Embodiments of the invention comprise a blade that has a gripping portion, a transition portion and a distal portion that may have a cutting edge. The gripping portion may be V-shaped in cross-section, or, more generally, not lying in a single plane. Some embodiments are straight along a longitudinal direction. Embodiments may comprise a transition portion that is complex having sub-regions, or a distal portion having a cross-sectional shape that is curved or V-shaped, or a distal portion having a tip of a different material. Other embodiments have a shape that follows a longitudinal path that is curved either concavely or convexly or both. Distal tip design parameters for good cutting properties are discussed.