For a DEWALT DW735 or DW735X with its original straight-knife cutterhead, start your replacement-blade search with DW7352. This is the manufacturer’s 13-inch replacement-knife set. The important purchasing questions are whether the machine still has its original cutterhead, whether the listing contains a complete set, and whether you are ordering one set or a multi-set package.
A spiral or helical conversion changes that decision completely. Its individual inserts are selected for the installed cutterhead, rather than by the planer name alone. Check the machine and its maintenance records before ordering, especially if you bought it used.
The replacement sets to understand
DW7352: one set of three straight knives
DEWALT’s replacement-blade guidance identifies DW7352 as a three-blade set for the DW735. Its product specifications describe 13-inch knives made from M2 laminated tool steel, with locating holes for alignment. The product is categorized as high-speed steel and explicitly listed with three pieces.
This is the straightforward starting point for restoring the factory knife arrangement. One retail package is not the same thing as one individual knife: check the manufacturer part number and itemized contents rather than relying on an isolated marketplace field saying “one item.”
DEWALT DW7352 13-Inch Replacement Planer Knives, One 3-Knife Set
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Choose a single set when you need one replacement and do not want to tie up money in spares. A spare set may be convenient for a busy shop, but a larger purchase is useful only when the extra knives match the cutterhead you intend to keep using.
DW7352-2: two replacement sets
The DW7352-2 is a separate multi-set package. The DW7352-2 product page describes two sets per package. With three knives per set, that gives six knives in total. The “2-pack” wording therefore refers to sets, not a two-knife cutterhead.
Compare the delivered cost per complete set. Include shipping and any required purchase quantity in that calculation. Do not assume the larger package offers better value simply because the product title says double-sided or heat-treated; the quantity and the total price need to justify it.
DW735, DW735X, and look-alike parts
The DW735X product page describes a three-knife machine supplied with infeed and outfeed tables and an additional knife set. That extra set is worth checking for before buying more blades. The X package does not mean you should shop for a special two-knife replacement arrangement.
The DW735X Type 1 parts list identifies DW7352 as its replacement knife set. DEWALT separately lists DW7342 as a 12.5-inch set for the DW734. Those similar part numbers are easy to confuse; a blade carrying the same brand name is not automatically the correct replacement.
Likewise, blades intended for a portable hand planer, jointer, or different thickness planer should not enter this comparison just because a search result includes the word planer. Match the complete part number. If the label on a used machine is damaged or unclear, get the machine identified before committing to a blade order.
Reversing and sharpening: check the exact instructions
There is conflicting DEWALT guidance online. The DW7352 product page calls the knives reversible, and the DW735 instruction manual includes a procedure for using an unworn second edge. However, a separate DEWALT support article about sharpening says the blades should not be resharpened and also says they cannot be flipped.
Do not resolve that contradiction with a generic internet tip. Check the instructions supplied with your exact knife set and the manual for your tool’s model and type. If they do not agree, obtain clarification from DEWALT before reversing a blade. This is particularly important when the installed knives are aftermarket parts or their identity is unknown.
Plan around replacement rather than an assumed sharpening service. DEWALT’s support advice discourages resharpening these blades. Do not grind locating holes, improvise spacers, or modify a knife to make an unsuitable part fit. A blade that can be physically placed in the machine is not necessarily a correctly specified replacement.
Safe preparation for a knife change
Use the DEWALT DW735 instruction manual for the complete procedure. Switch the planer off and disconnect its power before accessing knives or making adjustments. The manual warns against touching the cutterhead and directs use of the supplied tool to handle knives. It also requires proper reassembly of the shroud and top cover before use.
Arrange a clear work area and keep the correct instructions available throughout the job. If you find damaged fasteners, a distorted clamp, or parts that do not match the diagrams, stop and ask an authorized service provider to assess the problem. Ordering knives does not solve an unidentified fault in the mechanism that retains them.
A buying guide cannot substitute for the complete installation sequence. Do not borrow screw-tightening values from a different machine or an unrelated cutterhead. If the relevant documentation is missing, obtain it before starting rather than trying to reconstruct the process from a product photograph.
Why a spiral conversion is a different purchase
Replacing straight knives and installing a different cutterhead are separate jobs. The DEWALT manual states that helical cutterheads have not been tested with this planer and are not recommended. That warning should be part of any conversion decision, rather than omitted from a comparison of supposed upgrades.
If your machine already has a conversion, identify the cutterhead maker, exact model, and required insert specification. Similar-looking inserts can differ in geometry or mounting requirements. Obtain the replacement information from that cutterhead’s documentation; the name DW735 alone is insufficient to select its consumables.
For an unmodified planer, consider whether the actual problem calls for routine blade replacement or a much larger change. Conversion cost, installation work, documentation, future insert supply, and support all matter. Claims of quieter operation, longer life, or a better finish should be evaluated for the specific conversion rather than applied to every spiral product.
How to evaluate aftermarket blade listings
An aftermarket seller’s statement that a blade fits the DW735 is a compatibility claim from that seller. It is not DEWALT approval. The manual recommends DEWALT accessories and warns that untested alternatives can be hazardous. The OEM part number therefore remains the clearest reference for this guide.
If you are comparing other products, ask for a complete model-specific specification, an itemized count, installation documentation, and a clear returns policy. A phrase such as premium HSS provides less useful purchasing information than an exact material designation and traceable part identity. Do not assume all three-blade packages contain equivalent knives.
A price comparison also needs an honest lifespan assumption. Without comparable evidence for your timber and workload, a claim that one set lasts several times longer is not a sound basis for cost-per-project calculations. Avoid turning customer anecdotes or a seller’s promotional percentage into a guaranteed saving.
A final ordering checklist
- Read the planer model and type from its label, and establish whether the cutterhead has been changed.
- For the original arrangement, match the complete replacement part number to DEWALT’s documentation.
- Confirm the number of complete sets and individual knives supplied.
- Check any spare knives already included with your machine before buying duplicates.
- Compare total delivered cost, seller identity, condition, and return terms.
- Have the correct manual and installation tools ready before opening the machine.
Keep the order record and packaging until the contents have been checked. If the received part number, quantity, or condition differs from the listing, resolve it with the seller before installation. Do not use an apparently close substitute simply to avoid a return.
Bottom line
For the factory straight-knife system, DW7352 is the three-knife replacement reference; DW7352-2 packages two sets. Verify the exact variant and your installed cutterhead, treat conflicting reversal guidance seriously, and follow the correct DEWALT instructions for maintenance. That approach is more useful than a long ranking of unrelated blades and planer accessories.
