Getting Edgy

[TJ Alexander]

I know that a good knife is important for a successful modeller. I've been using my trusty Stanley 99E for building, but I wonder if I could improve on this. I note that Americans tend to use 'Exacto' as a synonym for knife, and I wondered if this was the brand to be looking for. Being round, I'm surprised this sort of knife is so popular.

I remember my brother had an orange knife with a bulkier handle, but I don't know what brand. ISTR the screw was in an awkward place.

Then again, I used to have a sawn-down scalpel for cutting lighting gels when I worked in rock & roll. I wonder if that might be worth looking into?

And that's before we start on about blade shapes.

Anyway, over to you...

[John Lee]

That will have been a Swann-Morton Craft Knife, still a good choice although I prefer the brass handled version. I have 2, one always fitted with the straight blade and one with the curved blade.

Swann-Morton also do a selection of other handles & blades which you will probably want a selection of as you progress but the Craft Knife is a good start & is widely available on-line or via your local model or craft shop.

[Ron Gray]

A lot is down to personal preference and what feels good in your fingers. I like nice light tools and have several from the Swann-Morton range **LINK**, my choices being the ACM No 1 & 2 handles plus the precision scalpel No3 handle. Blades, I tend to go for the No11. My view is that if I'm exerting a lot of pressure when cutting then either the blade is blunt or I'm using the wrong tool, having the smaller handles prevents excess pressure being exerted. Others may feel different about this as it is, as I said to start with, very much a personal choice.

Also don't forget razor saws and saw blades to fit the knife handles, worth their weight in gold IMO!

[Ace]

When you watch most US videos they use a round metal handled knife and call it an X-Acto. By far the most common in its various handle designs with others such as Revell and Excell, both usually round. You have to search quite hard to find something like our SM 1 or 2. Squadron Tools make one.

Possibly they say X-Acto to describe a knife as we use hoover to describe a vacuum?

Personally I like a SM 1 with either a 10a or 11. For heavier work a metal X-Acto style handle which takes stronger blades and small finger saw attachments. I also use the heavier handle for the various hinge slotting blades.

[Mowerman]

X-Acto was the brand name of the favourite knife when I started 60 years ago. they were available in boxed sets of three handles and a selection of blades. These sets are now copied by various makers but are often of poor quality. I have a set of the poor copies but it is in my garage so 6" of snow is stoping me from getting them and photographing then to attach to this post.

Edited By Mowerman on 28/02/2018 16:32:54

[John Lee]

Posted by John Lee on 28/02/2018 15:37:28:

you will probably want a selection of as you progress

Here's my selection, one of the S-M Craft knives has gone walkabout but will no doubt turn up. The rather grubby round handles are X-Acto, the darker red handle is genuine whilst the lighter red is a cheap copy.

[TJ Alexander]

An interesting range, there. Think it may be a while before I can justify that many options (though a balsa saw seems a reasonable investment)

Thanks for the replies so far. Plenty to ponder on. I looked at the Swann-Morton website, and it brought back memories. My gels scalpel was a No.3 handle, cut down and filed round at the end, and I kept it in a pocket of my wallet, along with a couple of blades. I bought it from Don Alexander's (coincidentally, also my engineer grandfather's name) in Sheffield, a shop which sold only Sheffield-made products. A palace of delights

But I digress. The S-W site shows a number of different ranges of blades, and not as much interchangeability as I would have hoped, which is a shame.

I notice a lot of pointed blades in John Lee's toolkit. I would have thought that for cutting lines without snagging, a curved profile would be best, though I acknowledge that a point would give precision.

[TJ Alexander]

I have ordered two Swann Morton retracting blades - one for scalpel sized blades, and the other more robust. I think this is a flying start.

[Steven S]

Posted by TJ Alexander on 28/02/2018 15:22:21:

I know that a good knife is important for a successful modeller. I've been using my trusty Stanley 99E for building, but I wonder if I could improve on this. I note that Americans tend to use 'Exacto' as a synonym for knife, and I wondered if this was the brand to be looking for. Being round, I'm surprised this sort of knife is so popular.

 

TJ - yes the basic X-Acto knife is round, but for a couple of dollars extra [still cheap] you can buy this one. Rubbery handle with flats so it won't roll off the bench. It's very popular over here [Canada].

Also you can buy many different types and shapes of blades for it.

Edited By Steven Shaw on 01/03/2018 15:07:31

Edited By Steven Shaw on 01/03/2018 15:13:38

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Don Fry]

I use a razor saw, don't use cheap blades, and a Stanley 18mm snap off blade handle. Nothing else.

And David, if you like that blade, why not get a small whetstone, make a blade carrier and sharpen your blades. You can get a better edge than Stanley put on that blade. I know it's not a cost thing, but a better edge is a better edge.

[cymaz]

I use these , ( not this exact shop though). Safe and secure, tape them up with gaffer tape so they don’t hurt the bin men

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[David Ovenden]

Well I have a couple of "old model" Stanley slimknives from the 80's. I still find that these suit me best although I have tried many other modelling knives over the years. Can't get this exact model any more but blades are still available.

[Tony Harrison 2]

Posted by cymaz on 01/03/2018 17:15:59:

I use these , ( not this exact shop though). Safe and secure, tape them up with gaffer tape so they don’t hurt the bin men

 

At £9.40 a go? Cripes... I use narrownose pliers, and stick used blades in an old 35mm film pot before dumping.

My SW blades just go into standard surgery-style handles, used for my other hobby of vivisecting traffic wardens.

Edited By Tony Harrison 2 on 01/03/2018 20:47:30