A pivot assembly 200 for a surgical forceps instrument with deployable blade 302, the blade prevented from deploying while forceps jaws 202, 204 are open by mechanical interaction with pivot pin 206. The mechanical interaction may be one or more protrusions 402 of the pivot pin with complementary notches 404 in the blade or vice versa. The protrusion may be an orthogonally projecting fin or boss. The pivot pin may be rotationally locked to one jaw member with the other jaw member able to pivot around it. The pivot assembly may be in an end effector for a surgical instrument that may be part of an electrosurgical instrument or system. Surgical forceps with two jaw members where one or more pivots around a pivot pin, a cutting blade deployable when the jaws are closed and a lock to lock the blade to the pivot pin when the jaws are open.
