Craft knife replacement blade identification help please!

[Compound2632]

I've had a pair of craft knife handles that I've been using for over 35 years. I usually get replacement blades at Hobbycraft but that's not currently an option and they don't appear to list them online - probably to comply with the law on supplying knifes to minors. I don't have any packaging so I can't identify or recall the brand name. The blades are 6 mm wide:

 

 

I find the 45° blades the most generally useful but all mine are now blunt.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Apart from replacement blades, oilstones or other sharpening stones have been suggested - I'm also open to advice on what to look for there.

[Tony Cane]

The handle is a typical xacto type, though I have a similar ones made by Swan Morton.

This also holds 6mm wide shank blades.

A search for Xacto blades, say on Ebay,  will show some suitable blades of various shapes.

[Compound2632]

The problem with X-Acto blades is that I've failed to find any intelligible catalogue. I ordered what looked like the right thing from Eileen's Emporium but they turned out to be a larger size.

[sandwich station]

Send them an email and ask what blades fit the Excel/Xacto Handle Small No1 XAC3601. They should be 6mm.

 

I have both sizes, the others are 9mm.

[DCB]

I get mine from Poundland, they come in a nasty plastic box with two handles and about 10 or 12 blades which fit my eXacto handles.   The Poundland handles are rubbish as they have plastic clamps which snap off a bit like carrots.  However the blades cut well enough and what have you got to lose at £1 and a £30 fine for an unnecessary journey if you don't buy some food, Fray Bentos pies maybe (My favourite) at the same time? 

[Compound2632]

I've foolishly asked this question in two places at once. For convenience, here's a link @Derek Russan's reply in my wagon building thread:

and, thanks to @richbrummitt, here's a link to the X-Acto identification matrix:

 

https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/content/NewellRubbermaid/DASH/S7_int/2020/x-acto-matrix.pdf

 

But here's the puzzle: that doesn't list my favourite 45° blade as an option for the No. 1 handle. 

 

I would settle for No. 11 for the moment, though I've not been so keen on the sharper-angled point, but looking at Eileen's again, they don't appear to list any No. 1 blades at the moment...

Edited May 2, 2020 by Compound2632

[Compound2632]

Looking at the Squires catalogue, I think what I have, or at least the blades I've been accustomed to buying, is from the Expo range - an X-Acto look-alike. The name rings a bell. But even there I do not see my favourite 45° blade. Have I, in my lone wolf years, developed eccentric modelling habits?

[Derek Russan]

There are 5 No 1 blades listed. Search for XAC021 will find them.

[Compound2632]

5 minutes ago, Derek Russan said:

There are 5 No 1 blades listed. Search for XAC021 will find them.

 

Ok thanks. I'm being blind and stupid, so probably ought not to be allowed near them!

 

Still no 45° ones though!

[Derek Russan]

As far as I can tell the do not exist now. There are at least 3 manufacturers of compatible blades. X-acto managed to get blacklisted by UK over contents of one of their glues so have not been coming into UK. I do not know if this is still the situation. Swann Morton and Excel both make them. None list what you are after. There is a half width blade for No. 1 handle, but we have never stocked it, I will try to get some.

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

You could always ditch the knife and get a Swann Morton with its plethora of blade options?

To help in my lockdown madness prevention scheme I ordered a handle and a selection of blades, from Derek funnily enough, and when I get back home I'll have about six of them!!

 

Mike.

[Il Grifone]

3 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

You could always ditch the knife and get a Swann Morton with its plethora of blade options?

To help in my lockdown madness prevention scheme I ordered a handle and a selection of blades, from Derek funnily enough, and when I get back home I'll have about six of them!!

 

Mike.

 

Beat me to it! I used to use X-Acto (my first one was Trix X-Acto which shows how long ago it was) until I found Swann-Morton. (I believe it was C.J. Freezer who said, "These are sharper when it's time to throw them away, than the others are new!" - or words to that effect.). Both Swann-Morton and X-Acto are easily available on eBay. I prefer the Retractaway Premium Handle for safety.

 

The Poundland blades are rubbish (well they are only a pound), but OK for rough work (the chisel blade is useful). I had a set impounded by 'Big Brother' at the airport, when I forgot it in my hand luggage. I was told I could collect them on my return for a fee (something like £8). I didn't bother!

 

No connection - random search on eBay. (I was considerably younger than 18 (See warning at the bottom) when I got my first modelling knife (more like 9 or 10!) it beat razor blades....

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Swann-Morton-No-3-Scalpel-Handles-To-Fit-No-13-Blades-Made-In-Sheffield-UK/302913828652?epid=16034030076&hash=item468712372c:m:mZtG2AzG7wEsucc5D8aMgTg

 

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by Il Grifone

[JZ]

Another vote for Swann-Morton. I generally use a No.4 handle with 23 blades, but 25 would appear to be the one you are after. For finer work, a No.3 handle with 6, 10, 10A or 15 blades. Buying blades by the box is the cheapest option. It also makes you less inclined to keep a worn blade on the handle.

[Il Grifone]

A stall holder at Newton Abbot market was selling off Swann-Morton blades cheaply some years ago (we moved away from Torquay over ten years ago). Living up to my pseudonym, I stocked up. There are still several years (a lifetime?) supply. They are actually non-sterile surgical blades - if they are good enough for surgeons, they are good enough for me!

 

A sharp blade makes for easier work and is actually safer.

[Compound2632]

I have to wait a little bit longer to avoid more than one > £50 Eileen's order on the same bank statement but it looks like the plan will be to buy handles for the blades previously bought that don't fit my current handle, along with blades to fit the latter. Then I'll be equipped!

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Just as a matter of completeness, the blades I primarily use are 6,9,10A and 11, as just ordered and delivered.

 

Mike.

 

 

[JZ]

6 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

A sharp blade makes for easier work and is actually safer.

And a much cleaner cut when you do slip and stick it in yourself. The problem being that you don't often feel it with a very sharp blade and only notice it when you think to yourself "Have I been using red paint?"

[Torper]

Forgive my relative ignorance on the subject, but is there any great advantage in the world of model railways in using one of these surgical instruments as opposed to the cheap and cheerful snap blade knives that I tend to use?

 

DT

[Steamport Southport]

About the same difference as trying to use a bread knife to peel a grape. But it probably depends on what you are going to use them for.

 

Buy good quality blades in bulk* and when they start to dull/blunt use them for less precise work.

 

*Eileens above do them £8 for 50 (or 16p each)

 

https://eileensemporium.com/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=category&task=listing&cid=1171&name=6ba-1&Itemid=189

 

 

I'd never touch the cheap and nasty packs again. I bought a pack and the plastic collet in the handles had virtually turned to dust in the unopened box. Not good if you are using sharp instruments.

 

I've still got my X Acto. Bought from Beatties when I was about twelve in 1982 and no one even got fined. Happy days.  

 

 

 

Jason

[Enterprisingwestern]

9 hours ago, Torper said:

Forgive my relative ignorance on the subject, but is there any great advantage in the world of model railways in using one of these surgical instruments as opposed to the cheap and cheerful snap blade knives that I tend to use?

 

DT

 

If you are happy with it and it does what you want and expect it to do then carry on, no reason to change for the sake of it.

 

Mike.

[hayfield]

10 hours ago, Torper said:

Forgive my relative ignorance on the subject, but is there any great advantage in the world of model railways in using one of these surgical instruments as opposed to the cheap and cheerful snap blade knives that I tend to use?

 

DT

 

Torper

 

Its more of a case of what you get use to and the Jobs you are asking it to do

 

I do find the scalpel much easier to use for finer detail work, I also have one with an acrylic handle for slightly larger jobs. Blades are very easy to obtain in bulk inexpensively 

 

I also have a range of the 3 sizes of X-acto handles, very useful for larger jobs or carving, and the largest handles are very useful with Razor saws. Then I have a Stanley knife for the big jobs

 

Having an easy obtainable supply of sharp blades must be the overriding factor, if your favoured handle has hard to get blades, either order them in bulk, or change your handle  

[Il Grifone]

The snap-off blades tend to be of the same quality as Poundland's knife set (there are some good sharp ones) and they usually have a handle in brittle plastic (again not always) I keep them for heavier work and use the Swann-Morton when precision is needed.

[Torper]

I have to say I've had no problems with the snap-off blade knives though I've never bought the cheapest - they tend to be from one of the two well-known German supermarkets in the UK.  The blades are sharp and while they may not keep that keen edge as long as some, all you have to do is snap them off and there's a new one at minimal cost.  I also quite like the shape of the blades.  I've never had any problems with the handles breaking or disintegrating and I've got one light one (9mm blade) and one heavier one (18mm blade).  They do all I need to do reasonably well but there again most of my modelling work is with metal and I only occasionally have to work with plasticard - I suspect if I did a lot more with that medium I'd probably get something a bit more sophisticated.  I should add that in the past I've been a bit put off the scalpel type knives by blades coming off or going loose during use, but they almost certainly weren't top quality ones.

 

DT

[57xx]

On 08/05/2020 at 10:43, JZ said:

Another vote for Swann-Morton. I generally use a No.4 handle with 23 blades, but 25 would appear to be the one you are after. For finer work, a No.3 handle with 6, 10, 10A or 15 blades. Buying blades by the box is the cheapest option. It also makes you less inclined to keep a worn blade on the handle.

 

I have a selection of Swann-Morton handles. Same as you, a No.4 handle with 23 blade and two No.3 handles, one with 10A and one with 15A blades. I bought blades in bulk off eBay several years ago and have plenty left to keep me going for a long time yet. There's also a couple of stitch cutters in there that look like they might be useful. I *think* the No.4 handle is the same one my dad gave me 40 years ago to build up Airfix kits!

Edited May 10, 2020 by 57xx