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I've just now started scraping off mold lines from my models (When I started, I barely even noticed them) And I have to say, it's a pain in the butt.
Is there a good tool to use other than a hobby knife? I've heard people use really straight horizontal blades and scrape downwards, but I've never seen them sold before. I just want a faster way to do it, since I plan on buying a lot of models in the near future and scraping mold lines takes a long time for things like cadians and space marines.

I use equal parts hobby knife and pin files. The small files remove mold lines on both metal and plastic, just have to go easy on plastic so that ou don't take off too much!

I've always just used an Exacto Knife with new blades.

the exacto knife works wonders for me, i work in a light shaving motion along the legs of my space marines and on the arms. The helmets kinda get me sometimes as I dont want to leave to deep of a shave and I dont have a file small enough to reach the small parts. I get what I can, and like you I really never cared much for them untill it became obvious to other people.

Hmm. Maybe I should just adjust my "knifing skills"

I like using a file. I find that I make fewer mistakes with gouges, and I think it works just as fast. And imo it actually gives you smoother results, but maybe I am not being gentile enough with the exacto

I use a scalpel and place it more or less perpendicular to the mould line and then just rub it gently back and forth until the line is gone.

Unless there is some kind of magic fluid you can drop minis in that removes flash I can't see it being any easier.

Though if you have a lot to do... Friends and family members can be conscripted and used as cheap (Though sometimes unskilled) labour.

If you use files, you have to be really careful with the type of file you purchase. I bought Gale Force 9's small file set, and I couldn't have been more disappointed. They're far too coarse, and end up ruining just about any plastic you get them near.

SUFFER NOT THE HERETIC TO LIVE, CLEANSE WITH HOLY FILE!

there is a tool available called a flash tool, Les from Awesome paint job shows one on one of his vids. Why not give him a PM to see where he got it?

Talking about something like this, Lennysmash?
http://www.micromark.com/SEAM-SCRAPER,7547.html

Flashing the mini is my least favorite part of the process. I use a combination of small files, a hobby knife, and a generic dremel tool. Really, I haven't found that this saves a whole lot of time, per se, but it makes me feel more efficient. Really, I think it is just the unavoidable pain in the ass part of modeling.

@oadie - Yeah thats the badger.

The back side of an X-Acto knife if the best mold line remover available, I prefer it over my flash remover, sand paper, or files.

I too, second the use of files

Files, x-acto(w/ extra blades) and a good movie in the back ground(especialy if you have a lot to do!).

Huh. I actually have about 60 files lying around the house, buit they're my great-grandfather's framing tools, so it would be wrong to use those

I do it like Dice Monkey does but either side of the blade works, though using the back edge means less wear on the blade.
The trick is to use less pressure and follow the curve of the model as you go, scraping towards you. You'll need to make more passes but the results are better and you're less likely to dig into the model itself.
You could try doing it in front of the tv. Have a container with the bits in it ready for cleaning up on one side and a second container on the other side or your lap for dropping the cleaned bits into.
I find files not that much use except for cleaning up the bottom of the feet and larger areas like the fronts and backs of marine bikes.

Now that I have a variable transformer drill, I use a conical grinding bit for it, with a bit of care and just light touches, I can remove the mold lines from even fiddling parts like helmets.

After a bit of practise and with some care, I can remove the mold lines on a set of marine legs in about 30 seconds (Gimme a break, I only got the drill today xD)

The files I bought which I think are quite good in terms of being aggressive enough to remove material but still giving a very nice smooth though slightly "tooled" surface were Testor brand and I got them at Hobby Lobby. They weren't exactly cheap but I think they were about 13 bucks for a variety of about 8-10 shapes and sizes

At Hobby Lobby you can get a pen-sized wand with a mini sanding belt for about $3.00. The belts are replaceable and the tool is AMAZING. Can't find a pic online though. If you look for it it's in the hobby section and it's bright green in a blister pack.

Another vote for X-acto, though this:

Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:At Hobby Lobby you can get a pen-sized wand with a mini sanding belt for about $3.00. The belts are replaceable and the tool is AMAZING. Can't find a pic online though. If you look for it it's in the hobby section and it's bright green in a blister pack.

sounds VERY interesting!

First one with a link gets...

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/file-handle-with-mini-needlenose-fi-453332/

This it?

Closest thing i can find though it's not $3

I use an exacto knife (with a relatively new blade), and work on them sprue by sprue... As I clip a piece off of the sprue, it gets cleaned. Having a job that let's me sit here and clean models between calls is awesome. I can usually manage to get a basic squad done in a day, with the second day going to all the extra, unused bits.

As far as the magic liquid, there was a post here a month or so ago that discussed just that. It's a liquid that will dissolve the excess plastic.

RayvenQ wrote:http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/file-handle-with-mini-needlenose-fi-453332/

This it?

Closest thing i can find though it's not $3

This is what I use, and I love it. I don't put the file in the "wand" because it just feels awkward. Don't worry though, the files are long enough that you still retain plenty of control. All the various shapes you get means that you can take flash out of every nook and cranny, or just the visible areas if you're lazy like me. Totally worth the 16 bucks.

So Alpharius, what do I get?

I use an X-acto, but I don't use #11 straight blades, but #10 curved blades. Slightly more expensive, and tricky in tight spots (I keep a #11 handy), but terrific and fast on 95% of the model.

alarmingrick wrote:Files, x-acto(w/ extra blades) and a good movie in the back ground(especialy if you have a lot to do!).

I prefer a bad movie.

DispatchDave wrote:As far as the magic liquid, there was a post here a month or so ago that discussed just that. It's a liquid that will dissolve the excess plastic.

Well there are lots of liquids that will dissolve plastic (polystyrene cement for example) But finding one that will dissolve flash yet magically leave fine detail untouched sounds impossible... unless it was painted on carefully, in which case it might work actually...

So you could 'in theory' paint polystyrene cement over the flash, and dissolve it, leaving s smooth surface once it's dried... sounds a bit hit or miss though ( a miss meaning your mini needs even more work than before).

The edge of an x-acto blade.

'S what I use. Have used for the last 25-30 years.
Needle files for fiddly bits.