MY FAVOURITE TOOL

Shoe knife

‘When you edge a carpet, the material is folded around the edges and stitched together,’ says Rory Macmath. ‘You then have to trim off the excess to get a defined edge. This old shoe knife, which has been whittled down from a longer, rectangular blade, is ideal for just that. You can get a really precise, clean edge. It’s the forerunner of the Stanley knife and a very handy tool. I’ve had this for probably 40 years.’