Hyde Tools 02000 1-1/4" Flexible Black & Silver® Putty Knife

steep (30–45°) to press and pack the fill into a hole or grain; shallow (10–20°) to strike it flush. Use the narrow width for placement, not screeding: the 1-1/4" blade is a precision applicator — it puts a small amount of material exactly where it goes and follows a profile; it is not a wide leveling tool, so hand broad fields to the 1-1/2"/2" flexes. Keep the carbon edge keen: its whole advantage is a sharp, clean strike — dress it on a fine stone when it dulls or nicks, and it will repay you with less sanding. Respect the steel: wipe it dry after water-based compound and give it a rare light oiling; a carbon blade left wet rusts, and a rusting edge streaks light filler. That maintenance is the price of the keener edge — if you won't pay it, the stainless 01040 (one width up) is the no-ritual alternative.