Snap-off knife recommendations?

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neil_w

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I've switched over to doing most (not all, but most) of my cutting with a snap-off knife. However, the el-cheapo plastic Ace version I'm using is starting to show its limitations, as the blade is getting a bit sloppy in the holder. When I push down, I don't want the blade to move. Obviously.

Can anyone recommend a good-quality snap-off knife?
 
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I haven't bought any new blades in a long, long time after seeing a post here about sharpening with a whetstone--quick, easy and extremely effective.
 
I've been using an Olfa Handle and blades for about four years now.
I use the break-off blade knife for 90% of my cutting. An X-Acto with a #11 blade for the tighter cuts.
The Olfa knife has a very slight amount of blade movement. The handle has flat sides and won't roll off your workbench.
I'd post a picture but for some reason I can't right now - All the info is here:

https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-knife.html
 
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I've been using an Olfa Handle and blades for about four years now.
I use the break-off blade knife for 90% of my cutting. An X-Acto with a #11 blade for the tighter cuts.
The Olfa knife has a very slight amount of blade movement. The handle has flat sides and won't roll off your workbench.
I'd post a picture but for some reason I can't right now - All the info is here:

https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-knife.html

I actually have the larger size (of my el-cheapo). I bought one of the smaller ones of the same type, thinking it might be more useful for finer work, but it was so sloppy it's basically unusable.

Now I'm not sure whether I'd be better off with the larger or smaller, given a decent quality model. Hmm.
 
I've switched over to doing most (not all, but most) of my cutting with a snap-off knife. However, the el-cheapo plastic Ace version I'm using is starting to show its limitations, as the blade is getting a bit sloppy in the holder. When I push down, I don't want the blade to move. Obviously.

Can anyone recommend a good-quality snap-off knife?

I like Dewalt Metal Body 9mm from Home Depot. $5 and hold the blades solidly.
 
I order scalpel blades from Amazon to keep in one of my X-acto handles, for precise cutting. For general use, I still swear by standard #11 blades.
 
I picked up a 9mm and 18mm Olfa from HD today. In my initial tests, they're both worlds better than the crap I was using before.

I think I like the 18mm better when I need to apply force, like cutting basswood across the grain. But I may like the 9mm better for finer balsa work. We'll see. In any case, I'm gonna salvage the blades out of my old ones and toss the handles. There's only so many utility knives I need, and no point ever being tempted to use a bad one.

I still use #11 blades for fine work, but for bulk cutting of basswood (like in this ridiculous build for example) I don't find it comfortable. Sometimes, for intricate cuts, I'll use the #11 to create the initial score marks, and then do the rest of the cutting with the snap-off.
 
I have nothing against Xacto (or equivalent) saws, but I'm not quite sure how I'd use them to cut fins and such out of balsa and basswood. :confused:
 
I cut a poster board template after I print it from SimRoc.
Trace it with a .5 mechanical pencil.
Cut it outside the pencil mark with the saw.
Clamp them together and sand them all the same size.
If there are curves, I do as much as I can with the saw.
If they have inside cuts, as the Mega Mosquito has on the center piece,
I drill a hole and use a coping saw.
 
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