Serious question, why is everyone so against using a 6 inch knife for taping?

Three years ago on a big Reno job, my lead made me use a 6 inch knife for all the butt joints. I thought it was crazy slow at first. But after a month, my seams were way flatter than the guys using 12 inch knives. Last week I tried a 10 inch on a ceiling and had to go back over it twice. Has anyone else found a smaller knife gives them more control?

3 comments

3 Comments

mila_harris23d ago

Honestly depends on the job and your own hands. A six inch knife gives you more pressure in a smaller spot, which can help. But on a big flat wall, a twelve inch lets you cover more ground in one pass. I've seen guys get great results with both, it's about what feels right for you and the specific seam.

felix_williams7123d ago

Reminds me of a time I tried using a tiny putty knife to scrape off some old caulk, took forever. Switched to a wider scraper and it was like night and day. Maybe it's just me but you really do have to find the tool that fits the job, like Mila said. Ericprice has a point though, we can get pretty deep about our tools. At the end of the day, if it gets the seam smooth and you're not fighting the thing in your hand, you're probably using the right one.

ericprice23d ago

Feels right for you" makes it sound so serious.