A blade assembly for cutting vegetative material includes a rotatable body and a number of inertially deployable blades hingedly affixed to the rotatable body. Each blade is rotatable between a first retracted position and a second extended position, and each blade cooperates with the body to form a capture mechanism preventing detachment of the blade from the body in the event the hinged affixation of the blade fails. The body includes a guide plate positioned between a top cover and a bottom cover. The covers provide hinge points for the blades at desired locations relative to the guide plate. The guide plate may include fixed blades, and blade stops may be implemented to retain each blade in the first retracted position or in a position intermediate the first retracted position and the second extended position.