blade. Diablo, DeWalt, Makita 

Here’s the list of products reviewed. More details in the video description. Thank you! Irwin: amzn.to/37mSyvC Diablo: amzn.to/3uOulr5 WEN: amzn.to/3M9Jfhd DeWalt: amzn.to/3EoABJm Makita: amzn.to/3OexYy5 Evolution: amzn.to/3uN5ILe Oshlun: amzn.to/37tE39c SATC: amzn.to/3xyxv40 Lenox (Diamond): amzn.to/3EjWPMp DeWalt (Aluminum Oxide): amzn.to/3uMRkma

Re-cutting the angle iron after each of the harder metals to show how much damage the blades had sustained, was pure genius. I also like that you show the particulit count during cutting. 👍

Awesome video, and hearing Todd say, "Made in Canada" totally made my day. Working in a shop that does lots of fabrication, we use both dry cut and abrasive cutting wheels. Here are some observations we have made in their use. •Abrasive wheels are best for really thin materials, steel studs for example. Also for any cuts that you may want to make 'free hand'. •We've found that the dry cut blades cut best when they are only trying to take little 'bites' at a time. Lets take a piece of 2"x1/4" flat bar for example. The dry cut blade will cut quicker, cleaner, and cooler if the flat bar is vertical and taking little bites from the piece instead of it laying horizontal and trying to shave large amounts of material away. This is why when trying to cut the round pipe, some of the blades started cutting slow, then got quick through the middle, then slowed again at the bottom. •Along with the above observation putting the metal that is being cut at the center line of the blade, even slightly forward (to the front of the machine) helps with cutting. It can also help with safety. When the blade is cutting on a upstroke, we have seen the blade grab the work-piece and try to pull it out of the clamp. We always now set the work-piece so the blade cuts at 90° or slightly downward to the work-piece. •We have also found that cutting small pieces can cause blade damage. The small piece that is cut off can get caught up by the blade and thrown into the blade shield were it can bounce around and break the teeth of the blade. This is a common issue we have found. Keep up the great work, and keep safe.

What I love the most about your videos is, you get straight to the point and dont try to fluff the length of the video, this is the quality content I appreciate.

You are the best, most thorough, no BS, objective independent testing channel ever. I appreciate your dedication and detail. Keep up the good work. You help us all work more efficiently and save us time, heartache, and money.

You sir can be considered a hero, Atleast in my book. I can’t imagine how many hundreds of thousands of dollars you’ve saved your viewers. Thank you for everything you do!

“Let’s go ahead a skip the SATC since it doesn’t appear to be designed for cutting metal.” The most subtle and solid roast I’ve heard in a while. Great vid

Two things you may also consider. When I'm cutting metal i'm not concerned about how many seconds it takes to cut, and I always assume I'll have to deburr or dress the cut edges of the metal. What I'm concerned about most is if the cutting wheel will become damaged and how long a wheel will last over time.

Just rewatched…still such an impressive video. Your work is superior to some “professional” evaluation videos! SO we’ll done. Thanks for ALL the time, energy and great videography!

I've used these quite often, and most blades like more pressure than what you've given. The upper range blades are very impressive though even under lighter load! Thanks for the testing; you're the tradesman's hero. ❤️

I like the new additions to the video: showing where on the graph your recommended blades stand, as well as suggesting other tools to use instead of the blades. I also like the data on the sound and particles. You can never have too much data!

I recently bought an Evolution saw like yours and it transformed my hobbying life overnight. Therefore, I was especially interested in how the Evolution blade held up against the others. Thank you very much for providing useful, real-world data that I can use when my current blade loses it's efficiency. As others have commented below, the revisiting of the angle-iron cut for time comparisons was a brilliant idea!

The only steel cutting carbide blade I have ever used is the diablo steel demon in a 7 1/4 inch version. I ripped 6 feet of mild steel square tubing in half with it. I was very impressed.

I think the abrasive wheels have their own saws that run at higher RPMs, so it makes sense they performed poorly.

You did it again ! Just when I was about to pull the trigger on a cut off blade you do the test and make my decision easy. "Keep up the good work."

I'm the only one who doesn't use or need these tools but still watches the videos? Happy Easter everyone

Been running a Diablo blade in my Milwaukee dry cut saw for years now. I don't do that much fabrication but just about everything I do is on 1/4" thick or more mild steel. So far there's no visible damage to any teeth and it still cuts fast and cold, after dozens of cuts. I have a Dewalt blade as a backup but so far it just sits in the package collecting dust. Blade longevity seems to be all about good fixturing and smooth firm pressure on the saw. Any bouncing will coat teeth, but once you understand that the blades seem to last a very long time.

These comparisons are vital when someone needs good equipment and there is a bewildering variety from which to choose. Well done dude...

Haven't had too use an abrasive wheel on the chopsaw in years. It's miserable to use them anymore as they go so slow and make such a mess. If you need to do 30 cuts for a project, you'll spend 5 minutes with carbide or 20-30 minutes with abrasive.

You should have given the Oshlun more love! For a "mid" to higher price range, it was one of the most impressive blades to me. LOVE the new grouping format to show why you made your choices though!

One thing that I love (and was so surprised by) about my Evolution blade is how cool the metal is after cutting. I had never cut any metal with anything but an abrasive blade so I was used to spring water on cuts to be able to handle them easier. With dry blades, they don't heat the metal up hardly at all. Most of the time you can handle it directly afterwards with bare hands. That blew my mind. That and the huge (in comparison to abrasive blades) chunks of metal bouncing all over. Safety glasses are a must!

One thing we found is that we use 12" Diablo steel demon blades instead of 14"....about $30 less per blade, and the sfm actually goes down with the smaller blade, so possibly runs cooler than a 14"

Thank you for another awesome video! Who else would ever think of measuring the particulates in the air!? That's why you're the best Todd! Keep up the great work!

I've tried several brands for cutting mild steel in my shop. I decided to stick with the Diablo brand. The price is reasonable and last for about 3 months with much daily use. I buy many things using your recommendations. Looking forward to the engine hone video. Great work.. thank you

Such great testing results, very accurate, very fair testing procedures. The best channel on RU-vid for the every day working man. I’m sure this channel has saved people countless amounts of money. Wish I’d had this back in my day.

The Wen blade was looking pretty good until the end of the series of tests. I would say that Wen blade would work well enough if you are only making several cuts through standard construction / hobby materials.

I watched you make clean cuts through steel like it's butter, then I thought about people struggling to make the same cut using a hacksaw. LOL. Thank God for power tools! Abrasive wheels work, but as you showed, they make a big mess. Thanks for the great testing video! A++

I really like the small partial count. Every time I use my angle grinder I always end up with black boogers even when only cutting for a few minutes or less.

Anyone else watch this to sleep 😂

As usual, great job testing these blades! My only criticism is that you used an abrasive chop saw wheel in a saw made for metal blades. The metal blade saw is only good for around 1400rpm, while a lot of abrasive wheel saws are meant for around 4000rpm. Still, the metal blades are clearly superior

Within the past few years I've started doing some DIY metal fabrication, using mostly aluminum with the rare instance of steel. The Diablo blades have been incredible in aluminum. I worked them hard, maybe a little too hard. I had a few teeth come out and the blade was replaced under the lifetime warranty. I've since learned that Diablo has three different non-ferrous blades for light, medium and thick aluminum. I now own all three and use them appropriately. Anyhow, thanks for the test! As always, it's a great resource and (this time) confirms my choice of Diablo.

Recently started shopping for windshield repair kits (for cracks and chips) and thought that'd be a great video idea for you. Not only do you give great comparisons but I get some pretty good tips that product instructions and tutorial videos often miss. Thanks for all of your work!

I went with the Irwin blade myself, I absolutely love it. I have been using it for several months, still cuts mild steel like butter.

"High Densrty" made in China. No kidding lol.

The Abrasive wheels, [DeWalt and Lennox] are really designed to be more efficient at over 5,000 rpm's , so comparing them to the slower speed running toothed blades is a little deceptive. overall a good comparison.

I love your testing videos, it really shows that you put a lot of serious consideration of how to fairly and tortuously test everything you do. Great work. A true perfectionist at quality control testing products!

We used the Diablo blades in our pipe saw for skid 10 4-8" pipe cut quick and smooth. Skid 40 definitely took longer but we never seemed to have thermal issues. Love your detailed breakdowns.

I use the Diablo myself, and have had great success with it. A local heat treating company also does cryogenic treating as well. When I have my blades treated cryogenically, I get a much longer life out of them. More than twice the life

This comparison review was pure gold and I really appreciated it as I'm in the market for this cutting capability right now. Thank you!

You are saving me time and money, and educating me at the same time. Thanks from Canada.

Thanks for making this. I’m familiar with the Evolution brand and pleased you didn’t hit on them too hard. As others have said I also liked the fast aging of the blades to use harder steel. I mostly just cut mild steel. Abrasives have their place too!

GREAT TESTING as always Todd!! I have a few of the blades you tested, and my anecdotal experience seems pretty similar to what you measured here. One thing I'm curious about but have never tested is the difference from using an abrasive wheel in the slow turning saw as in this test, versus using the abrasive wheel in the faster turning chop saw they would normally be used in.

Nice thorough test! Really enjoyed the retests on the angle iron after abusing the blades. Each type has it's uses. You wouldn't exactly use a premium blade to cut up thousands of rebar on a jobsite :)

One thing I did notice as an error in this video, the saw you’re using is a dry cut chop saw, runs 14-1500 rpm, which is great for the carbide blades. However the Lenox diamond blade you used is meant for an abrasive chop saw which runs 4-5000 rpm’s. Not really a fair comparison on the saw you’re using.

Thanks for your valuable help, you helped a company " Shower Doors of Sarasota" here in FL to get the right blades for their workers, I always appreciate your videos and the fact that you fairly do all the tests without being sponsored is the best. - Dan

Fun fact the A.R. in a.r. plate stands for abrasion resistant. It is used in armor application by the military and others but also in buckets for constuction trucks and other stuff.

I like Diablo blades. They always seemed to be up to the task, while still being (what I consider) a decent price. Thanks for the great test.

I love the lack of brand bias. Even though your saw is made by Evolution you didn't try to skew or push the outcomes to rate that brand higher.

This channel has quickly become a must watch for DIY'ers everywhere! I watch a ton of RU-vid videos and this channel ranks as a top 3 of all time! Keep up the great work in making all our lives easier!!!

I'm always super excited when I see a new video is released, the amount of careful tedious repetitions he composes into short entertaining videos is amazing, we get to see very little of the effort he puts into these let alone the editing.

I feel like the abrasive wheel is still a great option in many cases. It passed all the tests and only cost $8. Given how much wear each blade received, the price should be a huge factor since these things are supposed to be disposable. The expensive blades are probably more for specialty uses.

Holy cow! That's got to have been one of the most expensive videos I've seen. Fantastic work, and lots of great information. Highly underrated channel, even with 2.37M subscribers.

I like the close-up shots of the blade teeth, and I also like that you increase the demands on the blades, and then go back and cut regular steel again for a comparison.

Been watching your videos for over 4 years now. Absolutely love them. I was surprised you didn't use the thermal camera for checking the temperatures of the metal, but maybe there was a reason for it. Still great video. Would still love to see arc welders in a showdown.

One of your best videos yet! I really appreciated the inclusion of air quality / particle count data and delta-T on the 4140. Would have liked to have seen results on stainless, as many blades marketed for stainless cutting are very expensive and I wonder if they're actually superior (Champion and Evolution-brand blades come to mind).

Extremely informative and excellent methodology, as usual. Outstanding video, Todd thank you and Happy Easter to the Project Farm family!

It never ceases to amaze me how distinct the diminishing returns are beyond a given proce point. Sure the makita is faster than the diablo...but it enough faster to be worth double the price? And the Irwin blade really suprised me.

The abrasive wheel is designed for 4000 rpm so with a faster saw designed for abrasive wheels you can expect better results.

Just love your reviews they’re so sensible and honest and well thought about the testing procedures good job

Can you film a video about different automotive sealants and how they hold up to diesel, motoroil, gasoline and coolant and how flexible they are? As a mechanic this is a very interesting question, everybody swears by some different product.

Thank you for the awesome video as always! Some video ideas are, pancake air compressors, wire cutters and crimpers more specifically, voltage meters, heat guns! Just things I’ve needed for a project recently and had no solid reviews anywhere!

Easter Sunday is starting out great. Thanks!

This makes me feel good that the Diablo steel blade I just bought for my circular saw to cut some unistrut finished in your top 3.

I watch your videos at double speed. You talk fast and put out large amounts of information as-is, so watching at double is like an information overload. I love it.

The Lenox is using abrasion so of course its slower and creates more heat. It will probably cut stone, tile, and brick a lot better than the others.

My experience long-term is the Evo blade that came with my Evo saw is a good blade, it doesn't last as long as the Diablo though. Still have an abrasive for hardened steel is a good idea.

Thanks for doing these tests and reviews, they definitely save a lot of people a whole lot of money and time! Gob bless you and happy Easter!

These thoughtful and comprehensive tests make your channel such a great resource, transparency and fairness means I can trust you. Thanks again, great job!

Just so you know, technically the regular kind of tungsten carbide you use for cutting is also a cermet.

Thank you for this very informative video. I was considering a chop saw for my hobby workshop, your findings has given me food for thought. Thanks to the commenters for point out the speed difference for abrasive wheels.

I'm barely any DIY specialist, but seeing videos like this makes me think about having my own shop to tinker inside of. Diablo seemed like a good balance between durability and affordability.

I've said it before and here it is again. You do these tests as complete as you can in as quick a time frame as possible. I always check your channel for reviews before I buy stuff. Now that I made you blush what I would love to see is a video showing a test as normal for your channel but also film the process. Getting your samples, designing your test jigs. Release the test as normal then release the Behind the scenes the next week. Picking the right test subject this video can get passed around more and likely to boost your subs! A fun test for this is Squirrel proof bird feeders. I didn't see one from you. Buy some feeders and even make a design of your own, just for fun. Thx again for all your effort.

Oshlun should also be mentioned, it performed really well.

This is probably the best and most informative video I have ever seen on RU-vid,😀🤗

Interesting video! Working with AR plate is brutal. Side note: The dewalt chop saw abrasive blade only used up 1/8", measuring across the whole blade means your measurement is doubled to 1/4". The machinist part of me had to say something 😁

I had suggested this video probably a year ago and never checked to see if you had done it. I am pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Thanks for doing the work!

I'm old when I first used a metal chop saw was in the 1980s It had a abrasive wheel and was scary. I was told to stand as far off to the left as possible because there was more safety guard on the left side . There were a lot of holes in the wall behind the saw from blades exploding. It never exploded on me but I only used it to cut airoquip lines . I used a torch to cut everything else . .

Thank you for getting around to do this test. Unfortunately I went ahead and bought the diamond blade. It is definitely slower at cutting mild steel but I'm not going through abrasive wheels like I use to. The diamond is a lot more durable than the abrasive. Another nice thing about the diamond blades is that it doesn't shrink like the abrasive wheels do. I didn't even think about the carbide blades for cutting metal. Oh well. Maybe in about 10 years I will get one those. Lol I don't know how long the diamond blade will last. I don't have metal type projects everyday. So it will probably last me 10 years. Time will tell. I've enjoyed all your videos thus far.

Wow, that Irwin blade is now $134 on Amazon. So much for being the good bargain. The Diablo is actually slightly cheaper than shown in the video at $79.

Been watching for a couple of years now, keep up the good work

Kind of related, the little m12 fuel cut off tool by Milwaukee is a beast. It cuts through metal like it’s butter.

Another bunch bites the dust! THANKS, Commander! I only recently even got a metal cutter for my 3 inch DeWalt so this leaves me in the dust sure enough. I've always just used a grinding wheel to score the piece and then frailed it to the breaking point with the hammer of the day. The cut off discs really surprised me on their true cutting and with the ease they do it and there are discs made for cutting all sorts of stuff. I've got an old Makita compound miter saw that was worn out when I got it and it's a wood eater only. I can get by with the DeWalt but I know where torches are if I have to go heavy duty. Thanks for a wonderful test, be BLEDSSED and Jesus is up and active! GBWYall!

My conclusion seemed to rest on the Oshlun overall for cost + speed + durability and others. Thanks for the hard work.

Honestly man, you have cracked the code. You get to be a scientist while having RU-vid pick up some portion of the bill.

Awesome video thank you ! My small metal shop has an older EVO 380 saw, and always has had the 16 inch Evolution blades. For longevity those seem to hold up very well . Only cutting mild steel rounds, square , angle and solids. I break a blade in with a short cut into some brass stock.

This made me quite happy that I just got a 3M respirator for wearing in the shop. That's a lot of potentially nasty dust! Which leads me to suggesting a test of particulate filter masks.

I was pulling for the WEN. I've had good results with that brand punching well above the price point. Apparently this isn't one of the better examples. However, if you're buying a blade for a single project with only mild steel or nonferrous metal I suppose it would be a reasonable choice.

As someone who lives part time in Thailand, it warms my heart to see more manufacturing moving from China to SE Asia.

I guess it really depends on the overall application, but I would figure the IRWIN & OSHLUN came out on top. Especially if you consider cost as an important factor. Ultimately more usage/base-material testing will give a clearer result (unless your need is for immediate performance with little overall use). Despite some of my technical issues with your videos (which are very few), I must say-- Excellent work, as always, Sir!

Absolutely love this channel, amazing content, I was wondering why I had missed a few episodes, somehow the bell was no longer selected. Sorry 😞

Glad I have the Diablo now and has confirmed that it may not be the fastest but it seems like it's going to take the most abuse for a carbide blade at an affordable price range

This is just what I needed to decide which blade is best. I was thinking about a metal cutting blade to replace my abrasive wheels. You made my decision very easy and cost effective.

Out of all the saw blade comparisons, I’ve learned Makita is making some pretty good blades.I have the 7 inch Diablo blade and it’s worked great so far. I was floored some time back when I learned there were circular saw blades that would cut steel like butter. They’re really great tools to have in the Arsenal!

Good video, I like how Todd used this video as an excuse to buy a new chop saw LOL and make it a tax write off hahaha. Keep up the good work

I've had experiences where abrasive wheels get chewed up by softer materials that the saws have no problem with. Hope to see a revisit where you cut other metals, like aluminum and brass, as points of comparison.

Not one blade made in the USA. We need to get our industry back! But this channel IS made in the USA and it's priceless. So much information here.

I'd love to see a video comparing standard hacksaw blades. I had to buy some recently and found myself wondering how they would hold up long term especially against some of the higher grade bolts I've been cutting lately.

Abrasive wheels require 5000+ RPM to cut efficiently.

Love your videos. My tool brand biases run strong, but I still reference your videos prior to new purchases. I used to work in window installation and something EVERYONE on the crew had at all times was a folding utility knife. Personally, I've gone through at least a dozen of them as a lot of their blade locking mechanisms fail once you start hammering on them (I know, few tools are built to withstand a framing hammer!), but we've settled on Lenox brand, wondering if this would be something you're interested in testing. Not really a functionality test, more a durability test, but it'd be interesting for me to see which brand is empirically better. Thanks for all your videos!

No sense adding what has been already stated some five thousand times in the comments, but sir, your videos are very succinct and direct. Well done as per usual. Cheers!!