Choosing your first lino tools, or adding to a set you already own, is easier when you know what makes the options different. Essdee, Power Grip and Pfeil each offer useful choices, from interchangeable blades to individual tools for particular marks.
This guide compares their handles, blade options and care needs to help you find a set that suits your projects. Start with the kind of carving you want to do, then look for tools that feel comfortable and make the cuts you need.
Table of Contents
A quick comparison
| Range | Tool format | Useful for | Price range and value | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essdee | Interchangeable blades with a shared handle. | Beginners: An affordable way to get started and try different blade shapes. | Budget / entry level. Cutter-and-handle sets are £5.90 for five blades or £8.05 for ten blades. | Check that the option includes a handle, rather than replacement blades alone. |
| Power Grip by Mikisyo | Fixed-blade tools, each with its own handle, including a five-piece set. | Intermediate printmakers: A useful step up from interchangeable cutters, with several tools ready to use. | Mid-range / excellent value. The five-piece set is £27.00. Our pick for the best bang for your buck, giving you a versatile set for close to the price of one Pfeil tool. | Compare the included blade shapes with your designs and check whether you need an extra fine-detail tool. |
| Pfeil | Palm-handled lino and block cutters, available individually and in sets. | Professional and experienced printmakers: Premium tools for building a carefully chosen selection of shapes and widths. | Premium / professional. Individual examples are £23.50 each, with the five-tool Colin Blanchard set at £118.00 and six-tool Set C at £129.00. A much bigger investment, but our top-end recommendation for printmakers who want some of the best carving tools available. | Check the tool codes and included profiles so you do not duplicate tools you already own. |
Price comparison: At the prices checked on 25 October 2026, the five-piece Power Grip set costs just £3.50 more than a £23.50 Pfeil tool. Prices and offers can change, so check the product pages before ordering. The experience levels above are suggested starting points, and you can mix brands as your kit grows.
Essdee: try different blades with one handle
Luke Hickman started out with Essdee lino cutting tools when he was younger and still uses them from time to time. He highly recommends them to beginners as an affordable way to get started and try different blade shapes.
An Essdee cutter-and-handle set lets you try different blades with one handle. It is a useful way to learn which shapes you enjoy using. Check the contents before ordering, as some options are replacement blades without a handle.
Essdee recommends replacing its cutters when they become dull, rather than sharpening them. Keep this in mind when planning your kit and allow for replacement blades. You can read the advice in Essdee’s own FAQs.
Power Grip: a mixed set with a handle for each blade
A mixed set is useful only if its profiles suit the marks you want to carve.
Each tool in the Power Grip five-tool set has its own handle, so you can change tools without swapping blades. Mikisyo describes the blades as hand-finished and suitable for resharpening.
Our most popular Power Grip option is the five-tool starter set, which gives you a useful mix of blades for different marks and clearing backgrounds. For finer detail, you can also buy individual 1mm U-gouges, 1mm V-tools, 1.5mm U-gouges and 1.5mm V-tools. These are useful additions when you want to carve smaller grooves or more delicate lines. Check the contents of the starter set before adding extra tools.
Pfeil: choose individual tools or a set
Pfeil makes palm-handled tools for lino and woodblock printing. You can buy individual tools or a set, making it easy to build a selection around your favourite shapes. The manufacturer’s linoleum and block-cutter catalogue section shows the range, and our Pfeil guide explains the options we stock.
Popular Pfeil choices include the six-tool Set C and the five-tool Colin Blanchard set. Both offer a ready-made selection, but you can also choose individual Pfeil tools in specific shapes and widths. This makes it easy to add a very fine gouge, a particular V-tool or a wider clearing tool as your designs develop. Compare the set contents with the tools you already own before choosing.
Choosing tools for your print
- Fine lines and small details: Look for narrow U-gouges or V-tools, such as the 1mm and 1.5mm Power Grip options. A V-tool makes an angular groove, while a U-gouge makes a rounded one. Our U- and V-tool guide shows how the blade shapes differ.
- Clearing backgrounds: A wider U-gouge helps remove larger areas without making lots of tiny cuts. Work in shallow passes rather than trying to remove the whole area in one deep cut.
- Choosing a set or individual tools: A mixed set gives you several blade shapes to try. If you already have a set, add the particular width or shape you are missing, rather than buying another set with similar tools.
- Keeping the blades cutting well: Essdee recommends replacing its interchangeable cutters when they become dull. Power Grip and Pfeil tools can be sharpened using a suitable method, so allow for their ongoing care when choosing your kit.
Choosing your next tools
Essdee is worth considering if you want to try several blade shapes with one handle. Power Grip offers a mixed set of fixed-blade tools, while Pfeil lets you choose palm-handled tools individually or in sets. Your preferred grip and the marks in your designs will help narrow down the choice.
You do not need to replace everything at once. Keep the tools you enjoy using and add a shape or size when you need it. Explore our lino cutting tools to compare the options, and use our maintenance guide to help care for your kit. Whichever tools you choose, carve with controlled cuts and keep your supporting hand behind the blade.
