A stiffened cutting blade for use in a cutting apparatus of the type employing an elongated cantilevered cutting blade reciprocated along its longitudinal axis, said cutting blade comprising:
- an elongated edge member insert having two generally parallel side faces, two longitudinally opposite end sections each having a rear edge, a longitudinally extending rear edge, said rear edge including said end section rear edges and a forwardly relieved edge portion extending between said two opposite end sections, and a longitudinally extending front edge sharpened along at least a portion of its length at both ends,
- holder means for receiving and stiffening said edge member insert, said holder means having a driver attaching end and a longitudinally opposite piercing end and two spaced apart side portions each engaging a respective one of said side faces of said edge member insert and each having a longitudinally extending forward front edge located a distance rearwardly of said front edge of said edge member insert so that said insert front edge projects a substantial distance forwardly beyond said holder forward front edge along the lower length of said holder means and a one of said edge member insert end sections projecting downwardly beyond said holder means at said piercing end, and
- means for releasably fixing said edge member insert to said holder to form them into a single unit;
- said holder being made of a material and having a cross-sectional area larger than said insert cross-sectional area so that said holder is substantially stiffer than the material of said edge member insert and said edge member insert being made of a material substantially more suitable for a cutting edge than the material of said holder;
- said holder means including a longitudinally extending spine portion located rearwardly of said edge member insert forwardly relieved edge portion and connecting said two side portions to one another along at least a portion of their length extending from said piercing end to said driver attaching end for a distance substantially equal to said insert rear edge forwardly relieved edge portion, said forwardly relieved edge portion receiving said spine, and said holder two side portions extending upwardly above the other of said edge member insert opposite end sections;
- said means for releasably fixing said edge member insert to said holder means comprising a generally rearwardly and downwardly extending shoulder on said edge member insert defining the upper limit of said forwardly relieved edge portion and a generally rearwardly and upwardly extending shoulder defining the lower limit of said forwardly relieved edge portion, and said spine having at its lower end a forwardly and downwardly extending shoulder, said shoulder of said spine being engageable with a one of said shoulders of said edge member insert when said insert is inserted in a first direction and with the other of said shoulders of said insert when inserted in a second direction when said insert and holder are in their normal assembled condition, and
- means for moving said upwardly extending side portions toward one another and into mechanical engagement with said other of said edge member insert end sections when said edge member insert and said holder are in said assembled condition.