DO NOT USE YOUR PAINTING KNIFE TO CLEAN DRIED PAINT OFF PALETTE OR BOARDS, YOU WILL RUIN IT, USE A CHEAP PALETTE KNIFE FOR CLEANING AND SCRAPING PURPOSES,, straightening a bent painting knife tip, even though the metal is cold you are still stretching it a few atoms at a time with the hammer so dont overdo or you will ruin the temper in the tip,, the best advice is to take care and not bend it, lol, dont drop it,, as one is used for a long time the blade wears down a few molecules here and there from the grit of the paint particles, and gets thinner and weaker (but also shorter and stiffer), if you are attached to a certain knife you need to buy a half dozen of them to have in reserve because they quit making them on a regular basis, delta and winsor newton are 2 examples of the best painting knives that were discontinued 25 years ago, holbein has stopped producing "excalibur" SX and MX knives and their better sizes in their 1066 knives are being phased out also, you want a moderately stiff knife not a damned al dente' or worse flimsy noodle,
