Doctor blades are provided for multiple positions within a paper or board making machine. A single doctor blade of a standard length or a reel of doctor blade material has markings which permit a variety of doctor blade sizes to be readily cut. If a standard length doctor blade is used, the length of the blade is chosen to be at least as long as the longest doctor blade required for a particular papermaking machine. If the material is in a reel, the markings may be at regular numbered intervals. If a pattern of rivets is connected to the blade, and the rivets must have a given relationship with a blade holder, blade length may be marked out in such a way that some blade material is discarded in order to position the rivets when shorter blades are cut from the blade reel.