New Model making cutting tool - Hozo Neo Blade

[pjgtech]

Just saw this on YT, a video featuring a new model making cutting tool.
The Hozo Neo Blade, (they, eg: Hozo, seem to do various other tools too).

Looks like its basically a reciprocating tool, using scalpel type blades, instead of saw blades.
Seems to cut really well, and on various materials, eg: sprues, plastic sheet, card, etc.

The reviewer states you can use much less pressure, so less likely to snap / slip, etc, so maybe safer?

Negatives seem to be the blade gets hot, so the plastic melts, so a bit of clean up required afterwards?
Also needs to have its own special "nano" cutting matt.
No idea how long the blades last, how much replacements are, whether you can use "normal" scalpel blades?
The cost is a negative, did quick search online and they seem to be £200+ the matt is also £30+, so not cheap.

I could not see any other products around that are the same as this. We do have more traditional rotary tools, that can cut using discs etc, but the Neo blade does seem a better solution for cutting IMHO.
Hopefully the cost will come down over time and other manufacturers eventually copy the design or come up with their own alternatives.

See linky:

https://youtu.be/FurIhgH9Pa4?si=V1Vb5fEn8j49ZzPn

[PaulTRose]

Thats a lot of money.... Especially if you still got to clean up the part afterwards

Think i will stick to my cheapo cutters and xacto knife lol

[Tim Marlow]

Watching that vid made me wince more than once. Surprised that guy still has fingertips….. As to the tool, it does a very good job in clipping off the bumper of the car body, and would be a useful tool if you did a lot of that sort of modelling. However , it would be overkill for something like plastic sheet cutting, where score and snap is faster, cleaner, and more accurate. Not something I’d buy, but nice to see it 👍

[pjgtech]

Just noticed that Proxxon (famous for making many high quality miniature workshop tools) also do a similar type cutter, (Micro sonic cutter) but theirs is £400+ [Gulp!]. I'll pass for now....

[Tim Marlow]

Just noticed that Proxxon (famous for making many high quality miniature workshop tools) also do a similar type cutter, (Micro sonic cutter) but theirs is £400+ [Gulp!]. I'll pass for now....

Nothing there you couldn’t do with a good scalpel and a fine razor saw to be honest. It will just take a little longer, and you will keep your fingers…..a jewellers piercing saw will allow you to do things that tool can’t do as well, such as cutting curves and blind holes in a workpiece.

[LeytonO]

Think I'll hqng on for a hand held laser cutting tool and a micro spot welder for photo etch.

This looks like a case of we can make it so we will even though its totally superfluous

[Tim Marlow]

Think I'll hqng on for a hand held laser cutting tool and a micro spot welder for photo etch.

This looks like a case of we can make it so we will even though its totally superfluous

Resistance soldering devices, for etch work, were available at least twenty years ago. Very like a micro spot welder in their action, giving an extremely clean join when used with solder paste. The parts were tinned with solder paint, held together with the soldering terminal, and joined by pressing a foot switch to energise the tip and melt the solder. Not sure if they still are around though, because by the time I could afford one I’d lost interest in that area of modelling….

[Tim Marlow]

Found one…. The video shows how good it is, but again, it’s overkill for our purposes….Bob could probably use one for ship etch though….

http://londonroadmodels.com/various_pages/rsu.php

[BattleshipBob]

Oh ere that's nice but not cheap lol!

[yak face]

Reminds me of the electric carving knife from years back , they were total overkill too ! There's nothing this can do that you couldn't do with a normal scalpel / razor saw/ scriber and get a neater cut . Think I’ll save my £200 for something else !

[Del640]

I had enough trouble with a saw table, I've only got 9 1/2 fingers left, can't afford to lose any more!!!