I thought I'd start a new thread on this subject. I know we've talked about them in the past. But I don't remember any definitive thread on the the subject, or one that has been updated recently.

So over the Christmas holidays, I made frequent trips to Walmart. And, as most of you whom shop there know, they sell a lot of tools and little gadgets all ready pre-wrapped for gifts during the holiday season. And occasionally you will find a really good item for super cheap. Well, this happens to be one of those times.

I happen to be one of those people always buying new X-Acto blades, utility blades/cutters etc to try out. And typically I find that "most" utility knifes are flimsy (and the blade part) very wobbly. Until you get up into the $15-$25 dollar range. But here you get into the heavy duty (ie. Big, thick and made for carpet cutting) style versions. That are (imo) to big and bulky for much paper craft work. Which is unfortunate, because if plan on cutting a lot of foam core for tiles, the utility knife is the way to go. But I dislike using the cheapy $2.00 ones because they are so flimsy, or the blade shaft so loose that the cut will end up a little less straight than I had intended.

Well, I finally found the "perfect" blade. Or one that is heads better than anything else I've come across. It was one of those pre-wrapped Walmart specials, and it cost me a whopping $6.00 usd. Check it out:



Not only was this blade super sturdy, with practically zero wobble. It also unfolds like your standard Lock-Blade knife. And it included a nice blade cover(that triangular piece you see in the image) so you don't cut your fingers while opening or closing it. The blades are easily replaced by flicking the lock lever near the top front edge. And the blade can be tightened by holding onto the little metal post(near hilt) and turning the screw on the other side.

-IT also has a cool little belt clip built into the hilt on the opposite side.
-A case with a Velcro cover. And a looped strap that could also be slung through a belt, or some such.
-And it also came with a 5 pack of spare blades.



(For scale, the squares on the cutting mat in the images above are 1")

I cannot recommend this blade enough to everyone whom works with foam core, and even long, straight cuts for the card stock models, or the square tiles pieces.

(I've seen this same utility knife, sans cover and extra blades selling for $14
or more in hardware/automotive stores... which still is pretty good considering the quality of this tool!)

So anyway, have any of you found or picked up some new tools for your paper craft needs?

~Floyd

I'm still blown away by my .

Here's a couple pics, in case you don't feel like going through that old thread (though there are links to websites that sell it, and replacement blades).

ooooo...


I still use a typical exacto with #11s. works great but I do wish for some more cutting power on the larger models.

I have tried a snap off blade (the cheapo plastic ones) and was thoroughly disgusted, wiggle rattle, pos. cant cut a straight line *with* a straight edge.



I do prefer a bit finer control than what I can get with the folder Fl0yd. (I have a similar one I use for other non model things).

But that NT cutter looks nice.
you say *no wobble?*

Since I have a background in constuction I still have an assortment of my old handtools, among them a good quality utility knife (for clarification it is a metal shell with a slide button on top conected to the blade cartridge which holds the blade firmly in place and it houses about eight spare blades inside the case under your palm when using it)
The utility knife is what I use for most of my cuts, though to be honest I haven't seen it since my move but then again we have yet to finish unpacking. I also have an exacto brand hobhy knife I found at wal-mart for $3. The exacto is designed to make 45 degree cuts and has a second blade that can be extended to make channel cuts (but not on a 45). I use the exacto to make smaller cuts as the smaller blade gives me better control.

...General agreement on this end... Old-school, metal-housing utility knife for big cuts, #11 X-Acto's, regularly changed, for the fiddly cuts...

As a side-note, I have given up on the "X-Acto" brand for #11 blades... My local craft store carries an off-brand in a 100-qty pack for about 12 dollars. The blades are much stiffer (well-suited to my hard-hand cutting), but dull a bit more quickly. Overall, if I'm vigilant on the blade-changes, my overall cut quality is much better... My cut-yield per-blade on these is holding at about 4-6 average sheets of cardstock before I notice any significant cut-resistance (or minor card-burring; if I'm chugging along, i can push it to about 8-10, before I lose "score-touch"...) Score touch being the point at which I can no longer discern if the blade is making an effective score on the first pass... That superior sensation where you can actually feel the paper fibers separating along the score-line, without actually cutting entirely through the card... It is very similar to the sensation a new shaving blade provides...

I'm gonna pause and let the zen-geekery of that previous comment pass...

These same blades suffer when applied to basswood, averaging about six passes-per-blade before 1/16 thickness renders cross-grain cuts virtually useless and jagged...

Of course, reasonable blade changes fly out the window when a build or project is "due"... And your build gives new meaning to the term "hack-and-slash..."

The utility knife still rules the roost when making single-pass foamcore or basswood cuts over 24" in length, corrugated cuts, or any other "heavy-duty" slices...

Yep, it's the old-school metal-housing utility knife (the one Drac described) for me. I had to get used to changing blades more frequently than I would like, but when it's sharp, you get:

No wiggle
Straight Cuts
Easy to Handle (because it's large and fits nicely in your palm)

I only use X-acto hobby blades for small cuts.

Oh ... and scissors! Long straight sections I cut with a paper cutter, but smaller sections call for the old stand-by ... scissors!

My utility knives are all Stanely, but I know others make them too. If you head off to any hardware store you will find them

Search google for utility knife and you will find several models. Stanley even makes a more deluxe model now that has some rubber grip area, and it doesn't require you to take the knife apart to get to the hidden blade storage area.

Here's a link to the basic model (from Amazon) for about $5.50 (I have several of these myself):


Here's a link to a bunch of utility knives from Stanley. Note they also make a snap-off blad type, and plenty of other types to:


Irwin make them too:


But Stanley are probably the easiest to find in person.

Steve

[EDIT = Thanks for the tips y'all on how to turn long-winded urls into neat little linkage text bits. I'm practically a url coding genius now!]

Off topic - how do you folks change the actual link to something far less verbose? I see links in these posts all the time that say "Check out this cool produce HERE and the "here" is the link. How is that done?

Steve

I have some cheap metal and plastic utility knives that I picked up at Dollar tree.

Rubber grips, wide blades, and a screw that tightens down on the blade and prevents any wobbling. Good for foam core and long straight cuts.

Fiddly bits get the X-Acto knives.

The Auld Grump