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What’s the best tool for removing mould lines?

I find that using a hobby knife/scalpel is the best.

However the GW mould line remover is ok, and files have their place in certain situations

GW mould line remover.

Best thing I bought from GW in years.

And a small knife blade.

Exacto or hobby knife. The GW mould line remover is too large for many of the smaller spots.

Back of the hobby knife. Small set of micro files at times.

I’ve heard good things about the GW tool, but never bothered to get one.

Depends on the material you are removing them from. Plastic a mould line remover and hobby knife, metal a file as well. Resin I'd use a hobby knife and emery boards (you can get thin ones made with models in mind) and soft plastics like reaper bones just a hobby knife.

I use a miriad of tools - scalpel, needle file, GW scraper & emery boards (the ones used for nails). I use all of these on most materials. Just experience on which to use when but it's hard to explain them. Sorry.
For my titan I'm evening using wet & dry paper wrapped around a sanding block (big cork block).

 Vermis wrote:
GW mould line remover.

Best thing I bought from GW in years.

And a small knife blade.

I would second this. But also say that hobby supply wise its the only thing that they make which is any good. (maybe the paint handles as well) GW stuff geenrely speaking is ludicrously overpriced and can get superior quality product for less in most cases. But that mold remover thing is a good one.

Exacto/hobby knife is another tool and next best thing outside of tha. Might want to be careful as I find even with back of exacto sometimes dig in too deep into the plastic and accidently get a chunk out.. but could just be my fat hands.

mrFickle wrote:
What’s the best tool for removing mould lines?

I like the GW tool a lot. Sandpaper is my secondary and occasionally I need to use my knife for hard to reach curved spaces.

 Argive wrote:
I would second this. But also say that hobby supply wise its the only thing that they make which is any good. (maybe the paint handles as well) GW stuff geenrely speaking is ludicrously overpriced and can get superior quality product for less in most cases.

True. There are different seam scrapers and mould line removers, a quick netsearch away, but at the time I had two options and not much to choose between them. For a brief instant a GW product turned out reasonably priced and practical.

I use the GW tool where I can and the tip of an exacto blade for any small recess where the GW tool is too large to fit. It really is a great tool and it's very difficult to damage the model by being careless or over zealous.

I wouldn't really bother with most GW tools as they are expensive for what they do, but the Mold line remover, snips and paint handles are all well worth the money

Micro-mark, or similar, 3 sided seam scraper.
https://www.micromark.com/Seam-Scraper

The one I have is great...except sometimes the "blade" slips out without warning.

It's only a matter of time before it falls and stabs me in the foot or worse.

Single best tool would be a standard #7 X-acto blade, IMO. Fine enough point to get just about anywhere, stiff enough to avoid chatter if you keep a light touch or scrape near the center or heel of the blade. I also use needle files (I prefer single-cut metal to diamond grit) and emery boards, depending on the situation, but the vast majority of work is done with just the blade, even on metals. If I could only have one, the trusty hobby knife would be it, without a doubt.

I'd be curious to try out the GW and MicroMark tools, but not enough to actually purchase either. The only dedicated deburring tool I have is the more industrial swivel kind - WAY too aggressive (and cumbersome) for this sort of work, but it cleans up saw cuts in copper/PVC pipe a treat, so it still has a place in my toolbox.

I can also only recommend the GW scraper thingy. At first I was rather sceptical, but it really turned out to be extremely useful.
But, to be frank, I honestly mostly use what is at hand/near my hand
So hobby knife, small files, hell, sometimes even some old paper scissors I always have on my desk

well yeaqh to be honets on most models I end up using a combination of plethora of stuff. Files, fine grade sanding paper, exacto and scrapers as well as the good ol thumb nail.

Most used:
* Engraving pen. Unfortunately, they won't last as long as you want, and will need batteries.
* Hobby knife. Cheap.
* Vallejo Plastic Putty in a tube. The tip applicator is much better than putties in an eyedropper. Much less work than greenstuff.
* Small files.

Less used:
* Greenstuff. Works when plastic putty won't. Useful for making bases with metal integrated bases.
* Nail buffer block. Cheap at a beauty aid store. Useful for assembly-line terrain mold removal.

3D printed terrain doesn't have mold lines, although may still need to be sanded down. Haven't looked closely at it, but it's another option.