what do you use to cut thread
 

i've been doing ok with nail clippers, looking for a better choice.
looking for sharp easy to use quality cutters for triming those pesky pull unders on the wraps. what have you guys found to be good for cutting threads? my sons nail clippers just dont cut it anymore. :D

buy a sleeve of 100 single edge razors from CVS or a hardware store. they have a ton of uses in rodbuilding.

That sleeve of 100 in Home Depot is like $6. I think Mudhole gets them from there too, but they charge $15 or something. They also have special $66 drywall tape. lol.

Small curved pointy scissors works very well....pharmacy

I use the single edge razor blades. The sharper they are , the better they work. Trick is to pull on the thread when cutting so the end gets pulled back under the wrap. If you leave a fuzzy end , you can burn the fuzz with a lighter flame or finish and scalp it off with a razor between coats.

i do use straight edge blades too, kinda liked the clippers. better to handle with fat fingers :smash: i'll pull as i cut saltheart could be what i'm missing. you guys ever try cutting the end short on the pull through so the end never comes through? was reading the first clemmens book on that, no need to trim end stays under wraps. will have to practice on that too looks easy enough.

I tried it but found I always cut it too long. paranoid about not having enough tucked under so i always cut it too long and had the little tail sticking out. Went back to trimming after its all pulled through.

I had the same result as Salt - I'd cut it too long, and then trimming the litlle nub was even more impossible. Pul tight, slice parallel to teh wrap, take thumbnail and push the same direction as teh thread was wrapped - this will remove the small gap from when you pulled the tag tight, and will remove the Vee at teh end of teh wrap whihc was caused when you pulled teh tag through.

will do billy40, good info.

I go thru about 1 box of single edge Razor Blades every 3 weeks and the best scissors for thread is by far the Fiskars Snips .

If you follow a couple suggestions, you will never have a tag end in the middle of a wrap again. First, insuring you have the tieoff loop wrapped in early enough helps out a lot. Now if your putting decorative warps on thw outside of the main wrap then it gets wrapped in as soon as the thread is caught. That's step one, giving yourself some room to pull a small tag back through, without it ever coming out in the first place.

Second, once you cut the thread and put it through the loop, pull it up tight against the end of the wrap, then it is stuck and you can use both hands. Cut it as close to the loop as needed to pull it back under the wrap, but without it coming out at all. On big underwraps or on large guides, this can be loose and if you left a good 1/4 inch when you tied in the loop, then you can pull it threw easily. Smaller wraps require cutting close to the loop, smaller still ditto, but then pull at an angle so the thread is not pulled 90 degrees to the wrap.

If that makes sense you will not likely ever have to worry. If I miss judge I just trim it close and worry about a closer trim after the first coat of finish goes on. That way if you nick a thread, you won't loose the wrap.

will do that tonight bob, i have been pulling through at 90 degree angle will change that. putting in the tie off loop early in the wrap makes sense for the pull through with no trim gonna practice that too, will check out those fiskars snips mike and get more straight edge blades. will post pics soon of rod, looking good. went with metalic pewter under wraps with ice blue metalic trim band and metalic silver trim band over wraped with black nylon thread for the guides. i got the gunmetal framed guides with the blue ring and went with a fugi plate type reel seat on cork tape handle, 1 striped decal and a nice clean butt wrap. pics soon thanks for your help :kewl: