I have dozens of these, all over the house. Cutting paper, first aid, electrical box, jewellery bench, opening mail. Anywhere I need a sharp blade I have a Swann Morton scalpel. I also have a vast selection of blades for every purpose. The 10a pointed blades are perhaps the most popular, but there is a huge variety. These scalpels are made of nickel silver and are superb surgical quality.A word of warning though, be care full when inserting and specifically "removing" the blades. You need to use a nail to lift up the end of the handle end of the blade before removing it. If you dont know how to do this you "will" get cut!The blades are the sharpest things you can buy, but the sharp edges dont last long and can snap, so do stock up. As I say, I have about 20 scalpels all over the house. I absolutely love them.