Get the old fashioned double edged razor blades for trimming thread. They are thinner and sharper than any other type off the shelf. Just wrap one edge with tape for safety. I use a hemostat to hold them in use. No fuzzies is a wonderful thing.

Try an Xacto knife handle to hold your razor blades. Break or cut with scissors each blade in half to use both blades. This works better than tape. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

Tim,

No disagreement there. But if you want even less fuzies and even better control, why not consider a Swan Morton Surgeons scapel handle and seperate clip in blades. The size 5 handle and no 10 curved blades are truly excellent. No they are not expensive . pack 5 blades $1 handle about $6.

The difference is a revalation. google for a supplier. If stuck PM me and I will help out.
Regards

Mike Oliver

Sally Beauty Supply. Personna Hair Shaper blades. Single edge extra long with handle with sliding blade cover for storage protection. These blades are the sharpest razor blades on the market. Trimming finish nubs as well as thread cutting are the prime targets of these blades for rodbuilders.

MAke sure you wipe down teh double edged razors (or any) with alcohol, as most of them are coated with a lubricant to make shaving smoother.

THEN, when you go to trim the tag end ,lift it up and pull it tight with some tension so that it forms a slight tent with the body of the wrap. Slice it quick and clean and the tag end voila.....it will snap back under the wrap and you waon't have to fight a little tiny nub with a burnisher.

Andy Dear
www.lamarfishing.com

Billy,
I think that you may be wasting your time cleaning double edged razors. I build a lot of rods and have been using double edged razors for a lot of years. I have never cleaned one and have never had any problem with contamination from one.

Mike,
Do you think that the scapel blades are sharper than a double edged razor? How well do they last or how long do they stay sharp?

Emory


In my opinion the Surgeons scapel blade is much sharper than a razor blade. Heck if I am on the Surgeon's slab I want to know that the sharpest tools are being used. I have used both, and for me the scapel blade is the best by far especially in terms of erganomics. You have a slim stainless stell handle to work with, which allows for very fine hand manipulation.

Ho w long do they last. Well I get one fly rod or surf rod from one blade. I tend to discard then, but the blade is still good for lesser tasks like cleaning varnish off of blanks etc. You could try to get more rods but why risk it. The blades cost about 14 cents each.

I like handle size no 5 the next size up is no 4 and the blades are bigger. For the no 5 handle I like the curved size 10 blades for thread cuting. I find them easier to use than straight edged blades.

Swan Morton are made in the UK. I bet you can Google them up. If not I can help out.

Mike O.

I like the fact that I can get them at any Mini-Mart, grocery or drug store. Can you say CHEAP and AVAILABLE 24/7= PRACTICLE, and the only thing sharper would be hand knapped obsidian. Certainly, the single edge and xacto blades just are not as sharp, though they are more practicle for other uses that benefit from a heavier, stiffer blade, like slicing thin strips of masking tape, or chamfering the back rim of a winding check. But sharper makes a big difference and is essential for cutting those threads and nubs clean with no frizz.

All true, but none are even close to using a QUALITY cuticle nipper [www.rodbuilding.org] Closer cutting than any razor blade, easier to use and don't worry about cutting the wrap loose!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Mike,
I will have to look into that to see what is available in the way of scapels here. I do normally get 4, 5, or 6 rods from a razor blade before they are too dull. But at the price that you are quoting who cares even if you use one per rod.

Tim,
I have never chamfered a winding check. What am I missing or ignoring? If they do not fit tight against the cork though I have had problems with epoxy leaking up behind them and onto the cork which is a pain in the back side to clean up.

Mike,
You must have a heck of a lot better set of nippers than I have ever seen. All of the nippers that I have ever tried to use left a little nub behind.

Heh Guys

Looks like we are getting into my blade is sharper than your blade. @#$%& if it works for you then what do you care.
Tim you make a very important point regarding availability of product. But you can buy a handle and a stack of blades for very litle money and it will last you a long time. Mail order is nothing new to us Rod Builders LOL.

Tight Lines

Mike O

Good Morning folks,
I have been using the long Personna blades, but came across a method in either this forum or in Clemens book that I like. I lay down a monofilament loop along the guide after starting the wrap up the foot of the guide. Basically the loop lies in or very near the tunnel. When I reach the end of the wrap, I cut the wrapping thread and insert it through the mono loop. Then I pull the loop tight enough to just pull the thread under the wrap. At this point I cut the thread leaving about 1/16 or 1/32 of an inch of a nub and pull it under the wrap. When I do the pulling I pull down to insure the end of the thread is pulled under the tight part of the wrap and away from the tunnel. Since I started using this method, I don't have any fuzzies or nub sticking up. However, I haven't mastered this method for trim wraps where you have so few threads to hide the nub of thread.

Mike Blomme

Emory - Then I take that back. The blades I purchased had lubricant on it, and when I used it uncleaned I had fisheye problems right where I cut each thread. If you run into this problem, all you need to do is a 3 second wick with a paper towel moistened with alcohol. Sorry about that.

Emory,

The ones in the picture were around $17 and have a lifetime resharpening service/warranty (I have had mine over a year and no problems/dullness yet) You can get them at a Beauty Supply or large pharmacy. I got mine at Walgreens. No Nubs!! I saw Bill Stevens use them in Charlotte last year and was hooked!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Single edge razor blade. If it gets dull run it over some 400-600 grip wet sand paper dry. I got one I have had for gee, 6-8 months. Now that's cheap. Got a whole box of new ones -- some where..

I do not usually have problems with nubs but what does annoy me that I have never been able to get rid of is the slight bump on the end of the wrap that is caused by the thread end that is pulled under the wrap. It looks like heck unless you pile on enough epoxy to hide it. I have tried rolling a hard flat surface over it and a variety of techniques none of which has been totally satisfactory.
Anyone have a solution???

I know what you Mean Emory. maybe instead of locking the thread in place with thread on top of it, use crazy glue and glue it down ???? Would probably be a pain to do on all the wraps though . ???? Kind of sounds silly.
I keep trying to squish them down.

OK one last opinion, I too use scalpels and love them. Im not sure if they are sharper than a double edge, but definitely more than a single edge or exacto.
You can buy them all day long on @#$%&. Stainless Handle and 100 blades for under 10 bucks.

Bill,

I am talking Surgeons scalpel not hobby shop versions. @#$%& you would think that nothing would be sharper. You guys pay a fortune for your health care. LOL

Emory

Emory are you becoming an anorak. That bump is as honest as the day is long. You just have to learn to love it. You may reduce the effect with some judicious burnashing but not a fat lot. Please let's not lose the plot completaly. We want to make them the best but heck after a session or two on the bank they all rods should bear the odd scare or two. LOL

Regards

Mike O.