A letter opener should not be sharp. A sharpened blade cuts through whatever is inside the envelope as readily as the envelope, and it cuts a ragged line because paper tears ahead of the edge. This one has a rolled, polished bevel about 0.4 mm at the apex, which wedges the fold apart and parts it cleanly along the fibre instead.
It is turned and milled from solid brass bar, 215 mm overall with a 95 mm blade and a knurled grip section, weighing 185 g. The weight means it tracks the fold on its own once started; a light opener wanders.
The blade is polished and the grip is left with the machining marks visible as a fine spiral, which gives it grip and means the tool does not look precious. Brass patinates; this one will go brown within months and look considerably better for it. The RPCO mark is stamped into the flat of the blade.
