Oil is needed for large slab saws to reduce friction between the saw blade and the kerf in the rock, not only on the cutting edge, but the sides of the blade where it contacts the rock. I have heard a number of times from those that go through many saw blades, that using oil increases the life of the blade, which makes sense since reduced friction should reduce the removal of diamond and steel from the saw during cutting. For small trim saws, the reduced blade life can be ignored in favor of the convenience of using water with a rust inhibitor.

From jay bates - November 14, 2009 at 08:34:01

Message: 68536