Speedball Lino Cutter No. 1: Five Blades, One Handle
The Speedball Lino Cutter Assortment No. 1 (4131) is a red plastic handle with a metal screw chuck and five steel cutters: #1 small V, #2 large V, #3 small U, #5 large U and #6 knife. The cutters store inside the hollow handle. Speedball makes it in the USA, and it is Amazon's best seller in linoleum cutters.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Speedball Lino Cutter Assortment No. 1 (4131), 1 handle and 5 cutters
- Brand
- Speedball
- Brand origin
- United States
- Made in
- United States*
- Material
- Hard plastic handle with a removable end; metal screw chuck; steel cutters
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per stamp or ink pad
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Speedball Art Products, Statesville, North Carolina. Made in United States: Speedball's product page for the 6-piece Lino Cutter Set carries a 'made in the usa' badge, and the Amazon listing says the assortment is designed and made in the USA. Speedball's US manufacturing and distribution headquarters is in Statesville, North Carolina. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- The set holds 1 handle and 5 cutters, numbered #1, #2, #3, #5 and #6; Speedball's No. 2 set adds the #4 and a second handle.
- On October 21, 2026 Amazon ranked it #1 in Relief Printing Linoleum Cutters, with 4,841 ratings averaging 4.6 stars.
- Amazon lists the whole set at about 0.04 kg (1.4 oz).
- Speedball says the cutters are high-quality steel, made for Speedball handles, and marks the set made in the USA.
- It carves linoleum, Speedy-Cut and Speedy-Carve blocks, and Speedball also pitches it for detailed pumpkin carving.
What is the Speedball Lino Cutter Assortment No. 1?
It’s the classic starter set for carving stamps and linocuts: one handle and five interchangeable steel cutters. Speedball, the Statesville, North Carolina art-supply maker founded in 1899, sells it as item 4131.
You fit a cutter into the handle’s metal chuck and push it through a soft block or linoleum, carving away everything that shouldn’t print. On October 21, 2026 Amazon ranked it #1 in Relief Printing Linoleum Cutters, with 4,841 ratings averaging 4.6 stars.
Speedball 4131 specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Contents | 1 handle, 5 cutters (#1, #2, #3, #5, #6) |
| Handle | Hard plastic, red, removable end for storage |
| Chuck | Hand-adjustable metal screw chuck |
| Cutters | High-quality steel, made for Speedball handles |
| Weight | About 0.04 kg (1.4 oz), per Amazon |
| Item no. | 4131 (Speedball SKU 004131) |
| Made in | United States (Speedball) |
Speedball publishes no handle length or cutter widths, so our drawings are in proportion, not to scale.
What does each cutter do?
The V gouges cut lines, the U gouges clear areas and the knife trims. Retailers such as Walmart name them as follows.
| No. | Shape | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Small V | Fine lines, outlines, lettering |
| #2 | Large V | Bolder lines and texture |
| #3 | Small U | Curves and small areas |
| #5 | Large U | Clearing open background |
| #6 | Knife | Trimming edges, cutting a block to size |
The usage notes are the common carving guidance, not Speedball’s own wording. Speedball lists six cutter styles in all; the one not in this set, the #4, comes in the No. 2 assortment along with a second handle.
How do you use it to carve a stamp?
Draw or transfer the design in reverse, outline it with the #1 V and clear the rest with the U gouges. Keep your free hand behind the cutter, because the blades are sharp.
- Transfer the design onto a soft block such as Speedball Speedy-Carve.
- Outline with the #1 small V, cutting away from you.
- Clear large areas with the #5 large U, and tight curves with the #3.
- Trim the block close to the design with the #6 knife.
- Ink the stamp on a pad such as Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black or VersaFine Onyx Black and test.
How do the handle and chuck work?
The chuck at the tip tightens by hand around the cutter’s shank, and the handle is hollow for storage. Staples describes hand-adjusted screw chucks and hollow handles with pop-off ends, so the four spare cutters ride inside.
Speedball notes that new chuck pieces are sold if you lose the inner part. Cutters are sold separately in 2- and 12-packs per style, so a dull cutter is cheap to replace.
Is it worth buying?
For a first carved stamp or linocut, yes: it’s inexpensive, widely sold and every common shape is in it. It sits around the $20 line, between our $$ ($5–20) and $$$ ($20–75) bands, depending on the store.
Check that the chuck is tight before each session, since the cutter is held only by that hand-tightened collar. For lining up a carved stamp twice in the same spot, a MISTI stamping tool helps.
Where is the Speedball lino cutter made?
In the United States: Speedball marks the set made in the USA. The company says it moved manufacturing to Statesville, North Carolina in 1957 and calls that its US manufacturing and distribution headquarters.
Frequently asked questions
Which blades come in the Speedball Lino Cutter Assortment No. 1?
Five: #1 small V, #2 large V, #3 small U, #5 large U and #6 knife, plus one handle. The #4 isn't included; it comes in the No. 2 assortment.
How do you change the blade on a Speedball lino cutter?
Loosen the metal chuck at the tip of the handle by hand, pull the cutter out, slide another in and tighten the chuck. Speedball sells replacement chuck parts if the inner piece is lost.
Where do you store the spare cutters?
Inside the handle. It's hollow, and the end pops off so the spare cutters ride inside.
Can you carve rubber stamps with Speedball lino cutters?
Yes. Speedball says they suit soft blocks such as Speedy-Carve as well as linoleum and Speedy-Cut, which is how most people carve their own stamps.
Do Speedball lino cutters get dull?
Like any edge tool they dull with use. Speedball sells replacements per style in 2-packs and 12-packs, so a worn cutter is easy to swap.
Can you use lino cutters to carve pumpkins?
Speedball and Staples both suggest it: the small gouges remove thin layers of skin for lines and shading, finer than a carving knife.
Is the Speedball lino cutter set made in the USA?
Yes. Speedball marks it made in the USA; the company makes its products in Statesville, North Carolina.
Sources
- Speedball: 6-piece Lino Cutter Set (hard plastic handle with removable end, hand-adjustable metal chuck, one each of #1, #2, #3, #5, #6; made in the USA; page read October 21, 2026)
- Speedball: Lino Cutters (high-quality steel; six styles: small V, large V, small U, square U, large U, knife; made for Speedball Lino Handles; 2- and 12-packs; made in the USA)
- Speedball: About us (founded 1899 as the C. Howard Hunt Pen Company; Statesville, NC manufacturing and distribution headquarters)
- Amazon US: Speedball 4131 Linoleum Cutter (model 4131, part 004131, about 0.04 kg; #1 in Relief Printing Linoleum Cutters; 4.6 stars, 4,841 ratings; read October 21, 2026)
- Staples: Speedball Linoleum Cutter With Handle Assortments No. 1 (4131) (screw chucks, hollow handles with pop-off ends; contents of the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 37 sets)
- Walmart: Speedball Red Linoleum Cutter with 5 Assorted Lino Cutters and Plastic Storage Handle (#1 small V, #2 large V, #3 small U gouge, #5 large U gouge, #6 knife)
- Nasco: Speedball Lino Cutter Assortment No. 1 (9701402)