Putty Knife

The putty knife is considered as one of the most useful tool anyone could ever use. But are you just a tad bit curious as to how they are made? I am perfectly sure that making one putty knife requires a lot of work in order it to be effective and useful.

The production of putty knives begins by feeding steel sheets into a press to make the blade. The blade sheets are then placed into another press to punch rivet holes in the handle portion. This will make attachment of the plastic handle effortless and swift later on.

Putty knives need to be heat treated to give them their flexibility and strength. This is done by submersing the knives in a bath of molten salt. The intense heat of the soak will change the molecular structure of the putty knives and they will effectively harden when quenched in a subsequent cooler salt baths.

After heat treatment, the blades of the putty knives are then profiled to give them their proper angle and sharpness. One putty knife’s blade profile varies from another since some jobs require more tool flexibility compared to other tasks. A thin layer of lacquer is also coated over the putty knives to make them rust-proof. The final assembly of the putty knives which includes the handles and labels are completely automatic.

Now that you know how much work it takes to make one piece of putty knife, you might be more thankful that you have that particular tool whenever you need to scrape peeling paint, patch up a few holes or spread plaster on surfaces.

Putty knives are a constructor's version of the kitchen spatula. It is a very useful tool with various applications that it is arguably one of the most ubiquitous tools for carpenters, painters, and even auto mechanics, whether professionals or do-it-yourselfers.

The typical putty knife consists of a flat blade made of steel with a wood handle. The width of the blade can vary from 1¼ to 12 inches, although the latter is rather uncommon. Most often seen are those with blades up to 5 or 6 inches. The blades can either be stiff or flexible depending on its intended use. The former can have a thickness of 0.40 inch thick, while the latter often measures half of that. Older putty knives invariably had wood handles but with the advances in the plastics technology, plastic handles are becoming more common.

The front end of the blade is also flat. Putty knives whose front end are wider than at the base flare from the handle in a fan-shape design but with a horizontal front end. The sides can be straight lines, making the knives resemble a martini wine glass, or curved, which makes them look like a sherry glass. There are, of course, variations to this basic design. Some have pointed tips and actually look like real knives.

Flexible and disposable putty knives are also available. These are often completely made of molded plastic that includes both the blade and handle. These are useful when working with substances that are difficult to clean, contain toxic ingredients, or require hazardous solvents to clean.

Putty knives have two basic uses –to spread putty or another other sealant, and to scrape old paint, wallpaper, hardened dirt, or solidified oil from the surface of your work.