Definition

Noun: A hand tool with a broad, flat, flexible blade, typically made of steel, designed specifically for applying, smoothing, or removing putty or other similar sealing compounds, especially around window panes.

Examples

• Use a putty knife to apply the glazing compound to the window frame.
• The painter used a putty knife to scrape off the old, cracked putty before repainting the sill.
• For small drywall repairs, a putty knife is more suitable than a larger taping knife.

Advanced Usage

• In figurative language: The term can be used metaphorically to describe something that smooths over or fixes a problem in a rough or temporary way.
  • The new policy was merely a putty knife for the deep cracks in the company's morale.

Variants and Related Words

• Glazing knife: A very similar tool, often used interchangeably with "putty knife," specifically for window glazing work.
• Scraper: A more general term for a tool with a blade for removing material from a surface. A putty knife often functions as a scraper.
• Filling knife: A similar tool with a stiffer blade, often used for applying filler to holes or cracks in walls.

Synonyms

• Spatula (in the specific context of applying a compound)
• Applicator knife
• Glazer's tool

Related Phrases

• To knife in putty: An informal phrase describing the action of applying putty with the tool.
  • After removing the old glass, he carefully knifed in the new putty.

Related Idioms

Noun

1. a spatula used to mix or apply putty