One of the things that can confuse customers the most is the difference between each type of diamond blade. While asphalt and concrete cutting blades are both types of diamond blades, they still have many differences in their manufacturing and usage. Keep reading to understand the differences between asphalt and concrete cutting blades, which will help you determine which to select for your future projects.
Different Blade Bonds
A diamond blade’s bond holds the diamond particles in place to create this specialty blade. Bonds form with a metal powder, which is commonly a mixture of various metals. The rule of thumb for diamond blades is the softer the material, the harder the blade’s bond. Asphalt is a softer material than concrete, so the bond for these blades requires a mixture of harder metal powers. Concrete blades are the opposite—these blades use a softer bond to cut through the harder concrete material more easily.
Different Blade Cores
Concrete and asphalt diamond blades also feature different blade cores and segments. The core of the diamond blade is the flat, round disc that supports the diamond-encrusted segments on its edge. The segments for asphalt blades typically run deeper into the blade’s core. Common asphalt blade segments include wedge segments and radial segments. These segments help prevent your blade from undercutting the material and dispersing during the grinding process.
Blade Application Differences
The biggest difference between these two types of diamond blades is obviously the different materials they specialize in cutting. Besides the application differences between asphalt and concrete cutting, these two types of blades also have different strengths in certain applications. For example, melting and binding can often occur during the asphalt cutting process. Therefore, wet cutting is more common than dry cutting when using an asphalt blade. However, you can use both asphalt and concrete cutting blades for dry-cutting or wet-cutting applications.
These are some of the differences between asphalt blades and concrete blades. You should consider them before your next cutting project to get suitable blades. If you need to get some blades for your job, you can browse a variety of diamond blades at our shop here at Pro Blades Outlet.
