Abstract: An apparatus for shaping beads of fluent material such as caulking, grout or putty. A first preferred embodiment of the present invention is a bead shaper which has an essentially rectangular shaper blade mounted in a holder having a swivelable handle. The shaper blade has a number of notches which are adapted to receive a skid disposed essentially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaper blade. The shaper blade has a plurality of bead shaper edges at its four corners, each of which provides a different bead shape. The bead shaper is operated by placing the shaper blade against and perpendicular to the joined surfaces which have been caulked. The skid rests against one or both of these surfaces. The bead shaper edge rests on the caulking bead. The shaper blade is run along the caulking bead, forming the bead and pushing the excess caulking material forward of the blade and also scraping away any excess that is forced off to the sides of the bead.