Tools for window tinting, is their a special edge knife?

[Robert Lambie]

is this auto vehicle windows or office type windows?

[Adam Zeit]

We use Olfa Silver, best to contour cut car windows.

[Robert Lambie]

I mostly use an Olfa knife too these days, but with the 30 degree blades as shown in this attachment. find the other blades pretty clumsy to use…

I also use Swann Mortan scalpel retractable and rigid, as shown.

that aside, i thought windows are removed from vehicles for tinting and any than cannot the film is applied below the rubber seal?

just my take on it, may not be correct as i do not get involved in vehicle tinting but have done allot of office windows using bomb proof films.

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Attachments:

[Ken Tran]

With vehicle window tints, I usually just roll it wet onto the window and cut around it leaving some excess, then move it onto a wet board and cut the lines straight with a swan morton blade pictured above with a metal rule.

I cut the curves when I remove the backing & slide it wet onto the window. Then squeegee the hard corners with a wierd pointy tool. I tuck it into the door rubbers with a slim flat tool.

Works most of the time but some vehicles have a really tight door rubber which lifts the film. In these cases I remove the door panels and sometimes the glass.

For the rear window I use a bit of baby powder and minimal water to aid in sliding and heating to curve the film with the window. Cut this freehand but when I can’t see the guideline, I use a torch on the inside on the window.

But then again, contour cut film is probably the easiest way. Haven’t tried it though. Hope this helps.

[Robert Lambie]

Just to add to this, here is an old vehicle window tinting tutorial done by UKSB member Lee Attewell.
http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=17641

[Chris Windebank]

use a olfa knife with a teflon hard card. You need to have a gap about 1mm from the gasket anyway. You can get both of these from any good window tint supplier.

[Bob Scullion]

definitely use an olfa with a stainless steel blade. we file or sand down the bottom edge of the actual knife, where the blade comes out at the top of the knife and the sharp edge of your blade is, the part that comes in contact with the glass as you trim the top edge of a drop glass.

This takes a few attempts to get it nice and smooth so you dont mark the film as you trim. If you dont you tend to get whats commonly called a "tram" line, a line approx 2mm all the way from the top edge where the knife has come in contact with the film.

Some will trim the top edge and move down slightly, "micro edging" so its a little quicker as you dont then have to file your top edge after youve heated your top edge.

Another little tip is to practice cutting the small overlap of film at the top edge of a drop glass holding the knife at approx 45 degrees to the glass edge and also having the blade edge at 45 degrees as this glides better along the glass edge.

Bob

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks guys, its great to know your guys are out there if you need advice.

[Martin Pearson]

Daniel, just remember that window films are nothing like vinyl to apply, just because you now have some experience applying vinyl don’t think it will make tinting any easier because it probably won’t.
Completely different type of film with different characteristics, especially if your Friends motor has curvy windows.

[Chris Windebank]

By the way, I was talking about flat glass installation and not vehicles.
The tool you saw at the Sign Show was on the Jag Supplies stand. Manufactured by yellow tool co
http://www.signmaking-superstore.de/sho … Guide.html

[Ben Walker]

i find the best way to get the best cut at the top edge is to cut it close at 90 degree then using a small file use upward movements and take off the few millimeters this way the film does not protrude from the glass and get taken off by the window closing against the seal.

it will also produce a nice crisp top edge.

[Bob Scullion]

quote Ben Walker:

i find the best way to get the best cut at the top edge is to cut it close at 90 degree then using a small file use upward movements and take off the few millimeters this way the film does not protrude from the glass and get taken off by the window closing against the seal.

it will also produce a nice crisp top edge.

Ben right, but file top edge after post heating or the film will lift leaving small bubbles along the edge. not too sure about the 90 degree though.

Bob

[Stuart Miller]

Bob is right with his angles for running a knife along a car door top edge for a gap free tint.
Except I would go for 3 x 45`
Knife blade at 45`on the glass.
Knife held at 45`in horizantal plane so blade drags behind knife
Knife held a 45`in Vertical plane so cut is teenee bit down from to top edge as the top of the glass is bevelled.
The aknowledged world expert in this shaving technique (Flat Rock Stan) also advocates using a dull blade rather than a sharp one. (For some reason it works). see this tinting topic http://www.tintdude.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=65085

I personally use a file and have had no issues. As long as you use a very fine file. I use a Halfords Ignition file.

As for knife. Olfa is not the only way to go I would say more tinters use the NT Red dot rather than an Olfa as it locks in position in very small increments and is more precise than an olfa. Olfa SS blades though.

As for the original quetsion abouit the knife with a spacer. I too was looking at this but can not see an advantage for any form of tinting, auto or flat glass.

[Chris Windebank]

Same as Stuart, cannot see the point of the yellow tool spacer scalpel. If you do want a 2 or 3mm gap the take a button off a polo shirt and pop under the film, insert knife through the film into the button hole and use as a guide against the frame. Works well but gap is too much for me.