Scale Motorsport | 1103: Scriber Tool Set
Reviewed by Rato Marczak
Photoetched scriber designed to fit tool handles (product #SKU1103).
Scale Motorsport is a modeling brand dedicated to car modeling, but when I had the chance to test their new scriber, I didn't let it pass. It is a photoetched scriber blade set designed to fit in most hobby tool handles. It fits X-Acto handles, but to install it in a Olfa handle you have to to break off the engraved slab on the top of the blade.
The blades themselves are very thin - 0.2 mm, and yet very stiff against bending, thanks to the very hard stainless steel used. The shape of the blade resambles an Olfa or Tamiya cutter, but smaller, allowing to use it inside tight corners like wing/stabilizer roots.
I tested the tool on two samples of styrene, a hard one and a soft one. It worked pretty well on both. In the hard styrene sheet, it is just a matter of finding the suitable pressure to avoid gripping. In all my tests, the scriber actually removed a hair of plastic. I didn't even find necessary to sand the scribed line afterwards
The performance on the soft styrene sheet was equally successful. In this case, however, you should keep pressure to a minimum to avoid the tool from "digging in" the sheet. Once you find the correct pressure, the resulting line is very thin and consistent.
I really liked this scriber. Being mounted in a hobby knife handle, you do not need to get used to it, it is just like working with your favorite knife. The lines produced are finer than most scribers, and there is no signs of plastic being pushed to the sides of the line, eliminating sanding in most cases. I can not say how long the blades will last...certainly they will wear with use, but you get eleven of them in the package, so sure it is worth the price (approx. 8.00 USD).
Recommended.
© Rato Marczak
This review was published on Saturday, July 02 2011; Last modified on Wednesday, May 18 2016