jointer knives question

[woodworkingMK]

Hello, I would like to buy new knives for my 10" jointer.

I have opportunity to buy them from Germany.

I was looking at Stehle catalog (and Leuco also), and they have to types of knives.

First type is HS 18%. (20 euros)
Second type it says HW-tipped, these are three times higher price. (73 euros for set of 2)

This is my first jointer. I will mainly use it for pine and sometimes beech. My main goal is to get good finish as much as possible, where minimum sanding is required.

Is it worth giving three times more for the HW-tipped? It says, for hardwood. I know that beech is hardwood, so will HS 18% work on beech too? Do I need HW-tipped?

Here is screen shot from the catalog:

 

[woodworkingMK]

I found also knives from Leitz.

They have three types of knives.

-HS
-MC33
-HW

What's the difference between MC33 and HS?

 

[woodworkingMK]

Anyone?

 

[Shrubby]

Hello
HW is Hartmetall-Widia German for TCT (tungsten carbide tipped) generally used for hard abrasive wood - man made boards or tropical timbers with silica etc. The others are alloys of tool steels, they are ground to a slightly sharper angle than HW knives and tend to leave a better finish on softwood
MC33 have a wear resistant coating to increase the working life
Matt

 

[Steve Maskery]

FWIW, I have recently bought some knives from Roy Arrowsmith at Woodford and they were a good price and are performing perfectly satisfactorily at the Community Workshop. I don't see why you would want TCT blades for what you are describing.