When Precision Cuts Are A Must, X-Acto Is The Name To Trust
Written: Dec 05 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive, oval center allows blade to be easily locked in place.
Cons: Extremely sharp, spent blades need to be properly disposed of.
The Bottom Line: Need to make precision cuts in foam board, cardboard, thick paper stacks or photo mounts? Trust no other name than X-Acto to deliver the sharpest cuts.
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| Freak369's Full Review: X-acto #11 Knife Blades 5 Blades per Pack |
Ask any artist what they prefer to use for a cutting tool and you’ll get a variety of answers but I can almost guarantee that the X-Acto name will come up more often than not. For the most part the X-Acto products are inexpensive, easy to work with and deliver seamless cuts time after time. Of course, that blade isn’t going to last forever so you will eventually need to pick up replacements. Changing the blade often, not just when you get a drag or resistance, is the key to getting sharp cuts and a must if you are working with photo mattes but don’t have access to a table top cutter. If you are a casual user of the X-Acto knife, chances are you won’t need the larger 15 count blade dispenser so the small five pack is a great alternative.
X-Acto 5 Pack Refill Blades
Before you make a purchase of these refill blades you will want to make sure that you are purchasing the correct refill. This all depends on the X-Acto knife you are working with since some blades are not compatible with certain knives. I’m not going to bore you with the complete list of blades that can be used with various knives but its usually best to stick with matching blades and knives. These refills lock into place securely and stay fixed regardless of the amount of pressure you apply to them. The one downside to the # 11 style is that the point isn’t very forgiving; take it too far off angle and it will snap which may mean having to scrap the matte, cardboard or foam board you are working with. Most of the time the tip will get embedded in the material so you will either have to start over or dig out the tip.
These blades are great for cutting both thick and thin sheets of cardboard, thinner pieces of balsa wood, scrapbooking designs, foam sheets, stiff backed felt, template designs, metallic Scherenschnitte paper, multi layered designs and single layer photo mounts. Outside of the art applications, the # 11 blade can be used for food preparations such as carving radishes, potatoes and tomatoes but if you are going to do this I suggest that you have a separate knife and blade assortment for use with food.
The biggest perk to the five pack is the small plastic case that they are packaged in. It’s resealable, rather sturdy and perfect for tossing in an art bin or with markers. This shouldn’t be something that’s toted around in backpacks or knapsacks since there is always the possibility that the case could pop open and the razor sharp blades could end up all over the place. Imagine reaching in to a bag that’s filled with double edged razor blades … you get the picture. If you really need me to tell you to keep these away from kids of all ages then chances are you shouldn’t be breeding in the first place. These are extremely sharp and have a fine point at the end; these will slice skin in the blink of an eye and trust me on this – stabbing yourself with the point isn’t a fun thing to experience unless you are into sadistic pleasures.
Since this is a basic refill pack you will have to find a way to get rid of the spent or used blades without causing a potentially dangerous situation. My suggestion is to wrap a piece of tape around the face of the blade and make sure that the tip is also covered. This way you can toss them in the trash without having to worry about someone getting cut on them or having them puncture a garbage bag. There is no way to gauge the life of a blade since every material takes a different type of toll on it. Thin pieces of paper do the least amount of damage and cardboard and foam boards are the ones that kill them off the quickest. This is why it’s important to have a good supply of refill blades on hand, if you are going to be doing a large product you might want to pick up several of the five count packs or look into purchasing a larger package.
The Bottom Line
If you are an artist or someone that goes through a lot of blades on a regular basis, this isn’t the best pick for you. The refills are available in larger sizes [up to 500 blades in the bulk / industrial packing] and help to break down the overall cost of the purchase. Still, I think everyone can benefit from this five blade refill if for nothing more than the case. It is a great way to carry a few fresh blades with you in case they are needed and keep them safely ticked away until it comes time to swap them out. If you are tired of dealing with dull blades, inferior cutting tools and expensive “one time use” products, I highly suggest checking out the entire X-Acto line of art tools.
As always, thanks for the read!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
Other X-Acto product reviews …
X-Acto Light Duty Aluminum Knife
X-Acto #11 Knife Blade Dispenser
Recommended:
Yes
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