The handle is also known as a "B.P. handle", named after Charles Russell Bard and Morgan Parker, founders of the Bard-Parker Company.
Morgan Parker patented the revolutionary 2-piece scalpel design in 1915 and Bard-Parker developed a method of cold sterilization that would not dull the blades, as did the heat-based method that was previously used.
The handles are often reusable, with the blades being replaceable.
In medical applications, each blade is only used once .