Plane/Molder blade question

[David Beeler]

A friend recently acquired a machine to cut profiles in molding blades, works very similar to a key cutting machine. Where is a good source to obtain the blade material to produce the profiles out of?

Also, I assume the blades are high speed steel but feel free to correct me on that point if I am wrong.

[Joe Chritz]

I used to get bar stock for grinding knives from MSC industrial supply. Where you can get blanks will depend on what the blanks are and sizes involved. You may have to do some machine work to get the blanks to the correct size unless they are still manufactured for your machine.

I would purchase tool steel that your nearest heat treating place can handle.

M2 is a common tool steel for knives but lots of others will also work.

Joe