Diamond blades versus silicon carbide: choosing the right saw blade

Diamond blades are the standard for cutting most rock, minerals, and gemstones, since diamond's extreme hardness lets it cut through material that would wear down a conventional abrasive blade very quickly. Blades come in notched (segmented) and continuous rim styles, notched blades cut faster and run cooler due to better coolant flow through the gaps but leave a slightly rougher cut, while continuous rim blades cut more slowly but leave a smoother, chip free edge, generally preferred for more delicate or valuable material. Blade thickness also matters, thinner blades waste less material as sawdust but are more prone to flexing or binding in harder material, a real tradeoff worth considering based on what you are cutting most often.