advice

Hi Troops:

I was about 12 or 13 years of age when an Aunt and Uncle gave me a Christmas present that would serve me well for years, an X-Acto knife set. You know, three different sized handle in a neat little wooden box with a selection of about 15 blades. I think they still make it, although the larger handle has a plastic grip instead of wood now.
This was back when "solid" models were made of balsa wood. (Yeah!, I'm that old). I got a lot of use out of that set, and also learned the lesson that those sharp little blades would cut more than balsa! Oh Yea! Some of those episodes probably contributed to my Mother's gray hair.
One really painful "accident" occurred when that large round handle rolled off the workbench and fell. I grabbed for it and as it was falling point up I spiked my hand on the blade, in to the hilt, as it were. That one was deep. Fortunately, I didn't hit any tendons, but I bled like a tuck pig and it was sore as heck for weeks.
A young friend of mine has had such an episode and his Mother was complaining to me about it this evening and I figure maybe the advice I gave her should be sent out to a wider audience. Some years ago I was shown by another modeler how to keep those X-Acto type handles from rolling around. Take a piece of sprue, best a thicker piece, say around 3/16" or 1/4" in diameter and cut a couple of pieces 1" long. Lay a piece along side the X-Acto handle and tape it to the handle with a couple of turns of any kind of tape, Duct tape or even plain old Scotch. The handle will no longer roll.

Yours in the interest of preventing blood loss!
Bill Shuey