As a carpet fitter, you want to make sure you have the best tool for the job. Even better if you can use the same knife for different tasks while you’re fitting floors. 

In this article, we will discuss the types of knives and blades used by carpet fitters and the tasks they are best suited to. You’ll also find the top recommended brands for carpet fitting.

By using the right knife for the job, you’ll achieve quality workmanship and please your customers. The right knife and the right blade will also save you time and make your work safer.

Types of Blade and their Uses

Different flooring types are best cut with different blade profiles. There are 3 typical profiles for carpet knives: a hook blade, a flat edge/straight blade and a concave blade.

A straight blade is good for general tasks such as opening packaging and cutting cable ties, but it is perfect for getting a straight, even cut when cutting carpet sections. 

A hook blade is useful for quickly trimming carpet where the edge will be hidden, as it hooks under the carpet to cut through the tough matting. It is best for cutting safety flooring, as its hooked shape makes it easier to apply pressure when cutting through tough materials. Hook blades are also stronger than other types of blades, preventing accidents when pulling through tough material.

A concave blade has a finer edge, making it well-suited for vinyl flooring, where accuracy is key.

Each of these types of blades can be made to fit a utility knife. They are designed to be double-ended, so when one side dulls, you can turn the blade around to get a fresh, sharp edge.

Utility Knife

A utility knife with a retractable blade is a good all-round tool for carpet cutting. You can easily change the blades and choose to use a hook, straight or concave blade depending on preference.

Most utility knives, such as the Janser Dolphin Knife, have space inside to store extra blades, so you’re never without.

Carpet Trimmer

Carpet Trimmers are useful tools for creating long, straight cuts in carpet materials. Rather than extending from the tip of the tool, the blade is housed at an angle within a straight edge, with just one corner exposed. This means that you can use this tool to cut at an even depth, using the straight edge to split between the pile of the carpet before the blade cuts the base material.

Carpet fitters use carpet trimmers to finish edges and cut panels or seams because they provide a really straight line.

Best Carpet Knife Brands

At ReNew Flooring Supplies we stock popular brands of carpet knives and get a good insight into which types are in demand and come highly recommended.

Janser Dolphin Carpet Knife

The Janser Dolphin Knife is a classic trimming knife and is among the most used in the carpet and flooring trade. With a contoured body, it is comfortable to grip and use. The blade retraction wheel is perfectly placed for ergonomic operation, so there’s no fiddling with sliding switches. 

Finally, Janser Dolphin carpet trimming knife has a storage compartment inside the handle for spare Janser blades, so you’re never caught out.

Janser Dolphin Knives are available in a wide range of colours and are supplied with the Dolphin Knife Holster in most cases.

You can purchase Janser Dolphin Knife Holster together with the knife and spare Janser blades from our online store.

Crain 726 Pivoting Knife

The Crain 726 Pivoting knife has a brilliant ergonomic design that allows you to hold the knife parallel to the floor and get a smooth cut through carpet knap. The wide body of this carpet trimming knife gives you the advantage of a firmer grip because your hand is less constricted when applying pressure on the cut. This means fewer slips, reducing the risk of accidents.

The Crain Pivoting knife is easy to open even without a screwdriver, as it has a thumb screw that folds down. The knife pivots open along a central seam, allowing fast and easy storage of blades. Furthermore, the internal blade holder is narrow, holding blades tight no matter what length they are. This handle is easy to use with Sweeney slotted blades, among others.

Wolff Knife

Wolff Tools is a well-known brand in the flooring industry, used by many floor fitters. These trimming handles are designed to be more durable than others as they do not wear at the base of the blade mount, a common problem with many blades. Wolff Trimming Handles have a chunkier mounting area, so users benefit from needing to replace the handle less frequently. 

This Wolff Trimming Handle comes with a highly visible, bright green plastic holster, and has room for internal blade storage so you can always keep spare Wolff blades to hand.

Carpet Knives at Re-New Flooring Tools

Hopefully, this article has given you an idea of some of the best carpet knives on the market. You can browse these and more Trimming Knives and Carpet Trimmers in our online shop, along with other flooring tools. Choose a style that suits your purpose, and ensure you have plenty of spare blades. Care for your trowels by keeping them clean and dry, as any leftover bits of mortar will affect how evenly the blade spreads in future.