A cutting apparatus having a cutting blade is designed for reliable recognition of a state, such as chipping or wear, occurring in the cutting blade. The cutting apparatus at least includes cutting means having the cutting blade for cutting a workpiece held on a chuck table while supplying a cutting fluid to the workpiece, and blade detection means for detecting the state of the cutting blade. The blade detection means at least includes an imaging section for imaging an outer peripheral edge portion of the cutting blade, a light emitting section confronting the imaging section and disposed at a position facing the outer peripheral edge portion of the cutting blade, an image processing section for processing an image obtained by the imaging section, and a blinking control section for blinking the light emitting section. Since the light emitting section confronts the imaging section, contrast between a portion in the obtained image blocked by the cutting blade and a portion not blocked thereby becomes distinct. |