RULER 150MM

Ruler 150 mm, AK Interactive

A metal ruler 150 mm long from AK Interactive. The manufacturer describes it as a stainless steel ruler, and that is the whole point of the product: a modeler does not buy a ruler in order to measure, as anything would do for measuring. He buys it because a ruler on a modeling bench serves above all as a guide for a knife.

Why a metal ruler in particular

When you run a modeling knife along a plastic ruler, sooner or later the blade bites into the edge, takes a piece of plastic out of it and from that moment you have a ruler with a notch, and the next cut is no longer straight. With a metal edge that does not happen, as the blade only slides along it. A metal edge is therefore a fundamental property of a modeling ruler, not a detail. Stainless steel also does not rust after contact with water, glue or alcohol.

Use

• Cutting decals, separating individual decals from a sheet with a straight cut,
• cutting plastic profiles and sheets, guiding a knife along the edge, cutting strips to a constant width,
• straight scribing and the restoration of engraved lines, a guide for a scriber when a panel line worn away by sanding has to be restored,
• bending etched parts, as the metal edge holds the etch and a straight bend can be made over it,
• measuring and checking the dimensions of parts, openings and spacings,
• cutting masking tape into straight strips.

Why 150 mm in particular

Fifteen centimeters is a practical bench length. A longer ruler gets in the way on a cutting mat and overhangs it, while a shorter one is not enough for a longer cut. For the vast majority of modeling cuts, decals, profiles, tapes and kit parts, 150 mm is just right, and the ruler fits into a drawer as well as into a toolbox.

Who the ruler is for

For every modeler who cuts with a knife, which means practically everyone. It is a tool, not a kit and not a paint: nothing is built from it, as it serves for work on other models. It suits the building of aircraft, equipment, figures and dioramas and work with etched parts.

The metal edge and a modeling knife are both sharp, so work on a cutting mat, always guide the blade away from the fingers holding the ruler and keep it out of the reach of children.