multiblade for my swivel knife

[Rawhide]

Marlon:

I don't think they would be sharpened, just like the basic standard hairblades that fit into a swivel knife can't be sharpened or stropped easily. They are applied with a very light touch, just enough to make hair or feather impressions/cuts in the leather & as a result would last for a very long time, unlike a regular swivel knife blade or xacto blade, which is meant to cut deeply into the leather. Also because the area covered by a group of blades together is much greater than a single blade, any force is spread out over that area rather than concentrated into a single point. You are essentially using the tips, rather than the whole blade, to scribe, rather than deeply cut lines in the leather. The only one of the Hidecrafter ones I had ever seen mounted in a swivel knife came in a protective case, so I guess the answer is to make a sheath of sorts to protect the tips (makes sense, also- you don't want this thing rolling around loose somewhere where it could hurt you more than you can hurt it.).

russ

If you need to replace it, I guess you make another, or you force-fit into the handle rather than use epoxy to mount the blade pack. Or, you could follow Hiloboy's model & use a spare exacto handle.

Actually, I did use an extra xacto handle (medium) to mount 2 swivel knife hairblades (1 coarse, 1 fine lined) in imitation of tandy's double hairblade tool- I simply drilled out the solid end to the right depth & used a thin piece of leather as a force-fit collar around each blade shaft.

Russ...

You know I thought the same thing about the hairblades, until I took a class with Peter. He told us to strop the blades on a strip of leather with the flesh side loaded with rouge... We all said..."are you kidding?" Well he was right, stropped it and cleaned out the residue and it glided like it was on ice.

Even if you can't strop them, I would still prefer the ability to replace them, without replacing the whole handle... I may 'borrow' Hilo's idea, but I'd like to turn a real nice one on my lathe.

[Suze]

maybe you could "marry" an exato blade holder top into a turned handle?

[whinewine]

Russ...

You know I thought the same thing about the hairblades, until I took a class with Peter. He told us to strop the blades on a strip of leather with the flesh side loaded with rouge... We all said..."are you kidding?" Well he was right, stropped it and cleaned out the residue and it glided like it was on ice.

Even if you can't strop them, I would still prefer the ability to replace them, without replacing the whole handle... I may 'borrow' Hilo's idea, but I'd like to turn a real nice one on my lathe.

Marlon:

I took a drill bit & drilled out the hammer handle & then inset the blade pack & filled the space with epoxy, but you could simply drill out with a larger bit & use a piece of very thin vegtan (+or- 2 oz or so) as a collar to hold the pack in place. I have done the same to hold 3 linotype letters in place to initial some of the small things I make (stuff that's too small for a makers stamp). They are set in the other end of the same tack hammer handle, and they are removable when the letters do wear down after a long period of stamping. I was just trying something quick & dirty... so go ahead & turn one on your lathe- but just use leather to hold in place rather than epoxy.

And thanks for the tip about stropping the hairblades. I'll try that on my homemade double ended hairblade tool: (but what color rouge did you use? I have red, white & ZAM available)

russ

[Rawhide]

Marlon:

I took a drill bit & drilled out the hammer handle & then inset the blade pack & filled the space with epoxy, but you could simply drill out with a larger bit & use a piece of very thin vegtan (+or- 2 oz or so) as a collar to hold the pack in place. I have done the same to hold 3 linotype letters in place to initial some of the small things I make (stuff that's too small for a makers stamp). They are set in the other end of the same tack hammer handle, and they are removable when the letters do wear down after a long period of stamping. I was just trying something quick & dirty... so go ahead & turn one on your lathe- but just use leather to hold in place rather than epoxy.

And thanks for the tip about stropping the hairblades. I'll try that on my homemade double ended hairblade tool: (but what color rouge did you use? I have red, white & ZAM available)

russ

At the time we were using the red rouge... I have since switched to a green rouge, that I think I like a little better, but either should work.

Thanks for the tip on the leather insert...that may work perfectly.

[hiloboy]

At the time we were using the red rouge... I have since switched to a green rouge, that I think I like a little better, but either should work.

Thanks for the tip on the leather insert...that may work perfectly.

i never thought to strop my blades.. thats why i did the exacto knife thing the way i did.. to keep new sharp blades in at all times.. because they do get dull pretty fast..

when i was looking into how to change my exacto knife holder to hold more blades...i was trying to think now time is money and thats why i did it that way. but i'm sure there may be better ways . but this seems to work pretty good for me.. thanks for the strop idea..

Rawhide,how is the best way to clean the residue that get between the blades when you strop them?

Edited May 11, 2009 by hiloboy

[Rawhide]

i never thought to strop my blades.. thats why i did the exacto knife thing the way i did.. to keep new sharp blades in at all times.. because they do get dull pretty fast..

when i was looking into how to change my exacto knife holder to hold more blades...i was trying to think now time is money and thats why i did it that way. but i'm sure there may be better ways . but this seems to work pretty good for me.. thanks for the strop idea..

Rawhide,how is the best way to clean the residue that get between the blades when you strop them?

We just 're-stropped' it on a papertowel or a clean piece of leather (flesh side).

[rickmc]

I am actually meeting with a machinist tomorrow again to discuss the multiblade tool using #16 xacto type blades, I will have a quote from him to make them , he said the most expensive one will be the prototype, then his computer programmed milling machine can build them in mass production. I will know more tomorrow, if I can get them made, is there anyone interested in having one of them? which would you rather have stainless, aluminum, or brass? 12 blades, 14 blades, 15 blades,16 blades, with the possiblity to reduce the number with spacers, held in with allen threaded bolts behind a knurled nut, how about just a blade setup that can be put into a standard swivel knife handle? or an option for a cheap handle? or a quality ball bearing handle? I hope that my idea is workable, it may not look like you suppose, however, I promise that form will follow function.

just need suggestions and opinions.

Rickmc

[ClayB]

My question is what would you use a knife with 12-16 blades for? For me, the multi blade knife is used to do fine detail work. 16 blades would have to be close to an inch wide wouldn't it? A lot of times, my knife with 4 blades is too big to get into the areas that I need to make hair and I end up cutting individual hairs with a scalpel instead. When I first started doing this type work, I made up a knife with spacers between the blades and after doing a few dozen pictures, I've never found a use for the knife with the spacers between the blades. I've never seen where anyone else has used them either, in classes with Jan Schoonover or in Robb Barr's videos. It sounded like a good idea, but I've never found a need for it. I'll be interested in seeing what you've come up with, but I'm not sure it will be practical for the kinds of things I use mine for.

[rickmc]

My question is what would you use a knife with 12-16 blades for? For me, the multi blade knife is used to do fine detail work. 16 blades would have to be close to an inch wide wouldn't it? A lot of times, my knife with 4 blades is too big to get into the areas that I need to make hair and I end up cutting individual hairs with a scalpel instead. When I first started doing this type work, I made up a knife with spacers between the blades and after doing a few dozen pictures, I've never found a use for the knife with the spacers between the blades. I've never seen where anyone else has used them either, in classes with Jan Schoonover or in Robb Barr's videos. It sounded like a good idea, but I've never found a need for it. I'll be interested in seeing what you've come up with, but I'm not sure it will be practical for the kinds of things I use mine for.

actually, the machinist came up with a blade holder, that can hold up to 12 blades, blades or spacers, designed it so that it can have up to 12 points, or spacers to keep the points to a minimum, easily changed, the holder will fit in a standard swivel knife. The holder is going to be about 1/2 inch wide, with a two piece collett, held together with ring outside, and will hold the blades secure for carving.

The only problem is that to place the order it requires a run of 200 pieces. I am impressed with the design, but do not have pictures yet. it will be made of 303 Stainless Steel and will use an Exacto "type" #16 blade. it looks like we can sell the blade holder for about $22 roughly to cover the costs which will include a set of blades and 4 spacers. or we can sell a complete knife with ball bearing handle for $85 plus shipping.

thanks

Rickmc

[hiloboy]

My question is what would you use a knife with 12-16 blades for? For me, the multi blade knife is used to do fine detail work. 16 blades would have to be close to an inch wide wouldn't it? A lot of times, my knife with 4 blades is too big to get into the areas that I need to make hair and I end up cutting individual hairs with a scalpel instead. When I first started doing this type work, I made up a knife with spacers between the blades and after doing a few dozen pictures, I've never found a use for the knife with the spacers between the blades. I've never seen where anyone else has used them either, in classes with Jan Schoonover or in Robb Barr's videos. It sounded like a good idea, but I've never found a need for it. I'll be interested in seeing what you've come up with, but I'm not sure it will be practical for the kinds of things I use mine for.

i'm going to have to go with ClayB on this.. i have not found a uses for that many blades in the type of work i do. like he said sometimes a 4 blades are is to much.. not saying it wouldn't work and look cool..but i don't think i would use something that big .just because of the size of most of the stuff i work on..i have one that i made out of a exacto knife handle that will hold maybe 6 or 8 blades and it only takes up space just to big..