Abstract: A holder for a curette blade having two opposite sides, two opposite lateral edges and a cutting edge extending between the two edges utilizes two arcuate and opposing blade-clamping surfaces mounted for movement toward and away from one another and associated stop pins for abutting the opposite lateral edges of the blade when the blade is held between the blade-clamping surfaces. The blade-clamping surfaces are adapted to bend the blade into the shape of their arcs when the blade-clamping surfaces are moved from an opened condition to a closed condition so that the cutting edge of the blade is bent to an arcuate condition for a cutting or scraping operation. The holder further includes a member for releasably locking the blade-clamping surfaces in their closed condition about a blade.