Diamond Saw Blades Prized For Durability

Diamond saw blades are popular for most sawing applications because of their durability. These blades are not actually made of diamond, but are carbon or carbide tipped. Diamond is compressed carbon. In this form, pure crystaline carbon, it is one of the hardest substances known to man. Alloys of carbon and metals such as tungsten, silicon or titanium are very close to the same level of hardness. These materials are great for saw blades and other cutting tools because once sharpened, the tools stay sharp longer than other materials.

One of the leading makers of diamond cutting cutting tools, including the diamond table saw blade and the diamond jigsaw blade is the MK Diamond company. This company traces its history to Joseph Musto who founded the Musto Steam Marble Mill in 1868 in San Francisco. Musto was a stonecutter from a family of Italian stone cutters.

In 1919, Joseph’s son, Clarence, moved the company, now called Joseph Musto and Sons, to Los Angeles. The company was renamed Musto-Keenan and continued to produce marble and stone products.

By the 1940s the market was moving against the large producers of stone products. The cost of importing marble and other stones from Europe was becoming prohibitive. Musto-Keenan, which had been making carbide or diamond tipped tools for stone cutting began moving from stone products to producing tools for cutting stone.

MK Diamond Company Becomes Dry Cut Diamond Saw Blades Leader

In 1974, under Robert J. Delahaut’s management, the company began reinventing itself again as a world wide leader in producing precision power cutting tools. These tools include a wide variety of specialized carbide tipped saw blades and drill bits, including dry cut diamond saw blades, wet saw blades and others.

Carbide tipped, or diamond saw blades are made by several manufacturers, including several in China. Contractors and home hobbyists needing long-lasting saw blades, choose diamond saw blades.