Hobby Knife Maintenance

A hobby knife is one of the important tools needed in our hobby and having a good sharp hobby knife is essential. I use an X-acto knife and from what I have read, X-acto blades rust easily if they are not stored properly.

One solution is to apply oil to the blade before storing. Some people use WD-40.

Before storing the knife and applying the oil, always wipe the blade clean and dry. Moisture and humidity is what will cause the blade to rust so if you store the blade without wiping it dry, it is bound to rust. Apply oil on both sides of the blade then wipe off the excess. All you need is a thin film of oil on the surface to protect the blade so the excess oil will just make the blade dirty and possible cause corrosion.

But sometimes this method does not work. No matter how carefully you store the blade, it will still rust. So what do you do? Try what I do. I use an open tool box.

This is my toolbox. I know... its a carton box for gum. But this is where my tools have been sitting in on top of my work table. And how does my X-acto knife look like?

Looks old right? That's because I've been using the same blade for over a year now and has helped me build 16 MGs and 4 PGs. I never applied any oil to keep it from rusting and just keep it exposed to the air. With the length of time I've been using it, the question of "why is it still sharp?" pops up. And the answer is simple. I sharpen it. To do that you can use a whetstone (the image below). But using whetstones to sharpen blades requires practice and proper technique or you will just ruin your blade. So if you happen to have one and know how to use then good for you.

But then again, most people don't have whetstones, just like me (that's my father's whetstone that he uses to sharpen scissors), and also don't know how to use one, also like me. So instead of using a whetstone, we can use fine sandpaper, something most modellers have and know how to use.

The one I use is 1500 sandpaper

Sharpening a blade with sandpaper is very easy. Place the blade on one side of the sandpaper as shown in Diagram 1. Make sure the whole length of the cutting edge is touching the surface of the sandpaper. With moderate pressure, slide the blade across the sandpaper in the direction of the arrow, making sure the cutting edge stays in contact with the sandpaper's surface, until you reach the other side of the sandpaper as shown in Diagram 2. Repeat this 10 times on one side only. Then flip the blade and follow the same instructions as illustrated by Diagrams 3 and 4.

Diagram 1

Diagram 2

Diagram 3

Diagram 4

Usually 10 strokes for each side is enough to sharpen a blade but if you feel it needs to be sharper, then repeat the process until you are satisfied. Remember to sharpen the blade one side at a time with the same number of strokes.

Hopefully this helps anyone keep using their hobby knife longer than what they usually last.