Don't throw out that chisel tip Xacto blade, if it seems to be getting dull. Many of us use it for removing surface plastic details, among other tasks, so it is an important and regularly-used tool on the hobby workbench.
I use a piece of 1000 grit wet/dry paper (auto stores, Walmart) on a smooth surface and treat it the same way as if I was sharpening the knife blade on a wood block plane- run the angled blade side (blade only, not the whole thing) at a slight angle (15-30 degrees) backwards several times (>5<15), so that it is nice and shiny. Then, turn it over to the flat side and make just a few passes (5 or <) (backwards, again), to remove any knurl that formed on that side from the first sharpening action.
You can do this many times with the same blade, and get hours more use from one blade. (yeah, I know it sounds like I am being cheap- purposefully!
Don't bother to "oil" blades not in use, so long as they are stored in a dry, enclosed container- you don't want oil residue on your next model surface, that may harm subsequent paint work.
Just being frugal...
Cedarwoodron
I do the same. In fact I get a good sharp edge just using the fine side of my silicon carbide oilstone, the same stone I use on chisels and plane irons.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
Well Dave, I really didn't want to go out to the garage to my woodshop for this one, but- works the same!
Not a problem for me. I have just a single shop, downstairs, that I use for both wood working and model railroading.
The #11 blades can be re-sharpened, too, but you can get a lot more use from them even after they're no longer worth sharpening.I use them for applying ca - minute amounts or generous applications, with all the reach advantages of the X-Acto handle. Likewise for applying epoxy, especially for visible details like class light lenses...
...and the blade can be cleaned and re-use in this manner innumerable times.They're also useful for mixing epoxy - either with the pointy end or the mounting end, Another use is for accurately marking measurements on styrene or brass. When the edge is no longer useful for clean cuts in materials such as wood or styrene, they're still good for cutting wire - soft brass wire up to about .025" and stainless steel wire to about .015" can simply be "snicked" off (restrain both the stock and cut-off pieces while "snicking") when working on a hard surface such as glass - use the heel of the blade rather than the pointy end, as it's less likely to snap off.Larger diameter wire and brass tubing of just about any diameter can be cut by using the blade to roll the material back and forth, again on a hard surface. Wire and tubing cut in this manner requires very little clean-up.My #11 blades begin work slitting applied decals to release trapped air, then are gradually demoted to cutting decals from the sheet, then for cutting styrene, layout work on brass or styrene, wire and tubing cutting, ca application, and, finally, mixing and applying epoxy.My chisel-type blades are re-sharpened pretty-much perpetually, and they can also be trimmed, using a cut-off disc in your Dremel, to suit specific needs:
Wayne