Bayfield Transfer Railway Where can one get scalpel blades?
Where can one get scalpel blades?
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Just discovered a company (WidgetSupply.com) which sell equivalent saws and mitre box which were made by X-Acto many years ago. It is worth the time to look at their website. I just ordered replacement for the sawblades which I bought probably more than thirty years ago.
The first item I bought from Micro-Mark was the Dobson Miter-Rite, which I remounted on a longer base, with a 1/8" thick, replaceable, cutting surface. I milled a (can't think of the name of it) 1/2" wide, 1/2" deep void along the back right edge of the board, to the left of the miter mechanism for an adjustable stop so I can cut the side, intermediate, and center sills of old-time wooden cars up to 42 scale feet long. I also use it to cut multiple brass bars for other projects, like steam locomotives. The manufacturer states in the instructions that the 7/8" deep X-acto saws, Nos 039 and 239 could be substituted for their blades if the bumps on the other side from the blade locating dimples were squeezed flat. Naturally, I used the saws with 32 teeth per inch, for finer cuts, but they wear out fasst when cutting brass. A couple of years ago, my major LHS didn't have the X-acto brand, so he sold me one from another mfr. When I took it out of the blister pack and found that the teeth pointed the wrong way, such as those on Japanese saws and our coping and jewellers saws! I got my money back and drove the seven or eight miles up The Hill to buy them from HobbyTown USA, where I've been buying replacements ever since.
So, be careful buying another brand; check in the store to make sure the teeth won't force you to cut on the pulling stroke! BTW, that Miter-Rite comes in very handy if your models use a lot of same-length wood, styrene, or brass strips. (I was also delighted to find that if I cut a few styrene sills a trifle too short, I could bond on thin slices to bring 'em to the right length. I also found I could bond cutoff pieces end to end in butt joints without a visible joint--except discoloration from my dirty fingers! In short, the Miter-Rite cuts what the lumber yards call "4 Square.")
Deano
Once you buy one, you'll be glad you "own a" Zona.
Cedarwoodron
Over50So, I emailed X-Acto customer service
Just out of curiosity, why don't you call them and ask the question. Just make sure you pretend that you haven't already asked. There is a contact phone number at the bottom of their "comtact x-acto page: http://xacto.com/contact-us.aspx
I also find it interesting that x-acto is apparently owned by the same people that give us Elmers Glue. Here is the Elmers contact page: http://elmers.com/about/contact-us You will note that the mailing addresses are the same.
Kinda funny....when you look at their website "About Us" under "Company History" it tells you absolutely nothing about their history. Apparently that's a secret too. : )
Jim
Well X-acto are the only ones who think that's a secret. Zona has the info on their web site. I have an Excel saw blade I bought because I needed a deep saw for one of my miter boxes and the TPI, length, depth are right on the package.
In fact every saw I have looked at has the information readily available except for X-acto. And as someone pointed out, you can measure it once you have one of their saw blades. Some secret.
Paul
Although not due to dissatisfaction with Exacto, a year or two ago I started using scalpels ratherr than exacto blades. Thinner, at least as strong if not more so and SHARP! They also fit in Exacto knife blad handles. Got the idea from a physician friend. Thanks, Nick.
Hello All,
Yeah, I sent them an email expressing my similar frustration to the OP's and, again, got no response.
I guess Xacto's position is if you don't like it tough. We're Xacto!
My position is there are other manufacturers of hobby knives and saws and I will buy from them.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Over50 I need to replace a worn 30 year old X-Acto razor saw blade and the X235 product packaging found at my LHS that "looks" like what I need but didn't include the number of teeth per inch, depth of cut and length of the blade info on the packaging. So, I emailed X-Acto customer service and this is the reply I got (and note no name attached): "The information you are looking for is proprietary. The Kerf is 0.018" How stating simple dimensional information I asked for for the X235 product is proprietary yet provide the specific kerf dimensional info I didn't ask for is beyond me, especially when the number of TPI, depth of cut, etc., is commonly found on the packaging of any hacksaw, jigsaw or circular saw blade at any hardware of big box store. Heck of a customer policy for anyone in this hobby in particular. Unbelievable.
I need to replace a worn 30 year old X-Acto razor saw blade and the X235 product packaging found at my LHS that "looks" like what I need but didn't include the number of teeth per inch, depth of cut and length of the blade info on the packaging. So, I emailed X-Acto customer service and this is the reply I got (and note no name attached):
How stating simple dimensional information I asked for for the X235 product is proprietary yet provide the specific kerf dimensional info I didn't ask for is beyond me, especially when the number of TPI, depth of cut, etc., is commonly found on the packaging of any hacksaw, jigsaw or circular saw blade at any hardware of big box store.
Heck of a customer policy for anyone in this hobby in particular. Unbelievable.
Rich
Alton Junction
zstripe Over50, Not to put down x-acto, but I have been using their saw's for umteen yr's, until I got my hands on Zona quite a few yrs ago and glad I did.....stronger, sharper and last a lot longer. Still use the X-acto knife blades though. Take Care! Frank
Over50,
Not to put down x-acto, but I have been using their saw's for umteen yr's, until I got my hands on Zona quite a few yrs ago and glad I did.....stronger, sharper and last a lot longer. Still use the X-acto knife blades though.
Take Care!
Frank
Being a creature of habit I didn't look elsewhere but now I will ... and thanks..
maxman X-Acto X235 dimensions here: https://www.widgetsupply.com/product/BDH46.html
X-Acto X235 dimensions here: https://www.widgetsupply.com/product/BDH46.html
Yeah, after I got the useless reply from X-Acto I Googled it and found similar links with the info. But thank you for taking time to reply with a link. I'm going to look at the Zona line as Frank suggested. Point being, I would use the X235 if X-Acto gave it to me free but there's no way I'll put money in that company's pocket again. Done.
It seems that Xacto's customer service is not their strong point.
A while back I sent in a question about their mitre box. I never got a response.
I'll be looking else where for my modeling needs.
That answer was probably consdered to be "cooler" than a simple "I don't know."
Weak minded people are often on the defensive.
Charlie
That is a bit odd, considering you can take a ruler and a magnifier out and come up with that number. Unless you're old and shaky like me, in which case it's a bit more of a challange, you'd think to have already done that for your customers.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL