Why does nobody talk about how much easier a 10-inch knife is for taping?

I've been using a 6-inch knife for taping joints for like... eight years. Always thought it gave me more control, especially on inside corners. Then last month I was helping a friend finish a basement in Akron and he hands me his 10-inch knife. I was skeptical but tried it on a long flat seam. It just glided... no ridges, no extra passes. The longer blade bridges over the low spots way better. I did a whole wall in half the time. Now I feel like I wasted so much effort fighting with that tiny knife. Anyone else switch to a bigger blade and have it click like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

martin.paige3mo agoMost Upvoted

Actually the 14 inch knife is mostly for the final coat on flat surfaces. Using it for the tape coat or on inside corners would be a real mess. You need the right tool for each step. A 10 inch is great for that first coat over the tape. A 6 inch is still the go-to for getting into corners.

rose_craig973mo ago

My 14-inch knife changed everything for me too, just like @mila_perry13 said about ceilings.

rose_craig973mo ago

I mean it's just taping mud, right? Not like we're doing brain surgery. If the 6 inch works for you, who cares.

mila_perry133mo ago

Same exact thing happened to me last year. Switched from a 6 to a 12 inch for ceilings. The difference was crazy. It just floats over everything, way less feathering out. Felt dumb for not trying it sooner.