A diamond blade is a useful tool for a range of DIY projects, but unfortunately, if these blades become dull, they lose their effectiveness and become more likely to cause injuries. Luckily, you can avoid both of these potential pitfalls by sharpening your diamond blade on a regular basis.

To get the sharpest edge, here are some tips to guide you:

1. Watch the spin of the blade when you turn off your saw

When deciding whether or not your diamond blade needs sharpening, you don't necessarily want to wait until it refuses to cut through certain materials. Instead, you should look for other clues.

When you turn off your saw, watch how the blade responds. If it spins freely a few times before stopping, your blade is likely in good order. However, if the blade comes to an abrupt stop when you turn it off, that signals it needs to be sharpened or that it is out of alignment.

Check to make sure the sides of the blade are not pinched against the side of the saw. If they are, take your saw apart and realign your blades. If they are not, try sharpening your diamond blade.

2. Use a brick or an old grinding wheel

To effectively sharpen your diamond blade, you need a brick. If you use a brick, make sure that it is rated for heat and masonry work. You don't want to use a landscaping brick as the heat generated from the sharpening may break it. Alternatively, you can use an old grinding wheel.

3. Hold everything in place with vises

To get a sharp edge on your diamond blade, you need your brick held firmly in place. Ideally, you should use a vise to attach your brick to a plank. Then, you can use several small vises to hold the plank in place.

You can stabilise your sharpening plank over two saw horses, and you can sharpen your knife outside. However, if you prefer to sharpen your diamond blade inside, you can secure the plank and sharpening brick to the sides of a utility sink, and you can sharpen the blade over that.

4. Use lots of water

While you are sharpening your diamond blade, a lot of heat will be generated. To cool down your blade as you sharpen, you need to use a liquid such as water or a special lubricant.

Ideally, you should direct a stream of water over your blade as you sharpen it. The water should create a paste when it mixes with the dislodged particles from your diamond blade. As those particles move away from the blade, the dull edge of the blade is removed, and a new layer of diamonds is exposed for cutting.

If you are working over a sink, just turn on the tap, but if you are working outside, bring a garden pipe to your work area.

5. Make the first cut in a soft but abrasive material

The first time you use your newly sharpened diamond blade, do not use it on anything rough. Unfortunately, hard and dense materials can glaze the blade. Instead, use a soft abrasive material for your first cut. That will break in the blade in a way that increases diamond protrusion and thus sharpness.

Additionally, if you need to quickly sharpen your diamond blade in the midst of a work session and you don't have the brick, plank, vises, water supply and other elements you need to sharpen your blade, just quickly swipe it through a soft but abrasive material a few times. It will help to make the blade feel a bit sharper, as the abrasive material wipes away debris or metal and reveals the underlayer of diamonds.

 Another option is to purchase a new blade from a company like Crozier Diamond Tools Aust Pty Ltd.

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