Putty knives take a lot of abuse from active do-it-yourselfers. That’s because we use these them to spread construction adhesive, joint compound and wood glue, as just a few examples.
These tools get messy, fast. So, at the end of the job, you need to clean that putty knife if you ever want to use it again.
But it doesn’t have to be that difficult, especially if you prep the tool before it has the chance to get messy.
So, try this: Before using your putty knife to spread joint compound, wood glue or construction adhesive, stick a piece of clear packing tape onto the blade.
Then, when done using the putty knife, simply peel off the tape to reveal a clean blade.