Skin Graft Knives — Pattern and Clinical Use
A graft knife cuts a sheet of skin at a set depth using a long blade drawn across the donor site with a sawing motion. Guarded patterns such as the Humby and Watson set graft thickness with an adjustable roller; unguarded patterns such as the Blair and Ferris Smith rely entirely on the surgeon’s control of blade angle and pressure, and are used where a guarded instrument cannot follow the contour.
Blade length is what allows a wide graft to be taken in a single pass — a graft cut in several passes has visible junction lines. Blades are replaceable and are changed for each graft, since edge sharpness determines cut quality directly.
Skin Graft Knives Variants and Specifications
Standard graft knife patterns.
| Pattern | Specification / use |
|---|---|
| Humby, guarded adjustable | Set-thickness split grafts |
| Watson modification | Refined thickness adjustment |
| Blair, unguarded | Freehand grafting |
| Ferris Smith, unguarded | Contoured donor sites |
| Silver knife | Small grafts |
| Replaceable blades | Fresh edge per graft |
Material, Finish and Quality Control
We forge skin Graft knives from AISI 420 martensitic stainless. Blade seating and, on guarded patterns, roller gap adjustment are both checked so graft thickness stays consistent through the pass. Each batch passes Rockwell hardness testing, dimensional checks on blade seating and thickness consistency, and visual inspection under our ISO 13485 system before passivation and final finishing. Mirror and satin finishes are both available — satin is usually specified where glare under operating lights is a concern.
Who Sources Skin Graft Knives From Surgical Star
Skin graft knives sell to plastic surgery and burns units, and remain in use alongside powered dermatomes as a reliable non-powered option with replaceable blades as a consumable line.
OEM, Certification and Ordering
Every skin Graft knives can be produced as a private-label line: your logo laser-marked on the handle, your catalog numbers, and your own printed packaging, manufactured from your drawings or a reference sample. Manufactured under an ISO 13485 quality system, CE-marked to EU MDR 2017/745 and covered by US FDA establishment registration. A certificate of conformity and an ASTM F899 material certificate for the exact steel grade ship with your order.
MOQs are low and new-brand friendly, and vary with pattern, finish and branding. Pricing is direct from the factory and tiered by volume. After you approve a branded pre-production sample, bulk production typically runs four to six weeks and ships worldwide DDP with HS codes handled. See how OEM & private label works →
Related Dermatology Instruments
Frequently Asked Questions
Guarded or unguarded knives?
Guarded patterns set graft thickness mechanically and are more reproducible. Unguarded knives rely on surgeon control and suit contoured donor sites a guard cannot follow.
Why does blade length matter?
A long blade takes a wide graft in a single pass. Cutting the same graft in several passes leaves visible junction lines.
Are blades replaceable?
Yes, and they are changed for each graft since edge sharpness directly determines whether the cut is clean and the thickness even.
Can you manufacture these under our own brand?
Yes — full OEM and private label. We laser-mark your logo and catalog numbers, pack in your branded boxes, and work from your drawings, tech pack or a reference sample, with a pre-production sample approved before any bulk run.
Send your pattern list, drawing or a reference sample and we’ll quote MOQ, pricing and lead time — standard catalog or fully private-label.
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