Time to say good-by

[John Wagenseil]

I have gotten a lot of use out of this No 11 blade, but I think it is finally time to say good-by to it and replace it with a new one.

[whulsey]

How did you do that? I've never had any luck trying to resharpen them.

[Isaac]

My solution was to purchase a box of 100 blades for $20 or so many years ago and replace a blade after each large model I have built.


There are many brands of blades that are OK. X-Acto, Excel etc....
Amazon.com


Isaac

[whulsey]

That's what I do. I still have a couple of boxes from my days doing paste-up and cutting Rubylith before digital pre-press came along.

[John Wagenseil]

Originally Posted by whulsey

How did you do that? I've never had any luck trying to resharpen them.

Originally Posted by whulsey

How did you do that? I've never had any luck trying to resharpen them.

I just kept honing it with a fine (1200 grit) diamond card and then polished the 11 blade edge on the side of an inexpensive ceramic kitchen knife until it got to its present state. I used liquid dish soap as a lubricant.
It is a USA made XActo Z blade which seems to be made of hardened steel all the way through.
(Isaac:
I have a large box of older very good quality US made Excel No 11 blades, but some how just tossing the current blade when it got dull or the point broke seemed so wasteful ...
and I have lots of time, and already had the diamond sharpening card for kitchen knives and other tools.)

[Miles Linnabery]

Some times you can Heat treat the blades when they grind down and donot hold an edge Heat in flame of stove and Quench in cooking oil

[asettico]

Originally Posted by Isaac

My solution was to purchase a box of 100 blades for $20 or so many years ago and replace a blade after each large model I have built.

So do I!
I resharp the blade with an abrasive sharpener, but after some cycles I replace it.

[BigGiraffe]

Originally Posted by Isaac

My solution was to purchase a box of 100 blades for $20 or so many years ago and replace a blade after each large model I have built.


There are many brands of blades that are OK. X-Acto, Excel etc....
Amazon.com


Isaac

You can get a blade to last for an entire model? I manage to break off the point after just a short time!

I use the Excel blades, now, because a couple years ago I noticed the X-Acto blades acted like they were not heat treated.

Take care,
Kurt

[asettico]

Originally Posted by John Wagenseil

I have gotten a lot of use out of this No 11 blade, but I think it is finally time to say good-by to it and replace it with a new one.

Wow, I'm impressed! Even so waste is reduced.

This reminds me my physics professor, he used his pencil up to a couple of centimeters long: he his Tuscan, but living in Genoa produces its effects (they have more or less the same reputation of the Scottish ).

[Thumb Dog]

Hi All,

I'll raise you, John. Also included are the diamond stones I use as well as the strop, made from an old belt, that somehow just didn't fit any more.

Score and fold,

Thumb Dog