Rant: I swore by wet saw blades until I tried a dry one on some old pavers

Been laying brick for 8 years and always thought wet cutting was the only way to go, no question. Last month I borrowed a buddy's dry diamond blade for a patio job in Denver and it cut through those old clay pavers cleaner with way less chipping. Anyone else made the switch and found it works better for certain materials?

2 comments

2 Comments

chen.fiona19d ago

100% feel you on that dry blade having a time and place but not being a total replacement. I had almost the exact same experience where I got too excited and tried cutting some limestone pavers that were still damp from the morning dew, and I swear I was coughing up dust for the rest of the week. It's like the dry blade rewards you when the material is bone dry and old, but punishes you hard if there's any moisture trapped in there. For those super crumbly old clay bricks or that really brittle stuff though, I've honestly gotten cleaner cuts with zero chip-out than my wet setup ever gave me. It's a total pain having to switch back and forth, but at this point I just keep both blades in my truck so I can decide based on what I'm actually cutting that day.

wendy_park7619d ago

Oh GREAT, another convert to the dry blade cult. Next you'll be telling me water is just a suggestion. Look, I get it, dry blades have their moments. I tried one on some really crumbly old sandstone once and it was like magic no water mess all over the patio. But then I got cocky and tried it on a wet concrete paver that had been sitting in the rain and it basically turned into a dust volcano. Thought I was gonna need a hazmat suit. So yeah, they work for SOME stuff, but don't throw away your wet setup just yet unless you LOVE breathing rock dust.