What Saw Blade Do You Need to Cut Metal?
A standard wood-cutting saw blade cannot safely cut metal — you need a carbide-tipped, cermet, or bi-metal blade rated for the metal type and matched to your saw’s RPM. Using the wrong blade overheats fast, throws molten sparks, and can shatter the blade or kick back the workpiece. This guide covers which blade to use in a circular saw, table saw, or reciprocating saw, the RPM and TPI numbers that matter, and how to make the cut safely.
Quick Answer
For a circular saw, use a carbide or cermet metal-cutting blade run around 5,200–5,800 RPM. For a reciprocating saw, match TPI to thickness — 18–24 TPI under 1/8″, 10–14 TPI from 1/8″ to 1/2″. Never run a wood blade on metal, and only cut non-ferrous metal on a wood-rated table saw.
Can a Wood-Cutting Saw Blade Cut Metal?
No. A wood blade’s teeth are ground with an aggressive hook angle meant to bite into softwood fibers, and most circular saws spin a wood blade at 3,600–5,800 RPM — far above what a wood-geometry tooth can survive against steel. The teeth dull or chip within seconds, the blade overheats, and the saw throws hot metal shards instead of sawdust. On a job site test cited by ToolGuyd, a wood blade forced through angle iron produced sparks and a ruined blade within a single cut.
The fix isn’t slowing down the same blade — it’s switching to a blade built for metal. Ferrous metal (steel, iron) needs a carbide, cermet, or cold-saw-style blade running at the RPM the manufacturer specifies. Non-ferrous metal (aluminum, brass, copper) is more forgiving and can sometimes be cut with a specialty non-ferrous blade at wood-saw speeds, but never with a standard wood-tooth blade.
Blade Types for Cutting Metal
Four blade types cover almost every metal-cutting job in a home shop, and picking the right one starts with knowing the saw type and blade basics for whichever tool you’re using.
- Carbide-tipped (TCT): Tungsten carbide teeth brazed onto a steel body. Handles mild steel, angle iron, and studs. Sold in 40–80 tooth counts for circular saws and up to 120 teeth for chop saws.
- Cermet-tipped: A ceramic-metal composite tip that runs cooler and lasts longer than plain carbide on ferrous metal, at a higher price. Diablo’s Steel Demon line uses this tip.
- Bi-metal (reciprocating/band saw): A flexible spring-steel back with a high-speed-steel cutting edge welded on. This is the blade you want for a Sawzall or portable band saw cutting pipe, conduit, or studs.
- Abrasive cut-off wheel: No teeth — the wheel wears away as it grinds through metal. Cheapest option and works on any metal, but throws the most sparks and heat, and wears out fastest on thick stock.
According to Diablo’s published spec sheet for its Steel Demon line, the triple-chip grind used on its metal blades “minimizes metal wandering and deflection for accurate cuts” while cutting up to 50 times cooler than an abrasive grinding disc — the main reason carbide and cermet blades have mostly replaced grinding wheels for repeat metal-cutting work in home shops.
Which Blade for Which Saw? (RPM and Tooth Chart)
The table below combines the RPM ranges and tooth/TPI counts you actually need across every common saw — most guides only cover one tool at a time, so keep this as your reference when you’re standing at the blade rack.
| Saw Type | Blade / Teeth | Max RPM | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circular saw (7-1/4″) | Carbide/cermet, 48–80T | ~5,800 RPM | Studs, angle iron, mild steel |
| Circular saw, aluminum | Carbide, 80–100T | ~5,800 RPM | Aluminum sheet and extrusion |
| Chop / cut-off saw (14″) | Carbide, 66–120T | ~1,800 RPM | Thicker box tube, rebar, angle |
| Table saw | Non-ferrous carbide only | Saw’s normal speed | Aluminum, brass — never steel |
| Reciprocating saw | Bi-metal, 10–24 TPI | N/A (stroke speed) | Pipe, conduit, demo cuts |
| Portable band saw | Bi-metal, 10–18 TPI | N/A (belt speed) | Clean, straight cuts in stock and pipe — see our bandsaw blade picks for metal for TPI by material |
Best All-Around Metal-Cutting Blade Pick
Diablo Steel Demon Cermet II Saw Blade — 7-1/4″, 48 Teeth
A cermet-tipped 7-1/4″ blade sized for most circular saws and worm-drive saws, built for mild steel, angle iron, and studs up to about 1/4″ thick.
- Best for: mild steel angle, studs, and strut cut with a standard circular saw
- Why we picked it: 48-tooth cermet tips run cooler than abrasive discs and hold an edge far longer on ferrous metal
- Main drawback: not rated for stainless or hardened steel — cermet teeth chip on harder alloys
Compare more metal-cutting blade options
 Budget Pick DEWALT DW3329, 7-1/4″, 68 Tooth
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 Thin Metal Specialist Diablo Steel Demon, 70 Tooth
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 Chop Saw Pick Evolution 14″, 66 Tooth
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RPM and Feed Rate: Why the Numbers Matter
A blade rated for a lower max RPM than your saw spins will overheat and can shatter. That’s why 14″ chop-saw blades top out around 1,800 RPM while a 7-1/4″ circular saw blade is rated closer to 5,200–5,800 RPM — the larger blade covers more distance per rotation at the same edge speed, so it has to spin slower to stay in a safe cutting-speed range.
📊 A 10″ 52-tooth steel-cutting blade tops out around 5,200 RPM, while a 14″ 120-tooth blade for the same metal is rated closer to 1,800 RPM — Source: manufacturer blade specifications compiled 2026
Feed rate matters as much as RPM. Push a metal-cutting blade too fast and the teeth grab instead of shear, which chips carbide tips and can bind the blade in the cut. Feed too slow and the teeth rub without cutting, building heat that dulls the edge. The right pace for a hand-held saw is a slow, steady push where the blade sounds like it’s cutting, not screaming.
How to Cut Metal Safely With a Saw Blade
- Match the blade to the metal: confirm the blade’s rated material (mild steel, stainless, aluminum) before mounting it — check the label stamped on the blade body.
- Clamp the workpiece: secure the metal in a vise or with clamps so it cannot shift or spin once the blade contacts it.
- Set eye and hand protection: wear safety glasses rated for impact and leather gloves — metal shards and hot chips fly farther than wood dust.
- Turn off dust collection: a running dust collector can pull hot metal sparks into a bag full of sawdust, which is a real fire risk — cut metal with collection disconnected.
- Feed slowly and steadily: let the blade’s teeth or wheel do the work; forcing the cut chips carbide teeth and can cause kickback.
- Add cutting fluid on thicker stock: a cutting oil or wax stick on steel over 1/4″ thick keeps the blade cooler and extends tooth life.
- Let the piece cool before handling: cut edges and chips stay hot enough to burn skin for a minute or more after the cut finishes.
Common Mistakes When Cutting Metal With a Saw Blade
- Using a wood blade “just this once”: even a single pass on steel can chip or warp a wood blade beyond safe use on wood afterward.
- Cutting ferrous metal on a wood-rated table saw: most woodworkers who cut metal on a table saw limit it to non-ferrous metal like aluminum, brass, or copper with a blade made for that purpose — steel is a different risk level and best left to a chop saw, band saw, or angle grinder.
- Running the blade above its rated RPM: mounting a slow-rated blade on a faster saw is one of the more common ways a metal-cutting blade fails.
- Skipping lubrication on thick stock: dry-cutting steel over 1/4″ thick shortens blade life fast and can discolor (temper) the cut edge.
- Ignoring sparks direction: if sparks are kicking back toward you instead of shooting away from the cut, the feed rate or blade angle is wrong — stop and reset before continuing.
If a cut needs to be curved, decorative, or in a material too thick for a saw blade, a plasma cutter or an electric metal shear is often the better tool — both skip the RPM and blade-matching questions entirely for sheet stock. For repeat cut-off work in a shop setting, a dedicated metal cut-off saw keeps the blade speed fixed and correct every time instead of relying on a hand-held saw’s variable feed.
FAQ: Cutting Metal With a Saw Blade
Can you cut metal with a regular circular saw?
Yes, but only with a metal-rated blade swapped in first. The saw motor itself is fine for metal; it’s the standard wood blade that isn’t. Swap to a carbide or cermet metal-cutting blade rated for your saw’s RPM, then cut as you normally would with a slower, steadier feed.
What TPI do I need to cut metal with a reciprocating saw?
Match TPI to thickness: 18–24 TPI for metal under 1/8″ thick, and 10–14 TPI for stock between 1/8″ and 1/2″. The rule of thumb is at least three teeth should be in contact with the metal at all times, so thinner stock needs a finer-tooth blade.
Can a table saw cut aluminum?
Yes, non-ferrous metals like aluminum, brass, and copper can be cut on a table saw with a blade made for non-ferrous metal, wax or cutting lubricant on the blade, and dust collection turned off to avoid a hot-chip fire risk. Steel and other ferrous metals are a different risk category and are best cut on a chop saw or band saw instead.
Why does my saw blade get dull so fast when cutting metal?
The most common causes are running a wood blade on metal, feeding too fast so the teeth grab instead of shear, or cutting dry on stock thicker than 1/4″ without lubrication. Any of the three overheats the teeth and dulls or chips them within a few cuts.
Do I need a special blade for stainless steel?
Yes. Stainless steel work-hardens quickly and needs a higher TPI or a carbide/cermet blade specifically rated for stainless — a standard mild-steel blade dulls fast and can leave a rough, heat-discolored edge.
Picking the right blade comes down to two questions: what metal are you cutting, and what saw are you cutting it with. Match the blade material and tooth count to both, keep the RPM within the blade’s rating, and cut slow with proper eye and hand protection. Do that and a saw blade will get through steel, aluminum, or stainless as cleanly as it gets through wood.
