Hot Knife alternative

[dmksails]

I'm getting ready to cut up some Sunbrella fabric for a new sail cover and I'm thinking a hot knife would make life easier - but it's hard to justify spending what Sailrite wants for a new knife.

Any suggestions on what to use besides scissors? I did try my butane soldiering iron an while it does make a good edge, it's slow. Not hot enough maybe. Would a wood burning tool work better? What temperature do I need anyway?

[rwidman]

Pinking shears will make a cut that will not unravel. Not as pretty as a hot knife, but they will do the job.

A wood burning tool might work. It's pretty similar to an electric soldering iron.

[wingssail]

There are many electric hot knives available, a Google search is your friend.

For us who might want to cut materials without the power drain of electric hot knives (as I do) there are butane tools readily available, such as the Master Appliance Ultra Torch Ut-100, my favorite. I'm on my third one in 30 years. It isn't really fast but not bad. Cut with the material on a metal surface. I use a metal yard stick. I've cut miles of Sunbrella, Dacron sailcloth, Nylon sailcloth and lines (don't try kevlar).

Be sure to order the Hot Knife Tips and keep your smaller pencil butane soldering iron foe the tie when your mastertorch quits. it will.

Butane to refill it is usually available at hardware stores and camping supply stores

[JPA Cate]

Don't know how ancient in techniques you want to go, dmk sails, but I have "candled" seams. Take the stub or the tip of a candle and plop it on a saucer. Light the candle. Drip some wax onto the saucer and stick the bottom of it in the wax, to hold it still. Run the seam slowly past the candle just till it starts to melt. Keep the fabric moving slowly and steadily, and of course, keep it just the fuzzy part of the seam going by. It works fine, and you'll get better at it quicky.

It is also tedious, and I prefer a hot knife, too. The one we had that I liked best was a butane powered Waller that also had soldering tips.

Ann

[Spot]

A quick Google shows acrylic fiber melting at 230 C

I have cut synthetics with a soldering iron with the tip sharpened into a dull blade like an angled flat-tip screwdriver.
I was not successful 'hot rodding' a soldering gun, it did not heat up enough to cut.

I bough an electric Amazon hot knife kit for fabric and have been satisfied with it, I cut out a set of pieces to make v-berth and side berth cushion covers.
The last butane torch kit I bought failed within a few months.