Nothing cuts cleaner and faster than brand new planer blades, but after repeated use, they can wear down. Once time takes its toll, the blades can revert from cutting to instead chipping and tearing at the wood. This can create a lot of work and might even cause a project to be ruined. There are some straightforward steps to help keep the blades cutting like new for a very long time.

The first, and seemingly most vital, factor that has to be done before ever attempting the changing or removal of planer blades is to turn off the power or unplug the planer from the source. This point can't be stressed enough because even when dull, the blades are still sharp enough do quite a bit of harm at the speeds a planer runs. Once the machine is disconnected from the power source, then the blade modification can be completed.

The sharpening stone should be used sparingly so as not to alter the original edge too much. The blade itself ought to be kept against the stone at an approximate 22-degree angle to maintain the original chisel edge that was put on at the factory. Use oil when sharpening the planer blades to help the stone in doing its job and use a stone that sharpens to a fine edge.