In continuing with my awesome modeling tools for cheap, I'd like to share what I use for my general purpose hobby knife. Now, I like the X-Acto "Z11" blades, and I always have a sharp one on hand, but they're about $1.20 a piece. For my daily grind I use these scalpel blades.
The deal is you get 100 blades, AND a stainless steel handle--for $8.62 delivered. From the USA even! These blades are SHARP. They have a slightly different geometry than a typical hobby blade, and wear out a little faster when subjected to scraping seam lines and cutting hard plastic. That being said--they're about 8 cents each, so simply pop a new one in.
Being a cheap guy, I discovered that using a barber's strop greatly improves my blade life--for any hobby blade. After an hour of use, I just drag the blade back and forth over the strop, and it's as good as new.
Here's the shop I buy mine from. They usually arrive within 7 days. You can buy any selection of blade styles, and usually find one with that comes with a handle (I like the #7 handle and #11 blade myself).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111086300091?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2672&rev=0&itemid=111086300091&bolf=2&fromModule=1438&frompage=3&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&autorefresh=true
And an example of their #22 blade on a #4 handle (I use this for sculpting foam), along with my strop.
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CHEAP blade solution!
Knuckles
Oregon, United States
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Member Since: March 09, 2017
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Posted: Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - 08:58 PM UTC
matt
Campaigns Administrator
New York, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - 09:07 PM UTC
I did the same thing some time ago. I keep the #25 and #22 blades handy for most things.
Knuckles
Oregon, United States
Member Since: March 09, 2017
entire network: 525 Posts
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Member Since: March 09, 2017
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Posted: Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - 09:16 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I did the same thing some time ago. I keep the #25 and #22 blades handy for most things.
My dentist builds 1/350 ships and gave me one of his Swiss #7 handles. NO blade wiggle, and it feels simply awesome in the hand. The cheap handles work fine, but when you get a real, good quality one it makes all the difference int he world.
matt
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New York, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - 10:07 PM UTC
Quoted Text
The cheap handles work fine, but when you get a real, good quality one it makes all the difference int he world.
I have a cast one that I love, Nice tight fit with the blade, However the other one I have has a screw to hold the blade, I don't like it as much.
RobinNilsson
Director of Member Services
Stockholm, Sweden
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Posted: Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - 10:50 PM UTC
I use another method.
Scraping seams: No-No. I use a small, good quality, needle file instead.
Cutting plastic: No-No. Side cutters. Thanks again for that tip;) For really chunky stuff I might use a coping saw.
Removing other excess plastic: File or fine "sand paper"
This choice of tools saves a LOT of wear and tear on my fingertips and has reduced my consumption of scalpel blades to an absolute minimum
There is also a large difference in cost between sterile and non-sterile scalpel blades
Cutting narrow strips of thin styrene: Yes, I might use the scalpel for that purpose.
/ Robin
Scraping seams: No-No. I use a small, good quality, needle file instead.
Cutting plastic: No-No. Side cutters. Thanks again for that tip;) For really chunky stuff I might use a coping saw.
Removing other excess plastic: File or fine "sand paper"
This choice of tools saves a LOT of wear and tear on my fingertips and has reduced my consumption of scalpel blades to an absolute minimum
There is also a large difference in cost between sterile and non-sterile scalpel blades
Cutting narrow strips of thin styrene: Yes, I might use the scalpel for that purpose.
/ Robin
sgtreef
Oklahoma, United States
Member Since: March 01, 2002
entire network: 6,043 Posts
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Member Since: March 01, 2002
entire network: 6,043 Posts
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Posted: Thursday, April 27, 2017 - 08:17 PM UTC
Nice deal just ordered a 100.
I do have a box of 100 # 11 blades also.
I bought on line somewhere 15 years back.
I resharpen mine, sometimes.
Jeff
I do have a box of 100 # 11 blades also.
I bought on line somewhere 15 years back.
I resharpen mine, sometimes.
Jeff