Metal Cutting Blades for Table Saws

Before picking a blade, the more important question is whether your table saw should be cutting that metal at all. A standard table saw spinning at 3,450 to 4,800 RPM is genuinely fine for cutting non-ferrous metals — aluminum, brass, copper — with the right carbide-tipped blade. It is not a safe way to cut ferrous metals like steel or stainless, even with a blade marketed for metal cutting, because that RPM is far too high for carbide teeth to survive contact with hardened steel without overheating and failing. That distinction matters more than any spec on a blade box, so it comes first in this guide.

Ferrous vs. non-ferrous: the decision that comes before blade shopping

Non-ferrous metals are softer and don’t contain iron — aluminum, brass, copper, and similar alloys. These cut cleanly on a standard table saw with a blade built for the job, at normal table saw speeds, without unusual strain on the motor or blade.

Ferrous metals — steel, stainless steel, iron — are a different situation entirely. The problem isn’t whether a carbide blade can physically cut steel; it’s that a table saw’s fixed high RPM generates far more surface speed at the blade’s edge than carbide tips can handle against ferrous metal without overheating. The tips lose their edge fast, sometimes within a single cut, and a blade failing mid-cut on metal is a real hazard, not just an inconvenience. Dedicated metal-cutting tools — cold saws, metal-cutting band saws, or purpose-built steel-cutting circular saws with reduced RPM — solve this by running dramatically slower than a table saw ever does.

If your project involves cutting steel, stainless, or other ferrous stock, the right tool is one of those dedicated options, not your table saw with a different blade bolted on. It’s worth noting that even blades marketed for metal, like Diablo’s Steel Demon Cermet line built for ferrous cutting, are rated for a maximum of around 1,800 RPM — nowhere near the 3,450 to 6,000+ RPM a standard table saw runs at. That gap in the spec sheet is the clearest proof this isn’t a blade-swap problem; it’s a different machine entirely.

Best metal cutting blades for table saws (non-ferrous)

Everything below is built specifically for aluminum, brass, and copper — the metals a table saw can actually cut safely. All prices are approximate and shift with sales, so treat this as a starting point and confirm current pricing before buying.

Blade	Best For	Diameter	Teeth	Max RPM	Hook Angle	Typical Price
Diablo D1080N	Best overall pick	10″	80T, TCG	6,000	-5°	~$40–$55
Diablo D10100N	Best for thin aluminum, cleanest finish	10″	100T, TCG	6,000	-5°	~$50–$65
Diablo D1060N	Best for thick aluminum stock	10″	60T, TCG	6,000	-5°	~$40–$55
Freud LU89M010	Best for thick-wall aluminum (up to 1/2″)	10″	60T, TCG	Standard	N/A	~$50–$70
Amana Tool 510801C Prestige	Best premium finish, longest life	10″	80T, TCG	Standard	-6°	~$90–$120

Diablo D1080N — best overall. This is the standard, go-to recommendation for general aluminum, brass, and copper cutting on a table saw. 80 teeth in a triple-chip grind, a -5° hook angle, and a 6,000 RPM rating comfortably cover most non-ferrous cutting a home or small shop does, at a price that doesn’t punish you for buying a dedicated blade instead of forcing a wood blade to do the job.

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Diablo D10100N — best for thin material and the cleanest cut. The extra 20 teeth over the D1080N (100 total) means each tooth removes less material per pass, which produces a noticeably cleaner edge on thin aluminum sheet or extrusions where finish quality matters most. Trade-off: more teeth means a slightly slower feed rate is needed to avoid overheating.

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Diablo D1060N — best for thick stock. Fewer teeth (60) and a thicker plate than the D1080N, built specifically for cutting through thicker aluminum bar or plate without binding. If you’re working with material heavier than sheet or standard extrusion, this is the better-suited option over the higher-tooth-count blades.

Freud LU89M010 — best for thick-wall aluminum specifically. Rated for wall thickness up to 1/2″, with Freud’s Silver I.C.E. coating to resist corrosion and pitch buildup. One detail worth knowing: Freud specifically recommends a liquid lubricant like WD-40 every 4 to 5 cuts on this blade rather than a wax stick, which is the opposite of general wax-based advice you’ll see for other metal blades — check the specific blade’s own recommendation rather than assuming one lubricant approach fits every blade.

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Amana Tool 510801C Prestige — best premium option. Industrial-grade carbide, laser-cut expansion slots, and precision balancing push the price up, but it’s aimed at shops running enough non-ferrous cutting to justify paying for extended tooth life and a cleaner cut over the long run. For occasional use, the Diablo options above deliver most of the same result for less.

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Reading the spec sheet on any blade you’re considering

Beyond the picks above, if you’re comparing other blades, three numbers matter most. Tooth count — higher counts (80–100T) cut cleaner but slower; lower counts (50–60T) move through thicker material faster but leave a rougher edge. Hook angle — look for negative, typically -5° to -6°; a positive hook angle built for wood is too aggressive for metal and increases grabbing. Max RPM rating — confirm it’s rated at or above your saw’s actual RPM, and treat any blade rated well below your saw’s speed (like the 1,800 RPM ferrous blade mentioned earlier) as a signal it’s not meant for a standard table saw at all.

Why a wood blade won’t work on metal

A wood blade’s tooth geometry, hook angle, and tooth count are built around a completely different cutting action than metal requires. Running a standard wood blade against aluminum or any metal typically results in chipped or blown-out teeth almost immediately, along with a rough, unsafe cut. If you’re already comparing blade options for wood specifically, our table saw blade guide and circular saw blades for woodworking guide cover that side of the decision — metal and wood blades are not interchangeable in either direction.

Never use an abrasive cut-off wheel on a table saw

This is worth stating plainly: abrasive metal-cutting wheels, the kind used on dedicated chop saws, should never go on a table saw. They’re designed for tools with different guarding and containment built specifically around the way an abrasive wheel behaves under load. The risk of a wheel shattering on a table saw, without that containment, is a real and serious hazard. If your work calls for an abrasive wheel, use the tool it was actually designed for.

Setting up a safe cut on non-ferrous metal

A few things matter more with metal than they do with wood, and skipping them is where most problems happen.

Slow your feed rate. Metal doesn’t forgive an aggressive feed the way wood does. A slower, steady pass reduces heat buildup and gives the blade a cleaner path through the material.

Use cutting lubricant or wax on the blade. This reduces friction and heat, which extends blade life and improves cut quality, especially on aluminum, which can gum up a blade without it.

Clamp the material firmly. Metal stock needs to be held more securely than wood, since any shift during the cut is more likely to bind or kick the material back. A standard push stick or push block still matters here, but clamping the workpiece itself is worth doing in addition, not instead.

Wear real eye and face protection. Metal cutting produces sparks and small metal fragments in a way wood cutting doesn’t, even when cutting non-ferrous material. Standard safety glasses are the minimum, not the whole solution — a face shield is worth the extra step.

Check your saw’s dust collection setup for metal shavings. Metal fines behave differently than wood dust and can be more abrasive to collection equipment over time. It’s worth knowing what your system can actually handle before running a lot of metal through it.

Kickback risk is different with metal

Kickback with wood usually comes from the material binding and getting thrown by the blade. With metal, the same binding risk exists, but the material itself is far less forgiving — a piece of metal thrown back at the operator carries more energy and less give than a wood offcut would. This is part of why slow, deliberate feed rates and solid clamping matter more here than with typical wood cuts.

Common mistakes people make cutting metal on a table saw

• Assuming any “metal cutting” blade works for any metal. A blade built for aluminum will fail quickly if used on steel, regardless of how the packaging is worded.
• Trying to cut ferrous metal on a standard-speed table saw at all. This is the mistake that matters most — the fix isn’t a better blade, it’s a different tool entirely.
• Feeding metal at the same rate as wood. This burns up carbide tips faster and produces a rougher, more dangerous cut.
• Skipping lubricant on aluminum specifically, which gums blades and reduces cut quality more than most people expect.
• Using a wood blade “just this once” on a metal cut, which usually ends with chipped teeth and a blade that’s no longer safe for wood either.

What’s the best all-around metal cutting blade for a table saw? The Diablo D1080N — a 10-inch, 80-tooth triple-chip grind blade with a -5° hook angle — is the standard recommendation for general aluminum, brass, and copper cutting. It balances clean cuts with a fair price and handles most non-ferrous jobs a home or small shop runs into.

Which blade gives the cleanest cut on thin aluminum sheet? A higher tooth count blade like the Diablo D10100N (100 teeth) leaves a noticeably cleaner edge on thin material than a 60 or 80-tooth blade, since each tooth removes less material per pass. Feed rate needs to be a bit slower to avoid overheating with that many teeth in contact.

FAQ

Can I cut steel on my table saw with the right blade? Not safely, even with a carbide blade marketed for metal. A standard table saw’s fixed high RPM is too fast for carbide teeth to hold up against ferrous metal without overheating. Steel and stainless need a dedicated cold saw or metal-cutting band saw running at much lower speed.

What metals can I safely cut on a table saw? Non-ferrous metals — aluminum, brass, and copper — cut cleanly on a standard table saw with the correct TCT blade, typically a triple-chip grind with a negative hook angle and a high tooth count.

Do I need a special blade for aluminum, or will any metal blade work? Use a blade specifically rated for non-ferrous metal, ideally 80 to 100 teeth with a triple-chip grind and negative hook angle. A blade built for steel isn’t automatically better for aluminum, and a wood blade will fail almost immediately on either.

Is it safe to use an abrasive cut-off wheel on a table saw? No. Abrasive wheels are built for dedicated chop saws with different guarding, and the risk of a wheel shattering on a table saw without that containment is a real safety hazard. Don’t adapt one to a table saw regardless of the material.

Why does my aluminum-cutting blade keep gumming up? Aluminum tends to build up on blade teeth without lubrication. Applying cutting wax or a metal-cutting lubricant before and during the cut significantly reduces this and extends the life of the blade.