Cutting concrete block, brick and paver stock puts a kind of wear on a diamond blade that a general purpose rim will not survive for long. Soft abrasive masonry scours the bond away faster than it releases diamond, and a blade chosen for hard dense material simply polishes over and stops cutting. The MK Diamond MK-950D is bonded for exactly that problem. It is a dry cutting turbo rim blade in MK Diamond Premium grade, intended for the masonry contractor, hardscape installer or landscape crew whose day is spent in the softest and most abrasive material on the site. This is the 12-inch blade on a 20 mm arbor.
Use cases
- Sizing concrete block, cinder block and CMU on a block saw or walk-behind saw
- Cutting brick, pavers and retaining wall block on hardscape and landscape installations
- Trimming soft abrasive stone and similar masonry where a hard material blade glazes over
- Working where water is impractical, with no slurry to contain and no tank to refill
Why a turbo rim
A turbo rim is a continuous rim with a serrated, waved profile rather than a row of separately welded segments. The serrations give dust somewhere to go and pull air across the steel core, which is what allows the blade to run dry without overheating. Because the rim is continuous rather than segmented, it also leaves a cleaner edge on a finished brick or block face, where a segmented rim tends to chip the arris on the way out of the cut.
Matching the bond to the material
Diamond blades are bonded inversely to what they cut. Soft abrasive material calls for a hard bond, and hard dense material calls for a soft bond. The MK-950D carries the hard bond suited to soft abrasive masonry. Put it into hard dense material such as high strength cured concrete or granite and the bond will not erode quickly enough to expose fresh diamond, so the blade glazes and stops cutting. Put a hard material blade into block and the opposite happens, with the bond eroding so fast that diamond is thrown away before it has done any work. Bond selection is the largest single factor in how long a blade lasts and how fast it cuts.
Specifications
- MK Diamond part number 150681Z, MK-950D series
- 12-inch (305 mm) diameter
- 0.125-inch rim width
- 20 mm arbor
- Premium grade
- Continuous turbo rim
- Dry cutting
Arbor variants
MK Diamond publishes this 12-inch blade in two arbor sizes. Part number 150681Z has a 20 mm arbor and part number 150681 has a 1-inch arbor. The blades are otherwise identical in diameter, rim width and bond. The 20 mm arbor is the size commonly found on European built and imported saws, so check the spindle on your machine before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
What materials is the MK-950D intended for?
MK Diamond specifies the MK-950D for soft abrasive material. In practice that means concrete block, brick, pavers and similar masonry rather than hard dense stone or high strength cured concrete.
Is this a dry cutting or a wet cutting blade?
MK Diamond lists the MK-950D in its dry cutting turbo rim blade line. Follow the operating instructions supplied with the blade and with your saw regarding any use of water.
What is the difference between part numbers 150681Z and 150681?
Arbor size only. Part number 150681Z has a 20 mm arbor and 150681 has a 1-inch arbor. Diameter, rim width and bond are the same on both.
What does Premium grade mean on an MK Diamond blade?
MK Diamond grades its blades by diamond concentration and matches them to the power available at the saw. A higher grade carries more diamond and lasts longer, but it only returns that advantage on a saw with the horsepower to drive it.
Will this blade fit my saw?
Fitment is governed by arbor size and by the maximum blade diameter and arbor speed your saw is rated for, not by a model list. Confirm that your saw accepts a 12-inch blade on a 20 mm arbor before ordering.
Discount Cleaning Products is an authorized MK Diamond dealer and supplies diamond blades, surface preparation equipment and jobsite consumables to contractors and facility maintenance teams across the United States, with US-based service and support.
