Sharpening X-acto blades?

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Mac, as you can see in the pic, these Arapahoe fins are just the pits because I used a breakaway knife to cut them. LAWD! How much worser can they be! (all jokes aside) it's all about what works for you best. And if there really IS any lack of precision with the likes of these knives, I'll bet you a case of Estes BP F motors it would depend on the individual using them. If, for some reason, I can't quite get the right cut on an edge, corner, curve or whatever, it's nothing a little sanding won't take care of. If we think a breakaway knife is better, who's to say we're wrong? Oh yeah, THOSE GUYS! The sanctimonious elitist that think, "my way or no way."

Sorry, no pic today. TRF is having a senior moment I guess.


Yes I wish I knew what the heck is going on with The Forum, I haven't been able to upload anything for almost a month and can't seem to get anyone from the Forum to respond to direct e-mails?

As for Sharpening our X-Acto or other blades as opposed to snap off Box cutters. As has already been said it's all about what works best for the individual. It's not one way or the high way, it's simply what is the best tool for the job. I personally own all kinds of cutting tools including a couple different box cutters. As mentioned before they have their place.
All that said it should also be acknowledged that Sharpening and Stropping our Knife blades to keep them in razor sharp Keen condition is a technique that most any modeler should have in their tool box, as I've stated several times it really cuts down on wasted material and knife blades. Passing on a precision technique for fairly quickly maintaining a razor edge on our hobby knifes should be something just about any model maker would at least want discussed.
Merry Christmas to All TRF members.
 
Snap-off Box cutters have their place precision cutting isn't one of them.

AH, but here's the rub. These are multipurpose knives. Although I'd never cut a box open with the one in my bench. Sure, these can be box cutters as well. Been there, done it. I also did 95% of my sign shop work with one. The only time we ever used the Xacto's was to pick the centers out of the small vinyl text. It's where I made the discovery that I likes using the breakaway knife for rocketry. Never looked back either.

All that said it should also be acknowledged that Sharpening and Stropping our Knife blades to keep them in razor sharp Keen condition is a technique that most any modeler should have in their tool box...(snip).


See there? intentionally suggesting what people should do. That's my beef man. In so many words, you dictate what is right and wrong. I suppose, if your neighbor's tater salad doesn't taste as good as yours, he must be making it wrong, huh? I suppose, if you thought the movie sucked, the guy that liked it must be a complete dumba**. Is the guy that puts a C6-5 in his Astron Streak stupid? Or just having fun and doesn't care if he looses it? As for me....I'm not particularly fond of the color yellow. Hence, I have little to no yellow rockets, shirts, paint on the walls, cars, furniture, yellow ANYTHING! That doesn't mean the guy next door with a yellow barn out in the back is wrong about his choices.
(rant over)
 
AH, but here's the rub. These are multipurpose knives. Although I'd never cut a box open with the one in my bench. Sure, these can be box cutters as well. Been there, done it. I also did 95% of my sign shop work with one. The only time we ever used the Xacto's was to pick the centers out of the small vinyl text. It's where I made the discovery that I likes using the breakaway knife for rocketry. Never looked back either.



See there? intentionally suggesting what people should do. That's my beef man. In so many words, you dictate what is right and wrong. I suppose, if your neighbor's tater salad doesn't taste as good as yours, he must be making it wrong, huh? I suppose, if you thought the movie sucked, the guy that liked it must be a complete dumba**. Is the guy that puts a C6-5 in his Astron Streak stupid? Or just having fun and doesn't care if he looses it? As for me....I'm not particularly fond of the color yellow. Hence, I have little to no yellow rockets, shirts, paint on the walls, cars, furniture, yellow ANYTHING! That doesn't mean the guy next door with a yellow barn out in the back is wrong about his choices.
(rant over)

I don't understand your rant, You are the one saying snap off blades are the best tool for the job. I'm simply making the observation (and 45 years in the Sign business) that there are other ways to make whatever blade is being used better by keeping it razor sharp. Doesn't matter if it's a snap-off box cutter blade or #2, 11, 16, or 24 X-acto blades. They all work better if maintained razor sharp. When we snap-off a box cutter blade the snapped edge is NOT sharp it is simply a broken edge.
Again if you like using a box cutter for cutting fins, that's perfectly your option. I'm just pointing out there are MUCH better ways. At Jack Stone Sign we tried using box cutters in the Vinyl Shop for weeding but found they simply were not efficent for most of the more delicate weeding needed. Sorry if that goes counter to your experience but I'll take my experience and workers observations thank you very much.
Use whatever best fits your building style, but don't make is seem like you have the best or only answer when clearly you do not.
All my best wishes and Merry Christmas
 
Better get those spectacles upgraded Micro. You can't read either. I never said "snap off blades are the best tool for the job." If I did, go find it. It's just what's best for me. As far as your last comment,... but don't make is seem like you have the best or only answer when clearly you do not. I call POT-KETTLE on that note.

Defiant to the end and always gotta get the last word in, huh......
 
John,

Gary has a point here.

You have mad skills and are a treasure trove of information, but your communications could do with some improvement.

In your zeal to educate, your writing tends to sound dogmatic and patronizing.

The thing is, when one communicates to other adults, especially when those adults have no actual relationship of any sort to the speaker/writer, a dogmatic tone is never well received.

John, this is intended to be constructive criticism. I/We hope you will use it in the manner it was intended.
 
John,

Gary has a point here.

You have mad skills and are a treasure trove of information, but your communications could do with some improvement.

In your zeal to educate, your writing tends to sound dogmatic and patronizing.

The thing is, when one communicates to other adults, especially when those adults have no actual relationship of any sort to the speaker/writer, a dogmatic tone is never well received.

John, this is intended to be constructive criticism. I/We hope you will use it in the manner it was intended.

10-4 LW: I'll indeed reflect on your words. It is true I have a tendency to be shorter and more direct then most would like. If that is a problem I'll try to work on it.

But Gary:
This entire thread was suppoesed to be about Sharpening X-Acto blades. The OP didn't ask about alternatives to the task. I believe I've covered the OP's original question completely and with in depth knowledge of the process. Nuf said.
 
But Gary:
This entire thread was suppoesed to be about Sharpening X-Acto blades. The OP didn't ask about alternatives to the task. I believe I've covered the OP's original question completely and with in depth knowledge of the process. Nuf said.

4 years ago this thread started out about sharpening Xacto blades. I feel certain the OP had already gotten the answer he was looking for? It was resurrected and went on a "blade" tangent, to which I responded to Mac's comment regarding breakaway knives, where you intervened and started preaching. You got yourself into this puddle-o-mud and now you are looking for your scapegoat. Micro, here's a little leaf of gold for you.

Your foot will never taste as good as your fingers when you're eating a bag of Cheeto's.
 
I've got the little patented sharpening fixtures... Not the micromart one, but similar. Thing is, a fresh blade still seems to be better than any sharpened #11 I've been able to produce...
en

You know, when you have a really crappy piece of hard balsa... And the first blade for the first few cuts....you think... no problems!!! Then it starts dragging. So let us sharpen it... and you get another pass maybe two... before we need to again... now this is gonna take time to get all those fins out!! :) So you go through blades....

A #11 through 1/4 ply? Show me the video!!! :)

Jeff


BTW: I agree reviving threads like this does provide a useful resurfacing of information. As long as there is no pi$$ing match.
 
You know, when you have a really crappy piece of hard balsa... And the first blade for the first few cuts....you think... no problems!!! Then it starts dragging.

On hard balsa a razor saw is recommended.

Coping saw if the cut has to be deep or intricate.
 
There are differing qualities of #11 blades. The softer ones are throw away but some of the better quality can be sharpened many times. I use crock sticks from the original Tri Angle system but don't really care about scalpel sharpness although have done razor sharp knives at times with them.

The info on stropping was interesting never having done that. A stropping wheel is in the future just because I like knowing how to do such things.


Richard
 
Since this thread keeps coming back like a bad penny I will add my 2 cents. Re: breakaway blades. They come in a number of sizes, 9mm, 18mm and I think there is even a bigger one. The Quality brand is Olfa (Japan). They make them in several alloys. There is a basic carbon blade, a black coated blade and a stainless. The basic blades are nothing special, I have never tried the black but the stainless ones are quite good. Handles range from throw away quality to much better ones. I use the 9mm size with a better Olfa handle. They are still very cheap. I also use a lot of Xaxto #11. They are so cheap in bulk that I was never tempted to resharpen one.
 
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