How to remove a Swann-Moreton scalpel blade
Is your scalpel a bit blunt and tearing the paper. Or perhaps you’ve dropped it and it’s lost the tip. How the devil are you going to get the old blade out without cutting your fingers to ribbons? Never fear! I’ll show you a fail-safe and easy way to remove a Swann-Moreton scalpel blade. In this example I am removing a 10a scalpel blade from a No.3 handle. This will also work with other Swann-Moreton handles and blades.
Some people use pliers and some use these nifty little boxes but they’re not really necessary – you can safely remove a used blade with just your hands and a cutting mat if you follow my guide.
Ok, shall we remove that old blade? You’ll need: A Swann-Moreton scalpel (with old blade) and a cutting mat.
Finger on the tip
With the logo on the handle facing up, place your blade on the cutting mat and place a finger on the side of the tip
Tilt and press
While pressing down on the blade tip, slowly tilt the handle up. Keep pressing and tilting which should result in the blade snapping in half.
Careful now
Be careful with the little bit of blade left in the handle, there's a tiny sharp bit left on there which can still cut you.
Out it pops
Use a thumbnail and prize the remaining blade out of the handle. Please do handle with care, obvs.
Dispose safely
CAREFULLY pick up the two bits of scalpel and dispose of them safely. I use a couple of tiny plastic boxes with lids: one for old blades and one to store the new blades.
So there we have it! That was easy eh? I hope this made sense and I sincerely hope you still have all your fingers. The next step is how to insert a new Swann-Moreton scalpel blade. Hey kiddo, I GOT YOU! Check out my handy guide and you’ll be crafting with your shiny new blade in now time.
I guess you need this next: How to insert a Swann-Moreton scalpel blade
For super useful papercutting hints, tricks tips and techniques why not buy my papercutting book here (direct from me, so I can sign it if you wanna) it’s also available on Amazon and Bookshop.org (affiliate links). You can also buy it direct from my publisher Crowood Press.
Buy Swann-Moreton No3 handles from Amazon here and packs of Swann Moreton 10a blades from here (affiliate links)