FAQ

What is the Tersa™ Planer Knives System?

The Tersa™ system has been patented in 1984 in Switzerland. The system consists of the Tersa™ cutter head and the Tersa™ Planer Knives.

The Tersa™ system is revolutionary as it drastically reduces the amount of time it takes to change blades. Whereas traditional planer blades can often take hours to change, set and sharpen, Tersa™ blades can be changed in a matter of minutes, due to their unique wedge locking system. To see for yourself just how fast a Tersa™ knife change is, please click here.

HSS Tersa™ Planer Knives are made of High Speed Steel; which is superior to the older carbon steel; it can endure much higher temperatures. This feature allows HSS to cut faster than the carbon knives, which has been a tremendous asset to the wood industry.

Because of their high quality, Tersa™ Planer Knives give your product an exceptional finish.

What wood can Tersa™ Knives be used on?

The HSS knife has an angle of 40°, ideal for soft woods such as cedar, pine, fir, etc. The M+Tersa™ planer knife has an angel of 55°which makes it more durable, used on hardwood like maple, birch, oak and cherry wood. Tersa™ Planer Knives don’t need to be sharpened, the blades are two sided and can be recycled after use.

What lengths of Tersa™ Knives are available?

Tersa™ Planer Knives are cut to order, thus they are availible in any and all lengths. No need to use a long, more expensive planer knife on a job that could be done with a shorter knife size, thanks to the easy Tersa™ changing system.

How do I know I'm getting the real Tersa™ Planer Knives and not an imitation?

There are many inferior imitations available on the market.

Original Tersa™ Planer Knives have the name etched on the blade, as well as HSS, M+, MD (carbide) or CR (Chrome Steel) depending on the knife type, and are packaged in a distinctive cardboard sleeve.

How long do the Tersa™ Knives take to change?

You can change Tersa™ Knives within minutes.

Do I need to change screws or adjust Tersa™ Knives?

The Tersa™ systems brilliant design leaves no screws to deal with. A consistent cutter head diameter and knife height eliminates the need for adjustment. For more on changing blades please see the below tutorial.

How Do I Change Tersa™ Planer Knives?

Tersa™ Planer Knives can be changed in minutes thanks to their unique design.

Step #1: The first step is always to either unplug the machine or perform a so called “lock out”. Depending on machine brand, the Tersa™ Planer Knives can either be changed with the Tersa™ cutter head in place or the head has to be removed from the machine.

Step #2: Using the Polyvalent Tersa™ Key (or a wooden wedge) and a hammer, release the wedges so that the Tersa™ Planer Knife can be safely removed by sliding it out sideways from the knife slot. At this point, it is a good idea to clean the cutter head, by blowing out the sawdust and removing the pitch.

Step #3: The Tersa™ Planer Knife can now be slid back in the slot, either using the second side of the knife or replacing it with a new one, making sure it is all the way in.

These steps are repeated on each head for all the Tersa™ Planer Knives that have to be changed. If the cutter head was removed from the machine, it can now be put back in and fastened.

With all parts back in place and after double checking to make sure everything is secure; the power can be turned back on. Each cutter head needs to be run separately for a short time. The Tersa™ Planer Knives are clamped in place by centrifugal force.

To see a video demonstrating a Tersa™ Knife change please click here.

*Disclaimer: change blades at your own risk. We are not responsible if any accidents happen based on this tutorial, it is only meant as a guide. Ensure you adhere to the instructions in your user manual before changing your blades.