Do you have preferred sprue cutters?

I have the expensive Tamiya ones (74035) and they're hands down one of my best tool purchases so far. They cut sprue gates like butter and keep their edge really well as long as you treat them well. Just don't cut anything other than plastic with them because that will damage them.

HTH,
Clemens

I have the Xuron ones, both the older set and new ones. Also went for their PE cutters. Love em.

Clemens, where you been hiding.

When I first started models, my grandfather gave me a pair of small sharp pointed side wire snippers. I loved it so much because it lasted me a good 20 years until I went out and bought another of the exact type. I also have Testors brand sprue cutters as well.  I hardly use that one except for certain situations. 

I bought a pair at Hobby Lobby several months ago.  With the 40% off coupon they were quite cheap, but replaced the old pair I had been using for years.  The brand is apparently a house brand for HL.  I have discarded the blister pack they came in.  They had red plastic coated handle.  Quite small.  They do an excellent job. I found them in the beading and jewelry area, not the models section.

I occasionally wander through the whole store, to look at products that might be applicable to my modeling hobby.

I bought a pair pricey of Xuron sprue cutters and they are a disappointment.  They work only a little better than the cheap ones I got at Wall Mart.  I expected the Xuron cutters to cleanly cut parts off the sprue but they still leave a little nub I have to sand off the parts, albeit the nub is smaller than the cheapies but still there.

Like so many modelers, I have several pair of small "wire cutters".  I use tape, or paint, or something to mark the handles so that I use one pair for plastic, one pair for phot-etched brass.  I get quite a few years out of each pair and I always have a spare (in the wrapper) incase one of the older fail to provide the desired results.  For larger sprue I use a micro saw blade, like the xacto brand.  I also use the saw blade for sprue where there is little clearance between the tree and the part.  It is interesting how many items found in craft stores have application in model building.  I use a metal "thimble" on my support finger or thumb when "writtling" basswood or shaving contours.  Pushing the knife away from you is great for "gross forming" but I find the detailed work works better pulling toward and the thimble protects the exposed skin.

Have fun !

I have several types of cutters but the one I like is made by Xuron.  It was pricey but so far it does the best job.

I have some Xuron, a tweezer type, and a pair of good old drug store cuticle cutters with a square end jaw. All good. I've learned that it's often best to leave some stub on the part, and final sand or scrape it off later.

I use these. they are the best.

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?products_id=3749

I use the Xuron 2175ET shears.  Quite happy.

I use these:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/tools_techniques_and_reference_materials/f/23/t/163607.aspx

I was able to source the God Hand cutter while visitng Japan last year, and it is better than the Volks cutter.  But I reach for the Xuron and Tamiya cutters first, using the more expensive Volks and God Hand cutters to either finish up or to get at sprue gates that the other cutters cannot.

https://flic.kr/p/YA23BS][/url]God Hand Cutter by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr

While the Japanese cutters may seem outrageous in price, they can do things the regular types cannot.  For example, radial pushrods for an aircraft engine that are molded within a sprue ring are very hard to remove without distortion and damage.  The God Hand cutter easily separates the delicate pieces without any problems.

I use Xuron cutters myself for plastic & PE. They have served me well.

I use the Xuron, it work very well for me. I routinely touch up the cutting surfaces with metal polishing tools I have, they are several years old and cut like always.

And I agree with GMorrison, I do prefer to cut not exactly at the sprue attach point, especially with clear bits. Works best for me to leave that little stub for hand dressing. If clear parts are cut really close, it can leave little stress fracture lines at the sprue spot.

A tiny, fine tooth and very sharp saw blade can work well too, in some awkward situations.

Patrick

I have a pair of Xuron that I purchased about five years ago.  This past spring, but got a pair of God Hands that Real G posted.  I now use my Xuron to trim my toe nails.

Left to right: Utica tweezer type, CVS cuticle clippers, Xuron, and Xuron knock-offs with angled jaws

I bought the expensive Tamiya cutters on advise from a friend at my LHS.  I felt silly and a little selfish on the way home,  a feeling that evaporated the second I started using them. They are the best cutters I have ever used, and I will gladly pick another pair over a kit if I ever need to replace them.                                                                                  My friend also mentioned "Gods Hands" brand of cutters that are supposed to be even better than the Tamiya cutters with a price to match.  I will stick to the one I bought.                                                                                                            knox

what are those tweezer's one's like gmorrison ?

Made by Utica. They have a straight square end. They are good for getting into tight spots.

I've kind of worn that collection out and need some new ones though, this thread has been very helpful.

I also have some bigger Xurons for cutting nickel silver railroad track.

Jesus save me, those God Hand cutters are really expensive. Like an airbrush.

Think I might have to try a pair.

GMorrison

Jesus save me, those God Hand cutters are really expensive. Like an airbrush.

Think I might have to try a pair.

 

You're worth it.

Hi ;

 For most sprue cutting and parts separating jobs I now use a modified pair of light orchid covered cutters from H.L. . I found them in the beading department .They were cheaper than Xuron AND when they cut you get an absolutely flat surface on the part side . Weather it's P.E. Or plastic . 

   When I say modified them , I ground down the cutters from top to bottom making them thinner . I did it carefully watching the heat and got them so they actually can fit in between parts on an assembled model if needed . Or they can get between those pesky little spaces between parts and sprue on P.E. or again , Plastic .

 I have an unmodified pair of the same ones for cutting medium to soft brass wire as well .  T.B.

Tanker - Builder

Hi ;

 For most sprue cutting and parts separating jobs I now use a modified pair of light orchid covered cutters from H.L. . I found them in the beading department .They were cheaper than Xuron AND when they cut you get an absolutely flat surface on the part side . Weather it's P.E. Or plastic . 

   When I say modified them , I ground down the cutters from top to bottom making them thinner . I did it carefully watching the heat and got them so they actually can fit in between parts on an assembled model if needed . Or they can get between those pesky little spaces between parts and sprue on P.E. or again , Plastic .

 I have an unmodified pair of the same ones for cutting medium to soft brass wire as well .  T.B.

 

Yep, those are the ones I was talking about earlier.  I was taking some pictures of completed models yesterday, and meant to take a picture of the cutters- dike style. I will still do that in a day or two.

I use a smaller Xuron sprue cutter, which I picked up cheap at a woodworking show, of all places.  There's a vendor who sells odd lots of tools, and he had it up for a couple of bucks.

Back in the day, some modelers used nail clippers, the kind with long handles, like a wire cutter.  That's the second item from the left, in GM's photo above.

Xuron from Micromark is a good brand.

Thank you all for the large number of responses to my original post.  I've been using Xuron cutters, but the Tamiya and God Hand cutters sound like nice toys to invest in at some point in the future.

Okay, finally got a shot of the ones I bought at Hobby Lobby.  They were in the beading section, I believe, not in the models section.  The package had a brand name, but Hobby Lobby was immediately below the name, so I believe that brand name is a house brand.  While these are very similar to the diagonal cutters (dikes) used in electronic and electrical work, they are smaller than any I have ever seen or used before, so they get into tight sprues and make a very fine cut.  The bottom edge of the cutting blades is at a 90 degree angle, unlike some small dikes.

Sorry about the bad focus.  It was on auto focus and maybe a bit too close for that, or else I was too close for the near focus of the lens (this was not the macro lens I use photographing my models.

Yep;

 Dats some ob de tings I use too .