Introduction:
When you decide to decorate the floors of your house with beautiful carpet, you will need a carpet knife to make necessary cuts so it can fit in corners with appropriate finishing for a smooth look. A carpet knife has a unique blade that helps you make cuts on a flat edge. You can cut your carpet in rounds and also in squares.
Proper measuring and finishing of carpet around corners and edges are required as you don’t want to see the slight peek of the tiles after lying on your beautiful carpets. Carpet knives are very versatile. You can use them for cutting anything that is lying on a flat edge like wallpaper, cardboard, rope, any sort of boxes, trimming edges of rugs, and also for craftwork.
There are more details that you can get to know regarding a carpet knife from this article. There is a buying guide and FAQs to help you choose the best carpet knife for yourself. Please take a look.
Overview of Carpet Knives
Till now, you just have a brief idea regarding a carpet knife. This overview will help you to get to know about important features and in-depth details that make a carpet knife suitable for its job.
The end of the blade that a carpet knife has, is not like that of a typical kitchen knife. It is like that of a paper cutter. This unique blade design of carpet knives helps you to work comfortably and cut carpets into your desired style that can be in rounds or squares when you keep the carpet flat on the floor. The blade is sharp to cut through the fibers of the carpet with ease.
Carpet knives that are of high quality have handles that are designed ergonomically so you feel comfortable holding them. Furthermore, the handles consist of texture to ensure you have proper grip while working making it suitable for use in craftwork as well.
The handle of carpet knives is constructed out of metal or plastic. It doesn’t matter which material the handle is made out of, they are lightweight to help you work with comfort. Most carpet knives have a knob that allows you to retract the blade into the handle when you wish to store it safely. You can adjust the length of the blade according to your requirement. The average length of the carpet knife blade is about 2 ¼ inches.
There are still some old model carpet knives that are different than the new ones that have a retractable blade. These old model carpet knives have blades that are slightly curved at the edge and they stay fixed in their position. You will not be able to fold or retract the blade. The handle of these old versions is made out of Hardwood.
Now, that you have some idea regarding what is a carpet knife, take a look at the buying guide below to select the right carpet knife for yourself. We also included some information regarding some types of carpet knives that you will get to see.
Types of Carpet Knives:
There are two types of carpet knives that you will get to see in the market. These both types have some same relative features but differ in how they look and the amount of workload that they can take on.
- Industrial Carpet Knife: Industrial carpet knife is designed for heavy-duty that includes cutting thick carpets for industrial areas. The retractable blade of these industrial carpet knives is controlled by a knob making it safe for you to use. Furthermore, some industrial carpet knives come with replaceable blades included.
- Pivot Carpet Knife: Pivot carpet knives are designed differently from industrial ones. The blade slot of these knives is magnetized so the blade stays in there when you insert one. this magnetized blade slot is an alternative to the usual retractable ones.
For easy access to the blade, the pivot carpet knife has a button and a thumb guard allowing you to adjust the length of the blade. Homeowners and flooring decorators love to work with a pivot carpet knife because of the comfortable ergonomic handle.
How to choose the Best Carpet Knife?
There are some important features regarding which you have to have the proper knowledge to choose the best carpet knife. We included details regarding these important features in our buying guide. Please have a look at it.
- Size: The size of the carpet knife is an important factor because your comfort is related to it. You don’t want a carpet knife that has huge dimensions because that will result in fatigue and you will not be able to work with comfort.
You will need a carpet knife that is neither too small nor too large for your hands. Along with the blade slot, the length of a carpet knife is about 6.5 inches. Some carpet knives also come with foldable blade slots and the length becomes about 4 inches.
- Weight: The weight of a carpet knife depends on the material that is used for its construction. Some carpet knives have a body made out of metal and some are made out of hard plastic. But usually, all sort of carpet knives is constructed lightweight to ensure that users can work with comfort. Lightweight carpet knives also have another advantage which includes easy portability.
- Blade: Blades of carpet knives are made out of stainless steel and the usual length of the blade is about 2 ¼ inches. Now, because the blades of carpet knives are retractable they are also easily replaceable. You can replace the blades of both industrial and pivot carpet knives.
You will find packs of blades available. But before purchasing any blade, check the length of blade that the carpet knife you own requires. Also, try to get stainless steel blades that have proper thickness because the efficiency of your work depends on the quality of the blade.
- Handle: Handle plays an important aspect in choosing the right carpet knife. We ask you to opt for carpet knives that have an ergonomic handle so it feels comfortable for both left and right-handed people to use. Furthermore, the handle needs to have a rubberized coating for grip to ensure it doesn’t slip off and you feel comfortable to work with while making cuts.
FAQs:
- Is carpet easy to cut?
Ans: Yes, carpets are easier to cut when you do it from the back. The front part consists of thick layers of thread so cutting from the front will be time-consuming and difficult.
- What kind of blade do you use to cut carpet?
Ans: You need to use a sharp stainless steel blade for cutting the carpet.
- Can I remove the carpet myself?
Ans: Yes, you can remove the carpet yourself with the help of a carpet knife that helps you scrape off the glue for quick removal.
- What is the best thing to cut carpet with?
Ans: For carpets in home spaces, the best thing to use is a pivot carpet knife. For carpets in industrial spaces, the best thing to use is an industrial carpet knife.
Common Uses:
You can make use of carpet knives in various ways. Here is a list of some common uses:
- You can use a carpet knife for the safe opening of cardboard boxes.
- For craftwork, you will find carpet knives very handy as it allows you to cut with precision.
- Anyone who loves doing decoration of rooms using small items will love carpet knives because of their sharp blades.
- You can easily scrape glue using the knife for easy carpet removal.
- For trimming edges or cutting wallpapers, rugs, and flooring materials you will love how much a carpet knife comes in handy.
Where to buy Carpet Knives
Conclusion:
To sum up, you should own a carpet knife if you are planning to decorate your house with beautiful carpets. You can make numerous use out of carpet knives if you are someone who loves doing craftworks and decorating rooms. Our article will guide you to select the correct carpet knife for yourself so that the purchase you make is worth every penny.