Need good sprue cutters.

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

As I am building more and more fine HO freight car kits I feel I need good sprue cutters instead of hobby knife I’ve been using. Can anyone make recommendations, which ones are good, which ones to avoid?

2

the ones on your pliers

3

check out micro marks web sight, get de-sprueing tweezers,they work well for delicate parts on freight car kits. I also use double edged razor blades, just tape off one side, it works great on those tiny air lines in the sprues like on intermountain and branchline train blue print kits. also get one of xuron’s sprue cutters for the thicker sprues.

4

I also use Micro-Marks and they are excellent. I bought them about 2 years ago and
they are still just as sharp.

5

I have two I can highly recommend.

  1. PBL #804 - Extra Fine
  2. Xuron #410 ultraflush micro-shear.
6

Lindstrom makes some wonderful flush-cutting (vs. flesh-cutting) cutters:


http://www.lindstromtools.com/tools_cutters_80.htm

They’re pricey though, but worth their weight in gold. I cut metal, plastic, and wood with them.

Tom

7

Craftsman, if you break them, they replace them

8

Xuron. Always good quality. I do need to get a set of the tweezer-size nippers, as the Xuron is too big for some small detail parts. The tweezer ones are probably too big for some of the REALLY tiny detail parts (try one of those Proto2000 tank cars!), for those I use a new #11 blade, but cover the exit or you will shoot a nearly invisible part halfway across the room. ANother trick is to heat the knife blade.

–Randy

9

Want to go for the cheap? Try straight cut toe-nail clippers -------- work great and if need be you can also trim your nails[:-^]

Nap time John

10

I’d go with the Xuron cutters.Buy the set that has the rail cutters and 2 sizes of nippers.I’ve had mine for more than 5 years and they are still going strong.I use them for all kinds of applications.One of the best investments I’ve made.

Have a good one.

Bill
Iowa

11

I use Xuron and am very pleased with them.

12

good tip thanks for posting

thats funny

lol

13

[#ditto] Onthe Xuron cutters, their fantastic, used them for 20 years in electronics work before I realized how useful they would be for railroading.[:I]

14

Just the thread and answers I needed as well. Thanks all!!