Multifunctional PenKnife

The U-STAR multipurpose modeling knife

A knife in a pen format is the most frequently used tool on the modeling bench. It is held like a pencil, so the cut comes from the fingers and not from the whole arm, and with small parts that is decisive: fingers meter the force more finely than the wrist and the tip stays where it was aimed. The multipurpose version means that the tool allows for more than one kind of use, that is cutting, deburring edges and scraping small stubs away. Check the particular contents of the package on the packaging.

What you will use it for during a build

• Separating small parts from the sprue and cleaning up the remains of the gate.
• Deburring edges after nipping, where an abrasive would dull the surrounding surface.
• Trimming plastic flash and fine stubs from mating surfaces.
• Trimming decals, masks and masking tape cut to fit a part.

What to watch out for

A sharp tip is safer than a blunt one, because it needs no pressure; as soon as you start pressing, the knife runs off. Always draw the cut away from the fingers of your other hand and put a cutting mat under the part, not the bench top. Work in short strokes and do not twist the tip sideways, which is how thin tips most often break. Do not leave the knife lying loose on the bench but put it in a stand or a sheath. Part of building models is also that a tool with a sharp tip should not be within reach of children.

Who it is for

• Modelers who want one well balanced knife for most ordinary jobs.
• Builders of small parts who find an ordinary knife with a thick handle uncomfortable.
• Anyone who has worked with a snap-off knife so far and misses a fine tip.