Double Ended Handy Scriber (175mm)

Double-ended scriber, 175 mm long

A scriber is a tool with which thin lines are cut into the surface of a model. It is most often used where sanding a joint has erased an original panel line and it has to be restored, or when a modeler adds engraved detail of his own. Double-ended means that the tool carries a working tip at both ends, so two different jobs can be done with one tool and you do not have to reach for a second. A length of 175 millimeters is enough for the scriber to be held like a pencil and still have enough mass for a steady stroke.

Use

• Lay out the path of the line beforehand with flexible tape or a template; the scriber then keeps itself on line.
• Guide it lightly and several times over, building the depth gradually rather than in one heavy stroke.
• Pull it toward you and keep the tip perpendicular to the surface, otherwise the groove will wander.
• Remove the swarf as you go, so that it does not clog the groove and spoil the guiding.
• Lightly polish the finished line with a fine sanding sponge, so that the burrs disappear.

Who it is for

A scriber will be appreciated by modelers who fill the joints of fuselages and hulls and want to keep the panel pattern continuous, and by those who create detail of their own on models. It is simple to handle, and the result depends above all on a steady hand and good guiding.

The tips are sharp. Work away from your fingers, put the tool down so that it cannot fall tip first, and store it out of the reach of children.