LEVEL5 Drywall Skimming Blade Review

LEVEL5 Skimming Blades are quickly becoming a must-have drywall tool for finishers everywhere. Here's Anthony of Kaid Painting and Drywall with an in-depth review of our best-in-class compound smoothing tools.

Why Choose LEVEL5 Skimming Blades?

What sets LEVEL5's patent pending skimming blades apart is their ultra-lightweight design. Drywall skimming is a finesse game; the skimming blades, extendable handles and handle adapter in this tool line have been specifically developed and refined through years of feedback from professional finishers to move mud effortlessly and with high sensitivity.

What Skimming Blade Size Should You Use?

Available in eight lengths, there’s a LEVEL5 skimming blade for every drywall finishing job:

1. 7-inch, 10-inch or 14-Inch blades are often used for wiping down and bedding tape after after the tape has been applied using an automatic taper or banjo.
2. When finishing butt joints or slightly wider areas, 16-Inch, 24-Inch or 32-Inch skimming blades are ideal and will get the job done faster than any trowel or finishing knife.
3. 40-Inch or 48-Inch skimming blades are perfect for smoothing larger areas. Typical examples would include when you roll on and smooth drywall joint compound to a level 5 finish, or when you are covering up textured ceilings and walls.

You can view our full selection of drywall skimming blades & accessories here.

Aluminum Blade Housings

LEVEL5 Skimming Blades feature aircraft-grade, extruded aluminum housings for maximum rigidity across the blade span. The profile of the aluminum extrusion serves two purposes:

1. On its own, the profile provides a comfortable, ergonomic hand grip for all-day use which significantly reduces the wrist strain experienced when using other tools such as taping knives.
2. The profile is also shaped to accept a handle adapter, enabling LEVEL5's range of extendable poles to be affixed for work on high walls and ceilings (centering lines on the skimming blade housing and handle adapter make it easy to align these two components for perfect balance).

Lightweight Extendable Handles

Manufactured using premium fiberglass, aluminum, and high impact ABS composite, LEVEL5's line of skimming blade extension handles are extremely lightweight yet robust and rigid - even when fully extended. They are designed for a precision fit with the required LEVEL5 skimming blade handle adapter to eliminate any wobble. They also feature a quick-release design that uses dual stainless steel buttons to snap the handle in place and prevent rotation under pressure or torque.

For maximum flexibility, the handles can be extended and locked into place at any point on their aluminum extension with a simple twist of the locking mechanism.

Stainless Steel Blade Inserts

The real magic behind these skimming blades is the high precision 0.3mm blade inserts. Crafted from high precision European stainless steel, these inserts offer the perfect amount of flex for efficient, effortless skimming and smoothing. Unlike many traditional finishing knives, they also feature a rounded edge that keeps the corners from gouging freshly smoothed drywall compound or paper.

The Blade Inserts are Replaceable!

Skimming blades are precision instruments that can be easily damaged on the job site. Unlike other skimming blades available, LEVEL5 Skimming Blades feature blade inserts that are easily replaceable if damaged. This means the tool can be renewed at a fraction of the cost of a new skimming blade.

LEVEL5 skimming blade end caps can be removed for quick and easy blade changes when a blade is damaged or worn. Simply remove the high impact glass filled composite end caps, slide out your skimming blade and replace it with a new one.