2-1/4" O1 Blade 50° Bevel, BU Bench

Lapped replacement and optional blades in O1 tool steel are available for our bevel-up jointer, jack and smoother planes.

The 25° blade is the best choice for all end-grain work, including shooting. The resulting 37° cutting angle effectively severs end-grain fibers and minimizes tearing. This blade is also capable of general smoothing, but is susceptible to tear-out in all but the most well-behaved grain.

The 38° blade yields an effective cutting angle of 50° (commonly known as a York pitch) and is an excellent blade for general smoothing. Higher cutting angles require greater force to push the plane, making the 38° bevel the ideal starting point (a balance of performance and effort) when working difficult wood.

The 50° blade is for smoothing woods with widely varying or reversing grain (e.g., bird’s-eye maple) where tear-out is difficult to control. The resulting cutting angle of 62° produces what is known as a Type II chip (or shaving), one created by wood failure right at the cutting edge, eliminating tear-out on even the most difficult grains. Planing wood at this cutting angle is quite a workout – but the results are well worth it.

All blades are 2 1/4" wide.