Have an extremely limited batch of Universal knives slightly modified - spot the difference among the five samplers showed in the pixies - to be also used in the SME 3012R instead of the well-made, BUT sonically lesser nylon stock-fitted knives.
These knives, made for a friend's 3012II (with worn-out knife) and 3012R (with nylon knife) arms, are 22 mm long, so slightly shorter than type-II full length knife used as a sampler, making it possible to be used in virtually all SMEs' from late '50s to last produced samplers.
Years ago, when both options were available in spare-parts SME's catalog, the black nylon knife was £ 40 vs. £ 150 for hardened steel one, thus needing to be shortened to be tried in -R's as we did
Despite some old reviews claiming there was no audible difference between the two knives, the difference is not subtle: I heard my pal Francesco's 3012R with original nylon knife and with the actual Universal hardened 415 steel knife and some excessive smoothness he - myself agreeing - guessed coming from all the rubber O-rings broadly used in SME arms', to our surprise the 2 seconds-swapping to Universal knife transformed the 3012R into the sought-after 3012II... sonically, at least: improved dynamics and broadened tonal palette.
All measures were back-engineered in the workshop from an original SME's spare and the time consuming tool-making and parts machining, hardening in oil and polishing was sure worth the hassle: my friend enjoys his double arm Garrard 301 with a much better performances consistency than before.
These nice, tiny batch of six was made to justify the workshop tooling: one is already mounted in F.'s 3012R, another was taken by F. as a spare, just in case, and four as shown are available to anyone owning a 3012R (or, why not...) a worn-out 3012II or an earlier Prototype... or a 3009 of any vintage.
The part is plug and play and a couple of minutes are needed for swapping knives.
Please write to stefanocello-AT-gmail-DOT-com for a quite unique one-off opportunity to re-fresh your beloved SME's arm performance: this part is sort-of the heart of the arm.
Other similar parts are sometimes available on Ebay, but sadly, the most important feature - i.e. the knife blade, factory hardened in both original and the six - aehm, four available - replicas, are quite roughly made to a "U" profile instead of a precise "V"... so more similar to an years-worn out knife!
A money-waste.
These parts were uniquely made as bespoke - one-off - parts as SME's catalog doesn't show them, anymore... first come, first served.