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Lab knife and wax knife
Also called: plaster knife, wax spatula, lab knife
A sturdy lab knife for trimming plaster and wax.
A lab (plaster) knife has a strong blade for cutting away overhanging plaster or stone, for example before separating a poured model from its impression. Wax knives are warmed to soften, carry and shape wax. These tools stay in the lab.
How to spot it
- A short, stiff blade on a solid handle; wax knives often have a flat spatula on the other end.
What it is used for
- Trimming models, removing models from impressions, wax work.
Safety and care
- Cut away from your body and hands.
- Keep lab tools separate from clinical instruments.
Related
Sources: University of Toronto Libraries exhibit. History of dentures: modeling dentures (plaster knife)