Scribing methods or tools

Dymo tape, flat steel (flexible) ruler, electricians tape, draftsmen eraser guides...etc.

Tools, well over the years I have found that no single tool is the answer...like a good ink pen you need to find the one that works best for the individual and fits comfortably in ones hand. I have also found that there are times when you need different tools to accomplish different tasks/effects. Some I purchase, some I fabricate myself.

I have one blade I use quite a bit... It fits in the #11 handle and has a curved tip.  I use it like a rocker knife to put the panel lines in, then scribe them a bit deeper with the back-side of the tip of a #11 blade... The cut with the curved blade gives me a way to scribe without worrying about the knife "jumping" out of the cut and scribing a line where I don't want one. 

As far as keeping them straight, I use masking tape as a guide and don't try to go too far in one pass..

Leo,

I use a re-ground dental pick most of the time. To smooth out the new panel line I use a round pointed toothpick burnisher with one end cut off at an angle(the burnishing end). Burnishing levels any minute ridges left by the scriber. I then use the sharp end of the toothpick to enhance the panel line.

Jim

Hans von Hammer wrote:

and don't try to go too far in one pass..

 Don't try to cut too deep in one pass either. A light mistake is a lot easier to fix than a deep mistake. 

I usually do one line at a time. Incorrectly placed lines all get sanded off first, then rescribed in the correct location.

JIm

zapme wrote:

Thanks for all the great tips guys, but just one more question. When sanding the raised panel lines, do you guys do only one at a time then re-scribe it or do you sand down all the panel lines. The only problem I see with that is if you don't have a scale plan you might be guessing. Hopefully someone can elaborate. Cheers Leo

I only re-scribe the panel lines I sand off... Being a mere mortal, I see no point in messing with the others, and I don't care about a mix of raised and recessed lines... I'm not a rivet-counter, so I don't care about scale plans, either...  Besides, I've never seen a judge walk around the tables with drawings... 

In 1/48 scale and smaller I don't worry about rivets that much. If they get sanded down or off I don't worry about it. With a few exceptions IMHO rivets can't be seen most of the time anyway so why worry. If panel lines are real obvious and are seriously out of place on the model I will rescribe them, if I have good references, and sand down/fill the old lines. I guess how far one wants to go with all this scribing and sanding is more of a personal taste.

Jim

you make a good argument Jim.

Leo

No one mentioned one of my techniques:

When changing raised to recessed I usually only do one line at a time, but before I start a section I tape thin paper to the model and use a stick of chalk to make a copy of the layout just in case. I do this so that if I have to walk away or get distracted I have a guide of what was there before (even if I decide not to follow it).

I use dymo tape and a sewing needle chucked in a pin vise.  I usually use the raised lines as a guide.  If there is an incorrect panel line, I will scribe it in its correct place.  I go against the grain it seems......I scribe the entire model before sanding off the raised lines.  Once I have sanded everything and cleaned out the newly scribed panel lines, I run liquid glue over tham to knock down any ridges on either side....then I am done.

It's what I do and works for me.