Guidance Notes on selecting blades

What blades are available?

Disposable blades are available in either chrome steel, or carbide steel.  The latter are much harder, therefore more durable, but more costly.

Re-sharpenable blades are only available in Chrome steel to fit the 260L & 260M Block planes.  They are useful if you want a distinct curve to your blade, such as for veneer work, or just want to be able to keep a very keen cutting edge.

  

What type of blade should I use?

Any blade will work in any application for a short time, but where the materials to be worked are abrasive, or include a lot of glues (chipboard, etc.), then the carbide blades will last much longer.

Chrome steel blades work well on softwoods, soft plastics, etc.

Carbide steel blades are best for working abrasive hardwoods, man-made boards (chipboard, MDF, hardboard, etc.), hard plastics and anything else where the abrasive qualities will blunt a chrome blade quickly.

Remember that if you hit a hard or metal inclusion in the material you are working, any edge will be damaged.  At least with a disposable blade you can just turn the blade around and carry on!

 

How long do they last?

Depends on the length of the piece of string!

Seriously, if you use the right blade for the right materials you can expect sensible life out of the blades.

On softwood a chrome steel blade should last the same time as you would expect a standard plane iron to stay sharp - but then you just turn the blade aroound and keep going.

On hardwoods we recommend a carbide blade, and this should give you good service for some time.  You could keep one blade for general work, and a second good blade just for finish cuts.  This ensures the final cut is always done with a sharp blade.

Planing chipboard (yes - with these blades you can!) using a carbide blade you can expect anything from 1 week to 1 month depending on how much you use it (and assuming you don't hit a hard inclusion).  Use a chrome steel blade for the same job and you can expect it to blunt within a dozen strokes!

 

Can I sharpen them?

The re-sharpenable blade - yes.  You may want the optional blade holder to grip the blade - especially if using a wheel for the job.  We do not recommend using a wheel without a blade holder, for safety reasons.

The disposable blades - maybe.  The chrome steel blades can be rehoned/dressed (not ground) by hand - if you can hold them, that is (they are rather small).  What we suggest for the 48mm blades is get a scraper (see accessories) which will hold the blade firmly for honing on a diamond stone.  We don't have an easy answer for the 30mm blades, but with a little ingenuity I am sure you can come up with something.  What I would say, though, is don't lose the cutting angle.  Also we have not been successful in sharpening teh carbide blades, but if anyone has a good solution, let us know and we'll pass it on to other users.

 

Will any 30mm blade fit any plane?

No.

Because the rebate plane blades can adjust sideways they take a special blade.  Likewise the RALI-Matic needs a fixed blade, so the rebate plane blades won't fit.

 

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