Abstract: A plane having an easily removable blade positionable in use flush against the work surface. A magnet attached to the underside of the handle of the plane secures the blade to the handle. The blade may be positioned on the handle with the cutting edge exposed or simply reversed to store the cutting edge of the blade under the handle.

Abstract: A scalpel blade is made by depositing a coating onto a tapered region of a substrate which is tapered with an included angle of from about 10 to about 25 degrees to an edge. The substrate is made of surgical-grade stainless steel hardened to a Rockwell C hardness of at least 54 and then annealed to a Rockwell C hardness of from about 46 to less than about 53. The coating overlying the tapered region has a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 2.5 micrometers and includes a first coating layer of a first metal, and a second coating layer overlying the first coating layer. The first coating layer is preferably zirconium or a zirconium-base alloy, and the second coating layer is preferably zirconium nitride. The edge may be atomically sharpened by applying a large negative voltage to the substrate relative to the deposition source while a portion of the thickness of the second coating layer is being deposited.

Abstract: A utility knife that includes a main body, a blade holder assembly movably mounted within the body and a manually engageable member slidably mounted on the main body. The blade holder assembly is constructed and arranged to mount a blade within the main body. The blade holder is movable between a retracted position wherein the blade is disposed within the main body and an extended position wherein the blade protrudes outwardly from the main body to enable a cutting operation. The manually engageable member is operatively connected with the blade holder assembly and is movable to move the blade holder assembly between its extended and retracted positions. The utility knife further includes a blade storage member pivotally connected with the main body. The blade storage member is constructed and arranged to carry a supply of spare blades and is movable between a closed position wherein the spare blades are concealed and a fully opened position permitting access to the spare blades.

Abstract: A method of increasing the length of time a tool maintains sharp cutting edges utilizes the steps of manufacturing the tool with the cutting edges ground sharp and then partially dulling, to a lighter or heavier extent, those previously ground sharp cutting edges. Often the partial dulling is accomplished by means of applying a brush wheel to the selected cutting edges.

Abstract: One jaw of a heavy duty shear having relatively pivotal jaws is provided with piercing and cutting tip blades which provide linear cutting edges extending transverse to the pivot axis of the jaws and piercing edges extending parallel to the pivot axis. Each blade includes a plurality of cutting edges and piercing edges, and the blades are adapted to be both re-oriented and reversed with respect to an initial mounting disposition on the jaw for selectively positioning the cutting and piercing edges relative to cooperable blades on the other jaw of the shear.

Abstract: A holder for a folding knife which retains the knife in a folded configuration with blade retention means to maintain the knife blade in a slightly open position so that the knife is opened when it is withdrawn from the holder, where the blade retention means do not contact the sharp edge of the knife.

Abstract: A gardening shears is composed of a fixed jaw, a movable jaw fastened pivotally with the fixed jaw, a rocking arm fastened with the fixed jaw and provided with a locating slot, an actuating device linking the movable jaw with the rocking arm, and two handles fastened respectively with the movable jaw and the rocking arm.

Abstract: A nut can be pierced with a device employing an upper member having a manually engageable surface. The device also has a base with an underside adapted to stably rest atop a horizontal support surface. The upper member has a free end, a pivotal end, and a manually engageable surface. This member is mounted at the pivotal end to articulate atop the base. The cutter is mounted on the member proximate the free end and opposite the manually engageable surface. A retractable element is mounted adjacent to the cutter to reciprocate with respect thereto. This retractable element can retract relative to the member to expose and give the cutter clearance for piercing the nut.

Abstract: A cutting tool designed for hand cutting/harvesting of grapes and trimming shrubs and flowers. It has two elongated members pivotally secured together at a locus axis passing perpendicularly through their respective head portions. The surfaces of the respective head portions that mate against each other have annular grooves that removably receive a coiled spring between them. The coiled spring functions to keep the cutting edges of the tool separated when there isn't any hand pressure squeezing the respective hand portions toward each other to perform a cutting operation. A brass washer under the head of the bolt holding the respective head portions together assures smooth pivotal movement of the head portions when the respective hand portions are squeezed toward each other.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing razor blades from a continuous strip of metal stock by stamping a plurality of openings in the strip for precise registry of the blade edge when employed in the razor and then running the stock through a device which partially slits the strip along lines which are precisely located with respect to the edges of the stock and the openings. The strip is then heat treated after which it is run through a device which splits the stock along the previously slit lines to form a plurality of continuous strands containing interconnected blades disposed end to end.

Abstract: A package opener that can be used safely to open packages, such a jewel boxes containing compact discs, that are encapsulated within thin outer coverings. The device includes an edge guide channel into which a cutting edge extends so that the device can be guided along a selected edge of the package to precisely cut the covering to permit its easy removal from the package.

Abstract: A punch for removing material from lead frames has a substantially rectangular body with an array of grooves along one side and a step removed on one end from the side opposite the grooves to provide an array of punch teeth extending from the body of the punch. The grooves provide a means of reworking the punch to provide a new array of teeth, by machining away all or part of the teeth and then extending the step in the direction of the groove to provide substantially the original length for the individual teeth. By providing a punch with groove length several times the tooth length, the punch can be reworked several times before being discarded. Methods for forming the punch and for reworking the punch after breakage or wear are disclosed.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a vegetable/fruit peeler, including: a body portion having a cavity defined therein; a cover plate closing a portion of the cavity; and an exposed knife edge extending through an opening defined in the cover plate, the knife edge being generally parallely spaced closely to and surrounded by a relatively large flat surface of the cover plate; whereby, when a vegetable or fruit is placed against the relatively large flat surface and against the knife edge, and the knife edge advanced under skin of the vegetable or fruit, the knife edge will remove peels of the skin from the vegetable or fruit which peels will enter the cavity.

Abstract: A refiner for processing fibrous material comprising a frame, a stator, a rotor, a shaft assembly, a stator support, a stator support receiving means adapted to receive the stator support, the improvement comprising mounting the stator support receiving means on the rotor for movement of said stator towards or away from said rotor.

Abstract: A tool is used to custom fit rubber slip-ons onto golf shoes for use in wet conditions to keep the feet of the golfer dry. The tool can be manually manipulated to cut openings into the sole of a slip-on of an appropriate size so that the openings are aligned with the spikes of the golf shoe. When openings have been cut for all of the spikes, the sole of the slip-on rests against a base of the spikes and the sole of the golf shoe. The tool has an elongated hollow body with two ends. One end has a circular cutting edge thereon and the other end has a handle thereon. After the slip-on is placed onto the golf shoe with the spikes separating the sole of the slip-on from the sole of the golf shoe, the tool is aligned with each spike in turn to cut an appropriate opening for that spike. Previously, slip-ons have been designed with pre-cut openings but these slip-ons can only be used with a specific model of golf shoe of a specific manufacturer having a specific size.

Abstract: A punch tool is disclosed for puncturing the walls of heat exchanger tubes when they become worn in order that the tubes may be repaired. Said tool comprises a hardened, longitudinally drilled, steel rod that is able to fit within the heat exchanger tube. A piston with a cutting bit is fit within a milled slot that communicates with the longitudinally drilled hole of the hardened rod. Once the tool is inserted into a tube to be repaired hydraulic pressure is applied and the piston is forced outward thereby puncturing the tube.