Tamiya Plastic Scriber II Review

- Gunpla Supplies -

Tamiya Plastic Scriber II Review

Hey guys, its been a while since iv'e had any activity on here. So lets start it off with a new review of the Tamiya Plastic Scriber II. Now as you may be able to tell from the picture below, the plastic scriber is also a member of the Tamiya Craft Tools just like the Tamiya Design Knife that I reviewed a bit over a month ago. Just some extra information if your interested - This tool is made in Japan by Tamiya and the blades are from OLFA.

 

 The front tool still inside the retail packaging. On the front side of the item informs you of the following:

• Ideal for cutting plastic/acrylic boards and scribing panel lines onto plastic models.
• 2 spare blades included.
• Retractable blade enhances safety.
• Narrow blade edge enables easy access to hard to reach areas.

A shot of the back of the packaging. The back instructs you on how to use the tool as well as some caution notes.

The instructions are as follows:

1. Gently scribe repeatedly until a groove halfway through the board is formed.
2. Bend outwards to result in a clean break.
3. Afterwards, use the back of the blade to clean off the edge.

Scribing Plastic Models

• Use a thin plastic board as a guide

<<CAUTION>>

• Do not touch the sharp parts of the blade.
• Retract blade into body when not in use.
• Keep out of reach of small children.
• When cutting clear or brittle plastic, scribe deeper lines to avoid damage.
• If the blade comes into contact with water, dry immediately. 

Front and back shot of the tool itself. As you can see, the body of the tool is made entirely out of plastic. The only metal parts are found in the retracting mechanism and its body as well as the blade itself. The main body consists of a semi-gloss textured plastic with the exception of the spare blades door which has a clear smoke grey look to it. It is a semi-transparent plastic coloured in the same smoke grey colour as the action base that comes with the 'Wings Of Light Expansion Set' for the RG Destiny Gundam. However, just like the rest of the plastic, it too is textured.

- SPARE BLADES -

The two spare blades are held in this compartment where they are stored straight out of the box. The blades are relatively thin which allows you to be able to store many more blades. This will be quite helpful if you purchased the blade replacement - in which case, you will be able to store the new blades in here to save time for added convenience.

IS THIS THE SCRIBER FOR YOU?

This tool brings a very welcome change and upgrade from the previous Tamiya Plastic Scriber that was orginally released in 1997. The old scriber had a very hefty look to it and is clearly not as ergonomic as the current design of the ver. II. This tool was released in 2009 and still looks appealing without sacrificing build quality.

The textured feel of the scriber feels substantial but still feels a bit slippery. This however may be due to the semi-gloss of the plastic and may have been omitted by use of a matte texture and look to the plastic. However, with all this said, Tamiya has in fact placed grooves on the top portion of the scriber where the index finger sits as well and the bottom end where the tool sits in the arch of your hand. This was a very nice addition and adds alot to the ergonomics of the tool. By doing so, your hand and finger will be able to rest easy while still applying pressure to scribe your desired lines.

Tamiya has been updating their tools and supplies as of the past few years and the new design and additional functionality to the scriber is a very welcome change. With this said, there is only

one design colour for your tool and that is the one featured in this review.

There are countless other alternative scribers for your model kits from countless brands that have countless different form factors and colours but I can assure you, the design of the Tamiya Plastic Scriber offers one of the most comfortable and natural feel among the alternatives.

Overall, the scriber is a very nice addition to the collection of tools and while priced at around $6 AUD, its definitely an affordable tool. If your still uncertain if this is the right one for you, there are myriads of other alternative tools and brands that offer the same function. OLFA offers a 'Scriber S Type' that looks identical to the Tamiya Plastic Scriber II with the exception of a minute design change of the blade and featured in a yellow form factor rather than the Tamiya black and smoke grey variation. Priced just about $1 less than the Tamiya Scriber, the OLFA route might be the way to go. But if your keen on the Black and smoke grey look, an added $1 for the Tamiya is a very nice choice. Brand design might be your thing and if so, the extra $1 couldn't possibly hurt (...could it?). But if your on a budget and don't want to sacrifice the comfortable feel, the yellow OLFA model is still a very nice addition to the tool tray and offers just as much bang for your buck.

Well that about does it for this review guys. I hope this helps all of you out there and as always, thanks so much for viewing and tune in again soon for more updates, reviews and gunpla related content. Enjoy!

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