100 pack of #11 blades, complete junk.

[ScottsGT]

All garbage.  Sorry, need to vent.  
Sometime back I was ordering supplies. Don’t remember where it was. But I added a generic pack of 100 #11 “X-acto” blades since I was running low.  Fast forward a few years and I finally had to open said pack.  They look sharp, feel sharp by touch.  Damned things won’t even cut Tamiya tape. 🤬   Tried to tape off a canopy to paint it and the friggin blade slides over the top of the tape.  More pressure you say?  It just tears the tape. 
I’ve got another 100 in my Amazon cart that are labeled X-acto brand, but with all the counterfeit crap on Amazon these days I’m going to hold off and buy the X-acto brand in the little black plastic holders.  Yea, I’ll pay more. But I want good, sharp blades. 
I’d run to Hobby Lobby that’s 20 miles up the road but we have Ian causing an issue now and trees love to go to sleep in the middle of the roads in my area when the winds pick up.  Besides, last time I was at a HL it seems that they like to swap out a lot of name brand stuff with generics as well.  
Hmmm…might check out Sprue Bros.  Of course that’s going to cost me a lot too because they are like a bag of Lay’s chips.  Can’t just get one thing.  
 

Update:  Techni-Edge from Amazon. Just left a very negative review after I got back from dodging branches in the road and these “extreme” 15 MPH winds were already getting to make a Hobby Lobby run.  It’s been so long since we’ve had rain I almost forgot where my wiper switch was on my car.  But HL carries several different brands of #11 blades.  X-acto also has some Z Series blades. Zirconium Nitride coated. Supposed to be twice as sharp and last twice as long.  I guess that means I’ll cut off twice my fingers now?  What the heck, I’m giving them a try. 

[Peterpools]

Scott

Right with you and fully agree .. for the most part I buy X-acto and Tamiya blades, pay more but find they cut better and last longer. 

Hurricane Ian destroyed Fr Myers and Naples and is headed your way. Be safe tale all the precautions you can.

 

[ScottsGT]

Yea, winds are starting to get sporty right now!  Just looked at radar and the worst rain band is going to hit us in about 30 min.  Looks like the eye will come in at Georgetown, just south of Myrtle Beach.   I rode out Hugo in ‘89 down in Summerville, outside of Charleston.  Bad mistake!  

[Bomber_County]

Not sure if you guys have Swann Morton over there. Best blades in the world IMHO. Working in the design industry we used them extensively, to the extent never bought a blade in my life. Always happen to have a box in my work draw. ………

[Peterpools]

Phil

 

They are available on our side of the pond but I've been using X-acto and Tamiya almost all of my life. I have so many X-acto and Tamiya handles. changing just isn't in the cards - of course buying a set of Swann Morton knives and blades is an option for sure.

[CANicoll]

Scott, you may have already used these folks, but I've had really good luck with the Micro-Mark #11 blades - being super sharp and staying that way for a while.  100 are $21.  They also sell a box of 15.  I like to use a fairly wide variety of blade styles like the ones found on their site here.

Stay safe!

Chris

[Landlubber Mike]

I switched over to Swann Morton too.  Much better blades, and the blade holder/handle is better as well.

[Peterpools]

Might just give them try. yes, I know I'm weak.

[harv]

I have a couple "Z" ones, and to be honest haven't noticed much of a difference....harv

[HubertB]

1 hour ago, Landlubber Mike said:

I switched over to Swann Morton too.  Much better blades, and the blade holder/handle is better as well.

+1 ! 
it’s like comparing a spoon and a knife for cutting a steak. You can find large packs of Swann-Morton blades on the net. Just go for the « non-sterile » ones to save some pennies …

Hubert

[harv]

How much are the handles ?....harv

[HubertB]

I honestly can’t remember, but not much. Surgical scalpels are really mass-produced items … Plus, being stainless steel, they have a better, « beefier » feeling in the hand compared to X-Acto’s aluminium handles.

Hubert

[Bomber_County]

1 hour ago, harv said:

How much are the handles ?....harv

There are different handles for different blades, I use No 3 & 4 & 7 handles. I have one handle which I have for over 40 years……..I swear by them……

[Peterpools]

Thanks Phil

Looks like I'm going to give them a try

[GazzaS]

I've always been a bit suspicious of cheap blades in big numbers.  I usually buy a local brand here in Australia.

[Bomber_County]

Recommended blades, 10A for No 3 will also fit No 7 handles. Also 23 or 24 blades for No 4 handle. 

[JohnB]

Scott,

Take a look at the blade dispenser. Does it say Item #23021 or Item #23011? I ordered some blades recently and I thought I was ordering #11's which have  Item # 23011. When I got the blades I put one in my knife and it wouldn't trim anything with the tip but would cut further back on the blade. I tried another blade and it was the same. I checked the dispenser and it said Item #23021 which are not #11 blades but #21 blades. So, if you happen to have the 23021 blades they won't cut with the tip. Live and learn.

[Peterpools]

John

Never knew .. thanks for the info.

 

[belugawhaleman]

Glad to see this posted, as I need some #11 blades. Last time I purchased some blades

with handles on Amazon. I was happy with the handles but found the blades tips

Chipped easily. I'll have to go back and see what I purchased. Some useful info here.

[JohnB]

Glad to help guys.

[CANicoll]

Who knew something as simple as 'razor blades' would be so bloody complicated?  I use #11 and #3 blades primarily, in soft handles that won't roll when I put them down.  The #3s are like 2/3rd size #11s, which come in very handy sometimes.

[ScottsGT]

2 hours ago, JohnB said:

Scott,

Take a look at the blade dispenser. Does it say Item #23021 or Item #23011? I ordered some blades recently and I thought I was ordering #11's which have  Item # 23011. When I got the blades I put one in my knife and it wouldn't trim anything with the tip but would cut further back on the blade. I tried another blade and it was the same. I checked the dispenser and it said Item #23021 which are not #11 blades but #21 blades. So, if you happen to have the 23021 blades they won't cut with the tip. Live and learn.

Nope.  They were marked #11 blades.  But good info to have.  

[BlrwestSiR]

I use Tamiya branded Olfa knives like @Peterpools does. They're inexpensive a dni find the shorter blade means I'm less likely to break the tip off. Which still happens but not as frequently it seems. 

Then again, it's been probably more than 20 years since I used a #11 blade.

Carl 

[ScottsGT]

8 hours ago, Bomber_County said:

Not sure if you guys have Swann Morton over there. Best blades in the world IMHO. Working in the design industry we used them extensively, to the extent never bought a blade in my life. Always happen to have a box in my work draw. ………

Yay!  Another tool I must have!  Wide variety of blade types. I’ve got to seriously look into this. Wife being a nurse and now a CRNA, I bet she has some handles stashed somewhere. 

[Peterpools]

11 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

I use Tamiya branded Olfa knives like @Peterpools does. They're inexpensive a dni find the shorter blade means I'm less likely to break the tip off. Which still happens but not as frequently it seems. 

Then again, it's been probably more than 20 years since I used a #11 blade.

Carl 

Carl

I do prefer the Tamiya/ Olfa knives blades these days but finding the blades is not easy in the states. I was smart enough for me (a rarity for sure) when I purchased my two Tamiya sets to also purchase two 25 pc packs of blades as well. I'm pretty sure I bought them from BNA in Australia but not positive.