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Old 12-29-2018, 10:35 AM
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the first cut is the deepest - a question about blades

Hi friends,
I of course use, like most of us, the #11 Xacto (clone) blades. But there is one specific type of blade I have learnt to prefer, and that also has the #11 mark on the side. It is a little more sturdy, and the points don't break off that easily because the pointy end is supported by a larger surface. In lots of cutting sets you often find one or two of these blades incorporated but I have never seen them sold as separate set of 5 (or rather, 100). Does anyone here know which type of brand this is? I really like them a lot.
Cheers and have a great new year's eve.


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Old 12-29-2018, 10:47 AM
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These X-ACTO X291 No 11M Broad Tip Knife Blades look a lot like those you pictured.
https://widgetsupply.com/product/bdm46.html

If they are what you are looking for perhaps you can find a supplier that ships to your location without charging an arm and a leg.
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Old 12-29-2018, 01:06 PM
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Hi & thanks, Doug. The ones you linked to just look like the regular #11, just a little broader. It might be something, actually, perhaps they are a little sturdier. My photo shows that the point has that little extra angle at the tip. This feature is what I am actually after.
I really hate it that always when I am in the middle of a cut the outermost tip of my blade breaks off. (there was another thread a couple of months ago adressing this annoyance) These special blades have never done that. But all of those I had are now blunt.
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Old 12-29-2018, 02:08 PM
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Supposedly there's a way to resharpen exacto blades. I dunno what it is, but I have heard rumors.
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Old 12-29-2018, 02:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by murphyaa View Post
Supposedly there's a way to resharpen exacto blades. I dunno what it is, but I have heard rumors.
Pretty sure you build a pyramid in your backyard and place them in the exact spot of the King's Chamber.
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Old 12-29-2018, 02:36 PM
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Sharpening ng can easily be done with a small Arkansas Whetstone.
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Old 12-29-2018, 07:13 PM
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Delving into my box of sharp pointy things, I've found most of my blades have this angled tip you're looking for.

the first cut is the deepest - a question about blades-img20181230115434.jpg

From left to right: 1. #25 surgical scalpel blade, requires #4 scalpel handle. 2. #11 surgical scalpel blade, requires #3 scalpel handle but also fits others. 3. #11 X-Acto blade, USA. Fits standard X-Acto handles. 4. #11 scalpel blade, different brand than the first, #3 scalpel handle. 5. #11 generic craft blade, fits most X-Acto handles.

The scalpel blades are extremely sharp but can break easily. They can be inserted into some X-Acto handles but if any of the "hole" is protruding, they'll snap even easier. One thing I like about them is the bend at the tip is also handy for very fine scoring, but with too much pressure it can cut the cardstock. I use this for most of my scoring, unless I want a deeper, rounder score line.

The pointy X-Acto brand blades snap easily at the tip, quite annoying. I won't be buying them again, I've heard Excel are better, I'll be trying them next.

I can't remember where I bought the generic #11 blades on the far right, I think they came with an X-Acto style handle I bought, I haven't used them yet.

I'm yet to try sharpening my blades but I'm really too lazy for that. I buy most of my blades in boxes of 100 so it's just easier to toss them and put another one in. On my latest build I've gone through over 20 blades. Some of the thicker card I use blunts them fairly quickly.

I buy most of my blades on ebay or amazon, maybe check them out and see if you can find someone who sells small quantities, try a few out until you find one you like.
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Old 12-29-2018, 07:30 PM
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X-Acto Z series

I'm using up the last of my Xacto Z-series blades. Some time ago, a thread on this site pointed out that Xacto blades had dropped in quality. I agree. Many of the Z blades have to be sharpened straight out of the box and their tips break or bend way too easily.

I use a sharpener from the local hardware store that extends the life of the blades, up to a point (no pun intended). But when I've exhausted my current supply of Xacto, I'll look for another brand.

The palm-sized Smith's sharpener pictured cost me $4 at Ace Hardware. It's very easy to use and it works well. A dozen strokes, six on the coarse side, six on the fine side, will usually restore a good edge, and I can extend the life of a blade by 4 or 5 times. After that, it's time to change blades.
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Old 12-29-2018, 08:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sakrison View Post
I'm using up the last of my Xacto Z-series blades. Some time ago, a thread on this site pointed out that Xacto blades had dropped in quality.
I remember reading the same thread, it mentioned that some X-Acto blades were being manufactured elsewhere, and not in the USA so when I saw some X-Acto X-Life blades (Made in USA, pictured above) on Amazon, I bought them. The blades themselves are quite good... Sturdy and sharp, however the tips are very fragile and break too easily, sometimes without any excessive force.

I'll be trying the Excel blades next, people have said they're superior to the X-Acto ones. I've got a couple of other tools made by Excel and they are of a pretty high quality.
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Old 12-31-2018, 02:26 AM
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The thing is, I only use the blade's tip. When the tip breaks off, the blade gets harder to move across the paper and the shapes. And when I throw them away, the back part mostly is still super sharp and unused.
I have tried to recreate such an angular point with my power tool but that didn't work. It is the amount of body pver the tip that prevents the tip from brealing off. That is why those blades on the picture I added in the first post are so great. They just go blunt after a while but last much longer than the average #11 (clone) blade.
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Last edited by Paper Kosmonaut; 12-31-2018 at 02:26 AM. Reason: I added a point to the end of my sentence.
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