Products — Machine knives
Machine
Knives
Planer, chipper, flaker, profile and veneer knives in HSS grades, stocked at Nelspruit and manufactured or sourced to non-standard specifications. In-house knife grinding returns matched sets ready to fit. Courier from anywhere in Southern Africa.
What we stock & supply
Five knife typesstocked & ground in-house
We stock knives in the most common planer, chipper and flaker specifications, and grind them in-house to matched sets ready to fit. For non-standard dimensions, profiles or specifications, we source from European manufacturers or manufacture locally. Send a drawing, a sample, or the worn knife itself.
Send the full set together. Planer and chipper knives must be ground as a complete matched set. If knives are sent in separately or added to a partially-ground set, the result will be inconsistent thus causing vibration, accelerated wear and uneven cut quality.
Knife types
Planer knives
Straight knives for planer and thicknesser heads in HSS grades. Ground to a consistent edge angle and matched height across the full set — any knife sitting higher than its neighbours takes a disproportionate share of the cut, dulls faster and causes chatter.
Chipper & Counter knives
Chipper knives, counter knives and bed knives for drum chippers, disc chippers and hog mills. Ground to correct bevel. A dull or incorrectly angled chipper knife produces oversized chips, higher chip variability and increased horsepower demand.
Flaker knives
For chip and particle board production. Edge angle, back face flatness and knife thickness uniformity directly affect flake quality and consistency. Ground to the correct geometry for your flaker type.
Profile & Moulding knives
Moulding knives and spindle tooling profile-ground to drawing or matched to a sample. Supplied as matched profile sets ground consistently across all knives in the head.
Veneer & Slicing knives
Long veneer knives and slicing blades ground to a precise, consistent bevel angle. Edge consistency across the full length is critical — any waviness produces thickness variation in the veneer sheet.
Geometry matters
Bevel angleby knife type
The bevel angle determines how aggressively the knife enters the timber and how quickly the edge dulls. Too steep and the knife pounds rather than slices. Too shallow and the edge is weak and chips rapidly. Both produce a rough surface and accelerated wear.
The table opposite shows typical bevel angles by knife type. These are starting points, your machine manufacturer's specification, the timber species and the knife grade all affect the optimum angle for your application.
Don't know your bevel angle? Send the knife. We'll measure the existing bevel and grind to match, or advise if a different angle would improve performance for your application.
Common bevel angles
| Knife type | Bevel angle | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Planer — softwood | 30° – 35° | Standard for pine and similar resinous softwoods |
| Planer — hardwood | 35° – 45° | Steeper bevel for denser timber. Stronger edge |
| Chipper & counter knives | 30° – 40° | Match to machine specification. Varies by manufacturer |
| Flaker knives | 20° – 30° | Shallow angle for thin flake slicing action |
| Veneer slicing | 17° – 22° | Very shallow. Edge quality critical, not strength |
Profile knives and moulding knives are ground to drawing, angles are application-specific. Send a drawing or sample and we'll confirm before grinding.
In a planer or chipper head, every knife must sit at the same height. A knife even 0.1mm higher than its neighbours takes a disproportionate share of the cutting load. It dulls faster, the other knives chatter, and the finished surface is uneven. We grind matched sets to uniform height and profile across all blades in the set.
Steel specification
HSS grades& custom specification
Most machine knife applications are well served by HSS 18%, the standard high-speed steel grade used across the woodworking industry for planer, chipper and flaker knives. For applications requiring a different specification needing either harder alloy, special dimensions, or a non-standard profile, we can source from European manufacturers or manufacture locally.
When ordering replacement knives, the most useful information you can provide is the knife dimensions, the machine make and model, and the existing knife specification if known. If that information isn't available, send a worn knife as a sample then we'll measure and advise.
Request a quoteStocked & available grades
18% tungsten high-speed steel. The industry standard for planer, chipper and flaker knives. Good edge retention, toughness and grindability. Stocked in the most common planer and chipper knife dimensions.
Non-standard alloy grades, special dimensions, profile knives and moulding knives sourced from European suppliers or manufactured locally to drawing or sample. Lead time varies by specification. Contact us with your requirements.
Chipper head parts
Chipping headwear parts
Chipper heads wear beyond the knives themselves. Counter knives, bed knives, anvils and other wear parts all affect chip quality and machine performance. We stock common chipper head wear parts and can source non-standard items.
When ordering wear parts, machine make and model is the critical piece of information. Chipper head configurations vary significantly between manufacturers. Please provide the machine details and we'll confirm fitment before supplying.
Enquire about wear partsCommon wear items
Counter knives
The fixed knife against which the rotating chipper knives cut. Correct clearance between chipper and counter knife is critical for chip size and quality.
Bed knives
Lower anvil knife on hog mills and disc chippers. Worn bed knives increase chip thickness variability and put more load on the rotating knives.
Wear plates & liners
Housing wear plates and discharge liners that protect the chipper body from abrasion during operation.
Clamps & holders
Knife clamps, knife holders and associated hardware. Worn or damaged clamps cause knife movement and inconsistent chip quality.
Common questions
Frequentlyasked
Need advice on knife specification? Call us on 013 752 4349 or 0861 SAWMILL. Describe your machine, the timber you're processing and what you're seeing from the current knives. We'll advise on specification and whether a grind or a replacement is the right call.
Sending knives for grinding
- Send the full set. Knives must be ground together to a matched height
- Include machine make and model
- Include required bevel angle, or the existing knife spec if known
- Note whether a profile drawing or sample profile applies
- Label with your name and phone number
- Courier to: 5 Rapid Street, Riverside Industrial Park, Nelspruit 1201
- Call or email to let us know they're coming. We'll quote before work starts
Ready to order or need a quote?
Tell us your machine type, knife dimensions and what you're processing. We'll confirm specification, price and availability and get the order moving.