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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Dick Pacini on December 01, 2009, 02:07:40 AM
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I just recently became aware of Excel tools while searching X-Acto. I have read that X-Acto tools are no longer made in the US but the Excel tools are.
Can anyone offer first hand experience or pros/cons of either choice?
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I prefer the blades and handles. Sharper blades and a better grip of the blade with the handle.
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I prefer the blades and handles. Sharper blades and a better grip of the blade with the handle.
Which brand?
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IMHO X-Acto handles are still the best but Excel blades seem to be sharper. 8)
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Dick,
I have a number of X-Acto handles and a couple of Excell jobs. I buy blades (no.11) in packages of either 100 or 500 from a medical supply place. They seem to be quite a bit sharper and hold their edge better than hobby blades. I also use scalpels and blades (also called no.11) purchased from the same sort of place. Last time I bought hobby no.11 blades (a box of 500), it was something like $20.
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I have xacto, excel and zona...plus other off brands. Side by side I see no difference in the blade handles, saw blades, plastic saw blade handles or mitre boxs. Depending on age, they have different styles and cosmetics but the designs cross over to each other. I bought a zona aluminum mitre box last weekend and compared xacto, excel and zona boxes side by side...they are identical and appear to be made in the same factory with different branding. There was a few $ spread between the xacto and zona box. My heart said buy the xacto but my brain said buy the zona.
Since most of my stuff is so old and in pieces I've been thinking about buying a nice new kit. Street price for a nice exacto set is $75...and street price for an identical clone (probably china) is $15. No wonder xacto's presence is shrinking.
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I just recently became aware of Excel tools while searching X-Acto. I have read that X-Acto tools are no longer made in the US but the Excel tools are.
I wasn't aware of this. But if it's true, I'm done buying anything X-acto and I'll stick with Excel. Both are readily available to me.
Buy American!
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I wasn't aware of this. But if it's true, I'm done buying anything X-acto and I'll stick with Excel. Both are readily available to me.
Buy American!
I only read that X-Acto were now made overseas, but am unable to confirm it as yet. That is one reason I posted the question. Maybe someone on this forum who has recently purchased an X-Acto product could look on the package or product to see if place of manufacture is shown.
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Well this was on the web site, but I'd check what is actually in the LHS.
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I'm guessing the Excel are a little thicker and stronger. I prefer them to X-acto. But Uber's are sharper than both...
W.
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I prefer Excel. They can be purchased at Blink Art supplies. At time they go on sale for around $12/100. I tried scalpel blades but they kept snapping. Ham handed, I guess.
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I don't see a lot of difference between X-Acto and Excel in the smaller handles but one thing that hasn't been mentioned when the real cheap handles were mentioned is the plastic centres. The cheap asian handles often have plastic centres to hold the blade. This also holds the ferrule that tightens the blade in the handle. If you do not grip these knives right up close to the blade, the plastic centres break if you apply any sort of pressure to them.
I have a few cheap sets with plastic centres that were either given to me by well meaning but unknowing relatives or that I bought because the selection of blades was impressive. When the fancy blades are used, it's with an X-Acto or Excel handle.
Cheers, Geoff
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15 years ago Bob Bearden (Bear) turned me on to Excell blades. He purchased blades from a blade manufacturer Havells??? and they told him that x-acto bought the cheapest blades that they had available. I think the excell blades are double ground, they are MUCH sharper than x-acto. I have heard that the black Testors or Ohas #11 blades are even better. I think they are a higher carbon steel.
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get some model master blades and you wont go back.
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John D.
Where?
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Most hobby shops have them. They are real sharp and look like a #11 X-acto blade. Also fit the x-acto handle
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Most hobby shops have them. They are real sharp and look like a #11 X-acto blade. Also fit the x-acto handle
I would say they Model Master and Excel are a wash. The Model Master blades are incredibly sharp but the tips break off quickly, and the edge-holding doesn't seem to be quite as good in some cases (because it looks like the edge chips pretty easily). The Excel blades aren't as sharp to begin with and probably won't last as long on very soft materials, but they seem generally tougher and last longer in general use. I have handles with both types and end up using the Excel blades for general use and reserving the model master blades for just balsa cutting/carving.
A little off-topic, bu I think the Excel #1 handle is far superior to the Exacto handles. It has a knurled grip and the collet never jams. I also liked the #1 handles with the rubber grip and the tightening screw at the far end, but I don't know where I got them.
Brett
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Windy Urtnowski is a die hard Excell blade user. If you watch his videos-well "and of course, a fresh Excell blade".
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I would say the holding of edges on the knife blades is like the edge on a good wood chisel. Sometimes the material is too hard and will chip off. Sometimes too soft and won't hold an edge. But when using the bulk packages of knife blades, I change them more often than I used too. Last batch I got was off the bay and are working better than the X-Acto's I got at the LHS. H^^