The concept of "mounting knife" includes a set of tools designed to perform their main function in the technical and construction fields. Among this line there are specific designs, as well as universal tools.
Special design knives are designed for a specific job and not suitable for other uses. An example is an electrical knife with a heel. Generic types tend to be used in a wide range of jobs and even for domestic purposes.
The main difference between a mounting knife and a household one is its technical suitability for mounting and construction tasks, convenience and speed of use in a given area.
Types of mounting knives
All industrial knives can be divided into two broad categories:
- Construction and installation cutting tools.
- Electrical knives.
Modern construction knives are designed with removable, replaceable blades. The cutting part is also segmented with the possibility of breaking off the segments. This technical solution allows you not to waste time sharpening the cutting blade and perform the work extremely quickly. Handlemounting knife of professional models has rubber pads for better fixation of the tool in the hand. The knife can be stored in the pocket of overalls during operation, as it has the function of hiding the blade in the handle.
Electrical knives consist of a handle and a steel non-replaceable blade. They come in different types to perform certain operations and jobs:
- Cable knife. It has a straight shortened blade, often covered to the level of the cutting edge with insulating material. Use this tool for cable wire stripping.
- Electrical knife with heel. The blade is curved like a beak. At the end it has a welded element in the form of an oval heel. This knife is used for stripping primary insulation from multi-core cables. Its design does not allow breaking the wire insulation in the bundle.
- Knife mounting universal. Folding knife design like a penknife. In addition to various stripping blades, it also has an awl and screwdriver tab. Designed to work with de-energized wires.
What can you do with a mounting knife?
The applicability of a construction knife is very wide. In addition to the usual operations of cutting ropes, cloth, hose, wires, sharpening pencils, he can:
- Cut drywall. Thanks to the strong and sharp blade, soft plaster and thick cardboard are easily cut and broken at the cut point.
- Cut linoleum and carpet. It is convenient not only to cut the flooring into segments, but also to make a curly cut and adjust in hard-to-reach places.
- Knife of mounting foam removes excess quickly and easily.
- Work with Styrofoam, mineral wool and other insulating materials.
- Act as a wallpaper knife.
- Cut film, both ordinary and all types of waterproofing and vapor barrier materials.
The field of application of the electric knife is limited to the field of energy and voltage tolerances. Typically, professional cutting tool insulation can handle up to 380 volts and up to 200 amps.
Another type of cutting tool for technical purposes is a mounting knife-scalpel. This device also has a handle and a blade, but they are made entirely of high grade tool steel. Scalpels of this type are designed to work with electronic circuits, or rather the repair of components and blocks. They are also used to cut current-carrying tracks on a printed circuit board.
How to choose a good assembly knife?
A quality construction tool has the following characteristics:
- The presence of a strong handle, equipped with rubber pads or a relief surface for ease of holding in hand.
- Presence of a rigid blade fixation mechanism.
- Blade guide made of durable steel. If a segment of the blade breaks, the guide should not be deformed.
- Convenient blade change system.
If you pull out the blade of the knife halfway and, pressing on the handle, make a cut, the blade should not move up much, but should be in line withhandle.
The professional electrician's hacksaw has a one-piece dielectric handle without any metal inserts. The voltage limit may be indicated on it, or this limit must be in the technical specification of the product. The knife is sold initially sharpened, and sometimes steel markings are indicated on it. On modern good models, there is a blade protection casing. The blade must be free of nicks and burrs.
Professional knife care
A construction knife does not require sharpening, but it still needs care. It consists in removing particles of building materials, dust and dirt from the blade extension system. It is also advisable to change the cutting elements that have begun to rust in time to prevent corrosion of the guide. Otherwise, it is risky to cut expensive wallpapers with a rusty tool. In general, it is undesirable to hide the wet blade of a mounting knife in the handle.
Electrical knife, on the contrary, requires periodic sharpening. It is better not to allow the blade to become seriously dull and to bring it down after each voluminous work. In the process of sharpening, you can not change the angle of the bevel of the blade. Store the tool only with the protective cover on. To keep the knife from rusting, it should always be coated with machine oil.
Conclusion
Three rules for choosing a quality tool, including a mounting knife:
- Professionalism. The expert knows what tool he needs for the job.
- Observation. He who values strength and energy will not useinconvenient tool.
- Generosity. Aspiring to the development of his business, he is always ahead and spares no expense for the best technologies and tools.
