Quote:
Originally posted by trekkor
Oh and aside from Saltillos, slate may be the dirtiest tile to work with.
Think, petrified dirt 
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Amen! I cut everything outside. I also washed every tile before bringing it in. It was unbelievably messy and my driveway still is discolored just from the wash.
I learned the hard way that "back buttering" is a very good idea. My first attempt, which excluded that step, was a dismal failure. About half the tiles came loose upon drying. I'm sure the other half would have followed soon. Fortunately, I just got started before taking a break and only a few tiles needed to be redone.
I'm not sure if this is good, bad, or makes no difference, but I washed the tiles just before installing them. I back buttered them (using the smooth trowel) while they were damp, not wet. My reasoning was the thinset would stick better.
PS- I would just rent a saw. It's cheap, you'll likely get a better quality tool, and you won't have to store it when you're done. Plus, Chicago tools are hit and miss.