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how to keep razor blade marks out of paint???
- Thread starter LMSigns24
- Start date
SightLine
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Cut even lighter. Takes a lot of experience and even seasoned pros will occasionally get into the paint. The best solution is to not trim and cut vinyl on the paint and when you must then use something like the wrap cut tape or try to only do so in places where minor cut marks will not be visible like wheel wells.
Stanton
New Member
Three decades ago everything was hand lettered or a friskit overlay, hand cut,
and spray applied paint.
I spent Thanksgiving morning doing the doors on a truck for a tow company down the street.
Friskit, I was not ready for hand lettering then.
He failed to tell me he painted the truck three days ago. My excuse.
Oh how I destroyed the paint on the doors. I had to repaint the doors and do over.
Lucky thing he had left over paint.
Can't help you here, just sharing a story.
Couple tips I picked up when doing prep and tape for a high dollar bike painter;
I always use brand new single edge razors, just like the type you buy in cards of 100 from Lowes.
Use one for a few minutes, switch end to end, then after a few minutes more, toss it. A brand new blade cuts nice, a slightly used one will require force to get it through the vinyl/tape/frisket/etc. that force will help you drive it right into the paint. A new blade will cut almost under it's own pressure. Xacto is fine, but the added weight of the handle (or even an Olfa or other snap blade) can give too much pressure too easily. By gently holding the single edge, you limit the pressure you put. Starts needing pressure, toss it and open another, they're cheap.
As others have said, you only want to cut halfway through, cut the material, not the adhesive really, kind of the opposite of a cutter where you want to barely scratch the paper. If the cut position allows, start the cut and lift the piece out and away, you'll see how little pressure it takes to part it with a clean line.
If you can, put a piece of the 3m tape under the cut as insurance, Feller's has a Frank picture under it in the catalog telling you how one 3m sticks and one doesn't, the one that doesn't you can pull out from under after the cut like the knifeless tape demos (I used to use the greenish/gray 1/8 fineline tape under frisket or masking tape, layout flames/stripes/scallops with that, tape over it, slit the tape and then weed out where it gets painted.
I always use brand new single edge razors, just like the type you buy in cards of 100 from Lowes.
Use one for a few minutes, switch end to end, then after a few minutes more, toss it. A brand new blade cuts nice, a slightly used one will require force to get it through the vinyl/tape/frisket/etc. that force will help you drive it right into the paint. A new blade will cut almost under it's own pressure. Xacto is fine, but the added weight of the handle (or even an Olfa or other snap blade) can give too much pressure too easily. By gently holding the single edge, you limit the pressure you put. Starts needing pressure, toss it and open another, they're cheap.
As others have said, you only want to cut halfway through, cut the material, not the adhesive really, kind of the opposite of a cutter where you want to barely scratch the paper. If the cut position allows, start the cut and lift the piece out and away, you'll see how little pressure it takes to part it with a clean line.
If you can, put a piece of the 3m tape under the cut as insurance, Feller's has a Frank picture under it in the catalog telling you how one 3m sticks and one doesn't, the one that doesn't you can pull out from under after the cut like the knifeless tape demos (I used to use the greenish/gray 1/8 fineline tape under frisket or masking tape, layout flames/stripes/scallops with that, tape over it, slit the tape and then weed out where it gets painted.
Thank you all for the good tips!! Have any of you worked with the 3m diamond grade reflective striping for back of emergency vehicles?? That stuff is difficult to work with. I find this is the most difficult because it is so thick. You have to make sure you do cut through the adhesive because it leaves the white glue behind. anyone have experience?? I do so many jobs and cutting around door handles or emblems are horrible! This stuff doesn't give at all but trimming is the worst. I am trying all of these great tips the next time around which is monday!
Last conspicuity tape I did, I slit the backing an inch from the end and left it on, slid a dollar tree metal ruler (cork on the back) under the end where I needed to cut and just went to town with a #11 blade, then pulled the thin strip off the back and finished the application.
edit: remember to allow a hair for the distortion of the ruler underneath...
edit: remember to allow a hair for the distortion of the ruler underneath...
Stanton
New Member
Gino
Premium Subscriber
With today's paint, it's almost impossible to cut into the paint, without going through 10 layers of clear first. That would have to be one heavy hand or carelessness. The majority of paint jobs rely solely on the clear for protection. Anyway, in the past when cutting frisket or today cutting vinyl prints, it's all about a light hand and keeping your blade sharp. The best secret, or anyway something I learned some 30 or 40 years ago is...... when the tip of your #11 goes south on ya, use a small pliers and snap a little end off and you have a brand new 100% sharp tip. It might not be a point, but then you're not using it in that fashion if you're using it on a diagonal.
As for the spelling, whether you're cutting paper crinkle finish, smooth finish, vinyl or gel frisket, it's always been frisket with an 'e'. Perhaps you had some brand name that was spelled differently.
As for the spelling, whether you're cutting paper crinkle finish, smooth finish, vinyl or gel frisket, it's always been frisket with an 'e'. Perhaps you had some brand name that was spelled differently.
im not sure how it could work on reflective material..
on cars and the 380 film we cut with the ""knifeless"" cutter..
its a 1/8 wide selfsticking strip with a string.. you place on the cutline and as you pull back it cuts perfectly..
only the vynil cutted... nothing under..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/380470026708?lpid=82
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-XkNFL_OKw
but again the reflective material i think too stiff and might not works..
around handle, doorlock or similar obstacles i think just cut anyway... there wont be visible anything due those objects are on the surface.. so cutting next them cant cause any trouble..
on cars and the 380 film we cut with the ""knifeless"" cutter..
its a 1/8 wide selfsticking strip with a string.. you place on the cutline and as you pull back it cuts perfectly..
only the vynil cutted... nothing under..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/380470026708?lpid=82
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-XkNFL_OKw
but again the reflective material i think too stiff and might not works..
around handle, doorlock or similar obstacles i think just cut anyway... there wont be visible anything due those objects are on the surface.. so cutting next them cant cause any trouble..
MikePro
New Member
easy answer: never put the blade to the paint and you'll never have issues.
extended answer: pull on the negative vinyl to be weeded-away, and use the blade to score the vinyl as you travel. hard to explain, it's more of a feel/practice thing, but your action of lifting the tab of vinyl off of the surface puts enough pressure against a sharp blade held against it to cut as you pull/drag.
snarky answer: if you're cutting-into the paint job of a vehicle that you're wrapping.... STOP wrapping vehicles. learn how to handle a blade, practice on anything but a client's vehicle, and then maybe someday you won't suck so bad.
edited: just read your follow-up. for reflective vinyl application with knifeless cuts, use filament wrap cut tape and plenty of mask for an additional buffer so that you don't wind-up having to peel/clean reflective adhesive from the vinyl you didn't intend to apply.
extended answer: pull on the negative vinyl to be weeded-away, and use the blade to score the vinyl as you travel. hard to explain, it's more of a feel/practice thing, but your action of lifting the tab of vinyl off of the surface puts enough pressure against a sharp blade held against it to cut as you pull/drag.
snarky answer: if you're cutting-into the paint job of a vehicle that you're wrapping.... STOP wrapping vehicles. learn how to handle a blade, practice on anything but a client's vehicle, and then maybe someday you won't suck so bad.
edited: just read your follow-up. for reflective vinyl application with knifeless cuts, use filament wrap cut tape and plenty of mask for an additional buffer so that you don't wind-up having to peel/clean reflective adhesive from the vinyl you didn't intend to apply.