# A Stellar Clean Cutting Blade from CMT



## DAWG

Thanks for the review.


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## HokieMojo

I love your reviews. You know your stuff. Especially when it comes to saws and blades!


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## FatScratch

Like the above post says, you know your stuff and provide great reviews. Thanks - you have saved me money in the past with these well documented reviews.


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## Mike67

Thanks for the review! This is very helpful give all the recent CMT sales.


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## bigjoe4265

Knotscott,

I recently purchased a Freud Diablo blade similar to this. It's the 84 tooth D1084L. I haven't had the opportunity to work with the blade yet, but was wondering if you had worked with it or knew how it faired?

Thanks,

Bigjoe


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## a1Jim

Always great reviews Scott. well done,


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## childress

I have this blade also and love it, but I'm curious why you weren't happy with the general 40T. That one is my absolute favorite as I almost never take it out of the table saw. Unless I clean it. It also cuts melamine surprisingly well. Couldn't do without it…Thanks


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## Misesfan

They are on sale - check out

http://www.reconditionedsales.com/products/02BC7C54-5788-4C5C-89D0-ACF2A3F573B1.aspx?source=email100605


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## knotscott

Joe - I haven't used the Diablo D1084L, but I know that it's a thin kerf blade, has a -5° hook, and has a triple chip grind (TCG) as opposed to a Hi-ATB. It probably won't slice as cleanly as Hi-ATB, but with the high tooth count it should be very clean nonetheless, and will wear like iron and will do well in very brittle materials…possibly even some non-ferrous metals. I have tried the LU80 back when it was the F80…very impressive blade.

Childress - Both of the 40T CMT 213.040.10 blades that I used left fairly rough cuts for what is supposed to be a premium blade…..not even glue ready, which I don't consider to be a major feat for a decent blade. I'd rate the cut quality in the "C-" to "D" range on an old school report card scale of A-F. I assumed the first one was just a defect that slipped through, but the odds of getting a 2nd one has me wondering if they're just not that good of a blade, especially considering that they were sourced many months apart from different retailers, so I can't chalk it up to a bad run. I do read of others that have been happy with it, but the CMT 40T didn't perform nearly as well as my Infinity Super General, WWII, Tenryu Gold Medal, Ridge Carbide TS2000, Tenryu RS25550, RS25540 ($35), LU84, LU86, LU88, Leitz 40T or 50T, Amana 610504, Oshlun 40T ($25), DeWalt DW7657, DW7640, Delta 35-7657 ($27 shipped), Final Cut 40T, or even the Craftex Blue Tornado ($35 Cdn). Disappointing to say the least. I'm considering writing to the company, but from my past dealings with them I suspect there's a language barrier, as the blades are made in Italy and is an Italian owned company.


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## bigjoe4265

Thanks Knott,

I primarily bought the Diablo blade for cutting UMHW plastic and double-sided melamine, so hopefully it will work well. Can you elaborate as to why the Hi-ATB blades cut cleaner or what the difference is?

Bigjoe


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## knotscott

Hi-ATB:








There are several other factors in play, but the finer the tip, the higher the PSI, thus better shearing action and smaller fibers at the exit of the cut.

TCG:








The triple chip grind actually chamfers off the most delicate part of the tip, which gives it excellent durability. Note that the chamfered tip is alternated with a flat top raker to give more of a flat bottom, but also note that the chamfered tip protrudes slightly above the raker which helps it have less tearout than a straight FTG blade.


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## sandt38

So being a mechanic, as well as a speaker builder I am a part number kind of guy. In many instances the part number is indicative of certain aspects of the product itself.

So perhaps someone can shed some light in the first number of the CMT part number. I have taken it apart to understand that 210-080-10 is (starting from the front) a (2*10*-080-10) 10 inch blade with (210-*080*-10) 80 teeth, at a (210-080-*10*) 10 degree rake. Clearly it is easy to ascertain the blade itself with the part number, and it will make it easier for my to pick a blade out knowing the part number, rather then looking at each description.

Also, I have considered some CMT blades for cutting MDF (I just have a hard time running my WWII through MDF) and was wondering why you have been disappointed in a couple of the other CMT blades you purchased. Being fairly new, I asked a question in the forum and received some replies that I should look into 50 or 60 tooth TCG, so this may not be the ideal blade for me, but perhaps a 210-060-10 (based on my understanding of their part numbers) may be a better fit. But if you have been unhappy, perhaps I should scratch it off my list and stick with the Freud or Oshulns I have been considering instead. My local lumber supplier (I am fortunate to live not 20 minutes away from Wall Lumber ) carries CMT and I am hard pressed to believe they would sell a less then stellar blade, as they are very particular. But perhaps the degradation of quality would be a fairly new thing…

Thanks for your time, and the great review!


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## knotscott

Hi Sandt38 - I'm not certain what the first 3 digits of the CMT system are, but am fairly confident that it's not indicative of blade geometry. The middle 3 numbers tell the tooth count, and the last two numbers indicate diameter. In several cases the 2nd and 3rd digit appear to indicate full or thin kerf version of the same blade…ie: 215.050.10 is a full kerf 50T ATB/R configuration, and the 216.050.10 is the thin kerf version. Similarly, the 213.040.10 is a full kerf 40T ATB blade, while the 214.040.10 is the TK version.

I definitely wouldn't recommend against all CMT blades, because many have proven to be excellent. The 213.040.10 is the only CMT blade I've been unhappy with, but others have had good results with it, so it could boil down to the luck of the draw of me getting two defective blades….and what I'm calling defective may even be within their tolerances…it just wasn't what I expected. If you try enough blades, you'll eventually get a defective Forrest, Freud, Infinity, Amana, etc…none are immune.

I think I was one of those recommended a TCG 60T for MDF in your post. Your MDF needs may differ from mine, but MDF is usually for utilitarian projects, so I'd be very willing to grab a less than premium blade if there are some decent deals available…something like an Oshlun 40T, 50T, or 60T ATB's will do a nice job in MDF, as will the 40T Delta 35-7657….spend the $15 you save on lunch! (and have a decent back to your WWII) From a theoretical perspective, the Freud LU82 or CMT 281.060.10 (CMT 221.060.10 is the same blade with the orange coating) might have some advantage in edge life, but it'd be minimal, and I doubt you'd notice much difference in the cut.


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