ForConstructionPros.com

By Rebecca Kanable, contributing writer

Diamond blades get beat up in a variety of ways. They get burned, stuck (and then hit with a hammer), bent and broken. It's not pretty and it's not good practice.

Whether you're using a diamond blade on a gas-powered saw, electric hand saw or walk-behind saw, a few words of wisdom can help save blades from misuse and abuse.

Factors affecting longevity
Blade life can vary greatly depending on a number of variables. One key factor is blade quality (diamond quality and concentration, and segment bond and width). Consider that two blades of the same diameter could have different diamond depths, amounts of diamond in the blade segment and segment heights.

As with traditional diamonds, there are different grades assigned to synthetic diamonds for saw blades. "A higher-quality diamond is going to perform better and definitely last longer," says Ted Skaff of Pearl Abrasive Co. In some cases, it may also grind or cut faster, as well.

Another key factor in blade life is the material that needs to be cut. Cutting a hard material such as concrete requires a different blade than one used to cut a soft, abrasive material such as asphalt. The harder material requires diamonds to be exposed more quickly, and a softer bond to hold the diamonds to the segment.