Mounting knife: varieties, application, choice

The term "assembly knife" includes a set of tools designed to perform its primary function in the technical and construction fields. Among this line are specific designs, as well as universal tools.

Knives of special design are designed for certain work and are not suitable for other purposes. An example is an electric knife with a heel. Universal types, as a rule, are used in a wide range of works and even for household purposes.

The main difference between an assembly knife and a household knife is its technical fitness to perform assembly and construction tasks, convenience and speed of application in a given area.

Types of mounting knives

All knives for industrial use can be divided into two large categories:

1. Construction and assembly cutting tools.
2. Electric wiring knives.

Modern construction knives have a design with removable replaceable blades. The cutting part is also segmented with the possibility of chipping the segments. This technical solution allows you to not waste time on sharpening the cutting blade and do the job very quickly. The handle of the mounting knife of professional models has rubber lining for better fixation of the instrument in the hand. The knife during work can be stored in the pocket of overalls, since it has the function of hiding the blade in the handle.

Knives wiring consists of a handle and a steel unchangeable blade. They are of different types for performing certain operations and works:

• Knife cable. Has a straight truncated blade, often covered to the level of the cutting edge with an insulating material. Use this tool to strip the cable wires .
• Knife wiring with a heel. The blade is curved like a beak. At the end has a welded element in the form of an oval heel. Serves this knife to remove primary insulation from multicore cables. Its design does not allow breaking the insulation of the wire in the bundle.
• The knife is universal. Folding design of the knife as a penknife. It has, apart from different blades for stripping, also a wax and a screwdriver. It is designed to work with de-energized wires.

What can I do with a knife?

The applicability of the construction knife is very wide. In addition to the usual operations of cutting ropes, cloth, hose, wires, sharpening pencils, he can:

• Cut drywall. Thanks to a strong and sharp blade, soft gypsum and thick cardboard are easily cut and broken at the cutting site.
• To cut linoleum and carpet. It is convenient not only to cut the floor covering into pieces, but also to make a figured cut and to adjust it in hard-to-reach places.
• The excess foam knife removes excess easily and quickly.
• Work with foam plastic, mineral wool and other insulation materials.
• Act as wallpaper knife.
• Cut the film, as usual, and all types of waterproofing and vapor barrier materials.

The field of application of the wiring knife is limited by the sphere of power engineering and voltage tolerances. Usually the insulation of professional cutting tools can withstand up to 380 V and up to 200 amperes.

Another type of cutting tool for technical purposes is a knife-scalpel. This device also has a handle and a blade, but they are entirely made of high-grade tool steel. Scalpels of this type are designed for working with electronic circuits, or, more precisely, repairing assemblies and blocks. They are also used for cutting current-carrying tracks on a printed circuit board.

How to choose a good mounting knife?

The qualitative building tool has the following characteristics:

• The presence of a sturdy handle, equipped with rubber patches or a relief surface for easy holding in the hand.
• Presence of the mechanism of rigid fixing of a blade.
• The blade guide is made of strong steel. When the segment of the blade breaks, the guide should not be deformed.
• Convenient system for changing the cutting element.

If you push the blade of the knife by half and, pressing the handle, make a cut, the blade should not be strongly pushed up, but should be in line with the handle.

A professional electrician mounting knife has an integral dielectric handle without any metal inserts. It can indicate the voltage limit, or this limit must stand in the technical characteristics of the product. The knife is sold initially sharpened, and it sometimes indicates the marking of steel. On modern good models there is a blade guard. The blade must not have a notch and burr.

Care of a professional knife

A construction knife does not require sharpening, but still care is needed. It consists in removing parts of building materials, dust and dirt from the blade extension system. It is also advisable to change in time the cutting elements that have begun to rust to prevent corrosion of the guide. Otherwise, a rusty tool to cut expensive wallpaper is risky. In general, it is undesirable to hide the wet blade of the mounting knife in the handle.

The wiring knife, on the contrary, requires periodic sharpening. It is better not to allow a serious dulling of the blade and fail it after every bulk work. In the process of sharpening, you can not change the angle of the bevel of the blade. Store the tool only with the protective cover on. To ensure that the knife does not rust, it must always be covered with machine oil.

Conclusion

Three rules for choosing a quality tool, including a knife for mounting:

1. Professionalism. He knows the tools he needs to work.
2. Observation. Anyone who appreciates strength and energy will not use an inconvenient tool.
3. Generosity. Aspiring to the development of his business is always ahead and does not spare money for the best technologies and tools.