DeWalt Replacement Right Blade

I keep a couple of spare shear blades in the top drawer of my sheet‑metal bench. The right blade for my swivel head shears is the one that sees the most rotation, and swapping in a fresh one can make the tool feel new again. After a full week of shop use, this replacement right blade has done exactly that—restoring clean, predictable cuts on the DW890 and DW891 without fuss.

What it is and why it matters

This is a factory right‑side blade for DeWalt’s double‑cut swivel head shears. It’s sold as a single piece (not a set) with a plain silver finish and a compact footprint—about 5 inches long, 5 inches wide, half an inch thick, and roughly 2.4 ounces by my scale. It’s a direct fit for the DW890 (rated for 18‑gauge steel) and DW891 (14‑gauge). The capacity stamped on the packaging mirrors the lighter shear’s rating: 18 ga mild steel and 20 ga stainless. That’s the practical window where this blade shines.

Double‑cut shears are excellent for sheet metal because they leave two clean, near‑burr‑free edges and push a narrow waste strip up and out of the cut. If the side blades are dull or misaligned, you’ll feel it immediately—ragged edges, a bucking feed, and the motor lugs under load. A new right blade, set correctly, fixes most of that in minutes.

Compatibility and fit

I used this blade on both a DW890 and an older DW891 head I keep set up for heavier stock. Fit was spot on: mounting holes lined up cleanly, and the seating face was flat and square with no rocking. On the DW890, the blade dropped in without shimming. On the DW891, I checked for any required clearance tweaks; none were needed beyond a routine alignment.

A quick reminder: this is the right‑side blade only. If your left blade or center blade is worn, you’ll need those parts separately. Mixing a brand‑new right blade with a badly worn left can still work, but you’ll get the best cut quality when wear is reasonably matched.

Installation and setup

Here’s the process that gave me the cleanest results:

• Unplug the shear and lock the head.
• Remove the old right blade and brush out chips from the pockets and mating faces.
• Lightly stone any burrs on the head plate—just enough to remove high spots, not to change geometry.
• Install the new blade, snugging the screws evenly. I don’t reef on these; I tighten to manufacturer guidance and recheck after the first few feet of cutting.
• Check blade overlap and clearance against the manual (or using a feel of light drag by hand rotation, if you know your machine well).
• Make a short test cut in scrap to confirm chip formation and edge quality, then retighten after the test if needed.

With proper alignment, the waste strip should exit cleanly and the shear should feed with minimal vibration. If you see a snaking chip or feel chatter, recheck parallelism and screw torque.

Cutting performance

On fresh 18‑gauge mild steel sheet, the difference between a tired blade and this fresh right blade was immediate. The tool fed without complaint, the waste curl evacuated smoothly, and both edges were clean with minimal paint lift on prefinished stock. Tight curves are always a balancing act with double‑cut shears, but the swivel head combined with a sharp right blade let me track profiles around HVAC takeoffs and light automotive patch panels without binding.

In 20‑gauge 304 stainless, performance was solid as long as I respected the speed and feed. I dialed back the pace slightly, kept the tool square, and let the blades do the work. Using a dab of cutting fluid at the start of a long cut helped reduce galling and kept the chip flowing. Push too hard and you’ll feel the tool resist; back off and it returns to a steady, controlled feed.

Aluminum (0.050–0.063 inch) cut easily and quickly. The edges were extremely clean, and the narrow kerf was consistent even through light beadwork and gentle flanges. As always, I avoided folded seams and heavy ribs—no blade enjoys those surprises.

Edge quality and distortion

The hallmark of double‑cut shears is low distortion, and this blade stays true to that. Compared to nibbler patterns (which can leave a rough, toothy edge) or single‑cut shears (which tend to raise one lip), I got two usable edges with almost no dressing required. On powder‑coated sheet, finish damage was minimal along both sides of the cut, and the waste strip kept chips off the work surface.

I measured run‑out across a 3‑foot straight cut in 18‑ga steel and saw less than 1/32 inch drift with casual guidance—well within tolerance for shop fab and duct transitions. For scribe‑line accuracy, keeping a steady hand and letting the blade chew rather than forcing the feed produces the straightest results.

Durability and wear

After a week of mixed use—roughly 60 feet of 18‑ga mild steel, 20 feet of 20‑ga stainless, and odds‑and‑ends aluminum—the cutting edges still looked crisp. The silver finish shows normal burnishing in the contact zone but no premature chipping or micro‑fractures. That lines up with what I expect from an OEM DeWalt blade: it’s not exotic or flashy, but it holds an edge as long as you operate within the tool’s intended capacity and avoid abusive cuts.

A couple of small tips to extend life:

• Keep chips out of the head. Packed swarf will abrade the edges.
• Don’t exceed the rated gauges. The DW891 can tempt you into heavier material; the right blade will pay the price.
• Slow down on stainless, and use a light lubricant if the chip starts to smear or seize.

Practical considerations

• Single blade packaging: It’s sold individually. If you’re refreshing a tired shear, plan on evaluating the left and center blades, too. Replacing only the worst offender works, but a matched pair offers the best finish.
• No drama on install: Hardware reused cleanly and seated properly. I didn’t need shims or specialty tools beyond a clean bench and a torque‑conscious hand.
• Weight and balance: At 2.4 oz, it doesn’t affect the feel of the shear, which matters if you’re doing overhead or ladder work.
• Finish: The plain silver blade makes it easy to see wear and galling early, which I actually prefer over darker coatings that can hide damage.

Value and alternatives

Third‑party blades exist, and I’ve tried a few over the years. Some cut fine but don’t hold alignment as long; others save a few dollars up front but cost you in setup time or edge life. The advantage here is predictability: fit is correct, performance matches the tool’s rating, and I’m not chasing weird tolerances. If you rely on your shears in a production setting, that predictability usually trumps small savings.

Who it’s for

• Sheet‑metal techs and HVAC installers who live in 18‑ga mild steel and lighter stainless.
• Auto body fabricators cutting patch panels, brackets, and interior panels without needing a grinder cleanup.
• Maintenance crews who want quick, clean cuts on site with minimal mess and minimal distortion.

If you primarily cut heavy bar, plate, or heavily corrugated stock, this blade (and the shear platform) isn’t the right match. For that, look at throatless shears or a bandsaw. If you need tiny inside radii, a nibbler still wins.

Bottom line

Swapping in this right blade brought both my DW890 and DW891 back to form. Installation was straightforward, alignment held, and the cut quality in the rated materials was exactly what I want from a double‑cut shear: clean edges, controlled feed, and no surprises. Durability has been solid through typical shop workloads, and I appreciate that it’s sold individually so I can replace exactly what’s worn.

Recommendation: I recommend this right‑side replacement blade for anyone maintaining a DW890 or DW891 within their intended capacities. It’s a predictable, properly fitting OEM part that restores cut quality without setup headaches. If your work regularly requires both edges to be finish‑ready with minimal distortion, this blade earns its keep. Just remember it’s a single right‑side piece; evaluate your left and center blades at the same time for best results.