Rigging scissors

[Keith Black]

 Rob, I've use a flush cutter for trimming rigging thread. I have one for cutting thread and one for cutting wire. I make sure to never confuse the two. It works out ten times better than any scissor I've ever used. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Xcelite-170M-General-Shearcutter-Diagonal/dp/B0002BBZIS/ref=asc_df_B0002BBZIS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309807921328&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11981334926503510338&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017484&hvtargid=pla-420966033329&psc=1

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08T5J56ZS/ref=vp_d_pb_TIER2_sessmpr_lp_B005EXOF6S_pd?_encoding=UTF8&pf_rd_p=21b55c31-c104-4168-9e8f-9425024c3fcc&pf_rd_r=AGSAZGTM2NZMBW5V5531&pd_rd_wg=SYLSo&pd_rd_i=B08T5J56ZS&pd_rd_w=9zUYc&content-id=amzn1.sym.21b55c31-c104-4168-9e8f-9425024c3fcc&pd_rd_r=31e819f8-5825-4f40-9d6f-760a2582b57b&th=1

[Ryland Craze]

I use a pair of toe nail clippers that I purchased from Walmart.

 

[DocRob]

Here are my weapons of choice, at least, I have them tested a bit with rigging thread. They are sorted from left (worst) to right (best).

 

 

Left: Small pair of scissors from Tamiya, relatively sharp in normal life, but not for rigging, Handling and close cuts are a nightmare.
 

Left middle: DSPIAE cutters, quite expensive and too be honest a disappointment in every aspect of modelling. I expected a lot, when I used them with plastic models the last years, but the blades often stick into the plastic material and therefore higher the risk of breaking fragile parts on the sprues. Thea also disappoint with rigging threads as there are no clean and reliable cuts to be made. The principle of one flat and one sharp blade doesn't work for me at all and don't drop them, as they will break easily.

Right middle: Tamiya side cutters are easily my most used tool in years of plastic modelling. It's a robust tool, which cuts plastic resin, wood and even brass. The quality of plastic cuts is no worse than with the expensive DSPIAE, mentioned above. After maybe twelve years of use, it has a tiny dent in one blade, which arose from a cut through a small steel rod (me stupid). Rigging material is cut well, but not perfect. It's very usable for rigging and especially good for diagonal cuts through CA enforced thread ends to get them pointed to fiddle in better. The Tamiya has two sharp blades and I will buy a new one, as the dent is the factor of difficulty with cutting threads.

 

Right: I never used the Victorinox nail clipper for it's purpose, but read about using it on rigging material in this thread. Instantly, I dug it out of it's cave and tested it with rigging thread. To my surprise, it was the best tool for that, clean cuts and it's easy to cut threads in confined spaces. There are limitations with it's design and you don't want to snap it from your fingers while working in the cobweb of a three master.

 

Don't get irritated with the corrosion, I mend my tools and keep them oiled regular. Where I live, humidity is very high often up to 90%, when we are in the clouds. I got a Proxxon mini vise a week ago and it's already covered with a slight corrosion, though it was oiled from the factory.

 

Cheers Rob  

 

[Captain Shaun]

3 hours ago, DocRob said:

Here are my weapons of choice, at least, I have them tested a bit with rigging thread. They are sorted from left (worst) to right (best).

 

 

Left: Small pair of scissors from Tamiya, relatively sharp in normal life, but not for rigging, Handling and close cuts are a nightmare.
 

Left middle: DSPIAE cutters, quite expensive and too be honest a disappointment in every aspect of modelling. I expected a lot, when I used them with plastic models the last years, but the blades often stick into the plastic material and therefore higher the risk of breaking fragile parts on the sprues. Thea also disappoint with rigging threads as there are no clean and reliable cuts to be made. The principle of one flat and one sharp blade doesn't work for me at all and don't drop them, as they will break easily.

Right middle: Tamiya side cutters are easily my most used tool in years of plastic modelling. It's a robust tool, which cuts plastic resin, wood and even brass. The quality of plastic cuts is no worse than with the expensive DSPIAE, mentioned above. After maybe twelve years of use, it has a tiny dent in one blade, which arose from a cut through a small steel rod (me stupid). Rigging material is cut well, but not perfect. It's very usable for rigging and especially good for diagonal cuts through CA enforced thread ends to get them pointed to fiddle in better. The Tamiya has two sharp blades and I will buy a new one, as the dent is the factor of difficulty with cutting threads.

 

Right: I never used the Victorinox nail clipper for it's purpose, but read about using it on rigging material in this thread. Instantly, I dug it out of it's cave and tested it with rigging thread. To my surprise, it was the best tool for that, clean cuts and it's easy to cut threads in confined spaces. There are limitations with it's design and you don't want to snap it from your fingers while working in the cobweb of a three master.

 

Don't get irritated with the corrosion, I mend my tools and keep them oiled regular. Where I live, humidity is very high often up to 90%, when we are in the clouds. I got a Proxxon mini vise a week ago and it's already covered with a slight corrosion, though it was oiled from the factory.

 

Cheers Rob  

 

Thread snips used by seamstresses and quilters work very well. I use my  wife's pictured below with the finger loop which allows you too keep them in hand for instant use. As with most tools you get what you pay for.

 

[Keith Black]

 I find the problem with scissors is there's little cutting power directly at the tips. When cutting rigging lines, the least amount of a cutting instrument inserted into a nest of lines means less worry about inadvertently cutting a wrong line. I work at 1:120, maybe scissors are OK at larger scales? 

Edited July 24, 2022 by Keith Black

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

On 7/23/2022 at 12:11 PM, Keith Black said:

 Rob, I've use a flush cutter for trimming rigging thread. I have one for cutting thread and one for cutting wire. I make sure to never confuse the two. It works out ten times better than any scissor I've ever used. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Xcelite-170M-General-Shearcutter-Diagonal/dp/B0002BBZIS/ref=asc_df_B0002BBZIS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309807921328&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11981334926503510338&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017484&hvtargid=pla-420966033329&psc=1

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08T5J56ZS/ref=vp_d_pb_TIER2_sessmpr_lp_B005EXOF6S_pd?_encoding=UTF8&pf_rd_p=21b55c31-c104-4168-9e8f-9425024c3fcc&pf_rd_r=AGSAZGTM2NZMBW5V5531&pd_rd_wg=SYLSo&pd_rd_i=B08T5J56ZS&pd_rd_w=9zUYc&content-id=amzn1.sym.21b55c31-c104-4168-9e8f-9425024c3fcc&pd_rd_r=31e819f8-5825-4f40-9d6f-760a2582b57b&th=1

There are a number of beading tools that come in handy and are not expensive.  After seeing the Admiral's set of beadwork tools, I got a few for myself and includes the above flush cutter ... works very well.  Johnny

[allanyed]

2 hours ago, Keith Black said:

I find the problem with scissors is there's little cutting power directly at the tips.

I agree with regular scissors, but good quality barber shears do not have this problem at all.  I have two pair of Joewell barber shears I picked up at a trade show in NYC over 10 years ago and they have never failed me, one for rigging and one for mustache and beard trimming.  My favorite is the Joewell Classic 5.0.  It cuts closer and cleaner than anything else I have tried, including nail clippers, regular scissors, and scalpels.  I have even used it to trim any errant fuzz at the end of a line, so it has proved its worth.

Allan

Edited July 24, 2022 by allanyed

[Keith Black]

17 minutes ago, allanyed said:

My favorite is the Joewell Classic 5.0

 Hard gulp. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Joewell-4038774000021-Classic-Scissors-5-0/dp/B003DPVRTM

[allanyed]

I was lucky to get them at a Cosmetic and Hair trade show in NYC when I was selling manufacturing equipment to that industry.   Prices were discounted quite a bit, so I justified the expense in my own mind. 😁   To this day I have no regrets and so far it comes to about $1.50 per month and that drops each month they are still in the work shop.   

Allan 

[dvm27]

For rigging you can't beat surgical scissors like iris or Castroviejo scissors. The smaller 3 1/2" scissors are item #045067 and the larger 4 1/2" is item #056005. They are surgical stainless steel and you can cut knots flush with them. They are from Securos Surgical http://www.securos.com and are not cheap. But they will be the last scissors you ever need. They may sell to the general public. If not ask your veterinarian or ophthalmologist if they'll order for you. Beware of cheap, non-surgical imitations available from Amazon. when it comes to surgical instruments you get what you pay for.

 

 

 

 

[wefalck]

For rigging work I use Castrovejo eye-surgery scissors. They come in various sizes and straight (pictured in one of the earlier posts above) and curved, which is good for close cuts.

 

I also use a holder for broken-off pieces of razor-blade, again from the surgical department.