Traditional carving knives have curved blades that make it easier to cut several stencils at one time. The blade is sandwiched between two pieces of bamboo and must be sharpened periodically.
The blade wrapped with black silk,, shown above, was made by a master swordsmith and absolutely top quality, requiring appropriate handling. The green wrapped one is the more common traditional version and a bit more rugged.
X-acto® knives work quite well as a substitute for the traditional knives. The blades may be easily changed as they become dull and are fairly inexpensive. Be sure to get the kind with the rubberized grip and use #11 blades.
traditional stencil carving knife
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Style and Price
traditional knife – $95
professional level traditional knife – $800