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Thursday, June 16, 2016

Dulling Of Diamond Tools

It is normal for any cutting tool to become dull after a good amount of use. How long the tool is able to retain its sharpness and cutting power depends on the material used. The harder the material the better the tool is at retaining its sharpness. Diamond is one of the hardest substances known to man. That is why it makes the perfect material for cutting tools. Diamond tools are used for materials that are impossible or too time-consuming for traditional cutting tools. However, these tools can be very expensive. And although the diamond is very hard, diamond tools are not immune to premature dulling. The reason for this has to do with how the tools themselves are made.

Tools like diamond grinding wheels are made of very small diamond particles held together by a bonding agent. In a normal use, the worn and dulled outer diamond particles fall off to reveal the sharp particles underneath. This process happens repeatedly throughout the life of the tool, until the tool is completely worn out.


Although the diamond particles themselves are very strong and able to retain their sharpness, the bonding agent that holds them together is vulnerable to thermal and physical damages. Using the grinding wheels at speed well-above what is recommended by the manufacturer can produce excessive heat that can cause the bonding agent to become so malleable that it forms a layer over the outer diamond particles, dulling the tool.

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