# Move over Diablo, Irwin got something right for once



## Tennessee

Wow, what an outstanding review. I just might have to pop down there and pick one of these puppies up. Just a great review, thanks!


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## Bob817

Thanks Joe I am in need of a new blade soon I will remember this on my next trip to Lowes.


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## lumberjoe

Paul, I am pretty impressed so far. As long as you understand the limitations of a combo blade, it fairs very well in that class. I would definitely recommend it. Also of note I *hate* lowes and almost never go in there. However I think I will be making another trip today to pick up the Irwin Marples cross cut blade. I didn't see a rip blade, but if they have one at the store I am going to, I will get that as well.


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## PurpLev

looks like a great blade, and at a great cost.

thanks for the review.


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## b2rtch

Good review Joe.
So, thanks to you, now I have to buy at least two more blades. (One rip and one cross cut I do not use combo blades)


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## knotscott

You did a great job documenting with the pics and descriptions. Too bad the Diablo wasn't new, but you've at least confirmed that the Marples are a decent blade. I love the cosmetics of those blades….really cool looking IMHO. Nice job!

The Dewalt Precision Trim DW7150PT is in the same price range if you want to compare another good bargain blade side by side….. .


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## lumberjoe

Thanks knotscott! That Diablo blade is used, but barely, and it burned the first piece of oak I ever cut with it. Because of that I really only use it for plywood, and I rarely cut plywood. If you look at the cross cut pic closely, the red is still rubbing off. I'm not sure I need ANOTHER combo blade, but I don't own any dewalt blades yet. Lowes doesn't seem to carry the Irwin Marples 24 tooth blade, but I would like to give that a whirl.


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## lumberjoe

Also, this picture doesn't have any real value, but it looks cool


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## TheOldTimer

I was in Lowes here in Chandler AZ the other day and their supply of circular blades is pretty slim. Did not see too many Irwin blades on the saw display. They use to carry a much more variety of blades then they do now. It may be me, but it looks like Lowes is catering more to the do it yourself cliantel then HomeDepot. I tend to write that store off (Lows) as they seldome have what I am looking for. I think they would rather sell cloths washers and dryers then tools. It may be a sign of the great exonomy.


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## lumberjoe

OldTimer, I believe it because these blades are brand new to the market. In general I agree with your sentiments. I wrote off lowes a long time ago. I will say I was quite surprised on my most recent trip though. They had a good amount of router accessories including sub bases and guide bushings, as well as a decent selection of Kreg stuff other than the pocket hole jigs (feather boards, push sticks and other jigs) that normally you can only get online or somewhere like woodcraft. I have never seen anything like that at Home Depot.


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## b2rtch

OldTimer, I have the very same experience with "my" Lowes and the employees are totally incompetent to help.
The only reason I go there is that it is less than 3 minutes from my home when the nearest HD is at 20 minutes away, but pretty much everything about it sucks.


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## Milo

Hmmm… Might have to go look at this one. I've been a Freud snob for a while, but I have need a combo blade for a while now. Excuse to go spend money!

Thanks for an excellent review!


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## Jeff28078

Around here there are two kinds of Lowes: a regular and a super size. The super size usually has lot's of stuff the regular size doesn't. Lowes has to cater a bit of everything to every one. As a result they have very little choice for every application. I don't expect them to have everything I need. Fortunately I have a Woodcraft relatively close and there's always the internet.

I went out at lunch today and picked up one of the Irwin combo blades. Have to try it out. They also had three of the CMT dado sets marked down to $32.97. Hard to beat price but I had a bad experience with a warped CMT blade so I let them be.


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## lumberjoe

Jeff, I grabbed one of the CMT dado sets. I haven't used it yet, but it actually gets terrible reviews. I guess it's worth 32$. I'm just glad I have a nice Freud set, and an emergency back-up for when that one goes to the sharpener.


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## oldretiredjim

fantastic review. don't need a blade right now but i saved this.


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## b2rtch

lumberjoe, I often cut red oak with my Diablo blade and it never burned. 
May be you need to check your alignments.(miter slot/ blade-blade/fence)


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## lumberjoe

you have a unisaw with twice the horsepower My alignments are dead on and I check often. The 50 tooth diablo and the crappy blade that came with the saw are the only ones that burn red oak consistently. Every other blade I have does not leave any burning, unless it's my fault.

Also you mentioned that you don't use combo blades. That seems to be the key. Since it is not as efficient at ripping at a "rip" blade is, it tends to take longer to cut, thus get hotter, and thus burn more.


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## Bertha

You, my friend, write an expert review. I will look for this little bad boy.


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## NormG

Nice review, I hope it continues to be a favorable product


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## patcollins

TO me it looks like the hook angle is the same but the atb angle is shallower on the Irwin…that would lead to slightly more splintering but longer life.


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## BentheViking

I feel like I can't get away from Lowe's change of CMT blades to the Irwin/Marples on this site right now. Have to go to lowes next week for something else maybe ill take a quick jog through the blades section to take a look.


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## lumberjoe

The hook angle is the same, both 15 degrees. You could be right about the ATB angle, which also explain why it cuts more efficiently. Either way it's a trade-off I will take in a combo blade. The splintering is really not a big deal at all. One swipe with an extra fine sanding sponge and it's gone.
I spent some more time with this blade this evening. I definitely like it a lot. I am a HUGE fan of Freud. For me to choose to use a competitors product takes a lot. Especially from a company (Irwin) that has put out garbage for many years.


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## venicewoodworker

I actually picked up the Irwin Stacked head dad set last week. Needed it for a job and didn't have time to for online order. I figured, "Why not?....Lowes has a great return policy if I don't like it." I put it in my saw and was truly IMPRESSED!!! I was not expecting a blade of this quality from Irwin. I was just looking at getting a Forrest Woodworker II, now might have to give the Irwin a shot. Thanks for the review!


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## Kentuk55

Gr8 review Benjamin. I like my Diablo blade/s. I will definitely keep this in mind. It's nice to know we don't have to pay the big bux that a lot of those (I'll call them "designer" blade makers) want us to pay. Prices are getting way to rediculous in my opinion. This will fit my wallet nicely.


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## Dusty56

Very nice review , Joe !
I can't remember ever getting any burning on a crosscut with any of my Freud blades , but if I ever do , I'll know which way to turn : )


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## tomd

The reason you do not get any burning with the Irwin is the larger teeth are cutting a much wider kerf. I use the Diablo just for the reason the teeth are narrower and cut a much finer kerf. Good review I will try a Irwin on items that do not need a fine kerf.


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## Dusty56

They're both thin-kerf blades , Tom.
http://www.irwin.com/tools/circular-saw-blades/irwin-marples-woodworking-series-circular-saw-blades


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## LepelstatCrafts

Thank you for the very informative review. You did a great job. Best blade review I have seen in some time.


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## CyberDyneSystems

Nice! thanks for such a thorough write up.
If in a pinch, I will not hesitate to try one.


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## lumberjoe

After a few more hours with this blade last night, my initial impressions hold true. The cut quality is superb for a sub 60$ blade, and is close enough to the Infinity where I would have a hard time justifying the cost difference if I were in a situation where I needed another one. I definitely want to get my hands on the 24 tooth blade and the 80 tooth. My Lowes only had the 50 tooth in stock, and I can't find the 24 tooth for sale anywhere - even online.

For a compromise blade (i.e. combination) I am more so impressed with the ease of cut than the quality of cut. The cut quality is definitely there, however the efficiency, especially with long rip cuts, is outstanding on an under powered saw.


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## Routerisstillmyname

Nice review but more carbide for sharpening angle is a gimmick. 
Professional Sharpening costs so much, you are better off buying a new blade. In most cases new Freud Diablo 60-80T will cost slightly more than sharpening service shipping not included.


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## lumberjoe

I'm not sure where you get your blades sharpened. My lumber mill guy will take my blades and send them to his sharpener. I can even specify what grind I want. I certainly couldn't replace this blade for the 13$ he charges me, and a 60 to 80t diablo is in the 60+ dollar range.


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## ssnvet

Great review Joe…. thanks for taking the time.

I don't subscribe much to using combo. blades… but this Irwin sounds like a pretty good bang for the buck.

I've found that the key to economical blade re-sharpening is to deal directly with the company that actually does the work…. and either to drop the blades off yourself, or to arrange to have them pick it up on their normal route.

I understand that everybody out there doesn't have a sharpening service near by… but the inflated cost of sharpening is usually the result of the middle man.

You're lucky that your lumber supplier help you out with this.

I'm lucky to be able to send mine out with the weekly pick up where I work.


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## lumberjoe

Before I had them sharpened there, I sent a used Freud blade I bought for almost nothing to these guys:

http://www.dynamic-saw-blade-sharpening.com/

It was like 14$ for an 80 tooth 10" blade and it took about a week. It came back in great condition and was super sharp.


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## patcollins

Just checked out Irwins website, looks like they got a 10 inch 40T blade, i dont really care for the 50T combination blades. I have religated the one I bought for use on my miter saw as a construction lumber cutter.

Table saw I like a 40T general purpose, or a 60T fine crosscut and miter saw I like a 60T fine crosscut blade but cutting deck boards is a waste of a good 60T blade.


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## Routerisstillmyname

@ only 13$, and a pickup, I'd be sharpening my blades too.


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## Dusty56

Hi Joe, I'm almost willing to bet that your lumber yard has your blades picked up by , and sharpened at Valley Knife , right in W.Springfield. 
Funny thing with them is that you still have to wait a week to get your blades back , whether you drop them off there or at your lumber yard , and they will not call you if they are ready ahead of time. 
Last time I had a blade sharpened by them , it was only $8 , but also a few years ago. It was a combo blade that I had them resharpen as a Flat Top Grind and it is still holding up well : ) They also made me a set of jointer knives for my antique 8" jointer that I'm rebuilding. I've had good luck with them sharpening all of my knives and blades so far .


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## Ken90712

Great review! Wow thats some good info…thx.


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## lumberjoe

I picked up the 24 tooth diablo today. Once my 24 tooth Irwin comes in, I'll do another side-by-side review, only this time they will both be fresh out of the package


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## lumberjoe

Dusty, he does use Valley tool and knife. They change him 8$, so he makes 5$ off me. Still, from what I hear from a lot of other people, 13$ is a bargain. I'm going to start dropping my router bits off there. He has a company in NY do them for 2$ each for fluted (up to 3 flutes), 3$ for edge profile bits (2 cutting edges), and 5$ for large panel bits. I finally started buying router bits worth sharpening. Whiteside bits are amazing


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## Dusty56

I would warn you away from VK regarding router bit sharpening and also chisels…..what they cost me was a small price for a lesson learned. *Don't trust your chisels to non-woodworkers !!* 
Thankfully , I am now able to touch up my router bits with a Diamond Stone as needed : )


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## DamnYankee

Very nicely done review. I will have to check the blade out.


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## sonnyr

Thanks for the great review. By any chance did you use a dial indicator to check the runout on these blades? I may have missed that in the other posts.


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## lumberjoe

I didn't check for runout. It didn't make any contact with my ZCI or cross cut sled so I didn't feel the need to check. Both were cut with the Diablo blade mentioned above and have the same kerf.


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## sonnyr

Ever since I got a Woodpeckers Saw Guage I've been measuring anything that moves or doesn't move. I have a Rigid saw blade that's .007 out, verses a Forrest Woodworker II 20T that's .003 out.
Gotta put that thing up and just go to work.


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## MrMeasureTwice

Great review - very thorough and helpful to better understand the nuances of blade behavior and performance.


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## lumberjoe

I've also picked up the 80 tooth and 24 tooth Marples blades. I haven't used the 24 tooth yet. I did use the 80 tooth to clean up the edges on some cutting boards yesterday and will do a thourough review later, but my first impressions:

1 - The kerf is thicker than my combo blades or the ATB angles are more extreme. This blade DID NOT like the ZCI I cut with my combo blade, or my cross cut sled also cut with a combo blade. I had to re-cut both. It seems to cut much more to the left side as I could see it shaving off a bit on the cross cut sled. I had the height really low and it took a nice even shaving off. This means it's time for ANOTHER ZCI and cross cut sled.

2- Holy smooth batman! Even on a glued up edge grain board, the cut was mirror smooth. I think 220 grit sandpaper would have made it rougher. Absolutely NO tear out. Resistance was much greater than a combo blade, but that is to be expected. The saw didn't complain or labor at all though.

3 - Ample amounts of carbide. Again, more like a "premium" blade than a diablo style blade.

I can't wait to really start using this.


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## mantwi

I appreciate the heads up. The Irwin reminds me of a blade I used and loved many years ago. it was the Oldham Woodworking Wizard, it had an actual wizard (pointy hat and all) stamped on it and it cut like magic. It looks like the Irwin leaves a polished finish on the rips like my old favorite did, I'll have one of those very soon.


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## Thundersleet

Hi, I just wanted to let everyone know you can get a deal on this saw blade on Amazon. They have 20% Off Select Irwin Hand Tools & Accessories until February 15, 2014.

20% off knocks it down to $28.79 + tax. Since the actual price is 35.99 it qualifies for free shipping.
Irwin Tools 1807368 Marples Laser Cut 10-Inch 50-Tooth

I'm working on a small basement shop and I bought one because it looks like it will fit my needs and small budget. Thanks for the review by the way. It got me looking at this blade.


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## Abter

I fully agree this is a great review. But when checking out the Irwin Marples blade on other sites, I noticed something very disturbing: All the customer comments from 2013 were 5 star, best-in-class rave reviews. BUT the later ones (2014-2015) were one star, total garbage, save your money, run away fast. This makes me wonder if Irwin changed something? I have no horse in this game…just a DIYer looking for a blade with good quality/price combination.


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## curliejones

Great review, lumberjoe! I just began using one of these that I "bought" a couple of years ago at my local Lowe's. I like it a lot so far, but have not yet demanded much. While shaving a little thickness from a piece of plastic decking on my table saw, I hit a chunk of metal and damaged my saw blade. I called Lowe's and the manager told me to just come pick up a new blade. I'd not seen or read about these, but when I saw the "made in Italy" signature, I immediately thought of the Freud factory. I know this is a couple years later now, but I just noticed that Diablo 50T blades are proudly "made in China", FWIW!


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