Knife

A scalpel which comprises

• an elongate blade holder having a blade attachment component at a first end thereof;
• an apertured scalpel blade having a cutting edge;
• a mounting component, with the blade sandwiched between the mounting component and the blade attachment component, and with the mounting component secured to the blade attachment component by means of at least one connecting element extending between the mounting component and the blade attachment component as well as through the blade aperture;
• a protective member for the blade and comprising a pair of protective panels located respectively on opposite sides of the blade, with each panel having a protective edge, and the panels being joined by a bridging component remote from the protective edges;
• bias means biassing the protective member into a first position in which its protective edges protrude beyond the cutting edge of the blade, so that the protective member covers the cutting edge of the blade, with the protective member being movable against the biassing force exerted by the bias means, from the first position to a second position in which the cutting edge is exposed for use;
• a primary locking component on the protective member and comprising a protruding member on the inside of each of the protective panels;
• and
• a secondary locking component comprising a complementary primary recess in each of the blade attachment component and the mounting component, and which hold the protruding members, thereby to lock the protective member in its first position, with the panels, protruding members and primary recesses being arranged such that the protruding members are released automatically from the primary recesses when the protective edges of the protective member are placed against the surface to be cut and force is exerted on the blade in the direction of said surface.