After years of moving mud on walls, my 10 inch taping knife has gotten extremely sharp and I’ve cut my hands washing it at the end of the day. How can I dull it but still keep a good edge on it? I work primarily as a carpenter so I don’t know what the real tapers do. Thanks
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How about turning that one into a scraper, and treat yourself to a new knife? What's a new one, $8-$10 ? If you're all sentimental about it, just blunt it out on a file or some sandpaper (flat, of course).
Ken Hill
Once I used a taping knife for applying venetian plaster, it became razor sharp after just 1/2 a room when I got cut. Just rounded the edge with a sharpening stone and it was fine again.
Tom
Joint it just like a cabinet scraper, then round the shoulders on some fine grit paper (hard to explain the motion: pretend you're painting the paper using the knife as a brush).
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Sharpen your knifes every morning with a flat file . They are filed square. I love the shape you have your knife in for skimming the last butter coat. The knife is thinner allowing it to flex , killing edges. That is of course if it isnt pitted with rust.
Tim Mooney
Why not use a cheap scrub brush to clean your tools? Been using one to clean my knives/mud pans, no long have those nice "paper-cut" like slashes in my hands from the cleaning efforts. And I agree with a later post... that fine edge actually seems to work better for feathering than a new knife.