Abstract: A manual dilating trocar uses an automatically retracting stylet. The stylet is threaded through a dilating obturator which is, in turn, inserted into a trocar sheath. A spring near the handle of the stylet serves to urge the stylet cutting tip into a retracted position so that it can be held within the dilating tip of the dilating obturator. When a surgeon seeks to pierce a body cavity so as to perform laparoscopic surgery or the like, the handle is engaged to overcome the bias of the spring so that the stylet's cutting tip is exposed. Upon piercing of the exterior body-cavity layer, the stylet may be withdrawn to ensure that no underlying organs or tissue are damaged by the sharp stylet tip. Once the dilation of the initial stylet wound has been completed and the trocar sheath has been introduced into the body cavity, the dilating obturator may also be removed from within the trocar sheath in order to provide a channel into the body cavity.