Diamond Bond Selection Guide

Match the bond to the material for better performance and longer tool life

Choosing the correct diamond bond is critical for getting the best cutting speed, grinding performance and tool life from diamond blades, grinding plates and shoes.

The general rule is simple:

Hard, dense concrete → softer bond
Soft, abrasive concrete → harder bond

The bond controls how quickly worn diamond is released and fresh diamond is exposed. Using the right bond keeps the tool cutting or grinding efficiently rather than glazing, wearing prematurely or losing usable diamond.

Which bond should you choose?

Bond strength	Best suited to	Typical application
ESB – Extra Soft	Extremely hard, dense materials	Very high-strength concrete and exceptionally hard aggregate
SSB – Super Soft	Very hard concrete	High-strength, dense concrete
SB – Soft	Hard concrete	Hard concrete and hard aggregate
MB – Medium	Medium-hard materials	General-purpose concrete applications
HB – Hard	Soft, abrasive materials	Soft or highly abrasive concrete
SHB – Super Hard	Extremely soft/abrasive materials	Very abrasive concrete and similar substrates

How bond selection works

When the concrete is hard:
The diamond wears faster than the bond. A softer bond releases worn diamond more readily, exposing fresh diamond and maintaining an aggressive cutting or grinding action.

When the concrete is soft and abrasive:
The bond itself can wear rapidly. A harder bond provides better diamond retention, preventing good diamond from being released too early and improving tool life.

Cutting blades vs. grinding tools

The same principle applies to both diamond cutting blades and grinding plates/shoes, although the operating conditions are different. For cutting blades, bond selection also needs to account for segment wear, cutting speed and diamond retention. For grinding tools, the effect is particularly noticeable in terms of glazing and grinding aggressiveness.

Don't select by concrete strength alone

Concrete compressive strength is a useful starting point, but aggregate type and abrasiveness are equally important. Two concretes with the same nominal strength can require different bonds depending on the aggregate they contain.

Selection tip: If you're unsure, consider both material hardness and abrasiveness, then select the bond that allows the diamond to wear at the appropriate rate.

Hard material → Softer bond → Faster diamond exposure
Abrasive material → Harder bond → Better diamond retention