A
putty knife is a specialized tool used when glazing single glazed windows, to work
puttyPutty is a generic term for a plastic material similar in texture to clay or dough typically used in domestic construction and repair as a sealant or filler. Painter's Putty is typically a linseed oil based product used for filling holes, minor cracks and defacements in wood only...
around the edges of each pane of
glassIn general Glass refers to a solid, brittle, transparent material, commonly used for windows, bottles, or eyewear. Examples of glassy materials include, but are not limited to, soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, acrylic glass, sugar glass, Muscovy-glass, or aluminium oxynitride. The term glass...
. An experienced glazer will apply the putty by hand, and then smooth it with the knife. Modern
glazingWhen multiple glass panes or "lites" are assembled into units, they are commonly referred to as insulated glass, double glazing, Double Glazed Units or Insulating Glass Units ....
uses other ways of securing the glass to the window frame.
A
spackleSpackling paste is typically used to fill holes, small cracks and other minor surface defects in wood, drywall, and plaster. Three versions of spackling paste are currently on today's market: 1. regular paste ; 2. lightweight; 3. lightbodied .Spackle is a registered trademark of the Muralo Company,...
knife (called a
scraper in
British EnglishBritish English, or UK English or English English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
, also known as a
spatula in
American EnglishAmerican English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two thirds of native speakers of English live in the United States.English is the most common language in the United States...
) is also commonly called a "putty knife," and is used for scraping surfaces or spreading material such as
plasterThe term plaster can refer to plaster of Paris , lime plaster, or cement plaster. This article deals mainly with plaster of Paris / gypsum plaster....
in various
constructionIn the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of multitasking...
trades.
A
putty knife is a specialized tool used when glazing single glazed windows, to work
puttyPutty is a generic term for a plastic material similar in texture to clay or dough typically used in domestic construction and repair as a sealant or filler. Painter's Putty is typically a linseed oil based product used for filling holes, minor cracks and defacements in wood only...
around the edges of each pane of
glassIn general Glass refers to a solid, brittle, transparent material, commonly used for windows, bottles, or eyewear. Examples of glassy materials include, but are not limited to, soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, acrylic glass, sugar glass, Muscovy-glass, or aluminium oxynitride. The term glass...
. An experienced glazer will apply the putty by hand, and then smooth it with the knife. Modern
glazingWhen multiple glass panes or "lites" are assembled into units, they are commonly referred to as insulated glass, double glazing, Double Glazed Units or Insulating Glass Units ....
uses other ways of securing the glass to the window frame.
A
spackleSpackling paste is typically used to fill holes, small cracks and other minor surface defects in wood, drywall, and plaster. Three versions of spackling paste are currently on today's market: 1. regular paste ; 2. lightweight; 3. lightbodied .Spackle is a registered trademark of the Muralo Company,...
knife (called a
scraper in
British EnglishBritish English, or UK English or English English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
, also known as a
spatula in
American EnglishAmerican English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two thirds of native speakers of English live in the United States.English is the most common language in the United States...
) is also commonly called a "putty knife," and is used for scraping surfaces or spreading material such as
plasterThe term plaster can refer to plaster of Paris , lime plaster, or cement plaster. This article deals mainly with plaster of Paris / gypsum plaster....
in various
constructionIn the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of multitasking...
trades. Widths from 1 1/4" to 5" or 6" are commonly available.
Wider-bladed knivesA taping knife or joint knife is a drywall tool with a wide blade for spreading joint compound also known as "mud". It can be used to spread the mud over nail and screw indents in new drywall applications, and is also used when using paper or fiberglass drywall tape to cover seams...
up to about 12" are used for
sheet rockingDrywall is the term used for a common method of constructing interior walls and ceilings using panels made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper, then kiln dried. Drywall construction is used globally for the finish construction of interior walls and ceilings...
. Larger blades are made, but generally lack the stability of the smaller blades and do not make a perfectly flat surface.
Stiff-blade knives, typically 1 mm or .040" thick, are suitable for scraping. Flexible-blade knives, typically 0,5 mm or .020" thick, are suitable for spreading. Disposable knives, with handle and blade molded as a single piece of plastic, are suitable for occasional jobs such as spreading roof patching tar, where cleanup may involve hazardous solvents.