Has anyone else noticed how bad xactos are now ? The tip on the last pack I bought seems to to bend right off and go's dull quick. Any alturnitives out there ?
Thanks
Roderick
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This is an interactive Bulletin Board on the topics of Sign making, design, fabrication, History, old Books and of coarse Letterheads, Keepers of the craft. The Hand Lettering Forum features links to resources, sign art history, techniques, and artists profiles. Learn more about Letterheads at https://theletterheads.com. Below you'll see Mchat has been added as a live communication portal for trial, and the Main forum Links are listed below.
Xacto knife blades
Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian
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Roderick Treece
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2004 8:04 pm
- Location: San deigo Calif
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vance galliher
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:38 pm
- Location: springfield, or.
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Re: Xacto knife blades
Hi Rod, I've been buying 100 count boxes #11 from Havel's for years with never a problem. 1-800 683 4770
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Patrick Mackle
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:21 am
- Location: Monrovia, Ca.
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Re: Xacto knife blades
Here's my spin on X-ACTO 's. Some of my handles date back to my early slot car years.
Back in 1980 I bought a bulk pack of 100 No. X616 "chisel shape" blades. I only use that style of blade, and cut in a style that holds the knife handle straight up and down, not at the angle of an ink pen like most people do. (I cut anything from very thin frisket tissue to the thickest sand blast resist) That way I can turn the blade like a "rudder", continuously cutting
circles and curves without having to readjust my body or turn the artwork. I have cut complex designs side by side with others on projects and literally done my piece in half the time, with smoother curves and with MUCH less wrist fatigue. My index finger and thumb do all the work.
Another thing is I always resharpen my blades until they get too short, using a sheet of #1000 grit wet or dry 3M brand sand paper. Even when retiring a shortened blade, I dress up a new blade on #1000 grit. I cut a lot of rubylith, and have found that even new blades out of the box don't cut the lacquer film as nicely as they will after honing them on #1000 grit paper.
I have to laugh sometimes, because just as there are those who like either Fords or Chevys, there are those who favor the chiseled or long pointed X-ACTO blades. Well, I'm a Ford man, and don't knock my chisel blades!
Pat
Back in 1980 I bought a bulk pack of 100 No. X616 "chisel shape" blades. I only use that style of blade, and cut in a style that holds the knife handle straight up and down, not at the angle of an ink pen like most people do. (I cut anything from very thin frisket tissue to the thickest sand blast resist) That way I can turn the blade like a "rudder", continuously cutting
circles and curves without having to readjust my body or turn the artwork. I have cut complex designs side by side with others on projects and literally done my piece in half the time, with smoother curves and with MUCH less wrist fatigue. My index finger and thumb do all the work.
Another thing is I always resharpen my blades until they get too short, using a sheet of #1000 grit wet or dry 3M brand sand paper. Even when retiring a shortened blade, I dress up a new blade on #1000 grit. I cut a lot of rubylith, and have found that even new blades out of the box don't cut the lacquer film as nicely as they will after honing them on #1000 grit paper.
I have to laugh sometimes, because just as there are those who like either Fords or Chevys, there are those who favor the chiseled or long pointed X-ACTO blades. Well, I'm a Ford man, and don't knock my chisel blades!
Pat
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joe cieslowski
- Posts: 338
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- Location: east canaan ct
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Re: Xacto knife blades
Just a short quip here.................
Thank you for not insulting real knives by calling this tool an X-ACTO Knife.
They are X-ACTO'S...............just X-ACTO'S.
Joe
Thank you for not insulting real knives by calling this tool an X-ACTO Knife.
They are X-ACTO'S...............just X-ACTO'S.
Joe
Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
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Frank Smith
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- Location: Albany, NY
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Re: Xacto knife blades
They're also known as exac-toes in honor of their favorite landing pad.-
Patrick Mackle
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Re: Xacto knife blades
"They're also known as exac-toes in honor of their favorite landing pad."Yeh, Except for the one that rolled off my truck dash board on a green light and stuck itself upright in my inner thigh,
just missed the "ol baldy fellow" by a hair!!! Wrecked a brand new pair of Levi's as well- drat it all!!
Pat
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads