Restoring panel lines

Sadly that never looks right. Stretch some sprue to an appropriate size and use hot glue like Tenax. You may have to putty & blend at a joint.

I'm using an Olfa plastic cutting blade; far superior to the needle.

The Keeper (of too much crap!)

Try masking with the tape along the line you're trying to restore, and put Mr. Surfacer 500 on the part for restoring. If it isn't enough, give it another go...

Squadron's scribing tool, and Hasegawa's etched saws...

Ciao di

Tomislav Martan 9A4Tc

Can't help with a brand name, just a couple of clay modelling tools from the craft section of the cheap warehouse. Were priced to match, rather than modelling stores. I have three different sized ones.

They have a bent curved pointed blade end and a triangle pointed blade on the other end with a wooden handle. The blades are quite hard and hold an edge quite well when sharpened with a stone. They are hard enough to scratch plastic with in any direction, and as the rounded point bend is across the blade, they are great to dig out with. They dig into solder really well. And if you heat them with a soldering iron by resting the blade against it for half a minute, they really cut like a hot knife through butter! You can break off any junk that sticks as it cools with a pair of pliers. The wooden handle protects your hand from the temperature, but a pair (or just one used carefully) of leather welding gloves will protect you and might make mum happier! (And those of you with girlfriends, will probably get laughed at for your own stupidity!)

I also use the same end for removing splinters! About the same size as your pin vice with an extra end.

Hope this helps, Peter

I tried nearly all tools for rescribing 1/72 kits, but I didn't like any of them very well. Until I tried a razor blade saw! It works so much better, I couldn't believe it. I'm using the JLC brand, as shown here:

Rob de Bie

My models:

Unfortunately, the direct link

I've used a straight pin clamped in a pin vice as well as a Squadron scribing tool and a #11 Xacto blade turned around so the backside leads. I rather prefer the Xacto blade in most instances where a really fine (thin) line is needed but, because it is so sharp, there is always a danger of cutting too deep. The straight pin does a reasonably good job as well but they dull rather quickly and you need to change the pin frequently - the good thing is they're cheap (or free if you save 'em when you buy a new shirt). The scribing tool is a bit more expensive and seems (to me) to be rather slow going. It also usually makes a wider line when you're scribing.

Any one will do an OK job and all have plusses and minuses.

My home page:

" In walks the village idiot and his face is all aglow; he's been up all night listening to Mohammad's radio" W. Zevon

I have a carbide-tipped scriber that I use to restore panel lines; however, I *NEED* a razorblade saw -- I have a number of canopies that I'd like to display open -- but whenever I've tried to order any from Squadron, no matter which brand, they're *ALWAYS* "Out of Stock"...

jeweler's saws are easy to get and cut fine lines.

Edwin Ross Quantrall wrote >

A razorblade saw is a wonderful tool, but for opening canopies I use a fine sewing needle with Chart-pak tape as a guide and scribe my way through. IMHO it gives better control.

Frank

Not even close to the same. It like trying to use a coping saw where you really need a backsaw.

Do what I do and sharpen them !!!! My Trimaster fine scriber came with an oilstone, and now I sharpen ALL my scribing tools before I use them.

A fish hook sharpener is definitely the best to me, just hard to find a fine stone version.

ok, the kind of jewelers saw i mean is the wire blade variety. you can get some incredibly fine cuts. i use them for flaps, doors and canopies.

That is the kind of jewelers' saw I was refering to, a razor blade saw is thinner and stiffer, also no frame.

what can't you cut with a jewelers saw?

Restoring panel lines.

coming full circle to the topic...ok.

the link is indeed

For (re-)scribing recessed panel lines I am suing for years now the Olfa P-cutter Type 450

It gives excellent results and you even get a nice even ridge along the scribed line that in most cases you would sand off obviously.

Meindert

I've never been able to find a jewelers saw blade as thin as a razorblade saw. Even the thinnest ones that I've found would damage either side of the parts that I want to separate.