Petersons 3 Inch Paragon Filling Knife

Filling is a two-stroke job. The first stroke presses material into the hole, the second takes the surplus off flush. A 3 inch blade is the width that does both on the damage you actually meet on site: screw holes, chips off an arris, cracks running out of a corner.

The Petersons 3 Inch Paragon Filling Knife is the everyday version of that tool. A 75mm flexible stainless steel blade in a soft grip handle.

What it's for

• Holes and cracks in plaster — pressed in and struck off in one go.
• Dents and chips in woodwork — architrave, skirting, door edges and window boards.
• Patches rather than pinholes — at 75mm the blade bridges across a dip instead of following it down, which is the difference between a repair you sand once and one you fill twice.

Working with it

Load the blade off the knife rather than scooping out of the tub, and keep it close to flat on the first pass so the filler goes into the void instead of over the top of it. Come back steeper to strike off, and leave the repair a hair proud — most fillers shrink back as they dry, and proud sands flat in seconds while sunken has to be done again.

Stainless steel, so it can sit in water while you work without rusting or marking white filler. Wipe the edge before you put it down: filler that sets on the blade tracks a line down every pass after it.

Where it sits in the range

Paragon is Petersons' everyday line, rated by them as robust construction for all applications. The Premier knives sit above it, with a full scale tang through a sealed hardwood handle for the heaviest work.

Ireland & Northern Ireland — 1–3 working days. Charged by total order weight, VAT included:

• Up to 30 kg — €6.99, or free on orders over €85
• 30–60 kg — €13.99
• 60–100 kg — €27.99
• Over 100 kg — pallet delivery €49.99

Great Britain — 2–4 working days. €13.95 up to 30 kg, then €27.90, €55.90 and €99.90 by the same weight steps. There is no free delivery to Great Britain.

Rest of Europe — non-liquid items only, from €11.75, priced by destination and weight at checkout. Paint and other liquids ship to Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain only.

Dispatch and collection — in-stock orders placed before 12pm Monday to Friday ship the same day. Click & collect at Ballymount, Dublin 12 is free and often ready within the hour.

Returns — 14 days to change your mind and 14 more to send it back. Tinted paint is non-returnable once mixed.