Cutting Cordura and Ripstop

[87SupraT 0]

I bought some materials to play around with this sewing machine I am borrowing. I was curious, do you just cut the cordura and ripstop with scissors or a soldering iron, something that seams it off so to say? Rip-Stop I am guessing you can just cut with scissors, but will the edges of the cordura start falling apart when handled before stitching support tape around it? Thanks.

Dale

~Dale

[Vectracide 0]

If your just foolin around......you can use scissors......but if you really want to make a project into something you can use...get a cutting iron.

Items:
S7580A
S7583C
S7600H

www.paragear.com

Then again, you could just get a old, high wattage soldering iron, and shape the tip to an edge and use that.

------------------------------

Controlled and Deliberate.....

[Jeffrey 0]

Heavy Duty Hot Knife
The HK-60 Heavy-Duty Hot Knife cuts and seals (creates beaded edge) synthetics such as expandable plastic sleeving, gasketing, sailcloth, indoor/outdoor carpet, and awnings. This tool comes with a double-edge copper tip that slides on directly over the heating element.

Item # HK-60

Price: $53.95

Go to:

http://www.mmnewman.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=33&fs=&pfs=1&catid=15

Jeff

[riggerrob 558]

Ripstop nylon fabric (1 once per square yard) is pretty fragile because it has few coatings. Those edges will fray pretty quickly as you move it towards your sewing machine, ergo: hot cut F-111 ripstop.

On the other hand, ZP ripstop (canopy) fabric has so much silicone coating on it that cold cut edges are reasonably durable.

Cordura has so much urethane coating that it does not need to be hot cut - provided you bind it.

[87SupraT 0]

Quote

If your just foolin around......you can use scissors......but if you really want to make a project into something you can use...get a cutting iron.

Items:
S7580A
S7583C
S7600H

www.paragear.com

Then again, you could just get a old, high wattage soldering iron, and shape the tip to an edge and use that.

I wonder if they sell tips at Home Depot or something for a soldering iron that are wedged? If not I may want to get one of these hot knifes, even messing around with it,I don't want it to be sloppy as hell.

Quote

Heavy Duty Hot Knife
The HK-60 Heavy-Duty Hot Knife cuts and seals (creates beaded edge) synthetics such as expandable plastic sleeving, gasketing, sailcloth, indoor/outdoor carpet, and awnings. This tool comes with a double-edge copper tip that slides on directly over the heating element.

Item # HK-60

Price: $53.95

Go to:

http://www.mmnewman.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=33&fs=&pfs=1&catid=15

Jeff

Looks like it would definitely get the job done. So would I just use the hot knife for webbing and cordura, or can I use it for the ripstop? I figured since the name it wouldn't continue to tear on, but it may get extremely frayed on the ends. My question is, can I use it to cut the ZP Ripstop?

Quote

Ripstop nylon fabric (1 once per square yard) is pretty fragile because it has few coatings. Those edges will fray pretty quickly as you move it towards your sewing machine, ergo: hot cut F-111 ripstop.

On the other hand, ZP ripstop (canopy) fabric has so much silicone coating on it that cold cut edges are reasonably durable.

Cordura has so much urethane coating that it does not need to be hot cut - provided you bind it.

The Ripstop I have is ZP ripstop. So I shouldn't have too much of a problem when sewing it? I am going to mess around with the stuff today, see what happens.

Thanks for the replies.

Dale

~Dale

[hookitt 0]

That knife is well worth the money. It's the same one I've used to cut a LOT of material.

Put the material on a mirror, glass, or even masonite. Don't push too hard and cut fairly slowly. Let the knife melt through rather than trying to actually cut. If the knife gets dull, sharpen it with a file or grinder but take care doing it.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[hookitt 0]

You can use that knife for ripstop. cut quickly since it's thin. It works great.

Get that one, you will be happy with it.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[87SupraT 0]

Alright, I am probably going to order one soon. Thanks for the information, appreciate it.

Dale

~Dale

[hookitt 0]

By the way, along with the hot knife that Jeff mentioned, get the hot knife holder from paragear that Vetracide mentioned.

Item: S7600H

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[GravityGirl 0]

Ahhh. Memories. Nothing beats standing over a table all day with cordura fumes in your nostrils.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[aironscott 3]

Here is one from DJ that is much less expensive and works every bit as well as the Para Gear one. In fact, I've had and run across a few nonfunctioning PG hot knives, but I've only had to replace tips on the ones from DJ.
http://djassociates.thomasnet.com/viewitems/hot-cutters/heavy-duty-hand-cutter?&forward=1

Aaron

“God Damn Mountain Dew MotherFuckers!”

[hookitt 0]

Heck, I'll order one of those for 16.50.

The Hot Tools Heavy Duty Hot Knife Is the good one. The holder is the only thing I'd get from ParaGear

Did you see a holder on the DJ Associattes site?

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[aironscott 3]

For a holder I just take a wire coat hanger and bend it around and attach it to the table where I'm going to use it. Ghetto but effective.
I would sometimes like to have a basting tip. I haven't found one yet that will work for the DJ hot knife. If anyone out there has any ideas please let me know.

Thanks,
Aaron

“God Damn Mountain Dew MotherFuckers!”

[hookitt 0]

Quote

For a holder I just take a wire coat hanger and bend it around and attach it to the table where I'm going to use it

If that isn't a blinding flash of the obvious.. I don't know what is.
Thanks

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[riggerrob 558]

A holder - for a hot knife - is a sheet metal or wire tube that prevents the hot tip from contacting fabric accidentally. It also prevents the tip from burning holes in the table when you set it down.
Since my electrical socket hangs over my cutting table, I just bent a coat hanger to hold it at eye level over the middle of the table. It has a little u-shaped slot, slightly larger than the grip, but smaller than the collar.
Sandy Reid (Rigging Innovations) found that hot knives last much longer if you hang them tip upwards. Sandy prefers to cut his holders out of sheet aluminum.

[87SupraT 0]

Nice, find, that is quite a bit cheaper. I have been messing around with it and the cordura has been staying together fairly well with just cutting. Only time it posed a problem is when I started sewing really close to the edge, it would start to fray, sometimes. I didn't want to waste my support tape material to do the edges, so if I had, I think it would have held up just fine. I am going to invest in a hot knife anyways, make things easier.

Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate it.

Dale

~Dale

[masterrig 1]

I've used a wood-burning tool for years. They're in-expensive and can be found at Wal-Mart or hobby shop. I carefully ground the thickest tip into a 'blade'. It works great on webbing, F-111, 0-P, Cordura and Para-Pack. Be sure and get the holder/stand for it. They come with various, changeable tips. One of which is a dull-point tip that works great for basting.


Chuck

[pitt 0]

Electric Fabric Scissors, Various cutter blades are available and easily replaceable. Electric Sewing Scissors can be used for cutting cloth, card boards, leather, paper boxes, etc. If you want to know more, welcome to contact us.