How to Sharpen an Exacto Blade
Are you looking to sharpen your exacto blade? Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist, it is essential to keep your blades sharp. An Exacto blade is a great tool to have around the house, but it needs to be sharpened regularly to be effective. In addition, it is essential to keep this blade sharp so that it can cut through materials cleanly.
There are a few methods you can use to sharpen your exacto blade. This blog post will show you how to sharpen an exacto blade using a few simple tools. We’ll also give you some tips on how to keep your blades sharp for as long as possible. Let’s get started!
Summary: If you’re looking to sharpen your Exacto blade quickly and easily, follow these steps:
1. Wet the blade with water.
2. Place the blade on a hard surface, like a cutting board.
3. Apply pressure to the blade while using a sharpening stone or metal rod to sharpen the blade.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 until the blade is sharp.
8 Effective Ways on How to Sharpen an Exacto Blade:
Method 1: Use A Diamond Stone
First, unplug the knife’s power cord. Next, drill a small hole into the diamond stone with a center drill bit, then put on some safety glasses or goggles (suggested).
Using only moderate pressure, drag the blade over the stone at an angle of around 20 degrees. Do this for both sides of the blade alternately until the blade is sharp. Using moderate pressure, drag the blade over the stone at an angle of around 20 degrees. Please do this for both sides of the blade alternately until it’s sharp.
Method 2: Use a Norton Board
To sharpen the Exacto blade, you can use a Norton board. You can buy one of these at most hardware stores or some grocery stores. It comes with a block of sandpaper that is soaked in oil, and this is attached to two pieces of thick fiberboard. You can also buy replacement sheets of sandpaper, which you can cut to fit the board.
Method 3: Use a Sharpening Stone
A Sharpening stone is a small block of fine-grained stone, usually flat, used in sharpening knives and cutting tools, such as hand plane blades and chisels. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The most common are rectangular stones for kitchen use, long stones soaked in water or oil to lubricate the stone, and smaller diamond stones for sharpening knives or tools.
Method 4: Use A Carborundum Stone
Use a small, firm object to make a mark on the wood or other material. The mark should be slightly wider than the knife blade. Wet the stone’s surface and begin sharpening using moderate pressure.
Method 5: Use Sanding Paper
This method may seem a bit primitive, but it does work. It is also cheap and easy to find wherever you are. All you need to do is take your handy dandy Exacto blade sharpener, put the sandpaper on it, wet it with water or oil, then sharpen your Exacto blade as explained previously.
Method 6: Use A Kitchen Knife Sharpening Tool
If you are looking for something more high-tech, this is the way to go. Kitchen knife sharpening tools are straightforward to use, and they are great for beginners who have just started working with their Exacto knives. You can find these in most hardware stores or supermarkets. All you need to do is attach the sandpaper to the back of the knife sharpening tool, wet it with water or oil, then sharpen your Exacto blade as explained previously.
Method 7: Use A Burnisher Or An Old Pencil
Burnishers are a lot like pencils; they have a triangular steel point fixed at a right angle to a metal shaft. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The triangular point can be used to sharpen blades, but you can also use the shaft. Hold the burnisher at a 90-degree angle and make one or two strokes on both sides of your Exacto blade; then, you will see that it has become sharp.
Method 8: Use A Scraping Board
Scraping boards are made out of wood and have metal blades attached to them that can be filed with different abrasives to do scraping work, hence the name. If you’re using a wooden board, it is best to attach some sandpaper or another type of abrasive material to it and sharpen the blade, as explained previously.
You can also check it out to Sharpen Tanto Blade
Why Do Exacto Knives Get Dull?
The main reason an Exacto blade gets dull is that it is constantly being used. The knife is not just cutting through paper or cardstock; it is also scraping on the surface of whatever it cuts. These scrapes add up and eventually wear down the blade. If you’re using a brand new exacto knife, it can take a week or so of regular use to get the blade dull.
If you’re a heavy user, it can take a day or two to get the blade dull. Unfortunately, the scrapes themselves aren’t the only reason for an exacto blade’s dullness. There are several other reasons why your exacto may be getting dull even if you’re not using it. These include:
1. Dried on glue or dried paper fibers on a new sheet of cardstock can scrape against the blade as it cuts and dulls it.
2. Glue applied to a surface and then scraped off will leave tiny splinters on the glue line that can scrape your blade, making it dull even if you weren’t cutting paper.
3. An exacto blade is made of very thin steel, which means it can easily be bent by things like paper and dust. This can cause a burr to form on the edge of the blade, which will then scrape across the surface and dull the blade when you cut with it.
4. When you’re done using your exact clean, it’s a good idea to off any dried-on glue or paper fibers that may have gotten into the blade. This will prevent them from being dragged across a surface and dulling your knife.
5. Your exacto knife has a tiny flathead that you use to pry up the razor blade when it’s time to change it. Make sure not to clean this with anything abrasive because it can gouge the metal and cause the head of your blade to be rounded over time, making them impossible to change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How Do I Change Fiskars Exacto Blade?
A: Fiskars Exacto Knife Blades can be changed by opening the cap or side of the blade holder and pulling out the old blade. There is a slotted blade holder piece on the top front of the knife body. To insert a new blade, place it in the slotted holder with its flat edge facing up and away from the notch of the blade holder. Next, push down on both sides of this slot to snap it into place. Finally, close or cap the blade holder.
Q: How Do I Get Fiskars Exacto Blade Sharp?
A: Fiskars Exacto Knife Blades are very sharp but can get dull. To get a blade sharp again, use the sandpaper provided in the box to sand the front and back of the blade. For best results, move up and down with light pressure while turning the blade to evenly sand all sides of the blade. Sharpening or changing your Fiskars Exacto Knife Blade is so easy, you’ll be able to keep your blades sharp for years!
Q: Why Are Xacto Knives So Sharp?
A: Xacto knives are very sharp. Their blades can be made out of a high-quality steel alloy that is ground to an extra-thin 30-degree angle, yielding a blade so thin and sharp you could cut yourself just looking at it. The 30-degree angle means that the blade is half as thick at its cutting edge as it is at the base.
The Xacto knife is perfect for delicate cuts thanks to its high-quality metal alloy and extraordinarily thin blade. The combination of flexibility within the blade and the blade’s thinness provides an unparalleled level of control, making it the perfect tool for delicate materials like paper. The only downside of such a thin blade is that you need to understand how to care for it.
Q: Can I Use Abrasive Materials Like Sandpaper to Sharpen My Exacto Blades as Well?
A: No. Using abrasive materials like sandpaper can harm your blades and their sharpness. When you use an abrasive material (especially on a blade intended for precise cuts and lines), it will begin to round the blade’s tip instead of staying pointed. This rounding causes less precise cuts and lines.
You can fix this problem by continuing to sharpen the blade with abrasive materials, but that will only lead to a shortening of the lifespan of your blades. There are other ways to sharpen an X-ACTO blade than using abrasive materials correctly. Keep reading for more tips on how to sharpen an exacto blade at home!
Conclusion
To sharpen an Exacto blade, use a metal ruler or straight edge to guide the sharpening stone. If you are using a ceramic whetstone, hone the entire length of the blade at least five times on each side to maintain its sharpness. Diamond-honed steel will require fewer strokes and less pressure when honing it against your knife.
Be sure not to press too hard with any whetstone, as this will only cause more damage than good! You can sharpen an Exacto blade using a few simple tools and techniques.
The first step is to place the sharpening stone at about a 45-degree angle to your blade so that it rests against both sides of the blades. We hope this blog post on how to sharpen an exacto blade has been helpful. If you have any questions or want to know more, then feel free to comment below!
