kaib18•3mo ago

Just found out my taping knives were way too stiff for the job

I was watching a video from a drywall supply company last night, not even looking for advice, just killing time. Then they showed this test where they flexed a 12 inch knife and measured how much pressure it took to make it bend. Turns out the cheap stainless ones I've been using for 2 years need almost double the force compared to a good flex blade. I grabbed my own knife off the bench and tried it, and sure enough I've been fighting the thing the whole time. No wonder my butt joints were always a little humpy no matter how careful I was with the mud. I ordered a proper flex knife from the same brand they showed, cost me $34 online. Has anyone else switched blade stiffness and noticed a big difference in their finish?

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jasons633mo ago

Double the force" - that's actually nuts. I mean I knew there was a difference between cheap and decent knives but I didn't think it was that much. Sounds like you've been working way harder than you had to for two years now. That would explain why my arms would feel dead after a big drywall day too. I bet you notice it pretty fast once you get that flex blade in your hand, the mud should lay a lot flatter.

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evac723mo ago

Wait, you really think that cheap knives take that much more effort to use?

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