Our diamond core bits are designed to be self-sharpening and will stay sharp throughout the drilling process. As the diamonds in the cutting teeth become dull, they are worn away and new diamonds are revealed. However, if you find that your bit is not cutting as it should, the cutting face may have become glazed or polished. This will be evident upon inspection as the teeth of the bit will look shiny or glassy.

In order to continue drilling, you will need to strip away the surface of the cutting face. Here are a few easy ways you can do this.

1. Temporarily reduce water flow as you drill. Apply pressure to the bit until you can feel it begin to cut. Restore water flow and continue drilling
2. If the problem persists, remove the bit from the hole and pour in a thin layer of course silica sand. Resume drilling with reduced water flow and reduced speed. Gradually increase the water flow to flush the remaining sand.
3. If the bit still won’t cut, try removing the bit from the hole and drilling several holes into a concrete cinder block with reduced water flow.
4. Repeat any steps as needed.

This process can be tricky for new users but your core bit should be usable until the cutting segments are all but completely worn away.