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  1. #1
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    Hot Knife through butter, er fabric

    Hello all!

    Cutting materials has always been my least favorite part of this hobby. I've been seriously considering switch over to using a hot knife as my cutting tool to make the process easier, faster, more consistent, more exciting, etc.

    I'm looking for advice in regards to what to look for in purchasing said tool. What characteristics of a knife apply most to our hobby? Any models we use that are 'best'? Any resources for a hot knife novice?

    Thank you for your time,

    Trague

  2. #2
    Senior Member HoosierT's Avatar
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    This one is highly regarded, especially by folks on BPL. I ended up grabbing the Engels (Also listed on SailRite's site) but only because I found a good deal on eBay. Otherwise I would have just gone with the SailRite model. FYI the Engels does not come with blades so it ends up being a good bit more expensive after buying those. Not sure it's worth the upgrade price for a standard DIY hobbyist unless you find a good deal on the Bay like I did.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Cruiser51's Avatar
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    Just bought this one before Christmas, I initially did my cutting with a rotary cutter and scissors .... then I tried a hot knife ala flattened solder iron tip ... this worked pretty well, but is still a bit of a pita to use. You have to be careful of what you work on, as the tip cuts the fabric, it also heats whatever is underneath ... if you do on a sheet of plywood for instance, it cuts fine, but marks the wood and the melted edge will also melt/bond/stick to the wood, leaving you with a small trail of wood fibers all along the cloth edge ... easily cleaned, but a pain

    Now the hot knife posted (there are others, this just seemed the best package and they have a good rep) lifts the cloth off the surface, so it can be used on anything and cuts very easy. Took me about 30 feet of cuts to start feeling comfortable with using it, so learning is pretty easy and quick to get to the comfortable stage IMO.

    Some ppl would find this pricey, but for me, the ease and final result makes it worth the money, I would buy it again if I needed to.

    Brian

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    I made kites for many years and always found cutting with a "hot knife" sealed the edges of the fabric and prevented fraying. The down side is the fumes are toxic.

    You can use a cheap soldering iron and get very good results for a fraction of the cost of a professional hot knife.
    "God never sends us anything we can't handle. Sometimes I wish He didn't trust me so much." - Mother Teresa.

  5. #5
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    I bought about the cheapest soldering iron I could find on Amazon with temperature control and interchangeable tips. I just use the fine point one and it cuts quite nice.

    I cut on a large piece of cardboard and use a piece of 1" quarter round as a straightedge, haven't noticed it leaving much material on the cardboard or picking any up. It does occasionally stuck, but pulls right up.

    I do love how it seals those edges. I left one end unsealed on a quilt I made since it was the cut edge from RSBTR and it was really coming apart by the end of the stuffing process.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Senior Member hutzelbein's Avatar
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    I use a HSGM hot knife (HSG-0) with a HS0-N blade for fabric and a TYPE R blade for webbing. I thought about a soldering iron, but I'm glad I went with the hot knife as it's easier to handle and I use it frequently.

  7. #7
    psyculman's Avatar
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    I have used the Weller soldering gun, with the 'knife' tip for several years. $27.

    https://www.lowes.com/pd/Weller-Elec...ng-Kit/3135969
    Since I retired, some times I stay awake all day, some times all night.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Banjoman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by psyculman View Post
    I have used the Weller soldering gun, with the 'knife' tip for several years. $27.

    https://www.lowes.com/pd/Weller-Elec...ng-Kit/3135969
    I got this same one several years ago too. I use it with a sheet of hardboard and am completely satisfied with the results. I'm sure the "real" tools for the job are somehow better, but for me, their extra price isn't worth it. YMMV

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Senior Member mbal1856's Avatar
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    Interesting. I never looked into hot knives since I never saw the benefits of the price in the amount of DIY I do. Although after clicking on some of the links above it looks like I actually have a few of them around my shop. Honestly I never knew what a hot knife looks like. We use something very similar for cutting EPS foam and have all sorts of blades. Going to have to give it a try on some scrap fabrics I have.

  10. #10
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    I have the Sailrite hot knife. I like it for webbing and cutting heavy fabrics but not so keen on using it on lighter stuff. I would prefer something I can hold more like a pen. Plus all those hot knives are only supposed to be used for 15 seconds at a time, makes me feel like I have to work really fast!

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