# Freud saw blades...



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Often it's asked what are good saw blades and which ones produce the most bang for the buck...
came across this from Charlie at Freud had this to say...



*
an up date to the current status on Freud differences...*

All Freud blades come from the same machines in the same manufacturing plant. We make our own micrograin carbide in numerous formulations that represent various degrees of hardness. The carbide is selected depending on the intended application (the hardest is used for laminates the softest for ripping) as are the tooth angles and tooth quantity. The steel for the blade plates is all the same grade. The brazing is all the same. The key differences between the 2 main lines of Freud blades are:

The LU/LM Industrial blades have the thickest tips for the most resharpenings and are generally full kerf. We also offer the most selection of specialty blades in this line. These have the most appeal to professionals who need to get a lot of sharpenings out of a blade and to artisans who need specialty blades for their projects.

The Diablo line has blades intended for purposes like framing, siding, decking and general home improvement and is packaged and promoted in ways that appeal to contractors and DIYers.

Do professional woodworkers shop for blades at Home Depot? Probably some do and they can get excellent performance from a Diablo blade for a lot of their uses but with a shorter overall life (and lower cost) due to the tip thickness.

Why not compare a Diablo blade to Forrest? Consider this analogy: Toyota cars and Lexus cars share a lot of the same components and are made by the same company. Would you compare a Camry with a BMW?

We make a fourth line of blades (F400 Premier series) that is very similar to the WWII and is priced similarly. The difference between ours and Forrest's is that ours is made by computer controlled, super modern equipment and theirs is made by hand. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages but I leave the final verdict to the consumer.

Charles M
Freud, Inc.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well I bought freud TS blades and the dado from them . Plus all my router bits


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

I buy Tenryu blades. Less expensive than Forrest and more expensive than Freud....well I haven't priced their F400 Premiers. But I'm quite satisfied. But then, I'm easy.


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## IC31 (Nov 16, 2012)

I have several Freud blades - including three fairly new Diablo's. The one on my RAS is a good one and the one on my miter saw is ok. I had an identical one to the RAS on my table saw which for no better term was a piece of junk with at least one or two teeth that were brazed on wrong, leaving scarf marks on each cut. I also have an LU blade, that before getting dull and needed sharpening, was great. Now, it needs TLC from someone that can do a correct resharpening. The current blade on the TS is a Marples by Irwin as suggested to me in a thread here I started 18 months or so back. That one and a now 'shot' Skarpaz have been about the best ever for me. I guess you can say that I'm not really a 100% fan of Diablo blades. Are Forrest's worth 3X or more money as a Freud? Maybe, but is it all marketing and yes, Forrest does spend a bunch of bucks on advertising, especially for a pretty small niche company. Are there other great saw blades available - sure are including a dirt cheap Hitachi that was used on the RAS for a lot of cuts

Of course, this is my opinion and based on experience with only those blades mentioned.

Stick, et.al. - sorry if I digressed onthis thread, but I look skeptically at advertising hype no matter the item :fie:


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Diablo blades are Freud's economy line....


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## IC31 (Nov 16, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> Diablo blades are Freud's economy line....


Not if you read their hype which tells me that they are the best thing since sliced bread.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I have a few Freud blades and they are very good. Lots of use on them and still going. I haven't tried Forrest yet but a buddy has and he says they are as good as they say. 

The best cutoff blade I have ever used, hands down, is from Onsrud. Never seen anything like it. The ends of the boards look like they've been planed.


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## richjh (Jan 14, 2013)

I use a Forrest WWII in my TS and the 80 tooth version in the miter saw and have had these blades for around 15 years now. I'm not a daily woodworker and these blades have served me well. I have several Freud specialty blades for laminate and veneer. They are also excellent blades IMO. I use the Diablo blades in my circular saw as they provide a very clean cut without breaking the bank.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I've pretty much stuck to the Freud blades, and particularly like their glue line for ripping and their 80 tooth for laminates and really smooth cuts in plywood. Although I find Freud blades at the HD, I have ordered the two I mentioned from Amazon. The glue line is from their industrial line and is a real pleasure to use. 

I am not a heavy user though. I also do a lot of outdoor projects and have a 6.5 inch 18v DeWalt circular saw that I truly love using. Light and easy to handle, plenty of power. I use DeWalt's ultra thin curf blades (30 and 40 teeth) in it for the most part. Much easier to cut on a straight edge because the torque isn't fighting you.  Thanks for the heads up Stick.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

I recently bought and am trying Dewalts 60 tooth 10" blades. DEWALT DW3106P5D60I Series 20 10-Inch 60T Fine Finish Saw Blade, 2-Pack - Table Saw Blades - Amazon.com I burned up a 90 tooth Freud on the Miter saw cutting laminate flooring and last night threw on the Dewalt while the Freud gets sharpened. Will do the same for with the table saw when a sharpening is due there.

The Bargain Hunter in me couldn't pass up 2 blades for $35 even though the 2 Freuds are the best thing I have cut with to date. I imagine in the long run I wish I would have bought another Freud... eventually I will and will be switching out Freuds when sharpening is due.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Marco said:


> I recently bought and am trying Dewalts 60 tooth 10" blades. DEWALT DW3106P5D60I Series 20 10-Inch 60T Fine Finish Saw Blade, 2-Pack - Table Saw Blades - Amazon.com *I burned up a 90 tooth Freud on the Miter saw cutting laminate flooring* and last night threw on the Dewalt while the Freud gets sharpened. Will do the same for with the table saw when a sharpening is due there.
> 
> The Bargain Hunter in me couldn't pass up 2 blades for $35 even though the 2 Freuds are the best thing I have cut with to date. I imagine in the long run I wish I would have bought another Freud... eventually I will and will be switching out Freuds when sharpening is due.


use your jigsaw and a Bosch T503 blade.... 5/6 bucks for a 3 pack...

An aluminum cutting blade is made to take the impact of cutting hard materials and laminate flooring is about as hard as aluminum...
Rather than having sharp points on the carbide tips like an ATB wood blade, that will dull quickly, it's a triple chip grind. It will stay sharp and continue cutting well much longer....
With a negative rake angle, an aluminum blade doesn't put all the cutting strain on the end of the tips, so they glide through the material more easily...
Laminate flooring often has aluminum oxide in it, which would chew up the points and edges of a wood cutting blade in a hurry....


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

*Industrial Lines of Blades*

I agree.

I prefer industrial lines of blades. The carbide is thicker and does take more sharpenings. The quality seem to be held to a higher standard.

I have some thin kerf blades, but prefer a thicker plate (depending on the application.) 

The fancy laser cut heat expansion cuts on the blades now-a-day... I don't go for the X generation design to be shocking or pretty. Most people won't notice a benefit from those, because they don't often cut long enough for a blade to get hot... But cut into some dense wood and heat can be a problem. These expansion slots do make a difference. I look for ones that are ended with brass or copper plugs. Those types, you'll see in higher end industrial blades... and they promote a longer plate life and better expansion behavior.

Blade tip design makes a difference on differing type of materials. Sharon looks at my blades and wonders why there are so many, that all look the same to her. Melamine, veneered ply and veneered ODF have surface layers that are a challenge to cut with an intact sharp edge without tearout, compared to cutting a piece of fir...

Brands? I have a lot of Frued Industrial and CMT Industrial Blades. Irwin Marple's and Tenryu's work very well on my saw. Best on my saw- Dimar and Royce/Ayer. 

Then there is a Blade Resharpening Shop around here... They sell their "own." I have a collection of theirs. Price is right. They make a very good industrial and precision line. They also sell trade-in blades. (But I don't know that they sell other than local...) I get all the blades I send out (for resharpenings) to them. On the lower-cost blades, I resharpen myself. (They do a better job.)

Overall, I recommend experiment of your own and find a favorite, that work for you, how you work... and your equipment. The same exact blade, from one person to another, even with the other factors the same, the results will vary. I guess what I have learned over time, is that all "deals" are not a good deal (factors weigh).

Then there is another factor. I keep an assortment of low-cost, low-quality blades, to use on questionable materials. If I have to make a cut on something that I don't want to ruin a higher priced blade, or just to make some rough cuts... I use one of those. Reduces wear on the good blades... And I can afford to waste a low-cost blade better than I can a jewel.


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## kywoodchopper (Jul 18, 2013)

I use a Freud blade on my Sawstop tablesaw. The Sawstop has a brake just behind the blade that prevents the operator from cutting themselves. The only problem I have with Freud 10" blades is they are 9 13/16" in diameter. Which means I have to change the brake setting to switch to a different brand blade. Malcolm / Kentucky USA


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

MAFoElffen said:


> Then there is another factor. I keep an assortment of low-cost, low-quality blades, to use on questionable materials. If I have to make a cut on something that I don't want to ruin a higher priced blade, or just to make some rough cuts... I use one of those. Reduces wear on the good blades... And I can afford to waste a low-cost blade better than I can a jewel.


Agreed. It only takes a minute. This is not something you want to be lazy about.


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## 64 ford (Apr 21, 2013)

I use a lot of different Freud blades now days. Like the melamine blades especially. Years ago I used Delta and had good luck with them. I tried 2 Forrest blades - it was the first and last. For what it cost it was pure crap- maybe the guy that made it had a hangover or something . I garbaged it after very little use. It was bad enough that I didn't even call them on it because I sure didn't want a replacement.
Dennis


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

I have Freud blades on all my saws. Table, circular and miter. One of the best things I learned from this site!!


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## al m (Dec 13, 2012)

I believe that maching the blade to the task,maintenance ,keeping it sharp and clean,is much more important than the brand


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## IC31 (Nov 16, 2012)

What I'm hearing here is that Freud 'name' blades are good (and I agree) and that their Diablo line is as well and where I don't necessarily agree:no:

I did spend some time looking at three noted by Mike (MAFoElffen ). Two look to be mostly European/Canada without US sales outlets that I could find with a quick Google (Dimar and Royce/Ayr). Another, Tenryu, seems worth a try and easily available and at a close to Diablo price for most variations. 

As far as finding someone to do a good sharpening service locally - one guy is very poor and the other mediocre/s-l-o-o-o-w. There may be other services but so far I haven't found one within a reasonable driving distance.

FWIW, the blades I use are Hi-ATB or ATB/R combos


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

There are sharpening services that use CNC machines and that is where I would send them.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

For sharpening I use a local industrial grinding shop. They began taking retail walk in work when several near by manufacturing plants closed. The shop uses an on line service's pricing so they are reasonable You can search for igrinding and your location to find a shop near you


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

I have a Freud Industrial on my table saw, and it is a great performer. I had always suspected that the main difference between the Diablo and Industrial was the thickness of the carbide. I have had the blade sharpened once, and there is plenty of carbide left for more sharpenings.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Done...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

TwoSkies57 said:


> Done...


Thanks...


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