If you require the ultimate in cutting power for your saw, then you can’t do any better than a diamond saw blade. On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, diamond rates as a ten on the 0-10 scale. Far sharper and tough than brass or even steel, diamond blades are used to cut the hardest of materials. Diamond tipped saws are often used when cutting through such materials as stone, concrete, or metals. Diamond and carbide are the sharpest of possible blade types. Diamond, however, is the sharpest of the two, with carbide rating around a 9 on the Mohs scale.
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Diamond is the perfect choice for any non-ferrous material that would otherwise resist cutting from lesser blades. A diamond or diamond tipped saw blade will cut through any material, including other diamonds. Diamonds began to see wide use in industrial applications when polycrystalline diamonds, or PCDs, appeared. PCDs are a synthetic mixture of diamond within a metal matrix. Natural diamonds, although suitable as far as sharpness, have a tendency to shatter when struck from a certain plane. PCDs are engineered in such a way that they maintain a toughness similar to harder metals such as steel.
Although diamond blades are by far the sharpest available, they have one very serious limitation. A diamond blade can only be used with non-ferrous materials, or materials that possess no iron in them. Although a diamond blade will cut through iron, it suffers extreme wear and tear and will break if used extensively for such a purpose. When the blade begins to heat up, it undergoes a chemical reaction with the iron that it is cutting, thereby losing its toughness.
Leading brands of diamond blades include Precision Diamond Inc., and Premium Blade. Diamond blades offered by these companies have a decently wide range of price points. A 12″ circular blade runs at about $189.00, with smaller 4″ blades running as cheap as $14.00.
If you require the ulimate in sharpness and toughness, then a diamond saw blade will suit your needs. A diamond saw blade will easily cut through any material, with the exception of any ferrous or iron containing material. As such, diamond blades are perfectly suited for heavy duty masonry work. Diamond blades make short work of brick, stone, and concrete, making them ideal for construction work.
