Nippers are an indispensable item for making Gundam plastic models! Which nippers are the easiest to use? A thorough comparison and review of three God Hand nippers! The Tool Way! The Tool Way!

Hello, this is Karyas! In the third installment of "The Tool Way!" In this third issue, we would like to compare and review three nippers currently available from God Hand: the Plastic Nipper, the Blade One Nipper, and the Ultimate Nipper 5.0!

Nippers are essential tools for building plastic models.

Recently, nippers have been released by many manufacturers, and the product lineup is well rounded. However, this makes it difficult for first-time plastic modelers to decide which one to buy first, doesn't it?

So, this time, we would like to introduce you to three nippers made by God Hand! We will compare and review the sharpness and ease of use of three nippers made by God Hand!

First of all, let's take a look at what you need to know about nippers.

1. Read the instructions carefully

Although not limited to nippers, read the instructions and cautions written on the back of the product package carefully! In particular, all nippers introduced here are precision products, so be careful not to accidentally try to cut runners of unexpected sizes, as you may damage the tips of the blades.

We recommend that you access the official website via the QR code, where you can watch a video of the use of the nippers and see detailed explanations!

2. Careful use and storage

When cutting parts, try to cut slowly using the middle of the blade as much as possible. This will reduce the strain on the blade and also reduce the possibility of parts flying off. Cut with a "snap" rather than a "snap".

When separating parts from the runner, it is recommended to "cut twice," first leaving a small amount of the gate part and then cutting off the excess gate part that remains on the part after cutting it out. It is recommended to do this.

Also, to prevent deterioration, if there are any dirt or plastic scraps on the blade after use, clean them off with an old cloth or toothbrush. If you are particular, you can use the maintenance oil for nippers available from God Hand.

A blade brush and a Kim towel for wiping are also included and recommended!

In addition, you can prevent blade damage and injury by using nipper caps, now on sale from God Hand!

3. Use nippers for plastic models.

Cheap nippers sold at 100-yen stores are made for gardening and DIY, etc. They are not "precision" nippers and are not suitable for making plastic models. The tips of the blades are thick, so it is difficult to cut out thin parts, and they are not sharp enough, so gating often gouges the parts (or makes it impossible to do so in the first place). To avoid losing money buying cheap goods, be sure to buy precision nippers that cost at least 1,000 yen.

(Details of 100-yen nippers are described below.

4. There are two types of nippers: double-edged and single-edged.

There are two types of nipper blades: double-edged and single-edged. The former cuts from both directions at the same time, like scissors, while the latter slices the object held by the cutting blade only.

Many modelers who own both types of nippers use the easy-to-use double-edged blade to quickly cut out parts, while the precise single-edged blade is used for careful gate processing.

Now that you understand the basics of nippers, let us introduce you to the products! By the way, to check the sharpness and comfort of using any nippers, we took pictures of cutting a gray plastic rod with a diameter of 2 mm, cutting out parts and processing gates.

Plastic nippers

This lightweight and durable double-edged nipper is inexpensive and is recommended for a first pair of nippers.

The feature is that it uses the patented "packing spring" technology, which releases the stopper when the grip is opened to a certain position, and opens to the full extent.

Cutting ability: ☆☆☆☆

Official price: 1,320 yen (tax included)

Overall length: approx. 130 mm

Weight: approx. 55g

The wide grip portion makes it easy to hold and the sharp edge of the blade makes it easy to use. Even those who are not accustomed to using nippers will find it easy to use! Gate processing seems to be finished beautifully with just a light filing.

Here is a cross-sectional view of a 2mm-diameter plastic rod. Since this is a double-edged tool, there is inevitably a slight distortion in the center, but it is at a level that is not bothersome. Considering it as a nipper for cutting out, I think it has sufficient performance.

Blade One Nipper

Next, Blade One Nipper. It is a well-balanced single-blade nipper with slightly less sharpness than the Ultimate Nipper described below, but instead has a more durable blade.

So, while the Ultimate Nippers can only cut transparent plastic up to 1 mm in diameter, the Blade One Nippers can cut up to 2 mm in diameter.

Sharpness: ☆☆☆☆

Official price: 4,400 yen (tax included)

Total length: approx. 120mm

Weight: approx. 60g

Comes with a cap for nippers

The single-blade nippers make cutting out a snap! Gate processing can be done neatly without the need for a design knife.

The cross section of the cut plastic rod is surprisingly clean! The blade is sturdy, so if you use it well, you will be able to complete cutting and gate processing with just this one tool.

Ultimate Nipper 5.0

And here is the Ultimate Nipper!

This is the ultimate high-end nipper that everyone wants when they become accustomed to plastic model making to some extent, and is everyone's dream. Since these nippers pursue the "ultimate cut" specializing in gate processing, the cutting surface is very beautiful, and we recommend them to those who want to complete plastic models without painting, and when surface treatment is required, it requires minimal work, making plastic model making a breeze.

Cutting edge: ☆☆☆☆☆

Official price: 5,610 yen (tax included)

Total length: approx. 120mm

Weight: approx. 60g

Nipper cap included

At first glance, it looks like a different color product from Blade One Nipper, but ......

Comparing the tips of the blades in this way, you can clearly see the difference. The blade of Blade One Nipper is thicker, whereas the blade of Ultimate Nipper is just more delicate and sharp!

I am impressed. I could cut out parts with very little effort, more like a slurp than a snap!

And taking advantage of the ultimate sharpness, if you fix the cutting board blade to the side or back of the part and use the cutting blade like a design knife, you can finish the gate process in no time! God Hand's official YouTube channel is currently showing various techniques such as "shaving off" and "turning" to take advantage of its sharpness, so be sure to check it out as well!

Wow, it looks as if it was cut with a Japanese sword! Not only is the cross-section clean, but there is no distortion at all on the sides and cut edges. It is even sharper than the Blade One nipper, so you can clearly see that the plastic rod is sliced with almost no load on it. I can say with certainty that there is no nipper that is even sharper than this one anymore!

Which one should you buy?

All three nippers introduced here are of high quality, and it would be ideal to buy all of them if possible! But that is difficult to do, isn't it?

If I had to recommend only one nipper to a first-time nipper buyer, I would personally recommend the Blade One nipper. The price is not cheap, but considering that you will be using it for a long time, it is very cost-effective, and its good balance of sharpness and durability is very attractive!

Of course, if you want to make plastic models but can't spend a lot of money on tools, we recommend the plastic nippers. On the other hand, if you can afford it, I think it is totally possible to go all out and buy the Ultimate Nippers from the beginning!

If you buy all three, I recommend you also purchase a nipper stand, which is now on sale from God Hand! It is an excellent product that can store multiple nippers, tools, and even the maintenance oil introduced at the beginning of this article.

Extras

In the opening point, I mentioned that 100-yen nippers are not suitable for plastic model making. As a bonus, I would like to review "forging nippers" obtained at a certain 100-yen store.

It is described as "ideal for cutting off plastic models, etc." How good are they? ......?

The quality of the spring is poor, making it hard to move, and the blades are thick, so cutting out is difficult. The sharpness is also poor, so the load on the hand is tiring, and the parts may be damaged!

By the way, looking at the cross-sectional view, it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would be. It looks as if it is not as bad as you think. ......

The side view is as shown here. It is completely warped due to excessive load. ...... It is not only the best for cutting, but it would be wise to avoid using it in plastic model making as much as possible.

However, it can be used for cutting thin metal wire, and it can be used for expressing damage by using its poor sharpness, such as when the armor is gouged out by a beam saber!

So, what do you think? Nippers are like a partner for modelers. Choose the best partner and enjoy a wonderful modeling life!

Product Information

Plastic Nippers

Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: 1,320 yen (tax included)

Material: Carbon steel for machine structural use (made by Kobe Steel, Ltd.)

Overall length: Approx. 130mm

Weight: approx. 55g

Grip thickness: approx. 12mm (thickest part)

Blade hardness: HRC45-55

Soft grip

Cutting capacity

Compatible materials: Only plastic (PS resin, PP resin, ABS resin, PE resin) can be cut. Clear material runners are also supported!

Cutting ability: Only compatible materials of Φ3mm or less can be cut.

Blade One Nipper

Manufacturer's suggested retail price: 4,400 yen (tax included)

Material: Special tool steel (manufactured by Kobe Steel, Ltd.)

Overall length: approx. 120mm

Weight: approx. 60g

Blade hardness: HRC58 or higher

Single-edged blade specification

Blade breakage prevention stopper

Pin to prevent over-opening

Spring loaded

Soft grip

Original nipper cap included

Cutting ability

Applicable materials: Only plastic (PS resin, PP resin, ABS resin, PE resin) can be cut.

Cutting ability: Only materials with a diameter of 3 mm or less can be cut. However, transparent and translucent PS resins are limited to Φ2mm or less because of their hardness.

Ultimate Nipper 5.0

Manufacturer's suggested retail price: 5,610 yen (tax included)

Material: Special tool steel (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)

Overall length: approx. 120mm

Weight: approx. 60g

Blade hardness: HRC58 or higher

Single-edged blade specification

Blade breakage prevention stopper

Pin to prevent over-opening

Spring loaded

Soft grip

Original nipper cap included

Cutting ability

Applicable materials: Only plastic (PS resin, PP resin, ABS resin, PE resin) can be cut.

Cutting ability: Only materials with a diameter of 3 mm or less can be cut. However, transparent and translucent PS resins are limited to Φ1mm or less due to their hardness.

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Kariyasu

Entertainment and hobby writer. She loves models, dioramas, and figures, and is in charge of various interviews as well as examples of plastic models and miniatures. In fact, for a while after his debut in modeling, he continued to build with only 100-unit nippers. ......

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