Colin, you're a clever little devil! I never thought of heating the pins. I
used the old gunner principle of brute force!

Harry

"De l'audace, et encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace!"

                                            - Danton

Harry Needham, M.A., CFE, etc.
President
Harry Needham Consulting Services Inc.
Training & consulting services for heritage institutions - and others!
74 Abbeyhill Drive
Kanata, Ontario K2L 1H1
Canada
email: [log in to unmask]
(Voice) +1.613.831-1068
(Fax) +1.613.831-9412
----- Original Message -----
From: Colin Macgregor Stevens <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2000 1:31 PM
Subject: Re: The old X-Acto knife


> In the 1960s in Rome, Italy and in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada I used
my
> parents' old medical scalpels and safety razor blades, snapped in half
> lengthways, with adhesive white medical tape on the "dull" edge. To get a
> 'point' edge I would snap a razor blade diagonally as I recall.
>
> To simulate bullet holes on plastic models of warplanes I used straight
pins
> heated over a candle flame, and then used one of the above razor blades to
> trim the melted plastic. I never owned a Dremel tool (mini-grinder). In
> Dartmouth, NS in the mid to late 1960s it seemed that no-one else that I
> knew was doing 'battle damage' on plastic models and/or battlefield
> dioramas. The contest judges clearly preferred the 'factory new' look at
> that time.
>
> If it would be of help, my father made balsa airplane models in the 1930s
> and I believe I could locate and scan copies of his 1930s club membership
> card (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada) and a photo he took of some balsa
> airplane models on display (may not be the best quality photo). I also
have
> a photo from a newspaper showing myself and other Royal Canadian Air
Cadets
> in 18 Lions Squadron, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. We were the winners in a
model
> airplane contest and photo shows us with models.
>
> Our museum has an (empty) "EEZY-BILT MODEL AIRPLANE" box which was
> manufactured by the Hyak Model Airplane Company, Victoria, British
Columbia,
> Canada. Date is uncertain, but it is old. Accession number BV985.1296.1
>
> I know that air museums often end up with old airplane models - both balsa
> and plastic. We have several in the area like that.
>
> Please reply off list to [log in to unmask]
>
> Colin Macgregor Stevens,
> Curator,
> Burnaby Village Museum,
> Burnaby, British Columbia, CANADA
>
> E-mail:  [log in to unmask]
> Phone:   (604) 293-6504
> FAX:     (604) 293-6525
> Museum web site:
> http://www.burnabyparksrec.org/villagemuseum/villagemuseum.html
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> > Behalf Of Chuck Stout
> > Sent: November 21, 2000 12:01
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: The old X-Acto knife
> >
> >
> > Here's another fun question. Can anyone tell me the origin or the early
> > history of the familiar X-Acto knife? (I'm working on an exhibit about
> > early model airplanes, which will include contemporary tools and
> > materials.) Can any senior model makers out there tell me what might
have
> > been used prior to the X-Acto hobby knife?
> >
> > Thanks for your help!
> >
> > Chuck Stout
> > Exhibits Manager
> > Wings Over the Rockies Museum
>
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