Diablo D1090X 10" 90T Ultimate Flawless Finish Saw Blade

Diablo D1090X 10" 90T Ultimate Flawless Finish Saw Blade

According to Freud, the new Diablo D1090X is crammed full of features that make it the "ultimate" fine finish blade. They also claim it will last 5 times longer than a standard blade. While it's difficult to judge or prove whether the lifespan claim is accurate without spending months and maybe even years of testing, we can certainly look at the quality of the cuts the Diablo D1090X makes, and get an overall impression of how well this blade will perform with different materials.

Features & Specs:

• Size: 10 Inch, 5/8" arbor
• Tool Usage: Miter saw, table saw
• Teeth: 90
• Hook Angle: 10 degrees
• Tooth Grind: Axial Shear Face™

Opinion & Review:

I can take everything at face value in the specs, with the exception of the tooth grind. Freud calls it "Axial Shear Face", but it looks like a version of ATB (alternating top bevel) to me. I understand the need for marketing, but sometimes I get a little lost trying to keep up with the jargon.

That being said, how well does the blade work? While some would say it's not a fair match, I'm comparing the D1090X to the stock blade that came on the Unisaw, the Delta 35-1050R. The stock blade has always performed admirably and I've never had any real complaints to speak of. So my thought process is this - Why would I want to spend the extra money to "upgrade" my saw with the Diablo? You may be in the same position.I used the Delta Unisaw outfitted with the D1090X it to make some shelving and a few apple boxes for our production crew. The first thing I noticed was the ease with which I could maneuver stock through the blade. The cuts felt smoother from a feeding standpoint - I hate to use the cliche, but almost like a hot knife through....My first few cuts were 5/8" plywood - not exactly what I'd call exotic, but it needed cutting. Here's where I noticed the biggest difference between the stock blade and the Diablo - the cut edges were much smoother, almost as if they'd been sanded (they hadn't).Of course, now that the blade had a nice coating of resin and adhesive from the plywood on it, it couldn't possibly perform as well with, say - hardwood. Or could it?  Again, I was surprised.While I was fresh out of melamine (I rarely use it), I figured the blade would be no match for the 60-year-old ash that I rescued from an old den. I have several hundred feet of it and you can't drive a nail into this stuff without a pilot hole. The blade did an unbelievably good job at creating a clean, smooth edge.Next up, I used some pre-finished hardwood flooring. While I understand that it's not all that important that a cut edge be pretty (it's usually being covered by trim), there are occasions when a clean cut edge could come in handy. For creating unique designs or patterns, a clean cut edge is vital. Again, I was impressed - not a hint of chipping or anything else along the cut edge of this flooring.

A Fine Finish:

Again, please understand that I'm not comparing the Diablo D1090X to the Delta blade. I'm merely pointing out that sometimes, until you drive a Porsche, you didn't realize you were in a Taurus. The two blades are night and day and designed for different purposes, but I can safely say this - if you're thinking about a possible replacement for your stock blade and want to move into something finer, the Diablo D1090X is worth a look.

You can get tighter tolerances and cleaner joints without a lot of re-working by using this blade. Whether you're a fine woodworker or a weekend warrior, tighter joints are like shiny chrome - they make you look better.

Whether it's ATB or ASFG, the results I got with this blade were far superior to my expectations - it truly lived up to its name. Only time and a lot of sawdust will tell if it's able to hold its edge.

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For more information on this and other Freud blades: Freud Site