Blade Guide – Cutting Mild Steel & Structural Tubing

Choosing the right cold saw blade depends on your saw’s speed (RPM) and how you're using it. Whether you're cutting square tubing, angle iron, or solid mild steel, the wrong blade can lead to premature wear, chatter, or rough cuts.

This guide will help you pick the right blade based on your machine and cutting application — so you get clean, accurate cuts and longer blade life.

Step 1: What Type of Saw Are You Using?

🛠 Manual Cold Saw (Under 120 RPM)

Manual cold saws are low-RPM machines that rely on operator feed. They’re ideal for fab shops, maintenance departments, and general-purpose steel cutting.

  • RPM Range: 20–120 RPM
  • Feed Type: Manual
  • Blade Type: M2 Black Oxide, TiN-Coated M2, M35 Cobalt
  • Best For: Tubing, angle, flats, solid bar
Tip: Match blade thickness and tooth count to your material. Use 2.0mm for thin wall, 2.5mm for general cuts, 3.0mm for solids or heavy-wall.

⚙️ Semi-Automatic or Automatic Cold Saw (Under 120 RPM)

Semi-auto and auto-feed cold saws apply consistent pressure through hydraulic or pneumatic controls, allowing faster cuts and higher volume production. Heat buildup is greater, so blade performance matters.

  • RPM Range: 50–120 RPM
  • Feed Type: Hydraulic or pneumatic
  • Blade Type: TiAlN-coated M35 strongly recommended
  • Best For: High-volume tube, angle, or bar stock
Tip: Use coolant and optimize feed rate. These saws benefit most from upgraded coatings and blade geometry.

⚡ Dry-Cut Metal Saws / Evolution-Style (1,300–1,500 RPM)

These saws — including Evolution, DeWalt, Slugger, and Makita — use carbide-tipped blades at high RPM. They’re ideal for portable jobs or light-duty metal fabrication.

  • RPM Range: 1,300–1,500 RPM
  • Feed Type: Manual
  • Blade Type: Carbide-tipped only
  • Best For: EMT conduit, Unistrut, angle iron, mild steel tubing
  • Not Compatible: Never use HSS blades in these saws
Important: HSS blades will instantly fail in a dry-cut saw. Always use a proper carbide-tipped blade rated for high RPM.

🔥 Friction Saw or Hot Saw (3,000–6,000 RPM)

Friction saws use extreme heat and speed to shear through steel. They’re common in tube mills and structural processing but require specialized blades.

  • RPM Range: 3,000–6,000 RPM
  • Blade Type: Abrasive or solid friction blades only
  • Not Compatible: HSS or carbide — they'll disintegrate
Warning: Never install a cold saw blade on a friction saw. It’s unsafe and will destroy the blade.

🧪 Cermet-Tipped CNC Saws (Amada, Nishijimax, Tsune, Kasto, Behringer)

These high-speed CNC saws are fully automatic systems built for continuous steel cutting. They use cermet-tipped blades, servo-driven feed, and precise RPM to maximize blade life and accuracy.

  • RPM Range: 50–250 RPM
  • Feed Type: Fully automatic (servo-driven)
  • Blade Type: Cermet-tipped only
  • Best For: High-volume steel tube, bar, and profile cutting
  • Not Compatible: HSS or standard carbide blades
Tip: These saws are built for production. Match your chip load and RPM carefully and use the correct cermet geometry for your material type.

🤷 Not Sure What You Have?

If you're not sure which type of saw you have, or need help choosing the right blade, we’re happy to help.

  • Call: (800) 729-7732
  • Email: info@coldsawshop.com
  • Chat: Use the chat bubble on our website during business hours

Tip: Include a photo of your saw and the material you're cutting — our team will help you get dialed in fast.