Why You Should Choose Sheartak

One of the most valuable upgrades a woodworker can make is replacing the old high-speed steel cutterhead in their jointer or planer with a spiral cutterhead. But with so many brands offering them, the real question is: Who Should They Buy It From? In this blog, I’ll explain why Sheartak stands out amongst the other brands and why you should consider purchasing from us. This will also, hopefully, address some frequently asked questions in the woodworking community along the way.

The Advantage of Shear Cutting

Sheartak spiral cutterheads use a shear-cutting action, where carbide inserts are placed at an angle to the workpiece. This design allows the knives to slice through the wood fibers gradually, rather than chopping straight down like traditional straight knives. The result? A cleaner cut, reduced tear-out, and a smoother finish—especially useful when working with figured or delicate woods. You'll notice the difference immediately when you run your hand over a surface cut with our cutterhead compared to one cut with high-speed steel blades.

To explore shear cutting more in detail, we have a blog dedicated on it: What is a Shear Cut, and Why Does It Matter?

Made in Our Own Factory

At Sheartak, we don’t just distribute spiral cutterheads—we manufacture them at our factories. Therefore, unlike many resellers, we have in-depth knowledge of our products and extensive experience in woodworking, allowing us to answer your questions in detail and accurately. Because we control the entire manufacturing process, we can also produce custom cutterheads with specific dimensions for older machines that other brands no longer support.

Unique Design For Better Dust Extraction

Sheartak’s cutterhead features a unique design with spiral valleys along its body, separating the rows of inserts. You'll notice these valleys even more when compared to cutterhead from other brands, which features rows of inserts on a smooth cylindrical body. These gaps separating the rows help improve dust extraction and overall cutting performance.

Reduced Vibration and Noise

A noisy workshop can be tiring, and excessive vibration can wear down your machine over time. Sheartak cutterheads are dynamically balanced to a high industrial-grade standard. This means less vibration, smoother operation, and reduced noise levels—up to 15-20 decibels lower compared to traditional straight-knife cutterheads.

Built for Durability

Our carbide inserts last up to ten times longer than standard high-speed steel (HSS) blades. Each insert has four cutting edges, allowing you to rotate them when one edge becomes dull. This extends the life of the cutterhead and minimizes maintenance costs. Additionally, our tungsten carbide inserts are made from high-grade materials (C3++ or K10), ensuring they stay sharp longer and handle heavy workloads with ease.

A Wide Range of Compatibility

With nearly 17 years of experience, Sheartak has developed a cutterhead lineup compatible with over 1,000 jointers and planers from top brands like Jet, Grizzly, Powermatic, SCM, and Felder. Whether you're upgrading an old machine or optimizing a new one, we likely have a cutterhead that fits your needs.

Conclusion

Sheartak spiral cutterheads provide a cutting-edge solution for woodworkers who want smoother finishes, quieter operation, and long-lasting durability. With precision engineering, improved chip extraction, and a design focused on efficiency, Sheartak cutterheads are a valuable upgrade for any workshop. If you're looking for a reliable and high-performance cutterhead, Sheartak is the right choice.