Reinforced belting and dense gasket — the .065" flexes under that load, guard or not; use the .083" 60510 (guarded) or 60450 (bare).
Deep or dense foam — the hollow-ground 60180/60480, or the 6" hollow blades for thick bun.
Tight-curve freehand work where you'd want the handle to spin freely — the guard limits it; use the bare 60570.
The most delicate close trims where you'd choke onto the blade — again the bare 60570.
And it is not a pry bar, scraper, or striking tool.
How the pros run it
01
Pull the whole edge, low and sliced
The 5" blade's value is the continuous stroke — engage the full length and draw through, blade laid down to slice cloth cleanly. The guard doesn't change that; it just backstops the hand behind it.
02
Mind the curve trade
The finger guard costs a little of the free handle-rotation you'd use to swing a tight curve. Plan long straight and gentle draws for this knife; for freely following a tight contour, the bare 60570 is more fluid.
03
Tension, always
Canvas, cover cloth, and webbing cut clean only stretched flat and held; slack material folds around even a keen edge.
04
Maintain the full length of edge
A long high-carbon blade holds a lot of edge — hone all of it, strop, and wipe dry after damp work. A dull section mid-draw shows as a drag mark across a long cut.
Asked at the counter
BUYER QUESTIONS ANSWERED BEFORE THE CART, NOT AFTER THE RETURN
What's different from the 60570?
Only the safety handle's finger guard. Same 5" × 1" × .065" blade and cut.
4" or 5" guarded knife?
The 5" 60600 for long cuts and wide material; the 4" 60120 for shaped, close work.
Does the guard hurt curved cuts?
It limits free handle rotation a little — fine for straight and gentle draws, less fluid on tight curves than the bare 60570.
Can it cut belting?
No — the .065" is too light; use the .083" 60510 (guarded) or 60450 (bare).
Wood or soft-grip handle?
Listings say "Safety Wood Handle"; the catalog says "soft-grip handle with built-in finger guard" — the guard is certain; the handle-material wording is being reconciled.
