AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 25 March 1998 (25.03.98); original claims 1-27 replaced by amended claims 1-16 (4 pages)] 1. A device for application and manipulation of paint on a substrate, comprising : a handle having a distal end, a proximal end with a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the distal end including structure defining a cavity therein; and a working tip inserted into the cavity and attached to the distal end of the handle, the working tip being flexible, non-porous material having a distal working edge which is oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and includes at least a first and a second peripheral edge curve formed thereon wherein the first curve is a peripheral cutting edge having a radius between 0.005 inches and 0.0175 inches and the second curve is a peripheral smoothing edge having a radius greater than 0.0175 inches.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the working tip is a material selected from the set consisting of : silicone rubber, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, PTFE, polyurethane, vinyl, soft plastics, impermeable, non-porous flexible rubber-like materials, or anv combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the working tip is an extruded material having characteristics selected from the set consisting of: a durometer hardness value of between 20 Shore A to 70 Shore A, a tear strength value of between 50 to 250 Die B, a low compression set, or any combination thereof.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the working tip is generally rectangular in shape and has a longitudinal length, and a width and a thickness, and wherein the length is between 0.5 and 4.0 inches, the width is between 0.25 to 4.0 inches and the thickness is between 0.1 and 1.0 inches.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a ferrule wherein the distal end of the handle and a proximal end of the working tip are aligned coaxial within the ferrule without longitudinally overlapping and the ferrule is secured to the working tip, the handle or both by means selected from the set consisting of: stapling, nailing, crimping, gluing or expanding the tip outward against the ferrule.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein one of the working tip and the handle includes a rib along an end which interfaces the other and the other of the working tip and the handle includes a corresponding slot in an end which interfaces the one for mating with the rib.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the working tip varies in durometer from a proximal end of the working tip to a distal edge of the working tip.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the working tip includes at least one longitudinal slit defined in the distal working edge.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the working tip includes an indicia of color conveying visual information concerning a hardness of a material comprising the working tip.

10. A device for application and manipulation of paint on a substrate, comprising : a handle having a distal end, a proximal end with a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the distal end including structure defining a cavity therein; and a working tip inserted into the cavity and attached to the distal end of the handle, the working tip being a flexible, non-porous

material which varies in durometer from a proximal end of the working tip to a distal end of the working tip.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the working tip is a material selected from the set consisting of: silicone rubber, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, PTFE, polyurethane, vinyl, soft plastics, impermeable, non-porous flexible rubber-like materials, or any combinations thereof.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the working tip is an extruded material having characteristics selected from the set consisting of: a durometer hardness value of between 20 Shore A to 70 Shore A, a tear strength value of between 50 to 250 Die B, a low compression set, or any combination thereof.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the working tip includes a distal edge at the distal end of the working tip which is oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and includes at least a first and a second peripheral edge curve formed thereon wherein the first curve is a peripheral cutting edge having a radius between 0.005 inches and 0.0175 inches and the second curve is a peripheral smoothing edge having a radius greater than 0.0175 inches.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein the working tip is generally rectangular in shape and has a longitudinal length, and a width and a thickness, and wherein the length is between 0.5 to 4. 0 inches, the width is between 0.25 and 4.0 inches and the thickness is between 0.1 and 1.0 inches.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein the durometer of the working tip varies generally continuously from the proximal end to the distal end of the working tip.