Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Model Boating => Topic started by: justboatonic on September 12, 2018, 10:42:27 pm
-
This might seem a strange question but I want to gauge people's opinions.
How many cuts do you expect to get out of one end of a new, out of the pack Stanley knife blade before it goes blunt such that your cuts start to get harder to do and less clean?
I need to buy a new blade so either go out and get a new pack of blades or, buy the retractable disposable one where you break off the tip off every so often and get a new sharp. TIA.
-
It depends entirely on what you are cutting!
The blades are cheap enough. Just change when necessary.
Colin
-
Just to prove I am a bit tight with the pension, I used one blade only when I built Fairmount Alpine, I just kept putting the edge back on with a fine oil stone. It was an Excel blade they take an edge very well. I know, cheapskate.
Every one to their own.
David
-
normally I get about 100 cuts and at least 2 stabbings before rehoning the blade
-
I find that it isn’t the blade getting blunt is the problem- it’s the pointy bit at the end tends to snap off and that’s what kills the blade for cutting strips of plywood. Still usable for carving but not for cutting.
And that varies too depending on how hard you press on the blade.
-
Look at your local carpet warehouse, ask any fitters were they buy theirs, my local place sell boxes of 100 for about £5. Not the best quality but they are pretty good and at that price, when they lose the edge, just bin it.
Surprised at Klunk, using a blade till it gets him. Sharp blades dont need force, just guiding
-
What blades are you buying?
....I used to buy genuine Stanley -about 10x better than unbranded.
...Now I try to buy "Irwin" blades -they are at least 10x better (sharper, last a lot longer) than any "Stanley" or "Spear and Jackson" blade I've ever used. I think Irwin stole the market on cutting from Stanley -we try to buy Irwin only at work now.
...as for modelling blades, I've found the fine tip breaks off from "X-Acto" blades almost as quick as "Expo" blades which cost half as much. But theres cheap blade packs which go blunt pretty much by the time you've opened the packet.
So pays your money and takes your chances. I see not much point in rehabilitating a "stanley" blade.
One thing though, if youre cutting hard plastic like polystyrene or thin acrylic / PVC etc I thouroughly reccomend a "skrawker". I read about them in modelling press over past 30 years but a year ago I bought one from olfa to try myself -I'm still on the same blade wheras on those cuts I'd probably have used 10+ "regular" knife blades. It really is a superior and more accurate cutter. Google it if you're not sure.
-
Surprised at Klunk, using a blade till it gets him. Sharp blades dont need force, just guiding
Of course, you could like me, kneel on it.
Trip to the local E.D. and three stitches and I still have the scar. <:(
So REMEMBER, always retract the blade when not using it.
p.s. I also prefer 'Irwin' blades
-
BrianB6....why not try a softer blade......less potential for damage to parts of the body....& they don't rust {-)......... Derek
-
I did a bit of looking around the web a few years back, and finding out that there are 2 different grades of blades made by Stanley, regular and heavy duty. The heavy duty have a treated blade edge.
The snap off blade knives vary in quality a lot. Not just in hardness but some of the cheap ones I have used don't snap off easily either. Some tradesmen may just make half a dozen cuts, then snap off a new one. With a box of knives for 5 quid, it is affordable. It is also handy if you keep losing your knives on site.
Personally I prefer the fatter knife body on the standard box cutter knife. I find I have more control and get a better cut. If you have a bit of arthritis in your hands like me they are easier to hold.
As pointed out, the key is in the tip of the blade. If it is worn away, your blade is done. Blade life also depends on your cutting surface, if it is a cutting mat or wood the blade will last long; if it is a metal or stone surface it won't last long at all. Obvious when you think about it, but maybe people with metal worktop have not thought about it.
-
I did a bit of looking around the web a few years back, and finding out that there are 2 different grades of blades made by Stanley, regular and heavy duty. The heavy duty have a treated blade edge.
The snap off blade knives vary in quality a lot. Not just in hardness but some of the cheap ones I have used don't snap off easily either. Some tradesmen may just make half a dozen cuts, then snap off a new one. With a box of knives for 5 quid, it is affordable. It is also handy if you keep losing your knives on site.
Personally I prefer the fatter knife body on the standard box cutter knife. I find I have more control and get a better cut. If you have a bit of arthritis in your hands like me they are easier to hold.
As pointed out, the key is in the tip of the blade. If it is worn away, your blade is done. Blade life also depends on your cutting surface, if it is a cutting mat or wood the blade will last long; if it is a metal or stone surface it won't last long at all. Obvious when you think about it, but maybe people with metal worktop have not thought about it.
Yes there are two types but the better blades are nowhere near as good or long lasting as Irwin, same as for the knife handles themselves -Irwin hacksaw and junior hacksaw blades also any day! I also like cheap snap-off blades for modelling though. Great for sharpness and "bang for buck" but I agree about the snap-off bit. I use a pair of snipe nose pliers rather than use the back of the handle and "shut your eyes" approach.
-
I change my blade every 10 years or so - you just need to push harder. :embarrassed:
-
I get a lot as I file the blade point back and get a new cutting edge
-
I found a sharpener that works to keep the blade cutting after it starts to give up it's edge.
:-))
-
I found a sharpener that works to keep the blade cutting after it starts to give up it's edge.
:-))
I have seen one of those, or something similar, used to sharpen circular saw blades. It might be useful for those with mini table saws, like the Proxxon or Minitools.
-
Sweeney Todd blades were the one when I was in the flooring trade but Nick hit the main problem with the tip being generally more important in craft work.
-
Lidl de Aldi often have diamond dust sharpeners
cheap.
Ned
-
Ah yes, I guess I should have added cutting plasticard as the medium O0
Ive used genuine Stanley blades in the past. Ive not had the problem of the tip breaking off more rather that the cutting 'tip' just seems to go blunt quickly. Yes, I know it's hard to quantify but if you think of the trapezoid type stanley blade, you only have two cutting points ie each end. With the snap off Stanley knife blades at least you get frequent sharp points with little wastage.
Thanks for the answers and a sharpener might be worthy of consideration.
-
For a totally random thought, for the left handed people the trapezoid blade will be better. The blade is two edged. For many snap off blades they only have one edge, on the right hand side, if you hold a straight edge with your left hand and knife with your right, the blade will push into the straight edge as you cut. Use the other hands and the cut can drift away from the straight edge.
It seems pedantic, but one in seven people are naturally left handed and not all left handers have been forced to learn to use the right hand.
-
Sometimes it's worth trying the curved ones. NOT hook ones - I've seen more fitters cutting themselves with those than any other!
-
Yes, as the song has it 'The first cut is the deepest' .....
-
Semi related question since someone brought up Irwin, are their junior hacksaw blades similar or better than Eclipse ones? I need to buy some blades that actually cut metal, the junk over here in the colonies has trouble with plastic. But price for Irwin blades to come here is exorbitant, esp with ridiculous shipping costs (like GBP15!!) Eclipse blades I can order from RDG Tools with reasonable shipping.
Gerrit
-
Hi Gerrit,
Irwin are better than Eclipse, but can you get Bahco ones? They certainly make decent bow-saw blades so I've no reason to think that their junior blades are any different.
Tony
-
Bahco and Irwen are both premium brands. I always resharpen where possible with a fine diamond file similar to Umi's.
-
I see Bahco on Amazon.ca, just need to pool up some more purchases to get the free shipping. Had not heard of that brand before.
Thank you.
-
jeeeze, you lot are cheap skates...…...just buy a new pack of blades...………
nothing worse than a blunt blade or a badly resharpened blade for slipping and then a badly cut finger, or worse still a severed artery in a quiet back garden workshop.
remember 20 years ago when I was teaching model boat building to mature students one old chap used to spend half his night sharpening a Stanley blade, and then another hour trying to get a decent cut on his wood or plasticard…….
buy some new blades you scrooges.and save your fingers. >>:-( <*< O0
-
Is a blade a blade? >:-o
Worn out HSS hacksaw blades are usually worthless...but no...I needed 36 Cir-clip grooves 0.020" wide x 0.018" deep.......cut into 0.125" [yes 1/8"] diameter brass rods......
Speaking about this dilemma.......a retired Toolmaker at out Train Society...said.....no problem bring them down to his workshop
Me thinking how many times will a 0.020" wide parting off tool break? <*<
So this Chap...using a 1/8" collet chuck in the trusty Myford M7 ....produced a standard parting off tool holder but with a reinforced side spacer however the parting off tool was a ground section of a used HSS hacksaw blade O0 side ground to 0.020"
36 grooves totally dimensionally correct in 15 minutes & no tool breakage
-
Back when I was a 15 yr old, and apprentice Auto Electrician, we used ground hacksaw blades for cleaning the mica insulation out of the Commutator slots on starter motor and generator armatures.
I've also sharpened the odd Stanley blade as well! It's the Snap blade knives that seem to do the most damage!
Ian.
-
Standard tool for undercutting Comms
on fan motors in the R N :-))
Ned
-
I seem to have adopted the Gurka tradition regards craft knives , "if you draw blade , draw BLOOD "
Bill %%
-
{-) {-)
I know that one. In my shop the first aid box is referred to as my No. 1 toolkit.
-
I find the ones from Toolstation quite reasonable, both in quality and price (https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+Tools/d10/Knives+%26+Blades/sd30/Trimming+Knife+Blade/p45191 (https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+Tools/d10/Knives+%26+Blades/sd30/Trimming+Knife+Blade/p45191))
-
normally I get about 100 cuts and at least 2 stabbings before rehoning the blade
{-) {-) {-) ....... wait a minute, that Terrible! %)
-
I've found, a good / heavy handle seems to help quite a bit when using a Stanly knife, the cheapo plastic handles
seem to make you work harder.... which can't be a good thing when pushing around sharp pointy things! {:-{
-
Dolphin knives tend to be the most comfortable to use long term.
-
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/415PpCzhntL._SX450_.jpg)
-
Yup, That's the type :-))
-
6p per blade, from Toolstation, what would you want to sharpen them for????