DeWalt High Strength Bi-Metal Utility Blade (50 pack)

Why these blades ended up in my everyday kit

I go through a lot of utility blades—scoring drywall, breaking down heavy packaging, trimming flooring, and the occasional jobsite oddity. I keep a few brands on hand to compare, and after a few weeks rotating in these DeWalt bi‑metal blades (50‑pack), I have a clear sense of where they shine and where they come up short.

Build and design

These are standard trapezoid utility blades with a bi‑metal construction: a hardened cutting edge welded to a high‑strength, springier backer. That combination is intended to give you a sharp edge that doesn’t snap under flex. In practice, I found the blades slightly more forgiving than typical carbon steel blades when I torqued them in thicker materials or when a cut bound unexpectedly. You’ll still chip or damage the edge if you hit staples or concrete, but catastrophic snaps were rare for me.

The blades come in a compact top‑slide dispenser. It’s pocketable and rugged enough to toss in a tool bag. The capacity is 50, which is generous for pros and plenty for DIYers who don’t want to restock often.

Sharpness and edge retention

Out of the box, these are very sharp. On double‑wall cardboard, I was getting clean, one‑pass cuts with minimal fuzzing. Scoring drywall was smooth, and the tip tracked neatly without wandering. Where they impressed me most was in repetitive cuts on roofing felt and heavy poly—materials that often dull a blade fast. I got a full day of on‑and‑off cutting before I felt the need to flip the blade.

Compared to commodity carbon steel blades, edge life is noticeably better. Versus premium coated blades (think titanium or carbide‑infused), these don’t last quite as long, but they’re close, and the feel stays consistent as they wear. The tip held up better than I expected: I did a lot of point work—cutting out outlet openings in drywall and piercing shrink‑wrap—and the point kept its crispness longer than most general‑purpose blades I use.

As always, flipping the blade is your friend. I treat these as two fresh edges per blade, and on average I got two to three days of intermittent jobsite use per blade across mixed materials. If you spend your day on carpet or fiber cement underlayment (blade killers), expect more frequent changes.

Durability and flex

The “high‑strength body” claim checks out in terms of resistance to snapping. I intentionally abused a couple—prying up a stuck paint lid, twisting in dense foam insulation, and forcing cuts at odd angles. Instead of breaking, the blade flexed and rebounded more often than not. That flex is a double‑edged sword: it helps avoid sudden breaks but can also translate to a hint of chatter in very hard cuts if your knife doesn’t clamp the blade tightly.

If you’re rough on blades, these will likely save you from a few breaks. They’re not pry bars, and you shouldn’t treat them as such, but that bit of spring goes a long way in real‑world use.

Dispenser and blade access

The top‑slide dispenser is convenient, with a positive detent that presents one blade at a time. When the dispenser is full, I did experience occasional stickiness—the first few blades took a firm push to slide free. A quick tap to seat the stack and a thumb on the opposite side to relieve pressure usually solved it. Once I was halfway through the pack, blade access got easier. A drop of dry lube on the internal rails helped as well.

I like that the dispenser is compact and translucent enough to judge remaining quantity. It also holds used blades safely if you flip them around—handy on a ladder where a trip to the trash isn’t practical.

Fit and compatibility

In my knives, fit varied slightly:

• In a classic Stanley 99E, the blade had a tiny bit of play front‑to‑back until I tightened the screw. Once snug, it was fine.
• In a Milwaukee Fastback, the magnet and plate held the blade rock solid with no rattle.
• In a DeWalt folding knife, the fit was predictably tight.
• In an older no‑name retractable, the blade felt a touch loose; the knife’s worn tolerances were more to blame than the blade.

These feel like a standard gauge to me, but the springy backer might make them feel “thinner” in a poorly clamping knife. If your knife has a weak or worn lock, spend the five minutes to clean the blade channel and tighten or replace any loose hardware. A drop of oil on the knife’s slider can also reduce blade chatter in harder cuts.

Materials and tasks

Where these blades excelled for me:
- Drywall scoring and detail cutouts
- Thick cardboard, shrink‑wrap, and pallet strapping
- Roofing felt, tar paper, and housewrap
- Foam board insulation and acoustic panels
- Vinyl and LVP scoring
- General shop tasks: trimming shims, zip ties, and plastic sheeting

Where I swapped more often:
- Carpet (especially when contacting tack strips)
- Asphalt shingles with embedded granules
- Cement board underlayment
- Cutting through adhesive-laden materials

If you primarily cut highly abrasive materials all day, a coated “long life” blade might be worth it. For mixed-use utility work, these hold their own and then some.

Value and alternatives

You get 50 blades, made in the USA, with a lifetime limited warranty. The per‑blade cost is competitive with mid‑grade options and sits below some premium coated blades. The big differentiators here are the balance of sharpness and flex, plus the tip longevity. If you’re comparing:

• Versus basic carbon steel: These last longer, break less, and feel sharper out of the box.
• Versus coated premium blades: Those may offer slightly longer life on abrasives, but they cost more. The DeWalt blades feel more predictable across different materials.
• Versus snap‑off utility knives: Different category. If you rely on continuous fresh edges with a snap‑off, stick with that format. For fixed/trapezoid knives, these are a strong generalist.

Small gripes

• The dispenser can be stiff when full. It’s manageable, but worth noting.
• In knives with sloppy tolerances, the blade can feel slightly “loose.” Tighten or upgrade your knife if this bugs you.
• No special coating. If you spend every day cutting highly abrasive materials, you’ll want a coated or carbide variant.

Safety notes

They’re very sharp. I nicked my glove on a hasty blade change—operator error, but a reminder to use the lock on your knife, keep fingers behind the edge, and consider cut‑resistant gloves when cutting toward yourself (better yet, don’t).

Pros and cons

Pros
- Sharp out of the package with strong tip performance
- Bi‑metal body resists snapping and tolerates minor abuse
- Good edge life for general use
- Compact, useful dispenser
- Made in the USA with a lifetime limited warranty
- Fair value in a 50‑pack

Cons
- Dispenser can bind a bit when full
- Slight play in worn or loose‑tolerance knives
- Not the longest‑lasting option on highly abrasive materials

Bottom line

I keep a lot of blades around, and these DeWalt bi‑metal blades have earned a permanent spot in my bag. They strike a practical balance: sharp, durable, and forgiving when cuts don’t go exactly as planned. The dispenser isn’t perfect, and compatibility quirks show up with tired knives, but those are fixable issues.

Recommendation: I recommend these blades for anyone who needs a reliable general‑purpose blade for mixed materials—pros and serious DIYers alike. If your daily grind is carpet over tack strip or shingles from dawn to dusk, consider a coated long‑life blade. For everyone else, this 50‑pack is a dependable, cost‑effective choice that reduces breakage without sacrificing sharpness.