Beading Tool Question

[Chef niloc]

The beadier blades that they make for a swivel knife, are they used together with or instead of the "push beadier" tool? I.E. do you cut the bead with the knife then shape it with the push beadier or is it just a preference thing?

[bruce johnson]

Colin,

I have been shown a few ways and here is my current method. I use both depending on the situation. If I need to follow a lot of curves on a border, I use a blade. If I am following a straight edge, I use a push beader. In either case I lightly cut my outside line first with a swivel knife and then use that to track one side of the beader blade or push beader. I go back over the inside line with a swivel knife and break the grain there too. Then I go back to a push beader and work the bead to round it up and burnish. If I am using a sharp push beader or beader blade I tend to cut new lines when I am shaping and burnishing and that is trainwreck for me.

[robert]

Colin,

I have been shown a few ways and here is my current method. I use both depending on the situation. If I need to follow a lot of curves on a border, I use a blade. If I am following a straight edge, I use a push beader. In either case I lightly cut my outside line first with a swivel knife and then use that to track one side of the beader blade or push beader. I go back over the inside line with a swivel knife and break the grain there too. Then I go back to a push beader and work the bead to round it up and burnish. If I am using a sharp push beader or beader blade I tend to cut new lines when I am shaping and burnishing and that is trainwreck for me.

Great advice! I have a Tandy ceramic beader blade, and a McMillen push beader. I pretty much have avoided curved lines because I can't control either enough to ensure a successful bead. For the straight lines, I cut with the beader blade, then use the push beader to shape and burnish the bead.

Curved bead lines add such a professional look - I will give your method a try.