DeWalt 6-1/2 in. 24 Tooth Circular Saw Blade

Why I reached for this blade

I swapped to the DeWalt 6-1/2-in 24T blade on a deck demo and rebuild where my compact cordless saw lives on my hip. The job was classic mixed material work: ripping 2x SPF, crosscutting pressure-treated joists, trimming OSB and plywood, and the occasional surprise nail or screw buried in old lumber. I wanted a blade that would keep my cordless saw moving fast, cut clean enough for framing and sheathing, and survive the inevitable metal strike without turning into scrap. This one checked those boxes better than most 24T blades I’ve used in this size.

Setup and compatibility

Mounting was straightforward on both my compact 20V circular saw and an older corded trim saw. The 5/8-in arbor fit snugly, and the plate runs true. At 6-1/2 inches in diameter with a 0.065-in thin kerf, it’s built for the legions of cordless saws that dominate job sites and DIY garages. No odd spacers required, no flange interference, and no rubbing on the guard.

If you’re used to 7-1/4-in blades, remember the 6-1/2-in format limits depth of cut. That’s a saw constraint more than a blade issue, but it affects whether you’ll clear a 2x at steep bevels. With this blade on my compact saw at 45 degrees, I could still make clean passes through 2x, but it was right on the edge—typical for this class.

Design notes that actually matter in use

• Thin kerf (0.065 in): This is the heart of why it works well on cordless. Less material removed per pass means less load on the motor and better runtime without sacrificing tracking.
• Body slots: The vibration relief is noticeable in long rips and diagonal passes—less chatter, fewer micro-corrections.
• High-density tungsten carbide teeth: They hold an edge respectably, and more importantly, they handle incidental nails without catastrophic failure.
• Reinforced shoulder: That extra meat behind the tooth keeps the carbide supported during impacts. I kissed a small finish nail during demo; the blade shrugged and kept cutting square.
• Anti-stick coating: Pitch and resin don’t build up as quickly, and heat stays in check when you push the feed rate.

None of these are flashy on paper, but together they make a compact-saw blade feel steadier and more efficient.

Cutting performance

I put it through a mix of tasks to see where it excels and where it compromises.

• Framing lumber (2x SPF): Rips and crosscuts were fast and predictable. The 24-tooth count is a good balance; I could drive hard without bogging the saw, and the cut line stayed easy to track. Edge quality was clean enough for framing—minor fuzzing on the exit side if you get aggressive, but nothing that matters structurally.
• Pressure-treated 2x: Slightly more resistance (as expected), but the thin kerf helped the cordless motor stay in its power band. Minimal burning, even on slow crosscuts through wet PT.
• Plywood and OSB (1/2 to 3/4 in): Cuts were accurate, and the blade resisted wandering across the face. Tear-out on the top veneer of plywood is reasonable for 24T—present, not excessive. If I needed cabinet-grade edges, I’d swap to a 40T+, but for subfloor, sheathing, and jobsite built-ins, it’s fine.
• Nail-embedded wood: I intentionally sliced through a brad and later nicked a small screw shank hiding in decking. No lost teeth. Afterward, I could see a slight micro-chipping on one carbide, but the blade kept tracking straight and didn’t start burning. That reinforced shoulder earns its keep.

The geometry tracks well; I didn’t have to fight drift on long rips, and line-of-cut following felt confident. That’s especially welcome on compact saws, which can flex a bit more under load than full-size 7-1/4-in models.

Vibration, noise, and feel

The blade runs notably smoother than bargain framing blades. With body slots and a stiff plate, it resists the “ting-ting” harmonic that makes some compact saws feel chattery. You’ll still want hearing protection—it’s a saw blade—but the pitch is less shrill than average. The reduced vibration also shows up in the cut face: fewer micro washboard marks on fast rips.

Battery runtime and efficiency

A thin kerf is the simplest way to help a cordless saw do more work, and it shows. Compared to a standard-kerf 24T I use on a 7-1/4-in saw, I got noticeably more cuts per charge on 2x material with this 6-1/2-in blade. Feed rates stayed high without tripping overload. On repetitive crosscuts for stud prep, that adds up to real time saved walking back to the charger.

Heat and gumming

The anti-stick coating does its job. In resinous pine and wet PT, the blade stayed clean longer and didn’t start squealing from pitch buildup. After a long afternoon of ripping PT, I did see a faint frosting of resin on the sides—normal for this material. A quick clean with blade cleaner brought it back to bright without any stubborn gunk. If you’re ripping a lot of cedar or sappy pine, clean periodically to preserve cut quality and runtime.

Durability over time

After several days of mixed cutting and the aforementioned nail strikes, the teeth still looked sharp with even wear. No cracked carbide, no wandering. Scribing and trimming OSB at odd angles didn’t wobble the plate or tweak the shoulders. That’s important: compact saws get tossed around; if a plate is soft or poorly tensioned, you notice quickly. This one stayed true.

Longevity will always depend on what you cut and how often you hit metal. But for jobsite generalists—demo one day, framing and sheathing the next—the wear rate feels favorable, and the reinforced teeth inspire confidence if you miss a fastener during cleanup.

Where it fits (and where it doesn’t)

Strengths:
- Fast, controlled cutting in framing lumber and sheathing with a cordless saw.
- Good tracking and low vibration for a thin-kerf blade.
- Handles incidental nails with minimal drama.
- Stays cleaner and cooler than many budget competitors.

Trade-offs:
- Not a finish blade. For cabinet plywood or prefinished trim, use a 40T or higher.
- The 6-1/2-in diameter limits depth of cut and bevel capacity compared to 7-1/4-in systems—know your saw’s constraints.
- After repeated metal strikes, expect minor micro-chipping. The blade remains usable, but finish quality on veneer will show it.

Practical tips for best results

• Finish-sensitive plywood: Tape the cut line, score the veneer lightly, or flip the sheet so the good face is down to minimize tear-out.
• Long rips in wet PT: Let the blade do the work. If you feel heat or hear a squeal, clean the blade—pitch build-up masquerades as “dull.”
• Avoid prying with the blade. The reinforced shoulder protects against impact, not side loading.
• Mark your blade once you hit metal. I put a paint dot on the plate so I know to reserve it for framing rather than trim.

Alternatives to consider

If you primarily cut sheet goods and want crisper edges, a 40T–60T 6-1/2-in blade will reduce tear-out at the cost of speed and runtime on cordless. If you’re doing heavy demo with lots of hidden fasteners, a carbide-tipped demolition blade with even more aggressive shoulders might last longer, though it’ll usually run rougher. For all-around jobsite use on compact saws, 24T remains the sweet spot, and this particular blade leans toward the refined end of that category.

Final take

I kept this DeWalt 6-1/2-in 24T blade on my compact saw for an entire week of framing and sheathing because it did the everyday things right: it cuts fast, tracks consistently, runs smoothly, and doesn’t balk at the occasional nail. The thin kerf gives cordless saws the efficiency bump they need, and the anti-stick coating genuinely reduces heat and gumming in real-world materials.

Recommendation: I recommend this blade for anyone using a 6-1/2-in circular saw as their primary jobsite or DIY workhorse—framers, remodelers, and homeowners tackling decks, walls, and subfloors. It’s not a finish blade and doesn’t pretend to be one, but for general wood-cutting (even with the occasional embedded fastener), it offers a strong combination of speed, durability, and clean-enough results with less vibration than most in its class.