I've found a quality cutting mat, a great metal ruler/cutting edge, the uhu office pens, and decent cardstock, but I've been a lot of places and haven't found a good quality craft knife (the knife with the snap off blade). The only thing I've found is cheap, plastic, and what I would consider to be disposable.

I notice denny is using a metal craft knife. Denny (or anyone else), can you tell me where I can get a knife like that? Plastic ones don't hold the blade very tightly and I appreciate quality tools that will last me a long time. Also, the plastic ones hurt my hand because I'm a lefty, and they tend to have a ridge where they rest against my middle finger.

You can find craft knives at hardware stores, and sometimes at office supply stores.

I know one person who uses razor blades in a holder, and I have always been partial to X-Acto knives and their sundry clones. I have also known one person who used disposable scalpels, but he worked in a vetrinary clinic and could get them cheap.

The Auld Grump

I just tried a snap-off bladed craft knife for the first time today. I'm gonna stick with it until I can tell for sure, but as it stands right now, X-acto knives are my absolute favorite, because of the level of control.

Been using the snap-off blades since the start. Which is very nice indeed but what is better is the box of refill blades I got, that came in a plastic container that has a area for you to snap you blade-heads into and acts as a hold chamber for them. The blades themselves are also in a chamber. the whole unit is a small box with a slide lip to gain access to the refills, the rubbish area is sealed.


Lord Abaddon of Wormwood

I find that, at least for cardstock, the break off craft knife works better than the exacto. You only need to cut through a very thin layer of card (less than a millimeter) so the extra length of the exacto blade is unnecessary. The carft knife can ends up being stiffer than an exacto blade, since you've got less length of blade exposed. Thus, you have less flex, and you can whip along your straight edge more quickly while still being precise.

Plus, when you wear out the tip of the craft knife, you only break off a couple of millimeters of metal, as opposed to replacing a whole exacto blade. The end result is an additional cost savings.

Not that I don't like exacto's in general. I find an exacto is a better choice for cutting the foamcore, as well as for plenty of other craft tasks.

So Ebbtide, did those links help you at all?

Lowe's carries three different sized snap off knives made by Kobalt. I've never used one but they all seem to be made well.

I could only find this one on Lowes.com.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_35253-16878-500 ... ff%2Bknife

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