Mini Serrated Blade

U-STAR Mini Serrated Blade, a small serrated blade

A serrated blade is a replacement edge that carries fine teeth instead of a smooth edge. The difference from a smooth blade is fundamental: a smooth edge slices plastic and tends to slip in a narrow spot, whereas a serrated edge bites into the material and cuts by gradual removal. It leaves a narrow kerf behind and less risk that a thin part will break off. That is exactly why serrated blades are used where a classic saw would be too coarse or would not fit into the spot at all.

Where the serrated blade comes in handy

• Separating a small part from the sprue where the gate is too thick for nippers.
• Cutting through the gap between parts that are to look like two separate pieces once glued.
• Marking the parting line on a hatch or a door that is left closed.
• Cuts in narrow recesses and between ribs, where a saw blade cannot reach.

What to watch out for

Cut with light strokes toward yourself and without pressure; the teeth find their own guide, while pressure only bends the blade and risks snapping it. At the start, make a few very light strokes that create a shallow guide track, and only then cut in earnest. Always support the part being cut so that the plastic does not flex. A sharp blade is stored apart from the other tools so that the teeth do not blunt against metal, and when changing it you handle it by the blunt part. Which handle the blade belongs in and how many pieces are in the package, check on the packaging.

Who it is for

• Modelers who need a fine cut in places a saw cannot reach.
• Builders who mark the gaps between panels and hatches themselves.
• Anyone who has so far separated small parts with a knife and broken them.