New(sed) tools! Your input please...

[Clisby Clark]

I saw an ad in the garage sale section of the paper advertising asstd. ww tools starting at 7:30 Saturday. I pull up at 7:15 feeling I've wasted a trip because the whole town seems to pulled up on curbs all around the sellers house. Apparrently they all wanted other stuff because he still had what I'd come for: a gently used Ridgid jointer (6 1/8 inch, grey model) and a DW 733 planer. I don't think I got a steal, but not bad for $450 seeing as how new, these would be around $800. Here are my questions- The jointer knives are dull and nicked. I've heard good things about the Freud so I'm thinking about buying Freuds and having the OE knives sharpened for future use. Any comments on this strategy? The 733 planer seems to be the older model than what is available now, but runs like a champ. Are the knives in this model the disposable kind or are they resharpenable? What is the consensus best replacement knife for this planer? I will appreciate all feedback concerning these two tools. Thanks.

[Dave Laird in NM]

The Freud blades are very good quality High Speed Steel knives for the jointer and a great investment for a set of knives for the jionter. I always keep a second set of knives sharp and ready to go int my jointer because you will have them turn up dull when you can not get a set sharpened and the stores are closed (and of courde you are right in the middle of a project for the LOYL).

The DeWalt uses disposable knives that are two sided. You can shift them a small amount if you get a nick in them but they are not resharpenable. Buy a set of new knives when you reverse the installed set so the the same thing doesn't happen as described in the first paragraph.

Good luck and great buy. (But pictures are required to prove that you got them).