Tuft-parting carpet cutters

A carpet cutter, comprising:

• a blade-supporting structure, the blade-supporting structure including a guide with a forward portion and a carpet-contacting edge that a carpet installer slides along a carpet when using the carpet cutter to cut the carpet, which carpet-contacting edge extends along a first axis toward the forward portion of the guide;
• and
• a tuft-parting structure on the forward portion of the guide that functions as means for parting tufts on the carpet in order to facilitate cutting a backing portion of the carpet without cutting the tufts;
• wherein the tuft-parting structure includes an elongated member with a tip;
• and
• wherein the elongated member protrudes forwardly beyond the forward portion of the guide along a second axis that intersects the first axis, thereby to facilitate positioning of the tip in between adjacent tufts of the carpet as an initial step in parting the tufts and positioning the carpet-contacting edge of the guide against the backing of the carpet.

A carpet cutter, comprising:

• a blade-supporting structure, the blade-supporting structure including a guide with a forward portion and a carpet-contacting edge that a carpet installer slides along a carpet when using the carpet cutter to cut the carpet, which carpet-contacting edge extends along a first axis toward the forward portion of the guide;
• and
• a tuft-parting structure on the forward portion of the guide that functions as means for parting tufts on the carpet in order to facilitate carpet cutting;
• wherein the tuft-parting structure includes an elongated member with a tip;
• and
• wherein the elongated member protrudes forwardly beyond the forward portion of the guide along a second axis that intersects the first axis, thereby to facilitate positioning of the tip in between adjacent tufts of the carpet as an initial step in parting the tufts and positioning the carpet-contacting edge of the guide against the carpet;
• wherein the tip of the elongated member is conically shaped;
• and
• wherein the first and second axes form an angle of about five to about twenty-five degrees.