In my thread on Kits and Ready to Run Rolling Stock, a discussion on Sprue Nippers has taken place. I have been using a #11 X-acto knife and back the sprue up with a small block of wood, making sure the wood is backing up the parts and gate sprue when I cut. This is working; but, is cumbersome. I just got a new catalog from Micro-Mark. In it they show the one riogrand5761 is talking about and one made by Xuron that is a shear style, as oposed to one mentioned previously, which actually works like a finger nail clippers. Both sell for just under $20.00. The Xuron is typical of their track nippers excepting the blades are smaller and narrow, allowing it to reach into the sprue. Does anyone have experience with the Xuron nipper? If so, how do you like it?
I don’t have the Xuron sprue cutter, but I would imagine it’s as nice as the rest of their lineup (of which I have several pieces).
I find that the “fingernail clippers” style feels right in my hands, so haven’t bothered trying out the Xurons. Though when these wear out, I might grab a pair.
I have the tweezer style sprue nippers and they work fine especially on the smaller, more easily broken parts. I have used my Xuron rail nippers on occasion to deal with heavier sprue. $20 is a lot for a small hand tool. You would think a good hardware store might have something that works as well for less.
I don’t have the Xuron one, but use my Xuron rail nippers and another brand that is simialr for larger stuff. For the delicate stuff, I have several of the fingernail clipper sort I bought from PBL at a narrowgauge convention. IMO, you really need both sizes/types to cover the bases found in typical HO scale kits.
LION uses a #11 Scalple blade. Much cheaper than X-acto plades and they come individually wrapped in a sterile package.
Care needs to be taken as they can split at the slot, but you are supposed to let the blade do the cutting.
ROAR
Consider a good old double edged razor blade. Wrap the one side with foam tape to protect your fingers and cut with the other. In a real pinch, you can heat the edge of the blade with a lighter or candle and it will cut the smallest part off cleanly. Heating also works for x-acto blades.
be happy in your work
Charlie
I make do with a pair of fingernail clippers.
The best is the PBL ones, I have the fine one but would like to find the other, someone must still make them as PBL just put their stamp on them.
I have three of them and they are the cat’s pajamas. The head is nicely angled and the jaws are slender to make reaching in really easy – and avoid miscuts. I’ve had mine for about 15 years, so have been considering getting new ones.
I have almost the entire line of Xuron tools from the rail nippers to several different size sprue nippers to the special spiking pliers. I absolutly love them and have pretty much abandoned anything else. They only thing I use otherwise is #11s for sprues that are filled with flash.
Comfy handles, nice clean cuts, and they stay sharp. Just don’t try to cut any hard metals. And as a side benefit, they are right down the road from me in Saco, Maine. I highly recommend.
Yeah, what Hobbez said! [tup]
I have the PBL-style cutters that I have used extensively, as well as a pair of the Xuron sprue nippers which I haven’t used yet. Looking at the two tools, it appears to me that that the business end of the Xuron tool is thick/heavier than the PBL. As Mlehman said the angled head is a definite advantage, as well as the thinner cutter cross section.
I got a pair of flush cutting pliers at Harbor Freight once when I happened to stumble on them in the store. For only $2.99, they work great, and are a bargain. I only use them for cutting plastic parts off sprues to try and maintain the cutting edge as much as possible. The only problem is the tips are not small enough to get into the tightest spots. In those cases, I typically cut away the sprue as much as possible around the part so I can get a clean angle on the joint with the cutters. I’m sure the Xuron ones are great, but these work well enough for me at about 1/7 the cost.
Now and again I also use a single-edged razor blade with something behind the part to back it up.
Hi, with sprue cutters, one size does NOT fit all. For the truly delicate pieces, I use the “fingernail” cutter the OP described. For larger pieces, I use the “plier” type Xuron cutter.
I “pooh poohed” the use of these specialty tools for some time, preferring Xacto blades. Of course that often meant “flying parts” and broken pieces. When I did get the above mentioned cutters, it definitely was a step in the right direction.
ENJOY!
Thanks to everyone who has replied.
I agree with mobileman. I’ve had a pair of the Xuron nippers for about 6 years, and they are great. People only use Xacto blades because they haven’t troed these things.
“Once you’ve had a sprue nipper, you’ll never use a different clipper!”[:D]
I bought all of my hobby tools in 2004 when I started in HO scale.
All of these tools were purchased at my LHS at the suggestion of the owner who knew what he was talking about in every case.
The tool he recommended for cutting parts off sprue was the Precision Sprue Cutter BB1015.
I couldn’t find it just now when I looked at Walthers, but here is a link to a review of Precision Sprue Cutter.
http://www.internetmodeler.com/scalemodels/nrtools/Latest-Tools-from-UMM-USA.php
When you need to remove delicate parts from sprue, this is the tool of choice.
I’m sure that the Xuron tool is just fine, but this little guy is outstanding. I would be lost without it.
Rich
Actually, it depends on what I am building and how the sprues were cast as far as which of seversl nipping tools I use. Larger items, I have the plier-type Xuron sprue nipper. For slightly more delicate parts, the nail clipper type nipper works good. For really fine parts, I use a single-edge razor blade. Trick is holding everythign steady while also covering the area with your hand so when (not iff) the part tries to fly off, you trap it rather than having it go flying across the room. Another trick that has worked well is to heat a #11 blade by laying against a soldering iron. Not too long or the whole handle and all gets hot - don;t ask. But the hot blade will easily push through a sprue with little pressure, lessening the chance to the part flying into space. Also, don;t heat it so hot that it melts the plastic - you may ruin the part you are trying to clip from the sprue.
–Randy
I use a cutter that looks like the one Micro-mark sells. Might even be the same one…don’t know. Had it for years, marking on it states 15A Pakistan. Works great on Lonestar truck kits and Pewter truck kits. It will cut from a sprue without having to dress the cut, big plus in my book.
Take Care!
Frank
There are quite a few manufactures that make a flush cutter and most of them use the model number “170” for comparable items
Google: 170 flush cutters