OEM Versus Infinity

[Stew Hagerty]

Like many of you, I have a DW735 planer. I don't use it enough to justify a Byrd upgrade. However, I would like something a little better than the knives that came with it. The OEM knives sell for about $70 on Amazon for 2 full sets. Infinity sells a single set of HSS knives for $80 plus shipping. Infinity also sells a set of carbide tipped knives for $225 plus shipping (which is about half the price of the Byrd upgrade).

Now as a hobbiest, I don't use my planer every day. But, when I want to use it, I want it to be sharp and machine my stock with as little tear-out as possible. Therefore I am more than willing to pay a premium for an upgrade. But within reason.

The OEM Blades do work. They just need to be replaced more often, and when they start to dull they also start to cause more tear-out on figured woods. What I'm unsure about is the value in the other choices. Are Infinity's HSS knives worth the 4X premium? Are the carbide knives worth it? Or, is if I were to opt for the carbide blades should I just go ahead with the Byrd at point (something I am definitely NOT going to do).

I was just wondering what the thoughts out there were. If you've made the switch to Infinity, what did you think?

[Andrew Hughes]

Hi Stew,I have the carbide tipped blades in my 735 I think the planer will die before the knives wear out.
If you plane a lot of hard wood or exocits I think they are a good choice.I have powermatic with bryd head and I like the surface from straight knives better.
i have heard good wear from their hss knive but have not tryed them.Hope this helps

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I have never used the Infinity but have only heard good things about them. Currently about $225 on sale.

http://www.infinitytools.com/Carbide-Knifes-For-DeWalt-735-Planer/productinfo/CPJK-041/

I have, however, used these carbide tipped blades for $150 (they have a 10% thing for creekers).

http://www.holbren.com/planer-knife-set-for-dewalt-dw735-carbide-tipped.html

I have no idea how the Holbren set differs from the Infinity set, they do use a different part number, so I can't say if one will serve you better than the other. What I can say is that the Holbren set is thicker than the stock knives, so you do not use the blade holder when you use these knives. The instructions do not tell you this, so I did use them. They were so high that the screw heads left ridges in the board, so I emailed Holbren....

I have no idea how much wood I have sent through my planer since I installed the blades, but I have no reason to believe that they are not sharp. I installed the current set about one year back. If you lived closer, I would let you try one of my unused sets (I have two sets sitting on my bench).

[Andrew Pitonyak]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?191912-Carbide-Tipped-Planer-Knife-Set-for-DeWalt-DW735