Organizational Holders (and hanging tips)

 I found some magnetic holders at a dollar store not to long ago, so I documented the steps I took to put them up. Whatever type of hangers you want to put up to organize your hobby area, this article will give you some helpful tips. Mostly, it's straight forward, but you'll find one step here quite useful when working with thin wood that will prevent you from destroying shelves.

I talked about some other magnetic holders in a post about my work area. The ones I cover in this article are a little bigger though.

Rolling Tubes

 Slow news day? Obvious post? An obsessive need to eventually document anything I can think of?

Call it what you want, but this is how to roll tube ends to get the most out of your glue, putty, etc.

Cleaning Your Files

A file is a tool that's generally pretty sturdy. They're made out of steel, they're strong, won't bend or break and just keep on working. This makes it a tool you're going to have around for quite some time, and like anything they'll stop working as well as when you initially bought them.

Eventually, your file ends up with a smooth(ish) surface and it stops filing. Usually your file is fine; the metal isn't worn down, what's happened is residue from all the stuff you've filed off fills the rough surface. That's all the junk you now need to clean out, but it'll be in there pretty good considering the force you use a file with.

Water? Maybe - but you want to avoid rust. (and a file will chew through a Rust Eraser) Sponges? A file will tear them up. Another file! Well, kind of. Obviously another normal file will just grind and destroy both your files.

There are tools for cleaning files. They're not very expensive, and can be found at hardware or surplus stores. I found mine at Princess Auto, a rather large tool chain up here in Canada.

Looks like a filled pin cushion with a handle. The pins are weak enough to avoid damaging your files and small enough to rub away all the gunk.

To use it, hold the file or the brush and rub the other against it quickly and with some force.

Pay attention to the angle you use. You may have to rotate them to find out what works best. Files have different patterns that make up the rough areas. Sometimes rubbing with the "grain" is best, other times against.

The files won't be perfect, as there is wear on them as you use them, especially when you're using files on other metals like pewter. However, when you're done, you'll notice a significant improvement.

Rust Eraser

This is a rust eraser - yup, these things actually exist.

What makes this article super easy to write, is that a rust eraser works exactly like a real eraser. Be sure to stroke back to front when you're working near the blade. If you don't, the blade will shave the eraser.

I haven't really seen these around, but I got mine at the House of Knives. Perhaps other knife stores carry them.

A note on rust - rust isn't just something that grows on the surface of the metal. It actually eats the metal, digging slowly as the top layers come off. If you see rust, you'd best clean it as soon as you can. Rust is usually caused by water, but sometimes moisture in the air (humidity) can also cause it. If salt is added to the mix, reactions speed up.

Since it's an eraser, just rub it over the surface of the metal. Wipe / blow away the shavings that come off and keep working until you get rid of all the rust.

Just look at that photo! I've cleaned half the blade and not just the rust is removed but the metal is also cleaned. Incredible!

As a safety precaution, place some electrical tape over the blade's edge when you're cleaning the other end. (Since you'll have to hold the sharp end)

If you choose to do this, you're probably best to clean the back first, then the front. Then you can remove any stickyness left behind by the tape.

Sharpening Knives

An important part of the upkeep for your knives is making sure they stay nice and sharp.

Most people overlook the importance of sharp blades. Blades that are dull or have nicks and such, however, will not only be difficult to use, but it will also catch and skip. This can lead to injury, messing up the mini or even damaging the blade further.

The stone on the left is obviously too rough for knives as fine as we hobbyists use. The two on the right are the type for getting fine edges. I use two stones; while both are smooth to the touch, the middle one is a little coarser so I start with it, then repeat all the steps with the stone on the right which is finer.

1. Wet the stone and keep it wet while you work.
2. Place the sharp edge against the stone and tilt the blade back.
3. Make sure the whole blade fits so you sharpen evenly.
4. In a smooth motion with firm, even pressure, slice forward.
5. Lift the blade, return it to it's start location and repeat.
6. Use a smaller angle to get a finer edge.
7. Repeat for the blade's other side. (same number of slices)

Typically, I'll make 5 slices at 45 degrees, another 5 at half that, repeat for the other side of the blade then do it all again for good measure.

After finishing with the coarser sharpening stone, I use the finer one and repeat all the same steps.

In the below photo, the angle on the left is too large. The middle angle is what I start with, roughly 45 degrees. On the right is the angle I end with, roughly 22.5 degrees.

When trying for a super sharp edge, don't make the angle too small or you'll end up with the main body of the blade touching the stone and not the edge of the blade.

This all creates a nice sharp edge on your blades. With enough work you can remove nicks, scratches, chips, add serration or even reshape them. I the below photo, I've curved the tip to get a little more usefulness out of one blade.

For concave shaped blades, you can also find rounded sharpening tools. (Similar to the sharpening rods for kitchen knifes) You use these the same as the stones except as you slice forward, also slide your blade sideways to sharpen the whole edge in a single stroke.

As my buddy Hex points out, after you've sharpened your blades, treat them right and protect them from rust:
"3in1 oil if you feel you need to, (machine oil ) otherwise I use a bit of virgin olive oil on mine (plain, not spiced lol). Veggie oil would work too. Wipe off excess"


As reader Loquacious points out, her knife came with a number of extra blades -
"Other than economy (which I do see a value in) what benefit does sharpening have over just replacing a blade?" (I'll assume these extra blades are the same, and not different shapes/sizes as detailed in my all about knives post)

• Economical reasons are certainly one of the reasons to sharpen rather than replace. Keep the spares for times when you snap the blade.
• There's a good chance you'll be able to sharpen your blades better than they come from the factory.
• In the case of high-quality (or surgical quality) blades, these extra blades may be machined and sharper than we humans can easily do.

The tools and supplies talked about here are somewhat specialty items. You can try knife and art stores, (which might be able to order them) but will have better luck at carving (wood working) stores. Hardware and surplus stores that carry sharpening stones probably don't have any fine enough for hobbies, just axes and such.

Reconditioning Paints

As I'm sure you're all aware of, paints can get really dried out. Who wants to toss a $4 paint out that has a chance at survival? Since this is Internet and I can't see anyone raise their hands, I'm going to assume nobody wants to.

The following are some tips on how to revive paints that have died on you. It won't always work because sometimes, they're just too far gone.

Now the paint in the photo to the left is not too bad, but it could do with some cleaning and the following steps still apply to paints dried out even more.

The easiest method is just adding two drops of water with an eye dropper, closing up the paint, shaking it, and seeing if it's thin enough. If not, repeat.

Two drops is a safe number that shouldn't make your paint too runny.

Even better, use a professional thinner instead of water. It'll make the paint last longer and preserve its colour. I'll usually use a little matte medium and slo-dri.

As paint leaks and dries around the rim of the cap of your paint, it slowly thickens until it takes up a large amount of space.

When you have a bunch of paint gumming up the cap, the lid won't close properly, causing your paint to dry out quicker.

Whenever you notice a build up, it's a good idea to remove the excess paint. Tweezers work well.

It takes a while, but paint buildup on the tongue of the inside of your cap will slowly dry out, wasting a lot of paint in one fell swoop.

Before it dries completely, use a toothpick to scrape it back into your paint bottle.

While you're at it, scrape under the inner rim of your bottle, forcing the clinging paint back into the bottom.

Once all the clumps are in, stir it back up. You'll probably have to add water since you're dealing with paint that's already in a water deficit.

Before signing off, scrape all the excess paint off your toothpick.

If you're about to use the colour, you might as well use the toothpick instead of the bottle so that paint doesn't go to waste.



If you have problems with thick paint, clumps and such, drop a small ball-bearing or a small screw, nut, bolt, etc in your container. This will help mix your paint when you shake your bottle up.

Sometimes, as in the below example, the paint around the bottle has dried out too much to save. You don't want to mix this dry paint back into your bottle.

Instead, when you're scraping off the old dried or pasty paint, throw it out, rather than scrape it back into the bottle.

Cleaning Your Brushes

Sometimes brushes just get stiff and unwieldy. Other times it's due to dried paint or other things dried in the bristles. Usually this will be stuff missed during cleaning at the base where the bristles attach to the handle, but sometimes because you may have forgotten to clean your brush.

Don't fret, because all is not lost! Take a jaunt down to your local art store and look for some brush cleaner. You might also find it at hobby or surplus stores. I haven't found much difference in brands and there's plenty to choose from - you'll probably be limited to what's available. You could even try dish soaps and plastic friendly model strippers, but it won't work as well as real stuff.

You're also going to need a plastic surface, preferably with a rim. An old paint lid works great.

Dip Dip your bristles into the cleaner, just past the metal, and then remove it. Don't dip past the metal - I've found some cleaners will even eat the paint off the handle of your brush, leaving you to get tacky paint all over your hands. Always remove the brush after dipping - don't soak it in the cleaner. It might eat right through what holds the bristles in place. With the brush out of the cleaner, let it sit for a few minutes so that the cleaner on the brush will start it's job. As you repeat steps, you'll probably want to let it sit less. A brief soak helps to loosen things at first, but motion will help more to get the last of it out. Step 1 - Swirl This loosens up whatever's stuck in the bristles. Swirl just the tip of the brush on your plastic surface. As the bristles become more pliable, widen the swirls and apply more pressure so that more of the bristles are bending. Think of it as painting large ovals. Turn the brush as you do to apply pressure from different angles. Clean Wipe the brush on a wet paper towel. You'll notice some colour comes off. *Don't dip the brush in your normal water pot, to ensure the cleaner doesn't mix in. Dip Step 2 - Brush This will work the cleaner deeper into the brush and start applying pressure into where the bristles attach to the handle. On your plastic surface, wipe the brush back and forth as if your were painting long lines. As the bristles become more pliable, apply more pressure. Turn the brush as you do to apply pressure from different angles. Clean and Dip Step 3 - Scrape This will clean off the outside stuff that's caked onto the bristles. Being careful to not abuse the bristles, brush the bristles against the corner of the rim of your plastic surface. Place the top of the bristles where it connects to the handle against the rim and pull the brush along the rim to the tip A smooth but rough surface is also good for rubbing along the outside of the brush. Sand paper would be too rough, but some plastic containers have ridges. A textured gel could also create a good surface to rub the brush along. Repeat, turning the brush to rub each side along the rim. Clean

• Repeat all the steps above as necessary.
• If you notice one working better than the others, stick with it a few times. You'll probably find the brush will quickly give off colour, but will take some repetition to get rid of all the stiffness.
• Thoroughly clean the brush with water and wipe on a paper towel.
• You don't want to leave anything behind to continue eating away at the brush.

They won't be good as new, but they'll certainly be usable.
This can slowly eat at the glue holding the bristles in - sometimes you can only clean a brush so many times.