Testing the Cheapest Lapidary Blade on Amazon

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

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[@Batfan83]

@currentlyrockhounding will those blades fit on a tile saw

[@rtact777]

​@Batfan83 I say probably it depends on shafts size one I got has 5/8" arbor hole and came with a 1/2" bushing for 1/2 shafts size.

[@Batfan83]

@@rtact777 that's sounds cool

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

In the time between the filming of this video and the posting of the video I have cut 11 small (quarter sized) thundereggs, 4 jasper preforms and 6 little chunks of Arizona fire agate and it's still looking good and I will continue to test these in the future. This along with the cuts done in the video means that each cut on my $4 blade has cost about $0.12 and the blade still has plenty of life in it.

[@Rickzolla]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You have the best "nuts and bolts" rockhounding channel on KZbin.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you very much!

[@mastersr1956]

i live in guatemala, and it is hard to find stuff that is easy to find stuff, this is the brand that i can buy, so i am glad to see this

[@TheRogueRockhound]

"The Secret Big Lapidary Companies Don't Want You To Know!" or "This Lapidary Secret Will Blow Your Mind!" Nice work man.

[@jamesgford8051]

I think Jared morally steers away from Clickbaity crap, which defines him as the diamond in the rough

[@TheRogueRockhound]

@@jamesgford8051 That's what makes the joke funny

[@TheRogueRockhound]

Also, @15:02 : When I went and toured the Covington shop, the owner showed me how they make Covington blades in-house. Pretty impressive and another reason I trust Covington quality.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

That's something I would like to see!

[@largent45]

Thank you for all the work you do to bring these things to our awareness. You take the time to test these products out and to show (via the microscope) your proof of these tests. And to all of our amazements, tbe $4 blade stands up well to others 2-5 times their price. Ive seen this before with products being the same between other manufacturers, just labeled differently, but essentially the same product between different manufactures at varying prices. Just a different label. So its not always a better product, just because its a trusted brand name. Thanks for this video! It is really amazing how much money somebody can save with these blades.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I worked at a coffee roaster ages ago and we would take the same bean and repackage them for other brands and the price points were all over the place for the same things.

[@CityRockhounding]

Well said Lisa!

[@mitszeysanders1668]

Thank you, I have been wondering about buying these blades. I learned a lot and ordered them

[@DonohueLabs]

Our club workshop guy uses sub-$10 blades on his trim saws as well. The latest 6" blade has been going for well over a year, maybe more, and he cuts hard stuff like Nd:YAG (H=8.5) all the time. Your point about rebranded blades reminded me of visiting a rock salt mine. Their production room had dozens of different brands of bags ready for shipment, but it was all the same stuff!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I've personally seen something like that working at coffee roasters. The same bean, into many different packages.

[@foundrymutt]

Just last week I purchased a $50 14” blade from Amazon, while waiting for my $172 blade to be manufactured. This thing is in a 14” hightone, and seriously, with the speed of the feed it’s working marvelously. I installed and amp gauge permanently on my saw so I could see the blade wear in real time, and the amps are exactly the same as if was the agate eater blade that was on it.

[@TalRohan]

Useful and telling. I have found this kind of thing quite often when buying "cheap" all across the tooling range...often you are also just buying more expensive because its already in your country...and sometimes youre just buying more expensive "same stuff" no matter where it comes from.....so keep an eye on your sources and do always compare them...its well worth it. Thanks for sharing

[@patriciamckean4186]

Very good review. Honestly if something is cheaper it is not necessarily cheaply made. Thanks for you honest evaluation!

[@hockeyrace]

Thanks for the info, Jared. Your blade series is fantastic. I’ve asked my brother-in-law for advice on blades in the past. He’s a long time mason (bought his family business years ago). He just says that they are all junk. Lol. I would say the same until I started taking a closer look at what I have. That’s thanks to you. Also, how to extend your blade life, has been a giant change in my budget. That info was priceless. Thank you so much. You continue to share valuable information and opinions that I appreciate. Thanks for sharing this video with us. Stay Crystal 💫 Mari

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm glad that you have been saving money on the blades! I wouldn't say they are all junk but some are clearly better than others.

[@kylaabegglen1275]

Wow! I totally expected there to not be many diamonds left on the blade. Thanks for another great video Jared!✌️🤠

[@OregonCoastAgates]

I love Jingling, I use their diamond drill bits for my beads. Good stuff man, thanks for the hard work testing!

[@randallpinkfloyd7225]

Thank you for the review! The microscopic shots are very interesting.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@neilblackfield6297]

I get so much from your channel. Thanks so much. Please consider creating a very basic episode which explains how to select, use, maintain a larger saw.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you. When you say a larger saw do you mean like an oil slab saw?

[@khymchristensen1237]

I'm looking for information on 20" blades also, because larger blades are quite expensive I'm trying to learn more before making a purchase.

[@khymchristensen1237]

I purchased a used 20" Oil slab saw, the blade is 40% used according to the seller? Not sure if I can dress/sharpen it or have to purchase a new blade? I have not used it yet and am really new to cutting

[@cliffmiller1021]

I just purchased a second hand Ameritool trim saw yesterday, no blade though. Price is not value, in a consumer society it is about how much you paid for an item, and not what you accomplish with the item. For that price and quantity, I'm amazed. What was the wait time on that, with overseas and stuff? The value of your videos are phenomenal in my humble opinion, a wealth of information, as always thank you.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

You are correct price in not necessarily connected to value. These shipped from here in America but perhaps the supply chain off them will get turned on and off like everything else.

[@virginiahudson3827]

Thanks Jared, you saved me a lot of $$ with this video!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you so much! :) I'm glad you found it to be helpful!

[@RockSolidPassion]

AWESOME video & kick AZZ content! I am new to RH started this spring 2024. I haven't even touched the surface in world of Lap. I just received my new saw and sander in the mail last week and have made 3 cuts so far. I wish I would have seen this sooner but, on the upside, I KNOW for next time. Thank you for sharing as always, I love your videos just love going along with you to the different gem shows.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@tott3457]

Good investigating! Look forward to seeing all your follow-up work!!!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It's hard to beat this price point.

[@urbinscout6048]

I agree most of there's blades come from the same source. The wholesale company will put what ever branding on the product when a company or person buys a certain amount of product.

[@JeffEarnest]

I am going try one out this weekend if the weather is good let you know

[@cactusmann5542]

Speaking of which I bought a bosch diamond blade(grinder grade) for my tile saw. 20 usd equivalent. Past experience has been positive(if nothing else, it cuts pretty good and reliably fast). Was kinda expecting the default blade to be cruddy, because at one point it turned into a slog. I mean it was meant to cut tile.

[@bentationfunkiloglio]

Great video. Always nice discovering new ways to save money. I certainly understand your motivation to limit commentary on blade rebranding. However, more details would certainly be helpful if you feel comfortable sharing them. One way to convey useful info might be grouping blade brands by quality. Thank you for sharing another wonderful video. Cheers.

[@sandmaker]

Great job!! Thanks for the great pictures and testing. Keep the goodness coming. I'm impressed.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@marcosofsky2605]

Excellent video! With budget constraints a constant nemesis, it is good to know that for a little bit of money it is possible to set up a lapidary shop and do basic cutting grinding polishing. The microscope set up was proof positive and one has to assume that many of those blades on the market are radically marked up.

[@ocklawahaboyrocks]

I use a similar 7" blade on my tile saw for trim work. I get several months out of each. They just tear through agate. The downside is the flexibility makes it want to wander and then bind. I bought a pack like that for my 4" saw and they work great for a few cuts and then the metal between the notches starts to fail and leaves big gaps and they won't cut.

[@66bigbuds]

I found out the same thing with angle grinder blades. And circular saw blades.

[@jimdalton8724]

Looks to me the most important part of the blade is the top edge. The side just reduces the drag on the blade, the top edge does the cutting.

[@8621Charro]

I have a wet tile saw that came with a 7" blade. Will I be in trouble if I order these 6" blades? LOVED your attention to detail on your review of them. Thank you!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

These are not rated for the speed that your tile saw runs at unfortunately.

[@AZRockhoundExpeditions]

I’m really surprised! I wonder how it does with Jasper. I’ll go and try it out!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I have cut up some slabs of picture jasper with it.

[@mcmenace4847]

Cheers mate this is great information!

[@JeffEarnest]

I have become a fan thanks for your info. I have gotten name brand blades big ones that trash and have seen that also thanks I thought I was nuts!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you! I agree, when it comes to blades, price and brand are not necessarily an indicator of quality.

[@BubuH-cq6km]

several years ago before the majority of manufacturing moved to China my ex(from Mexico) took me on a tour of the factory she worked at that was a US factory manufacturing electric connectors and insulators for several well known US brands in the same factory and depending which client they were manufacturing for at the time they would just switch the dies and molds as well as branding stamp so I'm sure same thing still goes today with goods made in China same factories for all competing brands just different paint and branding stamps

[@jimedgar6789]

Needing a new 6" blade, I picked up the 5-pack for $20 also. And I will say that they cut fast on geode/agate material, faster than my HiTech blade. I don't know if it is because these $4 ones are not sintered, but notched. I am impressed, so say the least. The .5mm took a little more material away, but eh.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm glad you like them. For what they are I think its worth it.

[@jimedgar6789]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding Yes! I did jam one during a cut and it bent it. Oh well, $4 !

[@mrfxm55]

Concentrate on Kerf thickness. I've found a thinner slice is best especially when working with more expensive materials. On semi precious go cheap.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

There's many things to factor in when looking at cutting rocks isn't there. The kerf thickness is a big factor when buying expensive materials.

[@annedarr8362]

Thanks for the heads up

[@silverback5033]

Thanks Jared, that was interesting. I’m a bit old school and I am a bit of a believer in “ you only get what you pay for”. It is interesting to see that these blades seem worthwhile. Having the microscope makes this quite an interesting evaluation. I’ll check out the link so you get your penny’s worth, 😂😂. Keep Safe & Keep Rockin

[@highlander5161]

It's really great you make these comparison and investigatory videos man. Will help allot of folks like me whom are just small hobby dudes. I think ilovetool blades are the same as the ones in your link, which themselves appear unavailable with no clue as to when back in stock. I can't see 10 inch blades though so if you find a link would be appriciative if you could share. I also wondered if you might be in a positiin sometime to do a grinding wheel video like this one for cheaper cabking 6" replacements. For both the two sintered and the resin wheels ??? If such things exist. Many sincere thanks for your sharing and insight on this tho buddy. 👍

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

At some point here in the future I will having some videos go up about grinding wheels.

[@TheAdventureCloset]

Interesting what you're finding out by taking a closer look at things. I think a lot of manufacturers do what you're saying. Someone once told us they worked at a bean canning company and they canned the same beans for multiple brands. It happens.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I worked at a coffee roaster once and we did tons of repackaging where the same beans went into different branded bags.

[@TheAdventureCloset]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding yup!! Gotta question everything.

[@rockandfound]

I’m gonna have to get me some of these. Thanks

[@stevemacdonald2303]

Yep

[@CityRockhounding]

I couldn't say it any better than Lisa did in her comment!

[@RufotrisRootedRockhound]

Great video!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@klairesprengel9335]

Fantastic vid xx very interesting xx thanks for sharing xx

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@patrickkillilea5225]

Cool. Good to know. Fits my budget!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Its the right price.

[@christopherort2889]

Cool. I'll need to pickup a set of those

[@yehyeh6962]

Great video

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you very much!

[@magalilechenne9232]

Do you recommend getting the hi tech diamond 10inch slab saw over a wet tile saw?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Yes, if you can afford it always go with a trim saw vs a tile saw.

[@magalilechenne9232]

@Currently Rockhounding thank you! 😊 I enjoy your videos, got into rockhounding a few months ago, and I really want to cut all my rocks..

[@mikedodge3910]

Thank you so much Jared! I am curious if using thicker blades helps with cutting harder material like Montana moss agates and Saddle Mountain Agatized wood.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Generally I would say no since a thicker blade means that it needs to remove more material but it also kinda depends on if its a trim saw or oil saw.

[@chrissaucier9386]

Nice. I recently purchased some of those. Haven't used em yet. I am amazed you bearly did any damage. I kinda expected it to blow out after the first few cuts. You using cutting oil or water ?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I use them with water.

[@Theroamingrockhound]

Another great video. Did you ever run this brand on either of your 10” saws?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I never got them for the 10"

[@Theroamingrockhound]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding for the price I’m definitely gonna give them a shot!

[@kimdedominicis6893]

Have you cut agate or pet wood with these ?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I have.

[@CameraRay]

What thickness blade do you recomend?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It depends on what you're going to be cutting.

[@CameraRay]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding mostly small quartz and agate

[@billdlyaegra9394]

curious about the speed difference between trim saw and tile saw. i noticed you saying these blades won't work on tile saw because the blades are not rated for the speed. i have never used anything but a cheap tile saw turning a 7 inch blade.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Depending on the saws in question a tile saw RPM can range from 3600-8000RPM vs. most trim saws will max out at 3600 rpm. Cutting slower is always the best option for cutting rocks.

[@billdlyaegra9394]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding thanks JR for the helpful answer. Also, your analysis of diamond in notched edge blades is insightful. the service you provide is appreciated.

[@billdlyaegra9394]

i need to correct my typo of JR, i meant CR, or just Jared.

[@jamesanderson2876]

Is it safe to use a 6 in blade in a 7 in wrt tile saw?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It is not. Lapidary blades are not rated for the RPMs of a tile saw.

[@jamesanderson2876]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding so that's the issue of a tile saw vs a lap saw. The rpms NEEDS to be slower?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@jamesanderson2876 That's one of the many differences.

[@Mike-br8vb]

I bought the 5 pack at .5 mm. They cut well, I concur. I also bought their 10" blade and have cut at least 100 cuts, peening now and then. I have about 2 mm of the diamond left on that blade. I paid $43 CAD. Yes, I got my money's worth out of it. I have a new one on order. And I would recommend these blades.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

They are a good value!

[@Mike-br8vb]

@CurrentlyRockhounding They sure are, but I haven't spent the big dollars on a "name brand " blades, so I can't compare. Luckily, I have you to test these against them. Thanks as always, Jared!

[@paigelee6321]

Awesome interesting thank you for sharing your wisdom 😊💙

[@socalrockhound]

Thanks for doing this. Saves me time and money. You do have a saw blade addiction. Lol

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Hahaha I'm happy having a stack of blades to play with!

[@socalrockhound]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding I have the 10 high tech slab saw and the blades they came with not happy with. I’ll probably get some MK blades since I have had success with them on other saws. I also don’t like the thin blade on a saw that size to free hand slabs to much room to bend the blade.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@socalrockhound There's defiantly more rigid option on the market. At some point here I would like make a buying guide for blades.

[@cb175s]

I can say for sure the Amazon Bosch blades are not good... Don't bother... Lol Be careful for sure Great video Thank you for all your time and efforts. I've badly wanted to spend a bunch of $$ and do a review of online diamond blades. 👍👍

[@chuckneese1282]

I have the same trim saw, can you tell me what speed you use when you cut?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It depends on your blade you're using, I normally run at max of what the blade I'm using is rated for.

[@sacredsounds4234]

Will these fit on a 7 inch tile saw from harbor freight?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

They can, but they are not rated for the speed that I tile saw spins at.

[@kellyhollingsworth6100]

What number setting do you use on your saw?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It depends on your blade, you do not want to exceed the rated rpm of whatever blade you're using.

[@jamesh5460]

I have seen the "re-branding" of multiple types of cutting tools that is very frustrating.

[@manisteerocks7092]

This is exciting!!

[@DotComMomm]

What is that metal piece on the saw in front of your body, a shield?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It's a spray guard.

[@DotComMomm]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding I need that for my saw. Did you make it or where did you get it?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@DotComMomm I just made it myself.

[@dustinfindsrocks]

I’m surprised how good it was!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I think they are well worth $4

[@bloodnthuner]

Can these be used on a tile saw?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

They are not rated for the RPM of a tile saw.

[@bloodnthuner]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding Okay thank you. I think the next step for me is to invest in a real lapidary saw.

[@silverback5033]

Jared another little bit of info that would be interesting, would be to view similar more expensive blades under the microscope as a comparison to these ones. 👍

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

There's not much of a visual difference between the cheap stuff and the not cheap stuff new out of the box but its more how they hold up over time and if they have any obvious issues.

[@brentmarks3800]

I bought a 10 inch hi tech saw. I have found that it leaks water and can’t figure out why. Csn you give me anything that might be wrong?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

If it showed up with a crack in the basin that you put water in you should contact the company for a replacement as it sounds like it was damaged in shipping if that's the case.

[@brentmarks3800]

Will check it for cracks. Thanks for quick reply!

[@akessler2596]

Ah wish I knew how the cheap 20" blades stack up, I'm due for one 😅

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I wish I had a 20" saw to test those blades with! :)

[@largent45]

Question, do these blades work on a tile saw as well? Or are they only for trim saws?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I wish they did but unfortunately they just work on trim saws.

[@kathieypowers8329]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding what blades do recommend for tile saw. I just got my first saw. Novice here. Love all the information on your channel.

[@debbiewilson6806]

Very interesting.

[@TarnishedViking.]

Taking one for the teem, and coming out a winner! 👍 I wonder how true the metal stays, from heat and fast cooling? 🤔

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Good question but I really don't think the heat from cutting is enough to do much here.

[@jerrytoner7405]

Awesome

[@n.b.p.davenport7066]

That's a dry saw?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

What?

[@spetkovsek57]

Interesting. I just posted a video trimming a bunch of cabs of varying hardness. Mine was real time. Did you speed yours up? It looked like it. Unfortunately for me, I can only buy mine from one source as it has a one inch arbor hole. So, I'm stuck paying their price. As always, Nice informative video.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I do speed up the cutting and polishing in many of my videos to keep the video length down. The 1" arbor is a tough one, that does really limit the opinion available.

[@manisteerocks7092]

Jarod has a tile saw????..whaaatttt????

[@spetkovsek57]

@@manisteerocks7092 No. What he's using in his video is a HiTech trim saw.

[@manisteerocks7092]

@@spetkovsek57 I know..it's an inside joke between Jarod and i....Jarod understands the joke..I'm sure!..lol..but thanks anyway bud.

[@lincolnshelton2178]

Just an ideal but could not you use a Steel Step Bit to enlarge the arbor hole to fit?

[@Batfan83]

Will this blade fit on a tile saw

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It is not rated for a tilesaw.

[@Batfan83]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding I see is it due to speed im guessing

[@dustinfindsrocks]

Too hot to go rockhounding today… I’m thinking about cutting some rocks… mrghh 😒 I need a bigger saw! 🤣 might have to raid the piles…

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I feel like we haven't even had a spring yet, its just rain forever it feels like.

[@graemero5532]

The rebranding of blades is no surprise. I've seen loads of cheap tools rebranded by supposed mid quality brands in the engineering line. The days of getting what you paid for are long gone, unless you can afford top quality.

[@johngreen5837]

I just got the (I love tool) blades. 150x0.18 . I'm gonna try them out this weekend. Thanks for all the great info. About what rpm are you cutting at?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Max RPM!

[@beinghuman3225]

I make me own power tools. So when you say max, do you have an rpm number to go with that? Currently spinning same blade in video at 1342 rpm. Another quick question for you, as I'm brand new to rock cutting. Is lubricant needed with these blades? I've noticed that dimond dremel bits (round) work much better dry. Thanks

[@joniangelsrreal6262]

👍

[@AlchemyOfTheFourthKind]

6:31 you get what you pay for, fact.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Wrong

[@Rockin_in_Kentucky]

Wow I'm only buying the Amazon blades.