All car wrappers will agree that knives are essential tools. If your work involves vinyl, you already know how important it is to have a proper knife. More importantly, having knives that have good blades.
For a top-notch wrap knife, quality and reliability are two things you cannot negotiate. Your knife should be durable and, at the same time, comfortable for you to use. The blade, on the other hand, should be razor-sharp and should allow maximum edge retention.
Without all these qualities, you might have jobs that come out with low quality. The car might end up having scratches. Poor cuts would mean extra time on jobs that shouldn't take so long. And if it's so bad, you might have to redo the process. That means you wasted your time, energy, and resources.
Knives for Car Wrapping
Snap-Off Knives
For some people, the basic tools are the snap-off knife and the craft knife. Snap off knives are multipurpose knives that allow you to adjust the length of the blades. They come with an auto-lock feature, so the edges stay while you use the knives. However, the problem with these knives is that their metal channel tends to scratch cars when used for vinyl cutting.
Craft Knives
The craft knife, like its name, finds its use in the creation of craft and arts. Just like the snap off knife, people can use them for vinyl cutting. Ideally, the craft knife should be a better cutter due to its sharper blades and lighter design. Unfortunately, it has its problems as well. For instance, the X-acto craft knife comes without a cap, and the edges are not retractable like the snap off knife. That means users have to be extremely careful when using it to avoid cutting themselves or vinyl accidentally. Also, when using it, there's usually a challenge of where to put the knife as it has a rounded handle. Therefore, it keeps rolling off and falling to the ground from wherever you put it.
Begs the question, are there any other alternatives?
You would need a knife that can combine all the advantages of these two and neglects their disadvantages. That knife is the all-new Nova craft knife.
Nova craft knife
Using this knife, you need not worry about car scratches anymore, because the knife front is round and made of plastic. The blade's design is such that it gives you excellent cuts at two angles, 45 degrees, and 60 degrees. Unlike the craft knife, its blades are retractable, and so you can carry it around safely. It has a flat surface; that way, the knife does not roll off your car when you keep them. With the ergonomic design of the handle, your hands would praise you for the extra comfort that the knife delivers. Besides, it takes only 3 seconds at most to change the blades of the Nova craft knife. Interestingly, you get up to 4 free edges when you buy the knife. So, it's like you are changing blades for free four times.
How to choose the best wrap knife?
To choose the right knife for easy cutting, safety, and to avoid accidental scratching, you must consider the following.
- Ergonomic handle
A good wrap knife must have a good handle. The handle's design should be such that it sits comfortably in your hand when you use it. It should also have a grip, so it doesn’t slip out from your hands. With these, you would be able to make better and precise cuts with better precision.
Snap-off knives have a flat ribbed handle, which might be a problem for people with small hands. Compared with craft knives, the handles are better off, only that they might be too small for bigger hands. Comparing the grip, the snap off has a better grip. But then, the nova knife sk016 gives you the best of handles. It has slim handles that you can hold like a pen. It’s not so small, and it's not so large, and it offers two cutting angles. It can also be used by the left-handed and the right-handed.
- Soft plastic body with no metal stick out.
This is important, so your knife doesn't scratch the car by mistake. For instance, when you use the snap off knife, there could be scratches on your vehicle. That's because the knife's casing for the blade is metallic. So, when you cut with it, the case could touch your car. The traditional craft knife also has a metallic body that can scratch your vehicle. Things are different with the nova knife sk016. The nova knife comes with a smooth plastic body, and therefore, it will not cause scratch by accident.
- Blade quick change
Because every second of your time counts, you should use only a knife that helps you save time. To help you save time, the nova knife sk016 allows you to change it blades in a record time of 3 seconds. Before you know it, you have installed new blades. It's easy and fast.
- Retractable
For your safety, an ideal knife for car wrapping must have retractable blades. This is a primary concern, especially when using craft knives. The blades of the craft knife stay in place all the time, and you can't retract them even if you wanted to. Should you forget to put in the safety cap, accidents could occur. However, with snap off knife and nova knife, you do not have to worry about safety caps. That's because their blades are retractable.
- Flat design.
A good wrap knife should be able to stay in your workspace without falling off. Unfortunately, the regular craft knife with its rounded edges would not allow that. As you place the knife on the car or table, it will keep falling off. It might cause damage to the vehicle or the blade or even injure you. Snapp off knives and the nova knife sk016 come with these fantastic designs.
