Metallographic Sectioning
Sectioning consumables for cutting metallographic and petrographic specimens to size with minimal damage to the cut face. This collection covers precision diamond wafering blades — sintered and plated types sized to fit the major low-speed and precision saws — plus cutting fluid and coolant. Comparable to the sectioning consumables from Buehler, Struers, and Allied High Tech, typically 20 to 40 percent lower in price. Sectioning is the first preparation step, and a clean, cool cut reduces the deformation that later grinding and polishing must remove. Used across metallography, ceramics, electronics, and petrography.
Wafering Blade Selection
Blade bond controls how the blade cuts, how long it lasts, and how much damage it leaves. Match the bond and dimensions to the material and to your saw:
| Blade Type | Best For | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
| Sintered metal-bond | Hard materials — ceramics, carbides, geological specimens — with long life and good flatness retention; the diamond is exposed progressively as the bond wears. | 4 to 14 inch; arbor 1/2, 5/8, 1 inch; multiple thicknesses |
| Diamond-plated | Thin, low-kerf cuts on delicate work and small specimens; single-layer construction, fast cut, minimal material loss. | 4 to 10 inch; sections from 0.004 inch; arbor and metric hole sizes |
Cutting Fluid and Coolant
Cutting fluid cools and lubricates the cut, extends blade life, and flushes swarf from the kerf. It is supplied as standard cutting fluid or with a corrosion-inhibiting additive for ferrous specimens, in 16 oz, 64 oz, 1 gallon, and 5 gallon. Flood the cut, use a moderate feed rate, and keep the specimen cool to minimize the thermal damage and burning that later steps would have to remove.
Cutting for Low Deformation
A wafering cut on a low-speed or precision saw, under continuous coolant, produces the least deformed cut face. Slow the feed rate on brittle materials (ceramics, hardened constituents, resin-impregnated rock) to prevent thermal cracking and edge chipping. A thin plated blade minimizes kerf loss on small or valuable specimens; a sintered blade holds flatness through long cuts in hard material.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need for sectioning?
A wafering blade matched to your saw and material, and a cutting fluid to cool and lubricate the cut. Use a sintered metal-bond blade for hard materials and long life, or a thin plated blade for delicate, low-kerf cuts. Add a corrosion-inhibiting cutting fluid for ferrous specimens.
How do I choose the blade size?
Match the blade outer diameter and arbor hole size to your saw, and the thickness to the specimen and required kerf. Sintered blades run 4 to 14 inch with 1/2, 5/8, and 1 inch arbors; plated blades run 4 to 10 inch in thinner sections with arbor and metric holes. Contact us with your saw model to confirm the specification.
Why does the cut quality matter for later steps?
The sectioning cut sets the depth of deformation and damage the grinding steps must remove. A clean, cool, low-kerf cut under coolant leaves less subsurface damage, so grinding and polishing are faster and the final microstructure is more representative. A hot or forced cut can burn the surface and introduce artifacts.
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