I’m a huge fan of Diablo carbide saw blades, and their new Cermet Steel Demon blades are unbelievably powerful. This 7-1/4” cermet circular-saw blade can cut through all electrical metallic tubing up to 2”, all rigid metal conduit up to 2”, and both thin and thick uni-strut. This thing is a beast!
First Impression
When you pick one of these up brand new in the package they feel quality. Diablo makes some of the best saw-blades on the planet after merging with Freud, an industrial blade manufacturer. The new cermet blades are a safer option than the older style cutting wheels, and last up to 5 times longer.
Functionality
What makes these cermet blades so outstanding is the technology used when making the teeth, as well as the cut-outs in the blade that help reduce vibration. The two things that kill blades the fastest are heat and vibration. Either one of those things alone can destroy a blade quickly, but both together is a guaranteed death sentence.
First thing I did was test this blade out on a piece of 3/4” EMT, and it cut through it like a hot knife in butter. I made several cuts and the blade had zero issues. To be fair I used a FlexVolt Dewalt 60v circular saw which will make any saw-blade look like a superstar. I reached down and touched the freshly cut surface and found that, because of the speed of the cut, the conduit was cool to the touch.
So of course, the next thing I wanted to try was a piece of 2” EMT. I figured “go big or go home, right?.” Well I shouldn’t have been surprised, it cut through again, like butter. And again, to the touch everything was cool. This is amazing when you think about how hot metal gets with a standard cutting disk after ripping through it. When I was in Arizona for STAFDA 2018 Diablo did a test of the material temperature of certain metals using a cutting disk and using a cermet blade. They cut various materials like metallic conduit, stainless-steel pipe, and unistrut and the temperature of some of the steel after being cut with a cutting disk was upwards of 450 degrees Fahrenheit! Using the cermet blade the same material was cool to the touch, so at most it was around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This is huge for safety! Also cutting disks can explode and hurl sharp pieces of hot blade chunks at you when introduced to high heat and vibration. This cermet blade will not do that.
Well…time to step it up a notch right? After it successfully cut through 2” EMT I knew I needed to try 2” rigid. For those who don’t know, rigid metal conduit is more than twice the thickness of electrical metallic tubing and is used when protection of conductors is an absolute must – usually when in environments where the conductors would be subject to physical damage. I’ve actually broken benders trying to hand-bend a piece of 3/4” rigid, so rest assured…this is stout metal.
I cut through this 2 inch in literally 3 seconds. Again, zero problems, zero binding, and surprisingly zero heat. Holy crap! Normally we use a carbide sawzall blade or a bandsaw to cut through rigid, and more often than not it takes three times longer and heats the cut a lot. On top of that these standard blades dull very quickly if you have several cuts to make. Not with the cermet blade. This thing is built extremely well.
One last cut I wanted to make, 1-5/8” unistrut. We cut a lot of this in the electrical trade and again, normally with a sawzall or a bandsaw. I knew after the rigid that there wouldn’t be an issue, but I just needed to try it to see how well it does. Again, it sliced right through the strut with the quickness. Zero heat, zero binding, zero problems. I’m 100% sold on cermet. Below is a picture of me touching the strut immediately after I cut it.
Info from HomeDepot.com
Diablo’s new Steel Demon Cermet saw blade series is redefining metal cutting and the job-site, by introducing safer, exclusive innovation that allows users to cut both mild and stainless steels for up to 40X longer life versus standard carbide-tipped metal cutting saw blades. The specially formulated Cermet (Ceramic and Metallic blend) teeth provide high heat tolerances and increased hardness for superior wear and ultimate cutting life. Featuring a special Triple Chip Grind and Perma-Shield coating, these blades slice through the toughest of metals to produce precise cuts and burr-free finishes that require no rework. The thin-kerf body and advanced laser cut anti-vibration stabilizer vents reduce vibration and noise to allow the blades to quickly shear through metal with ease and accuracy. The ability to cut through both mild and stainless steel eliminates the need for individually dedicated saw blades, offering a 1-blade solution for ultimate metal cutting performance and unmatched value story, forever changing the metal cutting industry.
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Cermet (ceramic and metallic blend) teeth provide a high heat tolerance and increased hardness for superior wear and ultimate cutting life, lasting up to 40X longer than standard carbide metal cutting saw blades
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Triple chip tooth design provides burr-free finishes that require no-rework and longer cutting life
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Advanced laser cut stabilizer vents trap noise and vibration for maximum stability, keeping the blade cool for straight, accurate cuts in metal cutting applications
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Tri-metal shock resistant brazing, a 3-metal brazing system, allows cermet teeth to withstand extreme impact for maximum durability
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Laser cut thin kerf design provides less resistance and heat build-up for ease of cut, accuracy and long cutting life in metal cutting applications
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Perma-Shield non-stick coating resists heat build-up by protecting the blade against gumming and corrosion
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Laser cut arbor reduces vibration and premature wear for accurate blade rotation when in use on the saw
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Cuts 1/16 in. to 1/4 in. wall thickness in steel studs, angle iron, flat bar, channel, EMT conduit
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Cuts 1/16 in. to 1/4 in. wall thickness in plate and bar stock
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Cuts 1/4 in. to 1 in. Dia threaded rod
For more detailed information on this Diablo Cermet steel blade CLICK HERE.
Summary
Hands down this cermet blade deserves a 5 star rating. This is a game-changer and it will definitely revolutionize how I cut metal. Even in doing fabrication and custom-metal work on light fixtures, this blade will be a tool that will save me time and headaches over the years to come. I’m impressed Diablo. Very impressed.
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