How to Make Perfect Cuts in EVA Foam with Sharp Knives - TUTORIAL
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- čas přidán 1. 07. 2024
- Making super clean cuts with a knife in EVA foam can improve the quality of your prop and costume projects dramatically. Follow along as Bill discusses the tools and techniques he uses to get perfect cuts in EVA foam.
Links
Foamsmith Books
punishedprops.com/foamsmith/
Foamsmith Playlist
• Foamsmithing - Creatin...
Destiny Hunter Knife Video
• Prop: Shop - Destiny H...
Tools & Materials
Drywall Knife - Amazon
amzn.to/2DCXg3X
Kershaw Sharpener - Amazon
amzn.to/14AfnW5
Victorinox Sharpener - Amazon
amzn.to/2Cmkr5l
9mm Snap Off Utility Knife - Amazon
amzn.to/2Emu4zq
9mm Olfa Blades - Amazon
amzn.to/2DAO9R6
18mm Snap Off Utility Knife - Amazon
amzn.to/2DCYegB
18mm Olfa Blades - Amazon
amzn.to/2Cs5kFf
Wide Handle X-Acto - Amazon
amzn.to/2zRLmAR
#11 Blades - Amazon
amzn.to/2CoF2pI
Curved Blades - Amazon
amzn.to/2DCLNkX
Persona Blades - Amazon
amzn.to/2DBREHh
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#PunishedProps - Jak na to + styl
This video is a god send. Your worst case scenario of cuts is how I've been cutting my foam wondering what's going on.
Happy to help out!
Same here
Wrap your blade jar with duct tape, all around, including bottom. If you drop it, the tape should keep glass and metal contained...mostly
That's actually a really great idea.
I use a soda can (with duct tape over the hole) instead, less chance of it going everywhere
Or, as we do in Europe, sort all of your waste :-P Metal blades go in the metal bin. Glass in the glass bin, plastic in the plastic bin, organic waste in the organic bin and so on.
rasmis that's not the point. The point of having a can or jar of blades is that when you go to trash them they can't hurt anyone else with their sharpness, or slice their way out of trash bags
Ah, the unsolicited snooty input of the European. Always unwelcome, but always offered.
Thank you so much. I've recently started prop making with foam and have been very discouraged due to tears and unclean cuts in the foam. I'm ordering a metal ruler as well as a few of the knives used in this video, your techniques seem way better than the ones I am using and I am very grateful that I've found this video and I'm also very grateful that you've supplied your knowledge to myself and others who are getting into prop making. Thank you.
Fantastic!! So glad to be of help!
As always thanks for the great insight and I love the J.J. Flare!
Thanks for the video. Very helpful for foam smithing and everyday work
You're welcome!
Thanks for sharing this tutorial. There is a lot of useful information on it and I learned quite a bit. Have a Happy New Year.
You're welcome!
Your timing with this video is impeccable. I’m attempting my first foamsmithing projects very soon and I was looking for more information about cutting knives and sharpeners.
Wonderful! =D
I just got a Kershaw sharperner and it is the BEST. It really cuts down on tossing used blades and my cuts are soooo much cleaner. Excellent tool.
Happy New Year. Bill, your gesturing with and near the blades was terrifying 😂😂
For the blue pocket knife style blades (utility style blades) when you go to flip the blade around, put an X with a marker on the used side. That way when the blade is dull again you will know the the other side (original side) is already dull.
lol, i just snap the tip off
You're welcome! That's super ambitious. Good luck! =D
You're so helpful and this channel is so great. Thank you for going so far beyond for us ^^
You're welcome!
oh wow this is really helpfull! :D I was really wondering if I got the wrong kind of foam because the edges were never smooth. Thanks for th tips!
I live vicariously through your videos,I haven't been able to make any of the projects you share. I love all the information you provide and I save everything I can so when I get a suitable work area I will make ALL THE STUFF! Thanks for everything you and your team do. Also,I like how your name sounds like Builder-an...I always picture a superhero named Builderman,he got his powers when he was bitten by a radioactive cosplayer.
Thanks for the feedback Brandon! =D
Happy New Year Bill!
Happy New Year!
This is so great! Thanks!
You're so welcome! We're really glad you find the video useful :)
Another awesome video! Thanks! Oh, and loved the JJ Abrams style lens flare at the end XD Happy new year and thanks again!!!
Thanks!
I remember doing a live stream about this EXACT freakin' thing. I'd glad you're making this video though cause you have a MUCH larger audience.
10/10 I always re-sharpen as much as I can before I toss a blade. Saves a decent amount of money, too.
Right on! =D
This'll help a LOT for my Spartan armor build!
Fantastic!
Love this channel!! 😍😍
Thank you!
I practised for some time now and produced a lot of crap, 2018 I am finally going to try and build a cyberman suit from Doctor Who Season 2. Thanks and a happy new year Britt and Bill!
Achim Schreiner Cool 🙂
Since I already had these knives I decided to try foam prop making. Let's just say, I'm glad I know how to fill gaps. Poster board is more forgiving.
That's awesome that you've given it a try! Keep practicing :)
Those Olfa blades are the BEST. I carve a lot of upholstery foam for my projects and nothing works better. They go dull quickly, though.
super helpful thank you
You're welcome!
as a knife maker, I can totally appreciate the need for a sharp blade! great video! you know, my kids are getting into cosplay, and one of my daughters wants to be a female Bane from Dark Knight Rises. Should be a fun build. thanks for the content, always helpful!
That sounds like a super fun build. =D
Have you considered doing cardboard, card and paper challenge? Using only a utility knife and exacto. I did this to see what the material is like and I prototype everything in it now. From lightsabers to destiny hand cannons. And a bit of poly filler helps get the correct finish. I use hot glue and pva as well. Thought it would be a fun challenge to see what a true master of materials could make. Keep up the good work :)
I've found acetone works well for removing contact cement reside from my fingers, maybe it will work on a blade too. I'll have to try it this weekend when I work on Shuri's gauntlets.
Good idea.
I can't thank you enough for the tips that you gave in this video, what you deemed "the worst case scenario" was how I've been cutting, I thought it was the box cutter knife that I had, then I thought it was the cheap foam.. Nope. Turns out I just didn't have the right technique. Just lowered the angle of the blade, I don't think I've ever cut a cleaner cut.
That's great! Level up! =D
I have one of those mastercraft knives with the reversible blades, and they are so sharp that if you cut yourself they don’t even really hurt after cutting yourself. It happened to my finger and the only time it hurt was when i put it under water. Even when I went to get stitches it didn’t hurt.
Are there any good points to using like a hot knife to hot wire to cut specific shapes into your foam?
Hey Bill, your channel has inspired me and made me realize how much I like making props and costumes! Quick question: I’m really into making halo and Star Wars props, including armor, helmets, and weapons, so when should I use foam and when should I use my 3D printer in your professional opinion? Thanks!
I like to use EVA foam for larger pieces that need to be flexible. I'll use 3D printing for things that need an extreme amount of detail or precision. I'll also lean towards 3D printing for anything that I intend to mold and cast.
this video is soooo helpful. thank you. I am hoping with this new information that I am able to cut angles into foam, without having to waste a lot of time cutting making angles with a dremmel tool and getting foam dust everywhere.. also sanding is wayyy too time consuming
Right on! So glad we could help!
Thanks for the Vid! Never knew to keep the blade shallow... That really helps. What are your thought on using a scroll saw for cutting foam?
You're welcome! The scroll saw is OK and sometimes it's the only way to make a complicated cut. It does, however, leave a fairly rough edge.
Have you ever considered getting an ultrasonic cutter? They're a bit expensive but they're ridiculously effective at pretty much everything.
have you ever tried leather stropping? Basically take any piece of leather, and using the smooth side, brush the blade at a shallow angle back and forth, with the top of the blade leading, going....sideways? so the length of the blade is going in a perpendicular way to the way you are pulling the knife. I've done this with exacto blades, and its incredibly effective. You can use a belt, or other leather. Think of it as the old barbers, when they would sharpen their shaving blades.
I'll have to give that a try.
To clean the blade of gunk, try Eucalyptus Oil - works a treat and smells awesome!
Delicious! =)
How can I cut straight 90 degree cuts on Eva foam that’s around 2 inches thick? MUCH APPRECIATED 👏🏼
Hey Bill, have you ever thought about branching out into other (stiffer) materials like foamed PVC sheeting?
I've used foam PVC a lot, when the need arises. For example: czcams.com/video/4NTw5AaoSJs/video.html
What do you reccomend if we don't have a self healing mat to be able to cut on?
this was so helpful! what is your opinion of using a "hot knife?" i bought one thinking...foam....hot equals easier cuts but after watcching this i'm not so sure. seems like it could get gunky fast.
I use a hot knife for cutting details into foam, like I did with this mask from Far Cry: czcams.com/video/buPoj7LVaEw/video.html I personally wouldn't recommend a hot knife for simply cutting foam, as the foam will react to the heat and the knife doesn't get as hot as a laser cutter.
thanks!
Sanding the top (flat, non-cutting) side of the #11 X--Acto blade at an angle, toward the tip, can give you a cutting tip that is less delicate than the original tip.
I would use the original tip until it broke (cutting out flexible circuits on glass) and then sand the broke tip until it had a sharp point once again. You can do that a few times before replacing the blade, extending it's useful life.
Great tip, thanks for sharing!
Hey quick question. If One were to use Mineral Oil or Machine Oil to sharpen their blades would that oil have an adverse effect on the EVA Foam?
Thanks! I love your videos.
That's a great question! I have no idea. I use WD-40 to sharpen mine and I haven't noticed any issues. Worth testing!
I guess that sort of explains why my blade keeps getting caught on the foam whenever I try and cut angles.
I already pretty much destroyed one of my arm templates on my Megazord cosplay. Guess I'm gonna have to re-trace a new arm piece and try again.
That's actually super helpful! thank you Bill!
btw, do you have any advice on how to make perfect 45° cuts? they're a real pain in the ass
If they need to be super accurate, it's hard to beat using a bandsaw with a tilting bed.
Do you have a specific type of vinyl sheet you use for stencils? Or will just any old vinyl sheet work?
Oracal 813 masking vinyl is really great for machine cut stencils.
Yeah most of the personna blade holders I have seen are what is called a layering razor, it's a holder that only interval portions of the blade are exposed.
This appealed to me as a chef
Relatable! A good cut is a good cut.
Hi! I'm a hairstylist as well as a cosplayer, and if you go to a Sally's beauty supply store you should be able to get a razor that will hold those blades. Just bring them in, or take down the numbers so you can find the right thing! They definitely make holders for those. And they're great! I hope you can find some! Online would work too. :)
Awesome tip, thanks! =D
Yeah, they're for disposable blade straight razors.
I know that you like the diamond and ceramic sharpening rods, but since you are using razors, have you ever stropped your blades?
Thanks for this, super helpful.
What would be a good lubricant for sharpening blades?
I just use WD-40 :)
Aaaand now I want to completely rebuild my mass effect armor just to test out some of these techniques :D
You and me both. I've improved a lot since I made my Mass Effect armor back in 2012.
They have straight razor barber tools that can hold the Personna blades on Amazon.
That's good to know!
You can find plastic razor blades on amazon. I know they are used to remove stickers from glass, or dead bugs from the hood of the car, as they are plastic they do not damage harder materials, but they are really sharp. I do not know if they work on foam.
Victor García they loss sharp very very fast on foam
Persona are replacements for straight razors. The key to maintain them is to strop them with leather and they can keep for a good long time!
I'll have to give that a try.
hello !
to get the glue out of any blade , just use a heat gun and then clean it with a small rug/cloth
:)
I need to cut 50mm (or 5cm) thick eva foam. Density is around 35. What knife should I use. I also needed to reshape some parts of it to make them a bit rounded as well.
I would recommend a bandsaw. Here's a video on that: czcams.com/video/hj3XPCHjz60/video.html
Hi Bill, are the books on Amazon? Happy new year to all you guys at the shop :-)
Yes we sell our books on Amazon, although some of them are currently out of stock.
Thank you :-) I'll keep an eye out.
You can probably 3d print a holder for those personna blades ;)
That's a pretty great idea!
You should probably be wearing cut resistant gloves when sharpening or using a box cutter knife.
I recently sliced myself pretty good while sharpening my Box cutter knife.
The single-edge Personna blade has a "straight razor" handle that can be picked up on ebay, with blades, for about $10. One search example is - straight edge folding barber razor Personna blades
Thanks for the tip!
Have you tried the Dewalt carbide blades? I find they are not the sharpest, but they keep their edge a lot longer than any other blade and they can be sharpened easily with a fine diamond sharpener.. The Olfa black blades are exceptionally sharp out of the package, but do not really keep it very long and if you resharpen, they are not any different than standard blades.
I have not tried those yet.
Can u give the name of the sharper aging
Ive never been able to buy a knife that comes sharp enough to cut EVA that nicely. Maybe thats an Australia thing. So its god to know there's an easy effective way to sharpen them
Magmafrost13 yea
What type of knives are the best to use??? I have an old box cutter but it doesn’t work well...
I used it for my first project but it really sucks :(
I use X-ACTO blades and our Foamsmith utility knife! www.punishedprops.com/shop/foamsmith-utility-knife-bonus-10-pack-of-replacement-blades/
surgical blades are also really good, and the blades are far cheaper then box cutter or x-acto blades. You can pick them up in surplus from ebay and such for next to nothing.
may i ask whats a good budget cutting mat to buy?
This is the one we usually link to amzn.to/2O6ecG0
When I worked for Lockheed Martin we used to tape popsicle sticks to either side of the persona blades to use as a handle however you can get holders for them. They can also be bent to cut out channels or to cut small strips flush with it's adjoining surface just apply tape to the top extending past both sides to use it as a sort of handle while pulling the blade across your material.
Nifty!
when you pulled out the persona blade i could feel a papercut like sensation on my right index finger, where i majorly injured it taking out a broken automotive taillight, lets say i was as scared as you were
Yikes!
Which sharpener do you prefer the Kershaw or equinox? Thanks.
I have a Kershaw sharpener and I like it a lot
Punished Props Academy thanks! Just ordered it!
How about a hot wire cuter ? Is that a good option ?
It can be! Foam does tend to shrink away from heat though so, similar to a laser cutter, you'll end up with a bit of a curve on your cuts.
Thanks for this, my cuts were not very good when I was making my batman Beyond costume
You're welcome!
i found one magical tool for shaving and carving foam. you can find flat little 13cm long "brass kiridashi" knives for about 10$ on ebay. these things can hold a hair-splitting edge, and are easily resharpened with a cheap little 3000/10000 grit wet stone. not ideal for cutting thick material, but a you can get them sharper than a scalpel. (scary!) one already saved me packets of blades, shaving depron foam for flying wings down to paper thin edges.
That's great, thanks for sharing. =D
How did you make the zig zag blade you used to cut molds?
I heated it with a torch and bent it. Note that the blade will be incredibly soft after heating it, so it is a little delicate.
If you don't snap your snap blades, you can buy non-scored solid versions so that you don't risk the blade snapping unexpectedly. www.amazon.com/OLFA-9009-L-SOL-Heavy-Duty-10-Pack/dp/B0006SJAU2/ as an example.
Oh that's awesome! Thanks for the tip. =D
Washing up liquid works better then WD40 And the dish washer normally has a good supply of it!
So I have a bunch of pieces of foam with worst case scenario edges. Any idea how to smooth out the edges?
Rotary tool with a sanding bit.
Here is a link to some blades you didn't mention but might be of interest.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009F6BMQQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
They are the 9mm but with a much sharper 30degree point. Basically like the exacto but in a snap off blade.
U know the mandalorian helmet, how do I cut the bevelled cheek pieces with just a knife on 40 degrees??
Exactly how I show in the video! You can just pick your angle and cut by hand
where did you get your foam from? ive searched everywhere but the one isnt EVA and the other doesnt have a smooth side
Here’s my EVA foam buying guide: punishedprops.com/2014/09/30/eva-foam-buying-guide/
Have you ever used a scalpel?
I have, but not for cutting EVA foam.
"It looks like it was done by a machine."* Insert joke about Bill being a foam cutting machine. *
That's not far from the truth. =)
Punished Props Haha right?!
I'm #1k. I just wanted to share that. Enjoy the video!
Hey there! I work for a Boys and Girls club and I am trying to find those Yellow knives for my teens to use. We are starting a program in Jan/ Feb and Im just trying to get the best knives for them. Can you help me find those on Amazon?
Hello! We actually sell knives like that on our website: www.punishedprops.com/product-category/tools/
@@punishedprops thank you I’ll look into it!!
@@punishedprops Hey there Thank so much for replying. Do you have any resources that teach about scaling and sizing your armor for custom fitting?
thank you for your tips, well im off to kill some titans now they tend to leap over wall rose....
Am i the only one that hit the like button betweetn the first 3 seconds ? :P
Plastic "Sharps" containers are quite cheap and readily available in the pharmacy aisle of most supermarkets.
X acto knife or box cutter? Which to buy?
I use both on an almost daily basis. Neither is very expensive, it's worth trying them both and taking advantage of their different benefits, or simply finding which one you prefer to work with.
@@punishedprops thanks for the fast reply! Your videos helped me purchase necessary tools to get started. I just need to decide on one last thing ...an air brush kit. Any recommendations? I'm on a strict budget so i guess I'm looking for a budget beginner air brush kit. warmest regards ~bob
can you make the handcannon from Destiny1 (devil you know) without dremmel/drimmel
You could do it without a Dremel, but you'll find the rotary tool really helps make your work go a lot faster and you'll end up with a much more refined finish.
Punished Props... i got a nice idea for your next build if you like it. "Sweet Bissuniss" from Destiny2 or the "Prometieus Lens" from Destiny2 expensian pass Curse of Osiris
You can do also the "Nameless Midnight" (i am trying to make this one)
by the way i am a fan from Destiny and i like your builds from it a lot but i also like to see if your build more...
what i want to build is: The Devil You Know, The Nameless Midnight and an hunter armour outfit...
thanks for the feedback👍
and many succes with your next build!😄😃🤗
Buy the OLSA knifes, trust me, they may cost a little more, but they are so worth it.
Thanks for the suggestion!
So why lubricate the sharpener? How does it help?
It helps remove the metal dust from the grinding surface of the sharpener. Similar to wet sanding.
Punished Props thanks for the answer!
WHAT IS BEST TEMP. FOR HEAT SEALING EVA FOAM
YET TO BE NAMED just uses a heat gun you’ll notice or see a visual change in the eva.
YET TO BE NAMED also look for evil ted smith (evil ted ) he explains it.
lasarith2 THANK YOU
YET TO BE NAMED welcome 🙂
YET TO BE NAMED 2:09 czcams.com/video/ug6Rs06FEpk/video.html
I noticed you didn't use the Xacto blade to cut the foam. I'm guessing it isn't very helpful when cutting foam?
It can be, but I find it works best for very small or shallow detail cuts, rather than cutting pieces out. The blade is quite small and so doesn't usually cut all the way through anything thicker than a couple of millimeters.
@@punishedprops Thank you for your reply!
Make a pip boy and the briefcase please
What about using a bandsaw or jigsaw?
Steven Bloomfield not a good idea, your cuts gonna be all messy with a utility knife or a x-acto knife you have way much more control of you cuts
Those will make cuts in foam, for sure, but they won't be nearly as clean as with an extremely sharp knife.
Bandsaws work really great, just a little cleaning after with sandpaper. Don't know what you guys are on about, must be using blunt blades.
This video comes out a day after I sliced my hand open with an exacto. Oh, the irony!
Working on some halo armor and an Omnitrix this will help immensely
Can I use a sharp knife instead?
It’s called a sharps bin 🙂