Best scribing tool?

[scorpiomikey]

So, in my toolbox i have a metal scribing tool, but its not very good with plastics.

I was wondering what you guys consider the best, or if you can send me some reviews of various tools to have a look at.

Ive searched the forums and seen about 3 different makers (UMM, tamiya and another i cant think of lol)

TIA

Mike.

[The Sage]

Hi Mike

The ones I use are the OLFA P-cutter and Squadron scriber. There is also a one made by Radu I would

say to check out Radu's website.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Andy

[scorpiomikey]

So the hook style is better?

[Black Knight]

I have one by 'The Bare Metal Foil Co.', its nearly ok, but I'd advise anyone to avoid it. It blunts very quickly and is hard to sharpen. When I'm ready to buy a new one I think I'll go for an Olfa. It has changeable blades, so a sharp one will be on hand during any serious scribing.

[hacker]

l had order one of Rabu's new scribers l will let you know how it works

[Pin]

[Giorgio N]

I use a scriber made by trumpeter, works fine but because of its shape it's not easy to use on small parts or where the space is limited (think 1/72 drop tanks or at the wing-fuselage joint of an aircraft .

In these areas I use my very first scriber, one I've always been happy with: an old automatic pencil with a needle inserted instead of the lead. When the tip of the needle gets blunt with the time, I simply remove the needle. Cheap but very effective.

The hook style of scribers are anyway better as they remove a small sliver of plastic instead of just scraping.

[scorpiomikey]

Ah, thanks guys.

[Scratchbuilder]

Rather than spend a fortune on some ready made job, why not make your own? I use anything from the back of a scalpel blade to a specially ground piece of tool steel, whatever suits. Mainly I use a scriber point in a pin chuck. No model maker can be without his pin chuck, so that's a freebie. Needle will do or just grind up an old drill. Never throw drills away when you break them as they make great gravers, scorers, chisels as do old worn out or broken Swiss files. I have a proprietary graver bought about 30 years ago from a lithographers' suppliers in London, but they can be had from decent tool shops and are perhaps the ideal tool to get, if only for the nice mushroom handle.

Or, buy one of the fantastic rivet tools from MDC for a piddling 9 quid and pinch one of the handles to put on your ground up triangular Swiss file. I have round, ovoid, tiny round, very narrow angle and ordinary angle gravers all made from old files. In fact I have one drawer alone for chisels and scrapey tools in my mini Snap-on roll cab my son treated me to for Christmas one year. And that holds a LOT of chisellish things.

You can grind any needle file or drill with a minidrill, although it's a lot easier on a little bench grinder. Then keep it sharp on a small slip stone or finer wet stone. Ain't got one? Use some wet'n'dry with a bit of light oil on it, glued to a bit of worktop or glass.

Ain't nuttn' you can't make! I cut templates specifically for the job from styrene and scratch what they are on them with a scriber and rub a dirty finger over it. Lasts longer than a pen.

I wouldn't use a hook shaped "scorper" as they are very difficult to steer, wandering more easily than most shapes.

I always roll a round edged knife blade along a line drawn with either a very sharp scriber or a fine pencil. You can't slip when you're not pulling. Then run a light stoke with your nice new home made graver/scriber down the knife line. Once that's there, you really can't go wrong.

This is how I've done the door shuts, panel lines and fine detail on over 500 model cars, boats and aircraft models for the last 44 years, most of them brass. Now that IS unforgiving!

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Martin

[scorpiomikey]

Thats alot of information to take in, and im not sure i understand it all.

Up until now ive just tried to leave as much detail that comes with the plastic as possible. Scribings not something ive ever really done so i want something thats going to make my life easier. Ive got a couple of kits coming up that might need rescribing in places and i dont wanna stuff it up.

[Graeme H]

A small lesson on scribing.

1. Don't ever expect the first cut to be what you want, and where you want it to be.

2. Learn how to fill your mistaken lines at the beginning, My personal favourite is gel type super glue, as when cured it acts like plastic.

The Tamiya and the Olfa P cutter are the same tool, and commonly available and are very good and highly recommended

Hasegawa as well as the type shown by Pin above also did a tool that is similar to the P Cutter, but gives very fine lines.

http://www.hlj.com/product/HSGTT-10/Sup

another is a good modeling knife, with a large curved blade, this you push across, and is good for doing over the top of fuselages.

and of course you can do as Martin has suggested, and make your own, mine are an old Hacksaw blade, a very good source for hard steel.

[Dave Fleming]

This is my favourite, along with the Trytool saws posted earlier. It even comes with a littel sharpening stone to keep the tip pointed.

http://www.hlj.com/product/HSGTT-1/Sup

[stevehnz]

That Hasegawa TT10 tool in Grahams link appears to be very similar to the Trumpeter tool.

Steve.

[Scratchbuilder]

You could always look out Lidl or Netto type shops. They often have a multi piece craft knife set with a small stone and all sorts of pieces, including scribers of different sizes for a Fiver. I have two of them.

In my opinion, panel lines are usually depicted way too big, so a simple impression of a knife is ample. Have a look at a real airframe. There are few lines that you could push a toothpick into, never mind a match stick. And a matchstick in 1/72nd scale is a whisker over one thousandth of an inch, 0,03mm! So, even in 1/32nd scale it's still only 3 thou, 0.078mm. A decent butt joint would be much finer still and almost invisible. Overlapping joints are a different kettle of fish and need a different treatment that few bother with.

Martin

[Nigel Heath]

I use both the Olfa P-cutter and the scriber from UMM. The P-cutter is good for flattish surfaces, while the UMM one is good for curves like round wing edges and the like - I would recommend both. I also have a hand made tool which is just a length of wooden dowel with a pin inserted, this is good for use with scribing tempates as it is omnidirectional.

[little-cars]

That Hasegawa TT10 tool in Grahams link appears to be very similar to the Trumpeter tool.

Steve.

Have stocked both, they look the same close up.

I suspect the Trumpeter one will need replacing earlier, but it is about a quarter of the price.

Paul

little-cars

[Abacus]

May be of help.Aidan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at_HZtVa1NQ

[scorpiomikey]

You guys are awesome. Thanks for all the info.

That vid was really helpful.

Ill be looking into some new tools in the next few weeks.