Hot knife fabric cutting

[Big Jim Mac]

Anyone using a hot knife to cut fabric? Wondering if this might work?

[chickenwing]

Anyone using a hot knife to cut fabric? Wondering if this might work?

Just contemplating... this 'might' be over-kill for the application. I use an adjustable soldering iron (15W and 30W settings)with a 'sharp' pointed tip to cut 1.1oz and 1.9oz rip-stop and it does the trick.
Picture illustrates point ---
sorry about the BIG picture but I still haven't figured out thumbnails. Besides I am always trying to keep things in perspective so I can see the big picture.

[samiam2714]

I use a soldering iron with a very narrow tips to cut anything meltable. I use a piece of 8' angle iron for my straight edge and a piece of plywood for a base but I think cardboard is easier just don't press to hard.

The soldering iron is a Weller the one the looks like a Ray gun I zip tied the trigger on so I just pull the plug to turn it off. It works totally awesome.

[Running Feather]

I use a hot knife for all fabric cutting. They can be picked up at most craft stores (Michaels). ~$10 with 4 tips to choose from. I find the spade to works best for me.

[gargoyle]

I have the wood burner/soldering iron from Harbor Frt. Smaller tip, you can hold it like a pencil. Plug it in, wait a minute for it to heat up and start slicing. No triggers or switches. Its hot! Careful where you set it!!

Not this exact model, but you get the idea. Here

Good scissors and a good rotary cutting wheel are great investments for the diy hobbyist. Since most of my projects (tarps and hammocks) are getting a rolled hem, I usually do scissors.

For the wood burner, WV suggested using a piece of tempered glass as a cutting board, which I did. Works fabulous! Cut all day long and nothing sticks. Thanks WV. For doing my webbing and grosgrain, I laid out inch and half inch marks on a piece of paper, lay the glass over that and you can see the marks clearly.

[skistrees]

Remember to properly ventilate when using heat to cut fabric.

[PapaSmurf]

I use a Weller soldering iron with hot knife attachment.
I use dull, discarded Exacto knife blades in it.
If you snap the blades in half with a pair of pliers, the soldering iron is able to keep the blade at a more consistent temperature.

[nacra533]

I used the small pencil type 30w used for wood burning and soldering fir a long time and it works fine. It was too slow on canvas and large pieces. I "upgraded" to the Weller pistol type with a Engel blade and foot (I don't need a cutting top with the foot).

Without the foot, I cut on MDF or hardboard.

Mine is 100w/140w and it's pretty hot but it really depends on the tip and wattage combination.

[Big Jim Mac]

Thanks, I have a soldering iron already so might give that a try. There's a video out there that shows flattening the tip to make a cutter. I have really good scissors but cutting ripstop, it looks like I chewed it off!

[BurningCedar]

I use a soldering iron with a very narrow tips to cut anything meltable. I use a piece of 8' angle iron for my straight edge and a piece of plywood for a base but I think cardboard is easier just don't press to hard.

The soldering iron is a Weller the one the looks like a Ray gun I zip tied the trigger on so I just pull the plug to turn it off. It works totally awesome.

I use the same soldering gun. But I find that an old-fashioned wood yardstick works better than metal straight-edges (like your angle-iron). It seems like the metal ones transport the heat away from the soldering iron much too quickly.

The wood yardstick has some lightly blackened edges from this, but otherwise seems none the worse for wear.

I've been using a foldable cardboard seamstress piece for the base with great success. Be careful where you do this though as the cardboard could potentially catch on fire.