Instrument primarily for incisions, for example (4)

I believe the answer is:

fife

'instrument' is the definition.
(fife is a kind of instrument)

'primarily for incisions for example' is the wordplay.
'primarily' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letters of 'for incisions for example' is 'FIFE'.

(Other definitions for fife that I've seen before include "Mil. instrument; area of Scotland" , "Kind of small flute" , "somewhere in Scotland" , "Type of flute: Scottish council area" , "Historical Scottish county - wind instrument" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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