Anyone that has ever gotten a cutting job done knows the importance of a good blade. Similarly, a circular saw is ideal for cutting a great number of materials, but only if it is equipped with the right blade. If you, too, are looking for a good circular saw blade, then this article will guide you to exactly what you need.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Circular Saw Blades
- OUR TOP PICK: Dewalt Accessories DW3128P5
- RUNNER-UP: Dewalt DWA171460 7-1/4-Inch 60-Tooth Circular Saw Blade
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Rockwell RW9231 VersaCut 3-3/8-inch 24T Carbide-tipped
Comparison of the Best Circular Saw Blades
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When Should I Replace My Circular Saw Blade?
When you invest in a circular blade saw, all its edges will be sharp and ready to cut into any material you place it over. But this sharpness does not last forever. With time, your blade may wear out and require a replacement. When it is worn out, you may either replace the blade or sharpen it to reuse.
It is quite easy to tell when your blade is worn out. It will simply take a lot more time to cut the same material that it cut faster before. And with a greater decline, it may not be able to cut at all. With a worn-out blade, you will notice rougher cuts and the loss of smoothness that the blade once provides.
What to Look For When Buying a Circular Saw Blade
Circular saw blades are just blades after all. They are not highly complex tools that come with a great number of confusing features. That is why picking the right one isn’t a hard task at all. Here are a few of the features that you need to consider while buying.
Blade Material
Blade material is important for more than just one reason. The material of your blade will determine its hardness and strength. This, in turn, will determine the materials that you can cut with it and those that you can’t. It also determines the lifespan of your product.
Type of Blade
Circular saw blades are not all the same. There is a great variety of them available in the market. They are classified on various basis, and each one provides unique functionality. You need to pick one that suits your needs best.
Number of Teeth
The number of teeth present on the blade has a great impact on the final result of your cutting job. While a smaller number of teeth gets the job done faster, it does not provide the ideal smoothness and finish that a blade with a greater number of teeth does.
Review of the Best Circular Saw Blades
We now know when our blades would need to be replaced and what kind of product we would need for replacement. So we can now move to the final part, choosing a product. Here are some of the best circular saw blades listed and reviewed for your convenience.
Best Overall:
Dewalt Accessories DW3128P5
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users that have been in the cutting industry for a long time, and have a great experience with circular saw blades have highly commended this product on its excellence. They have found it to be perfect for a great number of uses and love the quality of the cut that it provides.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There may be a great number of features to attract the users towards this product, but one feature in particular really stood out to us. That is the carrying bag that it provides. It may be a minor feature but one that is very thoughtful and allows great convenience for the users.
Who Will Use This Most
This product is a set of two blades with varying numbers of teeth on each. This provides a greater number of uses. This feature makes it ideal for all those that are looking for a product that functions as an all in one and do not wish to buy different blades for different uses.
Bottom Line
We found this product to be the best of all, and that was for a reason. The reason being absolute excellence in terms of design and function and outstanding customer satisfaction. This unit, with all its features and impressive results, has proved to be worth being the top product.
Runner-up:
Dewalt DWA171460 7-1/4-Inch 60-Tooth Circular Saw Blade
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
A great number of users, when asked to recommend a circular saw blade, spoke about this product. They found it to be highly efficient at its job regardless of the type of saw they used, making it their favorite. They not only liked how well it worked but also how smoothly it functioned with great vibration reduction.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This product offers a lot to its customers, which greatly pleases them. But the one feature that stood out to use was the anti-stick coating that comes with. While friction and gumming are two of the most commonly faced problems while cutting, with this blade, you won’t have to worry about them anymore.
Who Will Use This Most
There are some products that are ideal for a corded saw while others that work best with a cordless saw. This circular saw blade is for those who are looking for the best of both worlds, a blade that works for cordless saws just as well as it does with a corded one.
Bottom Line
If you need a blade for your corded saw and one for your cordless saw, then this single blade might be the perfect choice for both of them. It will not only work with great vibration reduction in either case but will provide clean cuts like you have always wanted in all your cutting jobs.
Best for the Money:
Rockwell RW9231 VersaCut 3-3/8-inch 24T Carbide Tipped
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
A great number of users have been in search of a circular saw blade that could provide them with high-end functioning without costing the same, and for all such users, this blade has been like a dream come true. They have greatly commended it on all its features that it provides within an impressive price range.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Why did we find this product worthy of being on this list? There were a number of features that contributed, but the one that stood out from the rest was its efficiency. What is even better about this unit was that it is capable of maintaining this efficiency at even higher speeds.
Who Will Use This Most
A cutting job can be very demanding, requiring very fine results, but not everyone can spare the extra amount needed for high-end blades designed to deliver such results. But those that are not willing to compromise on the functionality of the blade due to the lower price range will find this to be the perfect unit.
Bottom Line
Forget the fear of overspending just to get the right features. With this product, you will be able to get everything that you want from your circular saw blade, and that too within an affordable price range. This unit is one that delivers quality and satisfaction together.
Best 4 1/2 Circular Saw Blade:
Rockwell RW9281 4 1/2-Inch 24T Carbide Tipped
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users that have recently invested in this product and tried it out for themselves will tell you all about its high performance and the great satisfaction that it provides. For all these users, the quality of the build of this material has been the greatest highlight of this product.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The quality of built may be what impressed the users, but for us, it was its size. Even though the size of the product makes it compatible only with certain saws, it is still ideal given the fact that a smaller blade is a lot easier to handle and store and a lot safer than a bigger one.
Who Will Use This Most
A 4½-inch blade is a thick kerf blade that is not easily available. The lack of availability makes users look for a unit that is suitable for them but to no avail. With this product, all such users will find the perfect qualities in a 4½-inch blade that they have been looking for.
Bottom Line
No more searching tirelessly for a 4½-inch blade. This one right here is everything that you need. From its great quality of build to its smooth functioning, there is nothing that you will find to complain about. This unit is one of those that just doesn’t disappoint its users.
Best 5 1/2 Circular Saw Blade:
Freud D0518x 5-1/2-Inch x 18 Tooth Framing Circular Saw Blade
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers have found themselves to be greatly impressed by this unit. And not because of any one feature but because of how well all of them perform. They find this unit to be of the best quality, delivering the performance that they would expect from such a high-end product.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Given the long list of features that this product is equipped with, it is hard to choose one favorite, but our final pick would be the non-stick Perma-shield coating of this blade. This coating is known to not only reduce gumming but also prevent rusting and corrosion, improving the cutting life even more.
Who Will Use This Most
While there are a great number of thick kerf products available in the market, finding a unit with thin kerf and a strong tip is extremely hard. But this unit is ideal for all those that are looking for an ultra-thin kerf with great strength for cutting.
Bottom Line
5½-inch blades are known to provide some of the best cuts on a different range of materials. This product is designed to provide the best of these best cuts. It performs with absolute perfection, allowing users to experience a cut quality like they have never seen before.
Best 6 1/2 Circular Saw Blade:
Dewalt 40-Tooth (DW9196)
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This product is one of those that has simply failed to disappoint any of its users. It provides them with all that they expected and a lot more. That is not what we are saying, but the users themselves. They claim that the product has greatly impressed them with the efficiency of all its features.
Why it Stands Out to Us
With this unit, what is not there to love? But one feature, in particular, is simply a class apart from the rest. And that's the proprietary carbide composition of the material. This high-end choice of material not only enhances performance but also takes longer to wear out.
Who Will Use This Most
This product is one of those that is designed with all the features that users would ask for, making it perfect for all. But the ideal use of this saw blade is still for all those users that are looking to invest in a 6½ -inch blade and expect the best of its performance and design.
Bottom Line
Tired of looking around for the best of 6½-inch blade for your circular saw? You can end your search right here. This saw blade is absolutely designed to deliver the best of everything that you seek from such a unit. From its performance and functionality design, nothing about it is complaint worthy.
Best 7 1/4 Circular Saw Blade:
Irwin Tools MARATHON Carbide Corded (24030)
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
If you’re looking for a product that has thoroughly impressed its users, then this product right here is the one for you. From its top-quality construction to its enhanced performance, all of its features serve to be of great importance in impressing the buyers that have found this unit to be worth the price tag.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Of all the outstanding features that his product is equipped with, we found one to over-shine all others, and that is the ease of use that it offers. While other fancy products are too complex for users, this one provides them with ease, becoming a fast favorite.
Who Will Use This Most
This product is one that is absolutely perfect for use with pressure-treated lumber. Since the blade comes with a silicone coat, it allows itself to pass through the material easily with reduced pitch and resin buildup. So if you are looking for a material for your pressure-treated lumber, then this is the one for you.
Bottom Line
Top-quality products speak for themselves, and this circular saw blade is definitely one of them. One look at this product, and you can tell it's not just an ordinary product. It is one that is marked with outstanding performance and utter customer satisfaction, earning a place on this list.
Best Circular Saw Blade for Plywood:
Irwin 11820ZR 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw Blade
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users that have invested in this product and tried it out for themselves have been nothing but stunned by its outstanding performance. They have been greatly impressed by how well and how easily it cuts into plywood, providing them with the results that they had been looking for.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There are a number of reasons why we picked this unit for our list, but one of them that really stood out to us was the true hardening. Not a lot of blades feature a truly hardened plate, but this unit does. With the true hardening, users can expect a longer lifespan of the product.
Who Will Use This Most
Plywood, for the longest time, has been one of the tackiest materials to cut and deal with. Finding a blade that is ideal for cutting plywood may be a tricky task, but this product makes it easier. It is designed for all such users that are looking for a blade to cut plywood with great ease and efficiency.
Bottom Line
Bid farewell to the days when cutting plywood was a complicated task. With this product, you can expect a great cutting job, one that satisfies you every time, for a long time. It provides consistent results that users have loved, and so will you. All you need to do is try for yourself.
Best Metal Cutting Circular Saw Blade:
Irwin Metal-Cutting Circular Saw Blade 4935560
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers that have invested in this metal cutting blade for their circular saw have been greatly satisfied with their investment. They have found the price tag of this item to be absolutely worth the functionality that it provides and find it absolutely perfect for the job.
Why it Stands Out to Us
What is it about this unit that makes it better than the rest that it beat to get on this list? Simple, it’s the precision of its design. This precision comes from the laser-cut design, and it is highly necessary when it comes to cutting metal. This unit has the perfect precision, making the job considerably easier for users.
Who Will Use This Most
This metal cutting blade is optimized in terms of design as well as functionality. Each of its features is designed to provide the users with the very best. This makes it the best metal cutting blade out there for all those users looking for one to cut steel.
Bottom Line
Cutting metal is no longer going to be the painstaking task that it has always seemed to be. This circular saw blade is the answer to all your metal cutting problems. Its efficiency and design will make sure that it stays on the top of your list of metal cutting blades.
Best 10 Inch Circular Saw Blade:
Diabo by Freud D1060X 10" x 60 Tooth Fine Finish Saw Blade
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This product is one of those that have failed to receive any negative feedback from its users. Those that have invested in this product have found a lot to say about it, but nothing to complain about. For this reason, they recommend this product to others for use.
Why it Stands Out to Us
One of the main features that made us put this product on this list is its Perma-shield coating. This special coating greatly contributes to the enhanced functionality of the blade. It serves to reduce gumming as well as heating and corrosion, allowing better performance and longer lifespan.
Who Will Use This Most
10-inch circular blades are one of the most common types of circular saw blades. Being used most commonly, there are a great number of these available by different manufacturers, and picking one can be a tough task. This unit right here is one of the best 10-inch circular blades for those who are looking for one.
Bottom Line
We end this list with a product that has never failed to impress its users. If you, too, decide to invest in it, you will be stunned by the great performance that it provides and the impressive design that it features. Nothing about this unit will make you regret your investment.
Circular Saw Blade Types
Circular Saw blades are of a great number of types. They can be easily divided on the basis of their material and function. Some blades are more commonly used than others, but each has its own specific use. The following are the different types available in the market.
Ripping Blades
With 14 to 24 teeth and a deep gullet, these blades are ideal for fast and rough cuts, especially on wood.
Cross-Cutting Blade
Like ripping blades, these are also used for cutting along the grain of the wood. Their teeth are bigger than ripping blades and have shallow gullets. Their cut is smoother and cleaner but takes time.
Plywood Blade
This blade is designed with a greater number of teeth. With more than 40 blades, the blade prevents chipping or splintering of plywood and can be used on other fine materials.
Combination Blade
As the name implies, this kind is good for a combination of uses. Its structure is seen as a cross between a ripping blade and a crosscutting blade.
Finishing Blade
Finishing blades are usually used at the end of a cutting job. Following a rough cut on a material, a finishing blade allows clean and precise cuts for a cleaner finish.
Dado Blade
These are specialist blades that are specifically designed for dados, rabbet cuts or grooves. These blades have a special design that is perfect for the job.
Thin Kerf Blade
Since kerf refers to the thickness of the blade, a thin kerf blade is one that allows a narrow cut through the wood. These are ideal for dimensional lumber.
Treated Wood Blade
Treated wood requires a thicker blade. For this reason, this thick kerf blade allows easier straight cuts through treated wood.
Masonry Blades
These are entirely different from all the wood cutting blades that we just talked about. They are designed out of entirely different material and have no teeth at all.
How to Sharpen a Circular Saw Blade
With time, the sharpness of the blade may fade. But that does not necessarily mean that you need to invest in a new one. Since these blades are expensive, a number of users prefer sharpening them instead of replacing them. Here is how you can sharpen your circular saw blade.
- The blade can’t be sharpened while still in the saw. Remove the blade from the saw so you can carry on with the steps safely. Place the blade on a clamp in a vertical position. The teeth of the blade should be facing you, and the clamps should not be tightened too much.
- Before you start, mark the tooth that you are starting with, so you can keep track of the teeth that you have worked on. The tooth can be marked with a tape or a felt tip pen. In case of blades with teeth in two directions, you will have to mark them.
- Pick a file and hold it against the tooth. Make four strokes on the surface, moving back and forth. Inspect the tooth and evaluate the sharpness. If the sharpness is up to your requirements, you can move on and repeat the steps with all the other teeth. If not, repeat the stroking process until the desired sharpness is achieved. The same number of strokes will be used for all the teeth.
- Once all the teeth are sharpened, remove the clamp and replace the blade into the saw. If you have a blade that has teeth in two different directions, you will have to change the direction of the blade and repeat the process on the other set of teeth.
If you still find yourself confused about the sharpening process, here’s a video to help you out.
How to Change a Circular Saw Blade
If you have a new saw blade for your circular saw, you may be waiting to replace the old blade with your recent one. For some users, it may be a task that they’ve never done before. In that case, do not worry. Here is a quick guide to changing the blade on your circular saw.
- Before you get to changing the blade, make sure that you have unplugged the saw from the power outlet. In case of a cordless saw, ensure that the batteries are removed.
- Locate the arbor lock button on the circular saw, and press it down. With the button pressed, rotate the blade. Keep rotating until the locking mechanism of the saw is engaged.
- Using a blade wrench, go on and remove the arbor nut that holds the blade in place. Turning the wrench in the direction of the blade cuts will help loosen the nut.
- Once the arbor nut is off, remove the upper blade guard. Once the blade guard is out of the way, the old blade can be removed.
- Place the new blade in place of the old one. While placing, make sure that the cuts of the blade are in the direction of rotation.
- With a blade wrench, tighten the arbor nut back into place, making sure not to over tighten them. Your new saw blade is ready to be put to use.
If you still have some queries, refer to the video below for better illustration.
Conclusion
With a good circular saw blade, your cutting job is made a lot easier. All you need to do is make sure you’ve got the right product for yourself. That can be done with the consideration of important features and a little knowledge about these tools. Just that, and you will be on your way to enjoying your cutting jobs a lot more.
People Also Ask
Circular saw blades involve a lot of technicalities in their functioning, which is why users often find themselves confused about a number of features. In case you are new to these tools, here are some of the most frequently asked questions by other users, answered for your ease.
Are More Teeth on a Circular Saw Blade Better?
Whether more teeth on a circular saw blade are better or not really depends upon your requirements. With a greater number of teeth, you will be able to achieve a smooth cut, but it will take a lot of time. Lesser teeth may not cut as smooth, but get the job done faster.
How Long Do Circular Saws Last?
The lifespan of circular saws usually depends upon the quality of build as well the use that it is put to. But these devices are usually very long-lasting, and a single investment goes a long way. On average, a circular saw lasts for about 10 years without any decline in function.
Are Table Saw Blades the Same as Circular Saw Blades?
While a lot of users use the two interchangeably with each other, table saw blades are not the same as circular saw blades. While table saw blades have a more specific use, circular saw blades can be used for more purposes. There are also some structural changes, but both of them feature the 10-inch diameter. This is why one can be used in place of another.
Are Circular Saw Blades Hardened?
The engineering of circular saw blades is not the same for all and may vary from product to product. But, in general, most of the modern ones are designed with hardened teeth. Since the body itself can’t be hardened, it is designed from L6 tough steel and fused with the hardened teeth.
Are Circular Saw Blades High Carbon Steel?
Circular saw blades vary from one product to the other. Different manufacturers use different materials for their products. Different types of steel are used to provide different functions. High carbon steel is usually utilized in the making of tungsten carbide tipped saws.
How Thick is a Circular Saw Blade?
The thickness of the blades is extremely important, given the use, you require from it. This thickness usually varies from one unit to the other. On average, the thickness of these circular saw blades ranges from ⅛ inches to ¼ inches, which is fine enough for multiple uses.
Which Way Does a Circular Saw Blade go?
You may notice that a circular saw blade works a little differently from the rest. The blades on these saws use an upward stroke. The saw rotates clockwise, which cuts the surface from the bottom up. Given this, users should make sure that the main surface of the item being cut should always be placed facing down.
What Type of Circular Saw Blade For Laminate Countertop?
In order to make the best use of your blade saw, it is best to ensure that it is designed for the purpose that you need from it. If you are looking for a circular saw blade for a laminate countertop, then it is advisable to go with one that has ample fine teeth, about 40 of them.