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| Diamond blades are constructed with what is called a matrix metal that holds the diamonds in place. As you cut this matrix metal flakes away and exposes more diamond to allow for proper good fast cutting. These metals are made in many combinations, but the basic rule is that the metals used to hold the diamonds to cut hard material are softer than the metals used to hold the diamonds to cut soft materials. "soft cuts hard - hard cuts soft" The trade off to having a soft matrix metal material is that it tends to give good cutting speed but wears out faster than the harder matrix metals. Different materials need different blades but often times to save money we try to cut everything with one blade type. When this happens both of the matrix metal can experience what is called "glazing over". This is when the heat generated as the blade turns through the material at the point of cutting contact causes the matrix metals to actually melt over the diamonds rather than flake off and expose more diamonds. When the metal melts it coats or "glazes over" the diamonds so the diamonds stop cutting. When this happens the most noticeable symptoms are that your saw will bog down and seem like the motor has no power or the blade will wander and the saw will not cut straight.
The only solution to this problem is what is called "dressing the blade" which is the process of removing those matrix metals that have melted over the diamonds.
Available from our online store dressing stone are the most efficient way to dress diamond blades:
Resin dressing stone or Dressing stone
If you do not have a dressing stone handy, you need to follow the process below:
Get a 12" or 18" square 1" thick soft cement block paver. You do not want to use the real hard type. Then take and run your blade through 10 to 12 times to loosen the glazed material that is covering the diamonds. You may have to do this multiple times, but if done correctly it should return your blade and saw to its peak cutting performance.
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