# Value Issues:Freud Diablo vs. the other Freud Blades



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Does anyone else REALLY like the Diablo blades from HD? I use these and am well pleased with the cut quality,quietness,and longevity.What makes the pricier Freud blades better?I know they have bigger carbide and can be resharpened but what else?


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## SteveMI (May 19, 2009)

After Wood magazine rated them at the top for under $50 blades, I have used them almost exclusively.

I would like to see answers to your post also.

Steve.


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

I really like the 10" 60T diablo that I put on my miter saw. I can't really judge longevity as I havent used it a ton but it makes terrific cuts with no tear out at all.


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## wseand (Jan 27, 2010)

Love mine. I think you nailed it already, why they are better.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

FWIW, I have an old 8" craftsman table saw. The Diablo circ saw blades are truly fantastic. I believe its 40 tooth ATB and costs about $15. Even when/if I upgrade to a modern 10" saw, I'll still use a Diablo 7.25 for a lot of general purpose cutting (when I can afford to lose the cutting height.)


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

A lot of people are really happy with the Freud Diablo series. The design and geometry of several Diablo blades are nearly identical to several of the Freud Industrial line, except that the Industrial line has more carbide so can be sharpened more times….ie: D1040X/A, D1050X, D1060"X", and D1080 are essentially the same as the LU86, LU83, LU88, and LU74 respectively. The Industrial line also has more elaborate anti-noise/anti-vibration slots. They're made from the same materials, in the same country (Italy), and on the same equipment, so you should find that cut performance is about identical. If sales put them close in price, I think the additional carbide of Industial line make them a better value for those who resharpen, but otherwise the Diablo line is among the best bangs for the buck on a regular basis IMHO. The CMT ITK Plus and DeWalt Precision Trim series offer similar performance and value IMO, but the available models are more limited. (It's worth noting that the Ridgid Titanium series, and a few Craftsman Pro models appear to also be made by Freud in Italy…it's also worth noting that *Freud is not* associated with the current "Avanti" and "Avanti Pro series that's made in China and is available at HD)

There are some key differences in available models and features between the Diablo and Industrial lines though… the Diablo line offers thin kerf only, while the Industrial line has a wide selection of full kerf blades, and a much wider selection of specialty models in both kerf widths, which excel in dedicated tasks. ie: The Diablo line has a 24T ATB ripper, but not a 24T FTG ripper like the LU87…FTG is known to be a more efficient grind for ripping but doesn't crosscut well, plus FTG leaves a flat bottom kerf. The Industrial line includes their elite Premier Fusion blades.

Value aside, it's been my experience that the general purpose/combo type blades from Freud Diablo, former Freud TK Avanti, Ridgid Titanium, Craftsman Pro, and the Industrial models that are similar, perform in the very good to excellent range as a whole, but don't quite perform at the level of the premium general purpose/combo blades from Freud Fusion, Forrest, Infinity, Ridge Carbide, or Tenryu Gold Medal models of comparable design in head to head testing. The latter group tends to leave slightly cleaner cuts as a whole, or in some cases will have an area of performance excellence (ie: Fusion, Super General in ply, crosscuts), but in many cases the difference is not huge IMO, and the "area of excellence" is not an advantage in all situations.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks for the in depth schooling Knotscott! This is why I love Lumberjocks!


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

I've always been a "Forrest" guy. I bought a Diablo just to try it out on my Ridgid Table Saw a 10 inch, Combo, 50 Teeth at $49.99 CDN. Only used it about 5/6 times so far but I really like it!! Won't hesitate to buy another.

They're also a lot Prettier ..LOL…


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## Kenny74063 (Mar 16, 2011)

good info that will help my decision on purchasing one.


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## devann (Jan 11, 2011)

I liked what Freud blades I've used except one. They have a Diablo 7.25" remodling balde with the fancy notch to secure the teeth and it's proven to be a big disappointment. I've tried three of them and I'm not buying any more. The plain ol 7.25" Diablos work great as do the 8.5",10" and 12" blades I've used. But stay away from that remodling blade. 
The extra $ spent for it will leave you with a bad feeling and wanting your money back.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Since Diablo blades are ONLY thin-kerf as Knotscott points out, I had to return all the 10" TS blades to HD when I bought my G0690 3hp TS. I had purchased them in advance and got caught short. I find it a big disappointment that my big box HD stocks nothing but thin-kerf blades. I still have a couple in my 12" miter and in my circular saws though.


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## davidmackv (Nov 21, 2013)

I mostly rip and crosscut hardwoods and softwoods. I rarely cut plywood or other materials that are not solid wood. I was looking at the Freud LU82M010 10-Inch 60 Tooth and the Freud D1040X Diablo 10-Inch 40-Tooth. Are these good blades and which would be the best option? Or is there another blade in their price range that would be better? I would like the Woodworker II, but it is just not in my budget currently.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Both are good blades with different strengths and weaknesses. The LU82 is a 60T full kerf blade that has a triple chip grind (TCG), which is known to have excellent edge life but not necessarily the cleanest cut….it's a great choice for abrasive and brittle material like MDF or melamine, or other applications where edge life is important. The D1040X is a thin kerf 40T ATB general purpose blade that's good for most cuts….rips, crosscuts, ply, etc., and is well suited for a smallish saw that doesn't have loads of power. What saw do you have?

Some reading to help you choose:
The ABCs of Picking Saw Blades
Current Blade Bargains


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## davidmackv (Nov 21, 2013)

Thanks for the info Scott


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## moonie (Jun 18, 2010)

I have been saying in the past 2 years that Diablo blades are the best when it come's to wood shops and DIYer's as for myself in the past 2 years I have used 3 10"60T blades on the tablesaw and one on my miter saw and its a 12" 80T and I work with OAK that has to count for somthing.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

davidmackv- PM sent


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

I have used a total of two Freud 1024X blades. One had so much run out I thought it might be a wobble Dado in disguise.
*GFADVM* told me that it might be a bad blade and to try one more.
I did.
It works.
I like my Onsrud blades better and probably won't have to sharpen them for another 2 or 3 or 4 years. But for a budget minded wood worker, the Freud is a pretty good blade.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

I don't notice much difference between the Freud industrial blades and the Diablo blades. 
The Diablo 1024 is so inexpensive, it would probably be cheaper to replace it than sharpen it. 
Makes nice rip cuts in 8/4 hardwood.


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## nwbusa (Feb 21, 2012)

If they made a full kerf Diablo blade I'd give it a go.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

About all I do in my table saw is rip hard and soft woods so I use a Diablo 24 teeth rip blade. Smooth cuts!


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

I bought the LU?? rip blade and was happy when it was fresh (like all blades). I didn't feel like it stayed sharp long enough for a new blade and I was cutting soft wood. It didn't come close to comparing to a Tenyru gold series cutting a ton of walnut. The Tenyru is probably twice the cost but lasted easily 20 times longer without sharpening.

I just purchased a Ghudo Gmaxx 24 tooth ripper. I'll post a review after it cuts plenty of wood.


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

You should REALLY look into the Irwin Marples blades. They are around the same price but blow the diablo out of the water. My wife and I (mostly her) use the tablesaw daily and rip tons of exotics and domestic hardwoods. Since I am not super excited about cleaning blades I have the following on hand. When one gets dirty I swap it out for it's value conscious cousin:

Diablo 24 tooth rip blade
Diablo 50 tooth combo blade

Marples 24 tooth rip blade
Marples 50 tooth rip blade

The Marples blades are still going strong. The Diablos need a trip to the sharpener really bad. I am not going to do so though, I am just going to get another pair of the Marples. I did a review on each blade with the Diablo as a comparison.


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## 111 (Sep 2, 2013)

It didn't come close to comparing to a Tenyru gold series

I use the Gold series blades in my business on a daily basis and find them to be excellent blades.


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## davidmackv (Nov 21, 2013)

I picked up an Irwin Marples 50 tooth last night at Lowe's. Can't wait to try it out.


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## reedwood (Jan 27, 2011)

agreed, I use them exclusively. I have a pile of expensive full kerf blades covered in dust somewhere that need sharpening… been there ever since diablo showed up on the shelf. Never sharpened another blade.

They are so cheap, they become part of the material cost so the client buys them. They would balk if I invoiced them for a 139.00 Forrest blade. I sure would.

I hate the color, red. How about Duck Dynasty camo? Hey…they could have pictures that show up on the side when the blade is spinning! what looks good with Dewalt yellow?....hmmm.


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