pjp01

My Feedback: (12)

anybody have a good source for blades that might stay sharp longer than 2 swipes down a leading edge when trimming covering material.
Just finished recovering a plane and went through a ton of blades.
There must be a better blade somewhere.

pjp01

ByLoudDesign

You might think about one of the diamond honing tool. I use a standard box knife fior about 90% of my cutting jobs. They to can be sharpened with a honing tool! Most likely sharper then when mass produced!

pjp01

My Feedback: (12)

Thanks for the reply. I'll try anything. Hate to waste all those blades.
And my covering technique needs all the help it can get.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

UltraCote is terrible on blades, buy them in bulk and toss them after they get dull.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Dave Platte recommended scalpels in one of his videos, he said they are much sharper than our #11 blades.

Walt Thyng

My Feedback: (9)

Ever heard of a "sharpening stone"? I use one that simply requires some spit. It only takes one or two swipes to restore the blade.
walt

pjp01

My Feedback: (12)

I've been trying a sharpening stone but not quite getting that new edge. Now trying my henkel knife sharpener.
Doesn't seem to be quite doing it either.

lfinney

My Feedback: (44)

go buy a diamond hone at lowes or home depot, harbor freight etc, and yes scalpels are much sharper and last longer..get on fleabay and buys some, you wont regret it

Don Pruitt

My Feedback: (1)

pip01
I am from the school that sharpens their #11 blades. I use an fine Arkansas stone and after-run oil and sharpen by pulling the cutting edge toward the stone instead of away from it. I hold the blade angle at about 30 deg. and use moderate pressure. Too much pressure and the blade will bend slightly that results in an uneven edge. Not enough pressure and it takes 2-3 times as long to get the desired edge. 15-20 passes on the stone is about all it takes and then I finish it off by stropping on a piece of old cardboard box to finish the edge. I try to strop the same number of passes at the same 30 deg. angle. Of course you must pull the edge away from the cardboard so as not to slice it into. I test the blade with a piece of scrap MonoKote by holding it in two fingers and sticking the blade in the center of the scrap and cutting to the edge. If it will do that then you are good to go.

I will typically sharpen a blade 15-20 times before I throw it away. As the blade wears it will get shorter. Once the blade has become about 1/32" shorter than original, the aspect ratio of the point as decreased so that it will not easily pierce MonoKote being held by two fingers. That is when I chunk them or use them only for cutting wood.

It has been my experience that during a covering job the blade will appear to get dull when it has only gotten dirty with the adhesive from the covering material. I keep a piece of paper towel soaked in Acetone handy to keep the blade clean.

Roguedog

pjp01

Here's an excellant set of diamond hones. Worth every penny. I've had the red one (fine) forever and it's now extra extra fine. Wanted to get another one then found that Rockler had a set of three with grades of mediun, fine and super fine.

Here's the link http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...diamond%20hone

In a pinch the super fineit will put a very nice edge on a No. 11 blade.

pjp01

My Feedback: (12)

Well I guess there are no excuses now. Thanks for the good suggestions and info.
Likely will try all of the above. Just  finished my first covering job with ultracote. Used monocote primarily years ago.

pjp01

pkoury

My Feedback: (7)

I use single edge razor blades for trimming while covering, much cheaper that #11s.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

in leu of buying a sharpening stone, if you use a Stanley utility knife with "drywall" blades, you can get many slices out of the blades.

there are 2 major kinds of blades, the more common utility blade, and the drywall blade, the blade for drywall is alot tougher and more durrrable, the edge lasts way longer than a regular utility blade, and many times longer than a exacto blade,having 2 pointed sides they can be flipped to give a fresh side when the tip is done.

after the end has dulled they sharpen with a stone easaly since there quite stiff and don't flex, but can make a fine curved cut.

they also make straiter cuts in many surfaces not just plastic film, balsa, and much tougher materials like light ply, you can buy bulk packs of 50 from most home improvement stores like home depot for a little over 10$.

dreadnaut

My Feedback: (5)

Same goes for Monokote. I do not sharpen, I replace. I buy them in bulk, and keep two handles. One has a "junk" blade for general stuff, and the other has the blade replaced at the first sign of dragging or ripping. Life is too short to fight a dull knife, or to waste time sharpening #11's. GEM blades are good, but are not as easy to use, and control as something with a pencil shaped handle. I use a Stanley knife for some heavy jobs, but not on the delicate stuff.

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

use single edge razor blades for most all cuts. a box of 100 is like 4 bucks or cheaper.
Also there is some ceramic blades out there but havent been able to find them lately.

JeffH

My Feedback: (43)

I use Persona Brand Utlilty Knife blades. They even stay sharp after cutting Solartex. I covered a 101" Bamboo Bomber with 4 or 5 blades!
I have no idea how much they are since the family business was flooring and they bought these things by the case.

N1EDM

My Feedback: (2)

With regard to Soarrich's comment about Dave Platt using Scalpel blades, they are also referred to as #11 blades. Just so you know, the scalpel blades won't fit an X-Acto, or vice versa, just so you know.

YOu can get them at an industrial supply house. Try http://www.mcmaster.com/#scalpels/=8c5i31 and look for p/n 36325A58 and the assortment of blades shown beneath that.

Just my $.02

Bob

Timthetoolman1

My Feedback: (6)

I haven't tried the scapel yet but I hear it's good.
http://www.micromark.com/9-PIECE-SUR...-SET,6924.html

dreadnaut

My Feedback: (5)

I have tried them, and the good is that they are SHARP!. The bad is that they are thinner than #11's so they can flex a bit on heavy cuts.

EloyM

My Feedback: (194)

At the very bottom of this is the fact that all No. 11 blades are not "Xacto" blades. They are not made from the same grade of steel
and are not sharpened as well. For all cutting chores, Xacto blades are superior and recommended.
For trimming those blade-eating plastics, single edge razor blades are in fact better, but like No 11's, they are not all of the same
quality and you will find that the US made older brands far superior. Actually, I find that double edge blades (Gillette!)
are even better, though more care has to be taken when using them. I cover the unused edge with electrical tape
and have not sliced any fingers yet.
Isn't there an old saying, something about bargains often turning out to be more expensive?

MTK

Agreed...the old blue steel Gillettes were the best. Blue steel was extremely hard, keeping its edge for a long time.

I made a simple handle from a bamboo chopstick. Sawed a slot to the end of the stick to accept the blade and added a 4-40 bolt/blind nut setup to secure the blade. One edge on each side of the stick. The stick served to support the blade well. A sort of poor man's xacto only far better, sharper, longer

MostlyKaos

I use these Sqadron blades. They are much sharper than standard X-ACTO #11's and they fit the X-ACTO handle. They are flexible but I dont cut heavy wood or plastic with them. I'm like the other users I use a heavier blade for heavier cutting, and single edge blades for long Monocoat cuts and the Squadron blades wile Monocoat triming.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXFP58&P=7

dreadnaut

My Feedback: (5)

Eloy, you probably noticed that I said #11 instead of "X-Acto 11's". I use the generics mainly because the x-acto brand is no longer readily available at many LHS's. You are probably right about the quality, but if the generics last 80% as long as the name brand, and I have to go out of my way, and pay more, or x-acto, it is probably close to break even.

chymas

My Feedback: (1)

check out mcmastercar.com I bought a package of 100 stainless steal number 11 blades for about $23.  These are the sharpest blades I have found and they actually hold an edge.

MTK

The blue steel #11s from McMaster Carr are even sharper and last longer than the stainless.