Steve wrote in with a tough question: Which is the best miter saw blade?
This is a tough question because there are so many different types of blades out there, meant for cutting all kinds of materials.
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There are framing blades, which are quicker to use but leave a slightly rougher surface finish, finishing blades, which leave a finer finish that requires less or even minimal sanding, non-ferrous blades, for cutting aluminum and plastic materials (within limits), and that’s just the start.
I’m a long time lurker of your website. It is one of the first I check everyday for new posts/subjects. You really do a great job!
My suggestion is to review common SCMS blades. From middle of the road price ranges. We all wish we could have a hanger full of Forest blades, but most of us can’t justify that. We all know that Big Box Stores carry 12″/10″ blades, but also acknowledge that they are nice for ~17.5 good cuts. The technology is getting better everyday.
Also, could you review OMT blades. Yes, we know Fein is the gold standard, but someone has to manufacture blades that don’t cost as much as college student loans. Off-brands, Makita, or others. There has to be a reasonable priced manufacturer that doesn’t want me to go into serious debt.
Thanks and keep up the awesome work. You are really appreciated.
Thanks Steve for the great question, and also the kind words!
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Not to distract from the main topic, but for OMT blades I really like Bosch’s carbide ones. Bosch paid us to do some comparative testing a few years ago, of like-priced OMT blades, and I was stunned to see how much better their carbide blades were. The difference was significant when cutting nails. You could even see a difference when cutting wood.
For wood, or wood with nails, I would go with the OSC114C (the pricing looks weird right now, but they’re $12-15 each, or less than $10 each if you buy a 10-pack), or OSL114C if using a new Starlock-compatible tool. I haven’t tried it, but they make a OSC134C blade for cutting metal, and OSL134C is the Starlock version.
Back to miter saw blades.
I’m partial to Freud. (Bosch owns the Freud and Diablo power tool accessories brands. See more tool brand affiliations here.)
Forrest blades are often considered the best of the best by woodworkers. But yes, they are pricey. Maybe one of these days I’ll give them a try myself.
I couldn’t find my plywood blade recently, but I had dug out a Diablo D1050X blade that I received a while ago. Clayton had reviewed this and several other Diablo table and miter saw blades for us, and this was one we had selected for the review.
Wow, just wow, it cut through plywood like butter, and with perfect edges. Not bad for a blade that costs less than $34 via Amazon. Upon seeing how well it performed in table saw, I’m leaning towards buying another for 10″ miter saw use. But, as it’s a combination blade meant for good performance in ripping and crosscut cuts, it might not be ideal on a miter saw except when working with mixed directional material, such as plywood.
I have also been testing the new Dewalt 120V Max FlexVolt sliding miter saw (more Dewalt FlexVolt coverage here), and it came bundled with a FlexVolt 12″ 60T Fine Finish blade. I’ve been using it to cut maple, and the edges are crisp and clean, except with the slightest fraying on 2 of the 6 cuts I made.
That’s not a cheap “starter blade” as you sometimes see bundled with miter saws. It’s a $55 blade. They also make a 78T Ultra Fine Finish blade, for $65. Neither are shipping just yet.
Dewalt is slowly disturbing my preference for Freud and Freud Diablo blades. I see no reason to move beyond their FlexVolt blade.
I have been working on testing a couple of blades, and will now look to expand that to some other options. Choosing a miter saw blade can be intimidating once you start looking at all the finer details.
Generally, it’s a good idea to start by looking at tooth count. In the most simplified terms, a lower tooth count gives you faster cuts, more teeth give you smoother cuts. From there, I follow brand guidelines. Some brands have handy selection charts on their blade packaging, showing which blade is good, better, and best for a material or cutting direction.
With all that in mind, if I had to go out and buy a blade this week, or order one online, I would look at Freud, Diablo if I was a little more conscious about cost, or Dewalt (I really like their premium Precision blades on my circular saws, would be willing to buy their 10″ or 12″ blades).
Craftsman came out with some made-in-Germany saw blades a few years ago, and with surprisingly very good pricing. I wouldn’t be hesitant to try them.
Interestingly, Diablo’s D1060S blade ($50 via Amazon) is described as being for sliding miter saws and table saws. Is there a difference between how a miter saw blade and sliding miter saw perform?
If I needed a blade RIGHT NOW, I would order Dewalt’s Precision Trim blade, in whatever miter saw size I needed. It’s available in a 10″ size and 12″ size, and I would get the Precision Finishing blade in 7-1/4″ size if using a smaller miter saw.
Plus, it looks like Amazon offers Free Same-Day shipping (for Prime members) for a lot of these Dewalt blades.
As mentioned above, I’ve used Dewalt’s Precision Finishing blades before, and by extension I would trust their Precision Trim miter saw blades. These blades feature a black interior and yellow rim.
Dewalt also makes the Precision Trim blade in a 7-1/4″ size, designed especially for their 20V Max cordless miter saw (and like-sized saws), but for my uses I’d go with the higher count finishing blade. Maybe. The Trim blade might give better battery performance and perhaps an almost indistinguishable cut quality difference.
I have also worn through my fair share of general purpose and “big box store quality” blades. I’m not going to use a fine finishing blade to cut up some 2x materials when making a testing jig. But I got the feeling that Steve wasn’t asking about general framing and finishing blades. I got the feeling he was asking about better and longer lasting blades.
Long story short, I have my opinions about miter saw blades, but I also don’t use my miter saw all the time. That’s where you guys and your valued opinions come in.
Which is the best miter saw blade that you’ve used?
Please share any opinion you might have about miter saw blades. Which brand do you prefer? Tooth count? Please also mention the type of cutting you do, such as rough framing, cutting trim, fine woodworking, as the context is important with saw blade recommendations.
JMG
Back when I ran my own cabinet shop, a majority of the specialty saw blades purchased were FS tool blades. At the time, their solid surface blade designs were the best for the job (in my opinion). They also have some great negative rake blades in the lineup that I used for working with double sided laminate panels. Their products are geared for production environments and the cost can reflect that, but the cut quality was always top notch.
BonPacific
I use my miter saw only sparingly, but I’ve had great luck with cheap Avanti 80-tooth blades that you can buy in 2-packs. Most all of my work is cutting hardwoods or 2×4’s to length. I can get a mirror finish if I cut slowly, and even a quick chop is smooth.
Now, since I’m a woodworker rather than a carpenter or other trade, my use is pretty limited, but I wouldn’t bother spending big bucks on what is inherently a pretty rough-cutting tool.
Ryan
I don’t know what kind of saw you have but my Bosch 5412 with Freud industrial crosscut blade is no rough cutting tool. I get damn near shooting board quality miters and perfectly square ends with no additional work necessary. Make your own ZCI for it and it will really make a difference in cut quality on the bottom side. If you have a good saw but use Avanti blades, it’s like putting a Honda Civic engine in a Mercedes Benz.
Kurt
I use a Woodworker II by Forrest in my table saw, and love it. Leaves a great edge and cuts most everything with no drama, even though it’s a contractors saw. So if you have the means, I would heartily recommend any of their offerings.
That said, I use a Diablo in my chop saws, as I don’t use them nearly as much. They do a nice job. If I want a cut without chipout, I burnish masking tape on both sides of the board – this makes layout more precise too.
Paul
I like the Diabo blade personally. I for my 12″ miter saw I have 2 blades. One for non-ferrous metals (mostly Aluminum) and an 80 tooth fine blade. They cut well. I will be buy a general purpose blade later in the week for a project with pressure treated lumber. I don’t want to gum up my fine blade with pitch for that.
With the blades affordable, I cannot see the use of a combination blade in the miter saw. I do have the 10″ 50t combo blade in my table saw for plywood but I think I will get a general purpose blade for ripping construction lumber and a fine tooth blade for cross cuts, mdf and melamine soon and then save the combo for ripping plywood.
My follow up question would be is there any real advantage to their 10″ 24t ripping blade in a table saw or is the 40t general purpose blade good enough at ripping. I don’t mind changing blades in either the miter or table saws.
jtr165
I’ve had a Diablo 40t blade in my table saw most of the summer. It works fine for ripping, albeit with a lower feed rate. Can’t say the cut quality for rips is all that different than the matching 24t blade I have, at least with pine, as that is all I’ve worked with consistently this summer. Both are perfectly acceptable for my purposes.
Cross cuts are much cleaner, though.
I’ve been happy with every Diablo product i’ve purchased. Lots of different sized saw blades, carbide recip blades (amazed with these), sand paper, and a handful of 1/4″ router bits. I have the 20v max 7 1/4″ miter saw, and as the article mentions, Dewalt’s precision trim blades are equally great ime. It’s only that i’m minutes from my local HD, and they don’t usually stock those options. Lowes is more annoying to get to quickly, and I could order them on Amazon, but I’m in HD often enough that I just pick a few up from time to time.
Paul
I already own the 50t combo but have a lot of 1x and 2x ripping coming up. Would you recommend the 40t or 24t as a second blade. I was leaning towards the 40t. I don’t mind changing out blades as needed. I still plan on using the combo for my plywood. This project is dimensional lumber but I normally work with hardwoods such as oak and poplar.
William
I use a Forrest II in my Contractor Saw as well, haven’t tried their Miter Saw Blades, I use a 80 Tooth count Diablo in my Bosch Sliding Miter Saw, quite happy with it. I am not very price sensitive in general, I would rather not make myself crazy to save $20 and buy a bad blade, so I usually just spend a bit more and know I am getting a good product.
Drew M
Given that Bosch owns Freud… I was surprised that the Bosch branded blade that came with my GCM12SD 12 In. Dual-Bevel Glide Miter Saw was complete garbage. The Freud blade I got was dramatically better but I don’t think it is anything to get super excited about.
Paul
Stuart, another follow up question and I’ll use Diablo as an example.
What are all of the tooth styles and to they really make that much of a difference. I have the 12″ 80t fine cut blade that I use most of the time. I have been told that you can work with aluminum with woodworking tools and although this may be true to some extent (debate amongst yourselves), I did not want to risk dulling my primary blade. I bought the 84t non-ferrous blade and I see there is a difference every 3rd tooth. Could I have used my ATB blade (what is ATB really anyway)? If there is a difference in the hook angle, I cannot tell. What other tooth styles are there for different types of cuts or better for certain types of materials? Diablo’s website does not have a lot of information on this other than “use this blade”.
Stuart
Definitely use a triple chip grind (TCG) blade for cutting aluminum and maybe plastic as well. I’ll dive into your other questions as soon as I can.
I have heard of people using regular wood-cutting blades on certain sizes of aluminum, but I wouldn’t do it. Proper non-ferrous blades don’t cost that much.
Paul
Thank you for the quick comment. I do use the triple chip grind for aluminum not because I know why other then the packaging said to use this blade. Using my normal blade just sounded like a bad idea but again, I can’t tell why. The same goes for ripping vs crosscuts but I have a little more experience in those applications. Sorry, I did not mean to create a question that would require a whole post.
Stuart
Questions are good. 🙂
If you’re asking about something, think about how many people might even wondering the same thing.
That’s part of the reason I started ToolGuyd. 🙂
fred
I think that the answer relates to what you are cutting?
We’d generally have a 90 tooth Forrest Chopmaster blade in the saw for doing most trim work: Forrest CM12906115
While we did not always take the time to swap out the blade for a single cut – we’d do it if we were cutting something nasty that would ruin the Forrest blade or if we were doing enough of something where a different blade was better suited.
We’d use this one for Trex and plastic-composite decking: Freud-Diablo D1284CD
But for the pressure treated substructure – we’d pick up a moderately priced Diablo or Avanti blade at HD or close to the jobsite if we didn’t have an old burner in the truck
For cutting aluminum: Freud-Diablo D1296N
For Melamine: Freud-Diablo D1296L
We sometimes cut strips of hardwood veered plywood in the shop – cutting the strips to length on a sliding miter saw with this blade: Freud LU79R012 – although it was not exactly designed for chop-saw use.
I understand my ex-compatriots are now swapping out – using this blade when cutting laminate flooring: Freud-Diablo D1216LF
There are also chopsaw blades for fiber cement siding (nasty stuff to cut on a chop saw – with lots of dust) – but the few time we had jobs using it – we chose not to use a chopsaw.
Since retiring, I do mostly furniture now – the blade I have mounted in my home saw is a 100 tooth Forrest Mitermaster Forrest MM121006 – but I still have the old Bosch (1 609 B00 209) blade that came with the saw for rough work and a Chopmaster (CM12806115) 80 tooth blade when I take the saw travelling – say for trim work at one of my kid’s houses. For my furniture work I often back up the MM blade with an add-on zero clearance rear fence and table.
AngryDrumGuy
I have an Italian-made 80t Irwin Marples 12″ on a SCMS (DWS779) which cuts any wood just fine with only a bit of “fuzz” on the edges; never any splintering or chipping.
On my 10″ non-sliding saw (DW713), I have a Diablo 60t for any wood and an 84t Diablo for non-ferrous metal. The 84 did an entire aluminum subway tile backsplash with no signs of wear- still cuts wood well. Neither of these blades produce “fuzz”, so I lean toward the Diablo for future purchases.
Kevin
I have a Forrest 90T Chopmaster (12″) in my miter saw, and it is truly just ridiculous. I don’t think you could cut with a laser or sand it as smooth as it comes right off the cut, even on rough lumber. On the table saw side, I’ve been a little underwhelmed with a 48T Forrest Woodworker II…it’s a [big] Bosch jobsite saw and it struggles and binds a little bit when feeding stock in. The cut finish is always spectacular, but either the saw needs a bit more power or the tooth count needs to come down for that blade to really shine. Too bad, it was an incredibly nice gift!
DH
I bought Makita A-93681 10-Inch 80 Tooth Micro Polished Mitersaw Blade in July and it’s fantastic.
Mark S.
I read somewhere that sliding miter saws work best with negative hook angles (-5 degrees or more) and non-sliding or table saws work best with positive hook angles *(+3 degrees or more).
Paul B.
It depends on what you are cutting. I cut small pieces on a miter saw and use an Oshlun 60 tooth blade with a 5 degree negative hook angle, the negative hook prevents the work piece from being lifted off the table surface. Negative hook blades are a bit hard to find. If you aren’t concerned about the work piece being lifted because it is clamped or you can otherwise hold it down securely then there is little benefit. Negative hook blades tend not to cut as quickly as positive hook blades so if you are just cutting framing lumber and are concerned about productivity, I would recommend using a positive hook blade.
Nathan
diablo or dewalt seems to be the blades I keep going to for circular blades.
10 in mitre, 10 inch table saw. 50t combo on the table saw is a dewalt and I like it well. I just bought a diablo 60 for the mitre saw and it’s also fantastic but it’s new.
I have used Irwin blades also on other saws so I’d give those a thought as well.
My wood worker neighbor (I dabble, he makes folding money for his stuff) swears by the 50 tooth combo blade in a table saw and a 60 or 80 tooth on the mite.
I can’t argue with him there. His logic is you don’t always rip on a table saw and any sort of angled cut that’s angle to the grain benefits from a combo style blade.
Mitre – if you have the power spin the most teeth you can is his thought.
Chris T
I have a cmt 60 tooth scms blade. It’s great. I have a Forrest ww2 in my powermatic table saw. There is a difference between the two. A table saw blade will have a higher hook angle than a scms blade. A scms blade is usually 0-5 degrees or even negative to prevent lift since its rotating edge is leading upwards.
Marty
Best miter saw blades I’ve used have been Tenryu.
Freud Diablo blades are just fine for most things, but when cutting compound miters, I have noticed a lot of blade deflection with them.
Avanti blades are good for rough lumber and the occasional trim piece, but they are very lacking in carbide so they don’t last that long.
fred
We tried this Tenryu blade, which is nice:
https://www.amazon.com/Tenryu-MP-30580AB-Carbide-Tipped-Blade/dp/B000FXV5L0
But I personally like the Forrest Mitermaster better – and have used Forrest’s re-sharpening service with good results.
When I worked, I bought Systimatic blades and then Carbide Processor blades for some of our larger (14, 16 inch) saws and for scoring blades
fred
BTW – I just got an email from Carbide Processors about their Labor Day Sale – 15% off plus free shipping on $175 or more;
use code relax15
Dacan
Dewalt 10″ Table Saw – Has stock blade, Bosch replacements already purchased.
Hitachi 12″ Miter Saw – Bosch blades.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 7 1/4″ – Freud & Bosch blades.
Milwaukee M12 Fuel 5 3/8″ – Milwaukee stock blade, Bosch replacement.
Dream about a Forrest blade, might invest in one when I redo my deck. Wish there were more options for 5 1/2-3/8 blades. Usually I choose an intermediate tooth blade for versatility on different cuts. Use to use Dewalt blades, but in past few years it seems their quality has dropped.
Matthew
I’ve never bought a good Bosche blade to save my life. They’ve all been horrendous. Flexing when cutting trim(even soft poplar) which makes a terrible joint.
I’ve had great success with Freud, CMT, Diablo, and the DeWalt(coated black center with yellow teeth).
Toolfreak
I’ve got a Bosch 80 tooth fine cut on my cheapy 10″ Skil miter saw. It works fantastic for slow, smooth cuts. Don’t even have to sand the wood afterwards – it’s that smooth. I use 7-1/4″ Bosch blades on my circular saw too, haven’t had an issue.
Toolfreak
I like the Bosch blades, they seem to cut well, haven’t noticed any issues yet, and I get ’em super cheap so I don’t see much need to buy more expensive stuff, at least until I get a higher end saw that can take advantage of it.
I also like the Craftsman blades. They are also super cheap if you buy them on sale, and you can often get a 2-pack of blades for less than half of what a single blade costs.
These may not be the “best” blade in terms of cost-is-no-object, but they seem to be the “best” price-to-performance, at least for me. I’d be pretty flippin’ mad if I spent big money on a blade and it cut worse than what I can get easy and cheap.
Chris
I use CMT Orange blades in all my saws. Mitre saw, table saw, both corded and cordless circular. Italian made and cut beautifully. I am finish carpenter and swear by there products. They also have one of the best warranties and customer service in the industry.
Mike
I have a 12″ Ridge Carbide RS1000 (80 tooth) on my Bosch. I switched to Ridge from Forrest on my table saw, so when I needed a blade for my new mitre saw I purchased a Ridge.
Leslie Derrig
We have spent the last 8-years designing blades and developing a manufacturing facility to manufacture these blades that will compete solidly with the Diablo blades. We have recently released these blades under the Menard’s brand “Masterforce” and Canadian Tire “Maximum” lines. Our 3rd Party testing had proven these blades are a solid competitor. We would like to send you some samples for your review. We look to, in the future, distribute these under the Concord brand. I would like your feedback and request to sample anyone of the blades you would like to test. The website is concordblade .com
Eddie
Forrest most expensive but BEST
I do custom stairways so we cut pretty much all oak