Hot knives are useful for cutting applications that require a clean cut with high precision. Hot knives are also used by artists and hobbyists for various applications that require fine cutting.
While interacting with the suppliers of hot knives you will come across various technical terms that indicate the types and specifications for these knives. This guide intends to explain the technical terms relating to hot knives such as hot wire cutters, burn-in knives and temperature scales.
Hot wire cutters
A hot wire cutter is a tool for cutting styrofoam. This cutter consists of a thin wire that is heated with a low voltage power supply to slice (or cut) the foam.
Burn-in knives
A burn-in knife is an effective tool for repairing wooden articles and furniture. A burn-in knife is used to fill scratches or dents with epoxies or wax. The color of the filling material used is matched with the surface color.
Hot knife strip cutters
A hot knife strip cutter is useful for cutting materials into lengths of thin strips or ribbons. Hot knife strip cutters can be used to cut various materials such as elastics, rubber and synthetics.
Hot cutter safety
Use of hot wire cutters requires certain safety measures to be followed in order to avoid any hazard. One of the major risks while using hot wire cutters to cut foam is exposure to toxic fumes.
Temperature scales
Different applications require different types of hot knives with different heating temperatures. You should be well aware of the different heating scales and your temperature requirements.
Colorado State University’s online education resource provides detailed information about temperature scales under the US metric system.
Watt
Watt is the unit to measure electrical power. Before buying any hot knives, you must have knowledge about the power requirements of the hot knife that you want to buy.
You can read through the definition of watt at the glossary of technical terms at Tyco Electronics, a provider of electronic components.
