Hot knife

[Dutch]

For those of you that have hot knives. Are you just using soldering iron or is there a special knife just for fabric? Does it really seal the ends so fraying is at a minimum or do I still have to use a candle to seal the edges?

[GrizzlyAdams]

For those of you that have hot knives. Are you just using sodering iron or is there a special knife just fro fabric? Does it really seal the ends so fraying is at a minimum or do I still have to use a candle to seal the edges?

I asked for a hot knife for Christmas, and pointed to the web page on OWF where it's advertised. Got the package, opened it up, and there's a soldering gun case with a sticker "Hot Knife". Opened it up, looked for a knife tip or something. Nope. Just soldering tips. So it is the sticker that transforms a soldering gun into a hot knife. Guess you need to have the case and sticker nearby whenever you use it on fabric.

And yes, it really does seal the ends. Really nice for 1.1 oz stuff, which frays like nobody's business when cut in the ordinary way.

Grizz

[Kanguru]

Dutch
My soldering gun has a tip which instead of a round or chisel point is flattened into a dull knife shape. It is a Weller brand which uses tips shaped much like a wishbone. See here

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...0PK&lpage=none

Here is the tip. # 6150

http://www.cooperhandtools.com/brand...g%20Gun%20Tips

They would probably have spare cutting type tips at any home center type store.

If you have spare tips and they are copper you night try hammering the tip into a flatter shape. Just place on a smooth surface like a vice jaw and hammer with a smooth face hammer. Don't use a few hard blows, rather many lighter ones. If you have a Weller brand you should be able to find cutting style replacement tips.
Sam

[GrizzlyAdams]

Dutch
My soldering gun has a tip which instead of a round or chisel point is flattened into a dull knife shape. It is a Weller brand which uses tips shaped much like a wishbone. If you have spare tips and they are copper you night try hammering the tip into a flatter shape. Just place on a smooth surface like a vice jaw and hammer with a smooth face hammer. Don't use a few hard blows, rather many lighter ones. If you have a Weller brand you should be able to find cutting style replacement tips.
Sam

wishbone tips with a very dull flatish edge is indeed what I have too.

Before this gun I used a smaller soldering iron that had a chisel tip.

Grizz

[alex30808]

Sounds like you could use a cheep wood burner from "Wallnut Hollow" sold at most Wal Marts for under $20.00. Use the "Universal" tip and do your cutting against a pc of ply wood. How much are these "Hot Knives"?

[Dutch]

I expected something like a soldering iron like a wood burner. Sam your link is to a soldering gun. I bet that gets hotter than an iron.

[hangnout]

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=372-040

The item above can work as a heat tool or a soldering gun with different heat levels and has a knife shaped attachment

P.S. Just found it on this link for Ace Hardware for 17.99
http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(e1...px?SKU=2161388

[Bug-Bait]

REI has a heated device that they use to cut rope and seal it at the same time. It looks similar to the tool that we have at work to seal the ends of shrink wrap which looks like a bar with a heat filament of some sort. I was tempted to try the shrink wrap tool but was afraid of ruining it trying to cut fabric or rope.

[warbonnetguy]

here's mine, i like it. 40$ though, seems like it would be alot easier to use than the gun style. made by weller. i think you can switch out tips but i have just been using the one that came with. they sell replacement tips, but don't see the tip ever wearing out.

http://seattlefabrics.com/hotknife.jpg

[headchange4u]

I read somewhere that some people flatten the copper tips of soldering irons to create more of a knife edge for cutting fabric.