Dewalt has come out with a new line of professional putty knives and drywall tools. Features include “Guaranteed Tough” construction that Dewalt says will exceed your expectations for quality, performance, and reliability, premium stainless steel blades, alloy metal hammer ends, and hanging holes.
There are two types of putty knives, available in a range of sizes and styles. One style features a black nylon handle, which is lightweight, solvent-resistant, and double-riveted to the blade using stainless steel rivets.
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The other style features a full soft-grip handle, which Dewalt says is designed for all-day use with minimal fatigue. It has a glass-reinforced nylon core (as does the other style), and is also impact and solvent-resistant, and double riveted to the blade with stainless steel rivets.
The blades are said to be hollow ground mid-way, for perfect flex and a “nicely broken-in” feel.
Both styles are also available with carbon steel blades that have a corrosion-protection coating.
Similarly styled taping knives are available in 8″, 10″, 12″, and 14″ sizes. They say that the rigid anodized backplate is wider and thicker than on competitive models.
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There’s is a slightly lower priced version of the taping knives, available in sizes 6″ thru 14″, with a Blue Steel blade.
Lastly, there are new heli-arc-welded stainless steel drywall mud pans, in 12″, 14″, and 16″ sizes.
Buy Now(Dewalt Soft-Grip Stainless Steel Putty Knives via Amazon)
Buy Now(Dewalt Soft-Grip Stainless Steel Taping Knives via Amazon)
Buy Now(Dewalt Mud Pans via Amazon)
See All Dewalt Drywall Tools, via Level 5 Tools on Amazon
The new Dewalt putty knives and drywall tools are licensed products made by Level 5 Tools.
Cr8on
Ok SBD… Now I think you’re going overboard!
Redcastle
I never realised my life was incomplete because I did not have a “tactical” filling knife.
Other than those who like all their tools to match are these better than those produced by companies who have been in this business for a long time.
It would seem they are an extension of the Stanley subsequently Stanley Fatmax tools seen from time to time for this purpose.
fred
Stanley once owned (via a buyout) Goldblatt – a Kansas City based company that was focused on the “trowel trades” Now Goldblatt is owned by Hangzhou Great Star. There a several other companies like BonTool, Hyde, Kraft and Marshalltown that focus on trowels . But some folks are fans of Dewalt – so I guess SBD want to trade on its name recognition to garner more sales
Redcastle
Goldblatt tools are seen over here from time to time in specialist retailers however I understand that as with so many companies where production and ownership has moved to the Far East the “originals” available only second hand are much preferred.
There are higher end versions available from firms (often Italian and connected with tiling) however normally the versions available from OX, Stanley, etc are good enough for most people.
I did preface my comment with “other than those who like all their tools to match”.
While I like uniformity as much as anyone else I tend to follow a best of breed / value for money approach to tools, I would not pay a substantial premium just to have something in a particular color if that was the sole point of difference but I can understand people choosing to do so.
fred
Several years back – faux finishing was all the rage amongst some of our clientele. So called “Venetian plaster” – came with a “need” for more refined Italian trowels. We had some in inventory from Pavan Ernesto et Figlia SPA. We also had some German venetian plaster trowels from Storch
Lance
Can you explain why though? I talk to these level 5 guys every once and a while at a job, never thought they would be using a different trowel though. The Venetian plaster game is kinda dope, he told me go in the other room and check it out. So I did and was walking around the room with floor to ceiling panels (I did) trying to find it and I though I dunno this looks like regular paint to me. Saw one section that looked like it was just dusty, that ended up being it in its early stages but I could barely tell at first, & I swore I whipped some off with my hand. Thought a couple weeks later I was back doing some hardware and it wouldn’t wipe off anymore ?
Nate Kerxhalli
Before you make building materials colloquialisms an international issue, “mud” almost always refers to drywall compound, not stucco or plaster. The reputation of the Sistine chapel is not in jeopardy.
It would be nice if some of these stainless taping knives made their way to the big box stores, the typical selection there is pretty lousy
Redcastle
I notice you say “almost always” and I am aware that Gyproc and it’s associated jointing compound is far more common in the USA and Canada than it has been until relatively recently in the UK.
My comment was half in jest however I was curious how such an unflattering name had become the term used I would not like to respond to the question what did you do today? With I spread some mud on a wall.
Redcastle
Pressed the button too quick. My farming cousins for instance do not say I spent the day spraying shit but rather manure.
fred
As the expression goes – “Its as clear as mud” and “that covers the ground!”
I don’t think that anyone would confuse the work that we do in mixing and spreading “mud” , plaster or drywall compound – what ever we might call it with those who created the the frescos of the Italian renaissance.
Captain
Cement is also refered to as mud.
Redcastle
Stucco or plaster has a very rich heritage (Sistine chapel probably best known) so how come you call it “mud” meaning in the unlikely event that the Eurotrash become aware of this they can add it to the list of things which prove how unsophisticated the USA is?
I presume it is white/pink/grey like it is over here or is yours brown?
The yeti
I think its called mud because it has the consistancy of mud. As for making fun of Americans. I live in Canada. Our own government engages in this. It sort of disgusts me.
I would gladly take American gun laws. Taxes and prices. some other stuff they do well down there too.
Working in the oilfield. Lots of nice Canadian rigs have moved south. Lots of the big iron has went south.
I guess it depends where u sit. To me USA looks prettt good rite now
Redcastle
I do not have anything but a deep rooted affection for the USA and it’s people, I was lucky enough to work there on many occasions, my comment regarding Eurotrash mocking people from the USA was tongue in cheek.
Stuart
It’s referring to drywall joint compound.
fred
Old school plaster often had a brown tinge to it owing to addition of horsehair to give it a bit of structure.
Redcastle
Fred
The non structral walls in my home are lime and horsehair which is dark grey with a “skim” coat which is a very pale almost white grey. Modern plaster finishes are pale pink. The structural walls are rendered and then a skim coat of plaster.
The lathe and plaster walls as they are called are very robust compared to gyproc however wiring behind them can be difficult and if you need to remove them they weigh a lot.
fred
My wife (and those numbers on cards test) will attest that I’m slightly colorblind – so browns and pinks might not register with me. But working on old lath and plaster walls can be a pita. Worse yet is trying to rewire an old balloon-framed wall – where the firestop blocking was inserted at random levels.
JoeM
I feel ya on the colourblind thing. I have a full colour blindness to Blue. So, all I see is Red and Yellow, and the rest is a Black and White Movie come to life.
It’s why I prefer individual work to working with others. It takes less time for me to grab things, and wire things, with the proper names on them, than it does asking someone to HAND me the thing with the proper name on it.
“Can you pass me my Cat5 Crimper please?”
“What? This Red-Orange thing?”
“Does it say Cat5 on the head piece there?”
“…Yeah?”
“Does it appear to squeeze an RJ45 connector in the jaw?”
“…Seems To?…”
“THAT’S A CAT5 CRIMPER!!! GIVE IT TO ME NOW!”
Rick
“Mudding” has been Muddled. But some union guy told me they all had to work as mudmen- which basically was some guy who had to mix and move the mud, cementicious or lime based- but mud nowadays refers to anything slapped onto a joint or to finish a wall in some manner or fashion.
Anyways, unless yours rusts out, bends, or is dropped, everyone develops their favorite. Would I go and buy a dewalt one to replace what I use now? Probably not.
The yeti
Dont tapers use bazookas ?
They do here.
I like the look of these. I think when i replace my putty knife. It will be with another Richard.
DeWalt can keep the fuzzy handle for all day use with minimal fatigue.
Sure look good though
CSGuy57
They do, but you still use knives to to wipe it down after you lay down the tape with the bazooka (or tube as we call it). This is typically done with an 8″ knife. Subsequent coats use 10″, 12″, or even 14″ knives for topping and skimming. 6″ inch knives are the all-around knife for spotting screws, scraping take-offs, etc.
alex
Knives are still used for small jobs and patches. Bazookas are a pain in the … to clean from what I’ve heard.
fred
Bazookas and taping machines might be more popular on really big jobs – like doing a warehouse. We’d hire several different tapers – who were local to our residential jobs. I don’t recall seeing any using a bazooka or drywall box,
https://www.alstapingtools.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=+Flat+boxes&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIirHkpOPj3gIVrP7jBx0PDAz6EAAYASAAEgJ8jPD_BwE
Rick
they were banned for a while here in NYC… unions didnt like it! too fast!
america uses a lot of “Drywall”- europe still has a lot of cement walls.
eric schiller
Seems like these are manufactured by the same company that makes them for Marshalltown, Warner, Wal-board and so on except at a higher price point.
Redcastle
Premium for the colour scheme.
Redcastle
Possibly because of the mud in my eye I missed that some of these tools are called putty knives, common language division issue here.
Putty knives in the UK are a completely different tool used to work putty a compound used for holding glass in windows as a successor to strips of lead which meant that in some parts of the country glazing is considered a plumber or roofers job. Increasingly rare as double glazing units do not need it.
fred
Old school putty was (here in the US) sometimes a mixture of white lead and linseed oil. With the thought that the name “plumbing” and “plumber” owe their origin to plumbum (lead in Latin) – it might make sense that plumbers were called upon to work with lead putty – or lead came to hold glass in place.
When I started my work life – lead caulking of bell and spigot soil pipe and drains, lead shower pans, lead toilet bends and even lead water pipes were common. Lead sheet (instead of copper or aluminum) was also seen on some roofing jobs. Plumber’s joint runners were also made of asbestos rope. Mercifully we have moved away from using these materials – and hopefully modern materials and techniques pose less of a health and environmental hazard. Meanwhile we live with a legacy of lead paint, asbestos insulation and lead water pipes slowly being remediated in many of our older homes, water supply systems and other infrastructure.
Redcastle
Fred
You can still get linseed oil putty over here without the lead but there are purely synthetic substitutes which as is often the case divide opinion.
There is one particular very expensive substitute from the Netherlands that I always liked for its ability to provide a sound seal with excellent weather resistance until on one job we had to remove it which was very difficult even using the glazing blades from Fein.
I have no lead piping in my home and the water board replaced the lead main in our street twenty plus years ago but there are still plenty of roads where the mains are lead. No asbestos, all the paintwork went back to the wood or bare plasterwork.
It still surprises me that these environmental factors do not form part of the survey when you are buying a property or the information pack and yet whether your domestic appliances are rated A or B for being “green” does.
Depending on certain factors you can get a government grant to replace your windows or put fibreglass insulation in your loft (but not to remove any asbestos insulation which is already there) while your children continue to ingest a daily dose of lead cleaning their teeth.
MacLean
Where’s the million dollar 5 in 1?
JoeM
This really should have been left a Stanley product line. DeWALT doesn’t need these at all.
Next they’ll try to release a DeWALT Drywall Tape Banjo. Why? Because it’s there, and they don’t remember the fact that DeWALT doesn’t need to do EVERY tool in the universe in order to make a profit.
I’m a DeWALT guy and even I’M disgusted with this.
Altan
Mate, you are definitely right!
DeWALT should make 120V Flexvolt Vaccum Cleaner first and some other tools I have mentioned a lot of times here and in other forums and websites, 60V Table Tile cutter as well. I can make these trowels by myself even. DeWALT, do not make us wait for LONG! Go ahead and work and make…
ToolOfTheTrade
Redcastle, why do have to be so anal about the term mud. It’s called slang. I guess you’ve never used it when speaking or heard it when someone speaks to you. It’s a term we use that everyone who works with these products understands. Whether it’s drywall mud, plaster mud, stucco mud, mortar mud or any product that has the consistency of mud, we know what it means. It sounds a lot better than gypsum abutment joint compound or horse hair and lime floating compound,whatever the hell that is. Just like skilsaw and sawzall. We know exactly what it means when someone says it. As for these mud knives that Dewalt has came out with, they really need to be available at HD and Lowes because their selection is dismal and thats an understatement. But I’m kind of weary because Dewalt isn’t known for trade specific hand tools and I think people might dismiss it as such. It would likely be more acceptable if the Stanley name were on it instead. Stanley is very well known for their hand tools in relation to many trades. Dewalt not so much. But I’m sure I’ll buy some eventually.
JoeM
ToTT…Dude… We agree on the DeWALT hand tool thing… When do we EVER agree on anything like this? We’re normally at odds on most subjects!
Okay people… Take note on this one… ToolOfTheTrade and I ACTUALLY AGREE… There MUST be something undeniable about this point!
Redcastle
JoeM
I responded to you and Tool of the trade.
I was reminded earlier this week that making decisions regarding our children’s care post divorce that where our views differed discussion and eventual agreement would be required, however where we held the same view it was guaranteed to be the right call so I understand completely when you say that if the two of you agree on something it must mean something.
Redcastle
Tool of the trade and JoeM
Refer to my comment about my farming cousins for why I was curious about why a non complimentary term was being used for a product which has a name. The putty knife label makes it worse.
I have been saying DeWalt has no DNA in the hand tool business for sometime.
Given that it is part of a group which has a huge heritage in hand tools (Stanley) whose name is used as a slang term for a utility knife and a claw hammer in the UK I questioned why until I was told that it was because there were people who only liked to see a single name and livery in their toolbox.
Personally I prefer a best of breed / value for money approach and do not mind how multi coloured the contents of my toolboxes are..
I am glad to have played a part however small in bringing you two together.
I am about to comment on the latest offering from SBD it will be interesting to hear your views.
With regard to slang I grew up in the East End of London which is slang central for the UK, Cockney rhyming slang is well known to the point where there are people who are not native to the area using and abusing it e,g, people from the USA are referred to as septics derived from septic tank = Yank. The way you tell the difference between the real and the “plastic” version is that the original was not doubly derived I,e, not slang on a slang term.
Rhyming slang which predates the formation of the USA was like most such dialects originally designed to keep the authorities at bay and was a form of thieves cant there are different versions in most big cities I am particularly fond of some of the Glasgow slang.
JoeM
Oh the slang thing is something I know well, Redcastle. For example… I don’t do Drywall. Yet, I used the term “Dry Wall Banjo” a little earlier in the comments.
I don’t know what that tool’s proper name is. I would guess “Tape Dispenser” rather than “Banjo” but I have only ever heard it called a Banjo, which is likely a trades slang for the tool.
I have zero opinion or thought to your use of the slang “Mud” as ToTT points out. But, further down his comment, he and I are on the same wavelength about DeWALT not needing this line of hand tools. Usually? ToTT and I are at eachother’s throats, but we agree that this is an SBD mistake in branding these things DeWALT.
If DeWALT made a full line of paint sprayers (They don’t.) then these companion tools would make at least some sense. In fact, DeWALT has almost NO full lineups, Corded, Cordless, OR Air Powered, that compliment ANY of these tools. But, Stanley does have tools that can be companions to these… because they’re Hand Tools.
SBD is leaning WAY too much on the tiny percentage of tool users who want their ENTIRE tool area to have the same name on everything.
fred
My mother-in-law (bless her soul) was a Glaswegian – and when she got started – you had to listen carefully otherwise you might miss the drift. But on recent trips to Glasgow I noticed a bit less of her sort of accent – so it might be fading out a bit since her days (early years of the 20th. Century) of growing up and acquiring her accent and dialect.
Redcastle
Fred
I knew there was a good reason I liked you other than your great knowledge of tools.
Being from Donegal and speaking when at home with an accent my father disparagingly (he is from Monaghan so technically I am only part Donegal but full Ulster and that is Ulster the historic Irish kingdom not the incorrect use as a name for Northern Ireland) referred to as broken Scots I did not ever have a problem with understanding the Glasgow accent.
One of my aunts married a Glaswegian who we really liked however they wound up moving to Boston so for a long time my reasons to visit have been limited however my youngest cousin (not one of the ones who moved to Boston) has just settled there so I may well visit next year.
Nathan
Other than maybe making a dewalt version and a Stanley version I don’t so much see the point.
They look like a quality product but this is one of those areas where I’d most likely look at country of origin – and probably buy the american made version. LIke all the putty knives I’ve bought recently (last 7 years I guess) have been Hyde and made in america. SO I’d most likely go that route if I need something more.