What is it about dirt getting into a saw blade (as opposed to, say, sawdust, rock chips, etc (presuming the right blade is being used, of course)) that will kill a saw blade?
I've seen it happen to sawzall-type blades and chainsaws – but don't see what is so "special" about dirt that would cause those issues: especially when the self-same blade can be worked through PVC, pitch-encrusted trees, etc with little-to-no (or "normal") wear/damage.
Best Answer
"Dirt", really soil, is made up of components that varies by locale, but almost always contains a significant amount of silica and other silicates, in the form of sand or finely ground quartz. It also contains other hard minerals in addition to softer organic materials.
Silica and silicates are the same materials that are used in abrasives, such as sandpaper and grinding compounds.
Running a sharp metal blade through abrasives dulls them.