Dovetail Cutter HS S8 D13.8/NL13.5/A15

Functions

A high-speed steel (HS) dovetail cutter sized 13.8mm diameter, 13.5mm cutting length, 15-degree dovetail angle, with an 8mm shank. The HS version offers a cost-effective alternative to the carbide (HW) equivalent for occasional dovetail work — the same joint geometry, in a different blade material suited to lighter use. Use this cutter with a Festool router and a compatible dovetail jig for semi-covered (half-blind) dovetail joints — the joint where the dovetail shows on one face but is concealed from the other, used in traditional drawer fronts and concealed joinery. The HS steel construction holds an edge well through moderate use in softer timbers, with the trade-off being shorter working life in hardwoods compared to the carbide alternative. A genuine Festool HS dovetail cutter, ground to the same precise tolerances as its carbide sibling. Furniture makers and cabinetmakers who do occasional semi-covered dovetail work — a few drawer fronts per project, not full production runs — choose the HS version because it does the same joinery work as the carbide cutter at a lower price point. For heavy production work in hardwood, the carbide (HW) version is the better choice; for occasional use in softer timber, the HS cutter is the more economic choice.