Hello,
I have been trying to find little razor saw blades to engrave panel lines and small controlled cuts through plastic models. I have only seen them from Micro-Mark priced at $17 for a pack of 5. Does anybody know where else these can be purchased?
Thank you
I buy mine from UMM-USA.
The site is a little wonky to navigate, but it’s worth it. They have neat stuff at reasonable prices.
The hotlink should take you to the correct page, you’ll need to scroll down a bit.
Micro-Mark is a quality vendor, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy the pack from them. Are you looking to get blades at a lower price?
As far as this particular style of razor saw goes, I bought myself CMK’s version, after seeing it used in a build blog somewhere. This is their saw handle, which comes with a single blade, for 13.80 Euros:
https://www.cmkkits.com/en/others/cmk-holder/
They sell packs of blades, such as this pack, for 12.80 Euros:
UMM looks like the other main source, as Greg mentioned.
For a pack of 5 extra-fine blades, they’re asking $13.99, discounted right now from $15:
http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_28&products_id=5251
They go as low as $3.50 for single blades.
To second Greg’s endorsement, here’s a review of the product, too:
http://www.ipmsusa.org/reviews/Products/jlc_razor-saw/jlc_razor-saw.htm
Hope that all helps, too!
I bought mine and the handle at UMM-USA, like Greg. One side has smaller teeth for a finer cut, the other side a bit more course. I did once buy a set of blades from another source, they fit the handle OK, but didn’t work as well as the UMM-USA set.
I’ve had the set for several years, lot’s of use, they hold up well.
Patrick
Hello!
Many companies (including Tamiya) sell saws that are made by etching them from stainless steel (those are photoetch parts!):
There’s also the classic - this is why some call it the “Polish razor saw”:
In a pinch you can make a saw like this yourself - I made mine about twenty years ago by clamping a dispensable razor blade in a vise, close to the edge, and filing small teeth on the edge with a small triangular needle-file. Funny thing - I still use that tool and I have sharpened it maybe two times since!
Good luck with your modelling projects and have a nice day
Paweł
Hi!
I have two of those pictured. Now there are more. I got mine from my LHS in the model Car P.E.Dept? They are cut from various thicknesses of Stainless Steel.
Do you remember paisley patterns on shirts? A lot of them are those shapes with different size teeth on opposite sides and a non - slip groove pattern in the middle.
There are I think two that are straight in profile and the same there .Teeth on both sides different sizes. They were also different thicknesses in the two packs I bought. I would say they go from .010 to .040 at the least. Great saws and I haven’t had to replace them yet.
Trick there is don’t push hard enought to bend them and clean out the teeth with a denture brush. Another point is to NOT try to cut to fast. I use mine a lot in modifying buildings for the train layouts for the Museum. I can follow a line on the brick wall and come out with almost perfectly 100% straight lines without using a straight-edge.
They are great for restoring panel lines on various scale aircraft ( if you must have them ). I do use them for that on some. Others are used for lines between Bumper Covers and Fender Caps on later model cars.
They are also great( the finer ones) for creating or correcting Deck plank lines on model boats and ships.The ones I mentioned when I first posted this are put out by R.B. Productions. Strange shapes besides straight but very useful.
One good tip deserves another…
Chuck W., a very good modeller who once posted here advised using the broken UMM and similar blades to make small saws like the one’s Pawel pictured above. The blades are naturally brittle, and will fracture sooner or later; you can shape them further with pliers (eye protection please!). Any small handle will do - I use wooden dowels, cutting a slot and CA glueing the blades in for handy minisaws. They’re great for tight spots and for cutting delicate parts from sprue.
I’m going to try Pawel’s idea as well - I’ve got a few single edge razor blades in the toolbox.
I keep thinking of one of these and I’m guessing that since no one has mentioned Xacto that they are not worth considering. I don’t even think I could get an idea of the TPI on theirs.
I’ve used the x-acto razor saw since the 70’s.
They work, Glenn. But you’re right about the TPI. Also, not only is the blade rather coarse, it is also quite wide. Once I used the one’s I bought from UMM, I haven’t touched my Exacto since.
The Exacto is still useful, though. Bigger stuff. I’m not throwing rocks at it, it has been a good tool throughout my life, just haven’t had a need for it for a long while.
[2cnts]
Yes! Anyone interested can find his build blog on the ProModeler 1/4 SB2C with a forum search. I remember that his saw broke as you note they will do; it left a semi-circular gouge in one end. And the idea hit him to salvage it as a scribing tool.
That post was what made me aware of that type of razor saw in the first place, and I soon found CMK’s product.
And like Greg, I’ve got an X-Acto razor saw that I’ve had for years, ever since I was a kid, really. I bought all the way back in 1977. It still cuts pretty well, and I still like to use it over the newer ones that I’ve bought since then.
A tip for those using such saws, which have little or no offset of the teeth (narrow kerf).
They are often hard to saw through styene. The problem is that this narrow kerf allows a great amount of friction between the blade and the plastic. Heat builds up and melts the plastic but the blade qwickly cools. You can “lubricate” the blade by continually cool the blade with water. This reduces the temperature for a time so that the plastic does not reach the melting point. The blade will start to heat up again, so you need to dip it in water every few seconds, but it works well between dips. And the water does not contaminate the plastic.
Thanks Greg. That answered what I needed to know. AS it happened I was at Home Depot today to get some electric stuff. I checked for Xacto but they had none. I did happen to see some outstanding thin cut off wheels for Dremel but they use some (new to me) squick loo system. I am about to check and see if that is some separate adapter that older Dremels can use.
You guys are awesome! It is amazing to get such good feedback so quickly!
My razor saws are on the way, I can’t wait to be scribing those panel lines.
This is the greatest razor saw you will buy. I got the set with the wood handle and the blades last for ever. They are nice and thin and can get into tight places.