Scalpel/craft knife recommendations

[alanbeeb]

When I started on the  Spitfire mk. XIV kit just after Xmas I bought a humbrol toolset with a scalpel - but only one blade, which I'm sure is not as sharp as it was.   As I'm now tempted to modify the finished model and correctly clip its wings 😢 I want to be sure I have a very sharp knife.  What are best blades to obtain?    Is there any absolutely best craft knife I should consider as a replacement for the Humbrol scalpel?

 

Are ceramic blades any better or sharper?   

 

thanks.

[cmatthewbacon]

Personally, I have used X-Acto throughout my modelling career... “pencil style” handles with a rubbery easy grip coating, an end nut that stops it rolling off the bench/desk, and a readily available supply of #11 blades. Excel are pretty good as well. I also have a couple of Swann Morton handles for scalpel blades that retract the blade inside the handle for safe storage.

best,

M.

[dromia]

I use the Swann Morton scalpels and blades, they are the sharpest out there and hold their edge best of the lot in my experience but in saying that any blade so finely sharp will soon loose its keenness.

 

For run of the mill work I like the Swann Morton hobby blades not quite as sharp as the scalpel blades but they do resharpen well.

 

There are some good handles for scalpel; blades out there now with grippier plastic handles if the more traditional metal handles are not to your ergonomics.

 

Working with a dull blade is a false economy

[bentwaters81tfw]

I have used X-Acto and Swann Morton. S-M are better, and you can get packs of 100 replacement blades off fleabay for a few quid. Flat handles don't roll off the bench and stab you in the leg.

[ckw]

35 minutes ago, alanbeeb said:

As I'm now tempted to modify the finished model and correctly clip its wings

I think you may find a razor saw is the correct tool for this job

 

As to knife blades - I'd go with Swann Morton as well. I buy packs of 100 at a time, and change very frequently. For many modelling applications you want the sharpest blade possible which means putting a new blade in the holder. You may also find it helpful to have a number of handles a some different blades - sometimes a straight blade (eg SW #11) is best, other times a curved (eg. SW #10)

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[cmatthewbacon]

Just note that in the real world of hospitals, injuries caused while putting traditional blades onto scalpel handles are regular if not commonplace! The square nut on my XActo stops it rolling off and stabbing me in the leg... I can’t speak for others, though...

best,

M.

[Pete F]

+1 for Swann Morton surgical. There are a wide variety of blades available. You need to match the handle size to the blades you intend to buy but it's quite straight forward. As others have said best to buy in bulk. The only downside of SM surgical is they can snap if you are using a lot of pressure so you need to be careful. 

 

I tend to mostly use no. 3 blades (i.e for no. 3 handles). This is the link to their site for info but you can buy on eBay or elsewhere: https://www.swann-morton.com/product_range/1.php

 

No.s 10, 11 and 15 are my goto. No 15 is excellent for small objects or getting into small places.

[PDH]

Swann Morton for me as well - No3 handle with 10A, 11, 15 or 15A blades. Being flat it doesn't roll anywhere and you can use the SM blade changing device or a pair of smooth jaw pliers to change the blade if you are worried about injury.

 

And yes a razor saw would be best for clipping the Spitfire's wings.

 

P

Edited February 3, 2021 by PDH

[Big Dave S]

X-Acto here. Yes, it has a round handle, but it's never let me down. Have had the same one since about 1990.

But I'm sure everyone's suggestions above are sensible. It's a matter of what suits you best.

I tend to think all-metal is a good starting point.

[ckw]

24 minutes ago, cmatthewbacon said:

injuries caused while putting traditional blades onto scalpel handles are regular if not commonplace

SW have a tool for doing that safely. I have nothing against X-acto ... I used to use them all the time, but, in the UK getting hold of genuine blades (there are plenty of look a likes) is not as easy as SW - and definitely more expensive - which in my case at least led to me using a blade for much longer than I should have! As for the cheap hobby knife sets widely available - best avoided. They're cheap for a reason and the blades do not hold an edge.

 

Cheers

Colin

[bmwh548]

Olfa. They also do Tamiya's blades (maybe even the handles, not sure).

[ColonelKrypton]

Lots of good suggestions.

 

I don't know what it is about Xacto knifes be they number 1 (small) or number 2 (medium) handles and their #11 and #2 blades respectively but these are the only sharp tools I use or have used that I regularly will cut myself with. Whether it is the round hand or the shape of the blade or a combination of the two I just don't know.

 

More than 20 years ago I used just Xacto knifes as that was pretty much all that was commonly available in Canada or at least where I was living at the time. The I discovered scalpel handles and blades where quite easily available and I started to use those. A Swann and Morton #3 handle with #11 or #10a blades and a #4 handle with #23 or #25a blades.

 

I never looked back at Xacto knife handles or blades again. Changing to the scalpel handles and blades was a game changer for me - sharp, easy to handle, didn't roll or the desk and for reason I stopped cutting myself as I used to with the xacto.

 

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. On a lark, I dug out an old #2 xacto handle and got some new #2 blades. Within a day of starting to use this combination again I gave my left thumb a rather nasty cut. I promptly cast the handle in the metal recycling bin and the remaining blades in the sharps disposal container I have on workbench and swore never again.

 

https://www.canadiansafetysupplies.com/sharps-collectors-s/180.htm

 

These sharps collectors are handy for disposing of all your sharp and pointed things. Once full I can wrap the whole thing up and dispose of safely.

 

All this prompted me to look for some new scalpel blades as I was down to my last few #10a blades and had no more #11 on hand. While poking around on Amazon I found some very interesting products by a Japanese company called NT Cutter. Their products are much like Olfa but have a few distinct offerings that looked quite promising for my hobby use. 

 

After a bit of poking around I got a D-400GP  https://www.ntcutter.co.jp/en/products/detail/248 and an AD-2P https://www.ntcutter.co.jp/en/products/detail/263

 

There is also a D-500GP https://www.ntcutter.co.jp/en/products/detail/242  with a rubber middle section

and a D-400/D-400P with a resin handle https://www.ntcutter.co.jp/en/products/detail/250

 

The AD-2P more like a box cutter than a craft knife but it is a very slim design all metal design and marketed as a graphics knife. It uses 9mm snap off blades. I like that I can retract the blade when not in use and it will not under any circumstances roll off the table.

 

Incidentally, the NT Cutter 9mm snap off blades work interchangeably with any Olfa 9mm knife and vice versa.

 

Also, replacement blades used by the D-400GP ( and similar ) handles can be bought inexpensively by themselves or you can by the 9mm snap off blade replacements and just simply snap off a new blade whenever you need one. Had I known this when I bought my handles and replacement blades I would have only bought the 9mm snap off replacement blades, live and learn

 

Now, to be fair, I have only been using these NT Cutter knives and blades for two weeks but I am becoming quite enamoured with them. The #3 scalpel with #10A blades and #4 scalpel with #23 blades will always have a place on the workbench but I find myself reaching for these two NT Cutter knives instead, they just seem to fit the way I like work.  Just goes to show that there is no one best tool ( or knife ).

 

One common comment about the Xacto knives and blades is that they are thicker and therefore stronger and up to more heavy handed use. Tis true; I measured a #11 and a #2 Xcacto blade and found they were right around 0.50mm thick whereas the Swann and Morton #10A and #23 blades are around 0.40mm thick and the NT Cutter 9mm snap off blades are also right around 0.40mm thick.

 

cheers, Graham 

 

 

 

 

[Ray_W]

On 2/4/2021 at 7:37 AM, GrahamCC said:

One common comment about the Xacto knives and blades is that they are thicker and therefore stronger and up to more heavy handed use. Tis true; I measured a #11 and a #2 Xcacto blade and found they were right around 0.50mm thick whereas the Swann and Morton #10A and #23 blades are around 0.40mm thick and the NT Cutter 9mm snap off blades are also right around 0.40mm thick.

 

In some applications the thicker blade does come in handy although my favourites, doing 90% of the work, are still the Swann-Morton scalpels.

 

You do end up with a massive collection of cutting implements. These are the current ones that are close at hand and get regular usage (blackened tip on the red handle was from tightening up some fishing line aerial wire):

 

 

To the OP @alanbeeb, if it was me, I would buy some replacement blades for your Humbrol knife (should take a standard something) and consider getting a Swann-Morton scalpel with some No.11 blades. Nice combo to build on. 

 

Ray