The .250 is the heaviest 36-inch plate MK Diamond builds in the MK-505 line, and it exists for cuts where a thinner blade will not hold its line. It is a premium-grade, laser-welded wet-cutting blade for cured concrete on a 1-inch arbor, with the same 12mm segment height as the rest of the MK-505 family.
Built for concrete cutting contractors and heavy civil crews running full-depth cuts on large flat saws
Use cases
- Full-depth cuts where deflection is the problem. A quarter-inch plate is the stiffest option at this diameter and is the answer when a thinner 36-inch blade has been wandering.
- Wide-joint specifications. Some repair and expansion joint details call for a wider kerf, and the .250 cuts it in one pass instead of two overlapping passes.
- Mass concrete and heavy civil structures. Dams, locks, retaining structures and thick foundations are the work that justifies the largest plate MK offers here.
- Hard-aggregate deck and pavement removal. Where hard aggregate is fighting the blade, plate stiffness helps keep the cut square.
Choosing between the MK-505 sizes
This is the thickest of MK's three 36-inch MK-505 plates. The .187 and .210 both cut a narrower joint and pull less from the saw. Choose the .250 specifically for stiffness or for a specified wide joint, not as a default, because the extra plate does cost cutting speed.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: MK Diamond Products
- Model: MK-505
- MK part number: 135368
- Diameter: 36" (914mm)
- Width (kerf): .250
- 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
Why would I pay for the thickest plate?
Stiffness and joint width. A .250 plate deflects less at full depth on a 36-inch blade, and it cuts a wider kerf in a single pass when the detail calls for one.
Does it cut slower than the .187?
It moves more material per linear foot, so on the same saw it generally takes more time and more power. That is the trade for the added stiffness.
What saw does this belong on?
A large walk-behind flat saw rated for a 36-inch blade, at the upper end of MK's published 8 to 20 horsepower range for the MK-505.
Wet or dry?
Wet cutting only. Water is what keeps the core temperature and the segment bond under control.
What arbor size is it?
1 inch.
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.
