A Revolution

Advances in speed, lifespan, versatility and noise reduction set a new benchmark for masonry blades.

By Brett Martin

Masonry contractors who are still buying run-of-the-mill diamond blades may not realize there's a revolution going on in blade technology. Better diamond placement means blades are able to cut faster through a greater variety of materials and last longer. And, consider this: The blades cost less money per cut and can improve productivity.

Brian Delahaut, VP and general manager for MK Diamond Products Inc. in Torrance, Calif., predicts that diamond blades will gradually become less specialized and more generally purposed, a trend that's already started.

"What's happening in the industry is, the diamond quality is continuing to improve," Delahaut says. "The crystals are much more sophisticated and consistent in shape and size. Many blades today are reaching a cutting efficiency that lets them cut a wider variety of materials."

Faster cuts, longer life

Previously, blades were made softer to cut faster, which meant they wore down quicker. Or, they were made harder to last longer, but then cut slower.

"People used to think that you had to sacrifice cutting speed to get longer life, and vice versa, but ARIX gives you both," Steiner says. "The product is truly amazing. It cuts faster and lasts longer. It changes everything."

Steiner says ARIX blades cut 50 percent faster and last 30 percent longer.

"This blade puts the diamonds in a row for uniform wear," he says. "When one diamond wears out, a new one takes its place."

"The blade is patented technology that specifically locates diamonds where optimum cutting performance can be achieved," Gilmour says. "It cuts quicker because of equal exposure of the diamonds, and none of the diamonds will fall out of the segment until it's completely used, extending the life of the blade."

Gilmour says the blades cut 30 percent to 60 percent faster and offer 20 percent to 40 percent more blade life.

Although technologically advanced blades cost more than standard blades, masonry contractors get more cuts per blade, which offsets the cost.

"In terms of cost per cut, you're getting the best price on the market," Steiner says.

Cut quicker through more

"It's designed to give the contractor the ability to cut materials at an extremely fast speed, which helps to reduce operator fatigue," he says, adding that the blade is slightly more expensive than blades that have diamonds randomly placed, but contractors realize the benefit with the increased cutting speed.

"What we have is 65 percent more efficiency in speed and cutting capability," Delahaut says. "If you're paying someone $20 an hour, and he's cutting 100 bricks per hour, you can increase the number of cuts per hour by 65 percent. From a contractor's standpoint, it's going to save you money."

"This is for the contractor who values speed," Siva says. "It gives 20 to 30 percent more speed, with 10 to 20 percent more life, but I recommend it for the speed."

Husqvarna currently offers the MI5, a general-purpose blade that has a specific diamond segment for faster cutting.

Highly versatile, generally purposed

"We have a diamond blade that is an all-combination blade that will cut anything," Hunkler says. "Masonry contractors tend to cut a lot of different materials. This saves them a lot of time. They don't have to switch blades. Anybody can grab it and cut with it."

Hunkler says since the blades can cut a variety of materials without getting damaged, contractors won't have to buy as many blades. "It isn't a cheap solution. It's a long-term solution that will save money and time in the long run."

"It will cut through rebar and wood quickly," he says. "You can keep the blade on the jobsite to cut limestone, and then cut rebar."

Delahaut expects that general-purpose blades will become the norm over the next decade.

"If I look out over the next 10 years, I think we'll end up with only few blades that will be able to cut nearly every masonry and stone material found on most jobsites," he says. "Most of the specialized blades today will evolve into a general-purpose blade. This will give so much more versatility to the contractor."

Reduced noise

"We carved out pieces of the steel core and filled them an epoxy resin," Gilmour says of the Silent High Speed Zenesis blade. "That deadens the sound and makes it quiet."

"These blades have a sandwiched steel core, so the core itself has three layers that absorb the harmonics," he says. "It prevents vibrations in the steel core, which is the best way to reduce noise."

Steiner says DITEQ is planning to unveil a new silent core blade later this year. "Products that cut more quietly are going to be the future," he says. "It may revolutionize masonry saws in high-traffic areas like schools, hospitals and shopping centers."