Wednesday 25 July 2012

Tried & Tested Tip Number 14 [Scalpel Blades]


At the risk of sounding incredibly sinister, I do like my scalpel. It's just useful! With a fresh blade you can cut anything you need - I use mine for everything from paper and cardboard to fabric.


Sometimes though, your blade simply gets too blunt to cut what you need to, and you've run out of new blades! Here's a small tip to help get a bit more use out of a scalpel blade.


Keeping the blunt blade on the scalpel handle, hold your scalpel in one hand, and a pair of pliers/wire cutters in your other hand. Insert the very tip of the scalpel blade into the pliers/wire cutters and carefully snip it. Point away from yourself, and do it slowly so the metal does not go flying.


 I always dispose of the removed metal tip immediately before it ends up on the floor/in my foot ;)

You are left with a tip which is sharp enough to last a bit longer!


I simply pose two warnings. Firstly, this isn't the safest technique, so do be careful! Secondly, the blade will not be as narrow, so only use the trimmed down blade on surfaces that can handle the extra millimetre thickness.

P.S. Whilst we're talking scalpels... Does anyone have much experience of a scalpel v. a rotary cutter for fabric? I'm wondering if it's worth investing in the latter!

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