AT-DK01 Broad Blade Hobby Knife

The DSPIAE AT-DK01 hobby knife with a broad blade

A knife with a body of aluminum alloy and an interchangeable broad blade. A broad blade has a longer straight edge and greater stiffness, so it holds a straight cut and will not wander even in thicker material. It is used for cutting plastic sheet, for trimming surplus away and for work along a ruler, where the point is for the edge to stay straight along its whole length.

The workmanship

A metal body gives the knife weight and with it a steadiness in the hand, which tells most on a long cut. The blade clamps into a collet and is changed once blunt. On a broad blade bluntness is noticed sooner than on a narrow one, because the edge wears along the whole length of the cut.

How to work with it

• Do not cut through thicker material in one stroke; score it several times and snap it.
• When working along a ruler, hold the ruler firmly and keep the knife upright rather than tilted.
• Always guide the knife away from yourself and away from the hand holding the part.
• Change the blade at the first sign that a cut needs force.

Who it is for

The knife is for modelers who cut plastic sheet, make parts of their own and work with a ruler. For fine work in intricate places the version with a narrow blade is more suitable. Replacement blades are sold separately.

For cutting sheet it pays to have a self-healing cutting mat under the material. It protects the bench, keeps the blade on its track and extends its life, because the edge does not strike a hard surface. The blade is very sharp; keep the knife out of the reach of children and always with the cap on.