Craft Knives

[jerry kurl]

Okay so far iv seen lots of stuff on CMON about modelling tools and just about everybody raves about EXACTO! knives and blades (im sorry if this is spelt wrong) but da*n me they doo seem to be very expensive and when i hear that after a few cuts of foam core/board they go as blunt as a squashed hedghog i thought i would share my views on the knives im using.

I use a Swan Morton No#3 handles with No# 10 blades. Swan Morton manufacture around 90% of the surgical knives and blades in the UK and they are with out doubt the best blade manufacturer in the world they export tens of millions of blades a year to other countries.

I have found an ebay site that sells there products really cheaply http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Scalpels-and-Blades_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsxQ3asstQQtZkm

I was in hobby craft yesterday and the handles were £6+ and blades were ridiculus!! this guy on ebay sells 50 no# 10 blades for about £5 and they are really good blades - they are surgical grade (some are even sterile packed!!)

So far I have found only three downsides:

1: To much lateral pressure will snap them.

2: The handles do not have a cover so there a little dangerous.

3: You must be 18 or over to purchase from there site - and they will age verify you (im 28 so im fine), so the more responsible youngsters on here will have to ask mum and dad to purchase for them.

I hope this doesnt sound to much like an advert its really not supposed to! I just like to tell everyone I can when i find a good product that doesnt cut your arm of!!

now can anyone tell me where I can buy GW equivilant Chaos Black Spray paint! cheaply lol

Chris

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by jerry kurl
Okay so far iv seen lots of stuff on CMON about modelling tools and just about everybody raves about EXACTO! knives and blades (im sorry if this is spelt wrong) but da*n me they doo seem to be very expensive and when i hear that after a few cuts of foam core/board they go as blunt as a squashed hedghog...

You think the same thing wouldn\'t happen with a scalpel blade that\'s not made to cut anything tougher than tissue?

Originally posted by jerry kurl
Swan Morton manufacture around 90% of the surgical knives and blades in the UK and they are with out doubt the best blade manufacturer in the world they export tens of millions of blades a year to other countries.

Sorry but if you\'re giving an opinion it should be worded that way, not made as a statement of fact. And given that you don\'t seem to have ever used an X-Acto knife, to compare directly, how are you in a position to judge?

The blades for X-Acto knives, and some of their clones, are thicker and consequently stronger than scalpels - so much less chance of a blade snapping. And because of the way that a Swann Morton handle holds the blade there\'s a real risk during use that the entire blade can fly off!

X-Acto blades hold an edge better; they can be bought in 50s and even 100s for some profiles - this makes the unit cost very low (about 2c a blade). So that takes care of the cost side of things too in many cases.

Einion

 

[airhead]

1. it is not the foam that dulls the blade, it is the paper. Very abusive to any cutting edge.

2. A friend does wallpaper. One blade per cut. After that, there is a danger of the blade dragging and tearing the paper leaving a not clean joint. I use his cast-offs. They are still very sharp - brand new at all but the very tip. (he used to use the snap-off type knife, but the blades are too expensive. Xacto in bulk is very cheap.)

3. Krylon flat black will outperform that GW \'paint\' any day of the week.

 

[mickc22]

I get my Swann-Morton Tools from Sylmasta, I\'ve still got loads of blades I bought years ago, the boxex never seem to end

 

[freakinacage]

foam dulls blades quick too

i use scalpel blades. and stanley blades. not often with the actual knives though!

 

[Spacemunkie]

Surgical blades are the nadgers.

I\'m still using the stockpile my grandfather stole from his hospital in the 80\'s!

 

[DaN]

Anyone ever used an Obsidian blade?
(seriously)

Apparently they keep a much better sharpness than metal - but I imagine they might be quite expensive.

 

[Sand Rat]

Not on paper, but I have used obsidian on leather and hide and meat - cuts well but you have to be careful because with the thinner blades lateral pressure will snap it. Good quaility glass works just as well - and has the same issues.

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

Ive used the SM blades many times and as they are indeed sharp they have no lateral strength and snap like crazy. Bard Parker a US blade manufacture makes surgical quality blades with a ridge back to add strength.

Mostly I use the good ol #11 xacto bought in 100 blade bulk packs.