A 36-inch blade is the largest plate most walk-behind flat saws will take, and it is what a crew mounts when the cut has to go through a slab in one pass and nothing smaller will reach. This is the MK Diamond MK-505 premium-grade cured-concrete blade in the thinnest of MK's three 36-inch kerfs, .187, with laser-welded segments and a 1-inch arbor.
Built for concrete cutting contractors, bridge and highway crews, and heavy demolition operators
Use cases
- Maximum-depth single-pass cutting. At 36 inches the blade reaches deeper than anything else in the flat saw range, which is the whole reason to run one.
- Bridge deck removal and replacement. Full-depth cuts at the boundary of a deck panel let it be lifted out rather than broken out.
- Thick pavement and runway work. Airfield and heavy-haul pavement sections run deep enough that smaller diameters cannot finish the cut from the surface.
- Dam, lock and heavy civil concrete. Mass concrete structures are the kind of cured, hard work this premium bond is aimed at.
Choosing between the MK-505 sizes
MK lists three 36-inch MK-505 plates: this .187, a .210 and a .250. The .187 is the thinnest. It removes the least material per linear foot and asks the least of the saw, which matters at a diameter this large. Choose it when the saw is not at the very top of the horsepower range or when the specified joint width is narrow; step up to .210 or .250 when plate stiffness at full depth matters more than drag.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: MK Diamond Products
- Model: MK-505
- MK part number: 135343
- Diameter: 36" (914mm)
- Width (kerf): .187
- Arbor: 1"
- Application: Cured concrete
- Grade: Premium
- Cutting method: Wet cutting
- Segment attachment: Laser welded
- Segment height: 12mm
- Horsepower range: 8 - 20 hp
Getting a full life out of the blade
Most large-diameter blades that come back worn out early were not defective. They were run on a saw that could not turn them, run dry or run short of water, or pushed harder than the bond could shed. MK rates the MK-505 line at 8 to 20 horsepower, and the larger the plate the closer to the top of that range you want to be. A saw that bogs drops the blade below its efficient surface speed, the segments stop shedding worn diamond, and the blade glazes over instead of cutting.
Keep the water on and keep it even on both sides of the plate. Water is doing three jobs at once: holding the core temperature down so the plate stays true, protecting the laser-welded joint between segment and core, and flushing slurry out of the kerf so the diamond stays in contact with concrete rather than with its own cuttings. Let the blade set its own feed rate. Forcing a large blade into a hard-aggregate slab does not speed the cut, it deflects the plate and rounds the segments. If a blade does glaze, a pass through an abrasive material will usually re-expose the diamond; running it harder will not. Finally, check the arbor and flanges before every blade change, because a worn or dirty flange face is a common and avoidable cause of a blade that will not track straight.
Fitment and ordering notes
This blade is supplied with a 1-inch arbor, the standard shaft size on the walk-behind flat saws it is intended for. Before ordering any large-diameter plate, confirm two things on your machine: that it is rated for this blade diameter, and that the blade guard will physically accept it. A saw will often spin a blade it was never rated to carry, and that is neither safe nor productive. MK also notes that additional blade diameters and special arbors in the MK-505 range are available on request.
Frequently asked questions
Will my saw take a 36-inch blade?
Only if the saw is rated for that diameter and has the guard for it. Check the machine's maximum blade size before ordering. MK rates the MK-505 line at 8 to 20 horsepower and a 36-inch plate belongs at the top of it.
Why choose the .187 kerf over the .210 or .250?
A thinner plate cuts a narrower joint, removes less concrete and loads the saw less. The trade is stiffness, so it is the right pick when drag is the constraint rather than deflection.
Is water required?
Yes, this is a wet-cutting blade. Water cools the core, protects the segment bond and controls silica dust.
What is the segment height?
MK publishes a 12mm segment height across the MK-505 line.
Can it be used on asphalt?
It is bonded for cured concrete. Asphalt is abrasive and soft and wears a concrete bond quickly. MK publishes dedicated asphalt blades for that material.
Discount Cleaning Products is an authorized MK Diamond dealer. We stock the MK Diamond blade line for concrete, masonry and stone professionals, and our US-based team can help you match a diameter, kerf and bond to the saw you actually own before you order. If you are not certain which part number fits your machine, call us with the saw make and model and we will check it against MK's published range rather than guess.
